Orewa Speech: Difference between revisions
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The '''Orewa Speech''' was a controversial speech delivered by the then-leader of the [[New Zealand National Party]] [[Don Brash]] to the [[Orewa]] Rotary Club on |
The '''Orewa Speech''' was a controversial speech delivered by the then-leader of the [[New Zealand National Party]] [[Don Brash]] to the [[Orewa]] Rotary Club on 27 January 2004. It addressed the theme of race relations in New Zealand, particularly the special status of [[Māori]], New Zealand's indigenous ethnic group. |
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The speech has been criticised not so much for its substance but for the political intent behind it. It was widely claimed that Brash was "playing the race card", winning support for his party by fuelling racist sentiment toward Māoridom. The speech itself was framed in terms of equality and pragmatism, arguing for dispensing with [[affirmative action]] programs and poorly understood references in legislation to the principles of the [[Treaty of Waitangi]], and ending the alleged "[[Treaty of Waitangi Grievance Industry]]". His speech was criticised as "[w]hether intended or not, the Orewa speech reinforced the ignorant and racist stereotype that Māori were ‘savages’ before the ‘gift’ of European civilisation was visited upon them." [http://www.vuw.ac.nz/pols/documents/Orewa%20And%20The%20Rhetoric%20Of%20Illusion.doc] |
The speech has been criticised not so much for its substance but for the political intent behind it. It was widely claimed that Brash was "playing the race card", winning support for his party by fuelling racist sentiment toward Māoridom. The speech itself was framed in terms of equality and pragmatism, arguing for dispensing with [[affirmative action]] programs and poorly understood references in legislation to the principles of the [[Treaty of Waitangi]], and ending the alleged "[[Treaty of Waitangi Grievance Industry]]". His speech was criticised as "[w]hether intended or not, the Orewa speech reinforced the ignorant and racist stereotype that Māori were ‘savages’ before the ‘gift’ of European civilisation was visited upon them." [http://www.vuw.ac.nz/pols/documents/Orewa%20And%20The%20Rhetoric%20Of%20Illusion.doc] |
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The speech resulted in a major surge in the polls for the National Party, which had been languishing from an overwhelming defeat at the 2002 election. It was also instrumental in establishing a public profile for Don Brash, who had only recently become the party's leader. |
The speech resulted in a major surge in the polls for the National Party, which had been languishing from an overwhelming defeat at the 2002 election. It was also instrumental in establishing a public profile for Don Brash, who had only recently become the party's leader. |
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Dr Brash returned to Orewa on |
Dr Brash returned to Orewa on 25 January 2005, hoping to capitalise on the previous year's success, and gave a speech on social welfare and on welfare dependency. This speech, dubbed '''Orewa 2''', failed to generate the publicity of the original. |
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[[Nicky Hager]]'s 2006 book ''The Hollow Men'' claims that the speech was written, in part, by [[Michael Bassett]], a claim denied by Bassett. |
[[Nicky Hager]]'s 2006 book ''The Hollow Men'' claims that the speech was written, in part, by [[Michael Bassett]], a claim denied by Bassett. |
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Revision as of 18:31, 30 November 2009
The Orewa Speech was a controversial speech delivered by the then-leader of the New Zealand National Party Don Brash to the Orewa Rotary Club on 27 January 2004. It addressed the theme of race relations in New Zealand, particularly the special status of Māori, New Zealand's indigenous ethnic group.
The speech has been criticised not so much for its substance but for the political intent behind it. It was widely claimed that Brash was "playing the race card", winning support for his party by fuelling racist sentiment toward Māoridom. The speech itself was framed in terms of equality and pragmatism, arguing for dispensing with affirmative action programs and poorly understood references in legislation to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, and ending the alleged "Treaty of Waitangi Grievance Industry". His speech was criticised as "[w]hether intended or not, the Orewa speech reinforced the ignorant and racist stereotype that Māori were ‘savages’ before the ‘gift’ of European civilisation was visited upon them." [1]
Subsequent to the speech, Brash's catch-cry "need not race" was taken up by the other side of the political divide, the governing Labour-Progressive coalition. An audit of government programmes was put in place to determine whether there were race-based programmes where need-based programmes would suffice.
The speech resulted in a major surge in the polls for the National Party, which had been languishing from an overwhelming defeat at the 2002 election. It was also instrumental in establishing a public profile for Don Brash, who had only recently become the party's leader.
Dr Brash returned to Orewa on 25 January 2005, hoping to capitalise on the previous year's success, and gave a speech on social welfare and on welfare dependency. This speech, dubbed Orewa 2, failed to generate the publicity of the original.
Nicky Hager's 2006 book The Hollow Men claims that the speech was written, in part, by Michael Bassett, a claim denied by Bassett.
See also
External links
- Text of the 2004 speech
- Text of the 2005 speech
- Orewa and the Rhetoric of Illusion, by Jon Johansson, Political Science, Vol.56, no.2, December 2004.