Waitangi Day, more sombre than celebratory

Against the backdrop of Waitangi Day we’re looking at how on earth New Zealand could have recently been voted the most socially progressive country, peculiarly as it went from zero to hero in the space of 12 months.

Here’s a round-up of today’s NZ social media posts…keep checking back over the next 24 hours to see how socially progressive this day is.

Pretty much sums up the response to @EleanorCatton from Sean Plunkett, John Key & other like (small)minded white men pic.twitter.com/l8ZdIwKMDD

— leonie pihama (@kaupapamaori) January 30, 2015

New Zealand holds its breath and prepares for anger and violence each time it ‘celebrates’ Waitangi Day

Waitangi live: John Key arrives to powerful haka, heckles – TVNZ: Radio New ZealandWaitangi live: John Key arr… http://t.co/ERWf1j1seq

— New Zealand Link (@dlNewZealand) February 4, 2015

John Key welcomed peacefully at Waitangi | How Many Men in Ray Bans does it take to make JK feel safe?http://t.co/ZaDwGk9p81 #nzpol

— Colinisation (@Colin_R_Gale) February 4, 2015

Looking like a warm welcome?

Key and his ministers and MPs being welcomed at Waitangi: pic.twitter.com/VCTIwtz3Vf

— RadioLIVE Newsroom (@LIVENewsDesk) February 4, 2015

Andrew Judd on the Treaty of Waitangi “The hatred is unbelievable. I can’t put into words how lost we are.” http://t.co/J8kCxmN32S

— Southern Limits (@southernlimitnz) February 4, 2015

No name suppression is given to New Zealanders who aren’t prominent, ex-All Blacks, ex-police officers, or media personalities “who make people laugh” :

#nz Babysitter charged with Murder named: http://t.co/E0zYg9vlj7 @HumanHeadline @IR_Tyler @cafbear
— Media Man (@TheWarRoomNZ) February 4, 2015

John Key using his speech at Te Tii Marae to explain why we need to go and kill some coloured people #Waitangi

— awkward orchid (@awkward_orchid) February 4, 2015

Upside of PM using his Waitangi address to make the case for war against IS? The right can’t accuse anyone else of “politicising the day”

— John Hart (@farmgeek) February 4, 2015

@katieabradford needing a news story? Ask them who owns that Foreshore, that will speed things along

— Colinisation (@Colin_R_Gale) February 4, 2015

The mainstream media seems extraordinarily myopic at times:

honestly, i am dumbfounded & lost for words as to @NZStuff non-reporting of the #Sabin affair pic.twitter.com/8nhBx5IJNg
— Paul Le Comte (@five15design) January 30, 2015

Eleanor Catton blasts critics’ ‘jingoistic national tantrum’ http://t.co/AgskilqJnR

— Neil Hegarty (@nphegarty) February 4, 2015

@EleanorCatton: “In most modern democracies a writer expressing an opinion is not considered, in itself, shocking” http://t.co/5j9DAmmwBi

— IowaWritersWorkshop (@IowaWritersWksp) February 4, 2015

Women of child bearing age discriminated against in the workplace (source)