Govt's Treaty Roadshow Failing, Says Academic

Government's Treaty roadshow failing, says academic

The millions of dollars spent on the Government's TREATY 2U Treaty of Waitangi roadshow have been largely wasted, says AUT University history professor and Treaty expert, Paul Moon.

Professor Moon is concerned that public money is still being poured into the programme even though the public's reaction has been one of almost complete disinterest.

"There is no business case to support this roadshow continuing," he says.

"The numbers just don't stack up and the organisers ought to have the courage to admit that it has failed to deliver."

Professor Moon believes the Government is using the roadshow to convince the Māori electorate it has a commitment to the Treaty while actually achieving little to further effective Treaty education.

He says the Government has seriously underestimated the sophistication of Māori voters.

"TREATY 2U has also been followed around the country by a small group of people promoting a bogus version of the Treaty's history," says Professor Moon.

"The result has been a great deal of confusion," he says. "I have received emails from the public who are puzzled by the whole thing. In this respect the roadshow has ended up doing more harm than good."

"The TREATY 2U roadshow has been an enormous disappointment," says Professor Moon.

"It's now time to pull the plug on it before more funds are squandered. If the Government is serious about Treaty education there are far more effective and efficient means to achieve results in this area."

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