Editorial: Opportunity to celebrate our nation

OPINION: As Waitangi Day is celebrated throughout New Zealand today, it is appropriate to reflect on its significance.

Undoubtedly, for many New Zealanders its chief importance is that it is normally a public holiday, although this year it falls on a Saturday and is not "Monday-ised". A more accurate view is that it is, along with Anzac Day, an unofficial national day, and the Treaty of Waitangi deserves to be proudly regarded as our founding partnership document and a key component of our identity.

Signing a treaty with indigenous people was a rarity in the history of European colonialism. There was, for example, no treaty in Australia and it was only recently that an Australian government deigned to apologise to Aborigines.

It is quite true that for much of the period following its signing in 1840 the Treaty was not honoured and the treatment of Maori by colonial and post-colonial governments, including land confiscations, was shameful.

But from the 1970s successive governments have attempted to put right past injustices, notably through the Treaty settlement process. And Maori now have a far stronger voice in Parliament than was traditionally the case. The number of Maori seats has risen from four to seven, while the advent of MMP has encouraged parties to place Maori in winnable list positions.

The notion that February 6 could be regarded as a national day would be alien to some New Zealanders. They would argue that this implies a degree of unity between Maori and non-Maori that has too often been absent on Waitangi Day.

Certainly, the celebrations at Waitangi itself have regularly been marred by ugly demonstrations and mud throwing, with former Prime Minister Helen Clark boycotting them for several years.

But last year, despite Prime Minister John Key being jostled there by two protesters, the celebrations nationwide were generally characterised by warmth and good spirits.

And if the Government can meet its target – highly ambitious as it is – of settling all historic Treaty claims by 2014, one source of grievance would be removed, although issues such as Maori economic development would remain.

It might be no coincidence that in the lead-up to Waitangi Day this year, calls for New Zealand to have a new flag resurfaced. Some argue that the present flag creates confusion, as it is too similar to Australia's flag. But this is not sufficient cause to change – especially if moves in Australia to replace its own flag succeed.

A better argument is that having the Union Jack on our flag is an unwanted and unnecessary vestige of our colonial past, which does not reflect New Zealand's identity as an independent nation. This subject is worthy of healthy debate, perhaps in conjunction with consideration of whether New Zealand should become a republic, but it is unclear whether there is a strong public appetite for a flag change now.

That a choice of flag can provoke controversy has been shown by the decision to fly the tino rangatiratanga flag on Waitangi Day. Critics claim that, rather than symbolising partnership, it will be divisive, especially as the tino rangatiratanga flag has been flown during Maori protests.

Even among Maori, the choice of flag was not unanimous. Ngai Tahu will not fly the tino rangatiratanga flag because it has negative connotations for the iwi. These include the fact the flag was flown by those opposed to Ngai Tahu settlements.

Changing the official New Zealand flag would undoubtedly create similar controversy over what the replacement should be and the process of selecting a new one could be interminable.

As with calls for New Zealand to become a republic, it is likely that a flag change will one day occur once there is a clear consensus to do this, but there is no need for haste.

In the meantime, New Zealanders have plenty of other ways in which to celebrate our national identity – and one of these is Waitangi Day.