Columns

Will Cheyne argues we should; Nick Gavey disagrees.

Will:
What is it exactly that we are trying to achieve with race-based quotas? The answer must be that there is some benefit to the community as a whole in having more of a particular race represented in limited-entry courses. But what is this benefit, and does it justify the imposition on individual rights that quotas impose?
In New Zealand, in theory, everyone has access to the same primary education. Schools teach to a curriculum, teachers must be qualified, lower decile schools get additional funding to recognise the difficulties they face. So coming out of school we should all be at the same standard. If we are not of the same standard, what is the likelihood that this is solely about our race? I accept that statistics will tell us that Maori are under-represented in higher education, but is this because they are Maori, or is this because of other factors? I would suggest it is more likely because they are also disproportionately likely to have come from a poorer background, or to have not finished high school. These are the problems that we need to address; Maori representation in limited-entry courses is just a symptom of these wider issues. 
Some may argue that giving more Maori a chance to take part in limited entry courses will help alleviate this problem. In reality what quotas do is take the Maori from the top of the heap, the ones who have made it to University already, and the ones who narrowly missed out on getting into restricted-entry courses, and give them a helping hand. These are not the Maori we need to help.
But will seeing Maori in higher-profile careers inspire underachieving Maori to work harder? The answer to this is: not on its own. If underachieving Maori, who are not doing well in primary or high school, see their friends subjected to a lower standard because of their race, what does that do to self-confidence? It effectively tells them that no matter what they do they’ll always need the generosity of others to help them succeed, that they can’t do it for themselves.
Race-based quotas do not work to solve the underlying problem; they only help those who are already in a position of privilege and they actively harm the incentive to work hard.
 
Nick:
If there is one thing that gets up the noses of the offspring of New Zealand’s privileged white middle class, it’s when they miss out on a place in second-year Medicine or Law, only to see a person of Maori ancestry gain entry with an even lower mark. With apologies to the former group, I am happy to defend an affirmative action policy that ensures Maori participation in some of the more elite professions in our country. There are a multitude of reasons why this policy is justified, but I would like to mention just two.
First and most important are the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. New Zealand is a bicultural nation, and there is a moral duty on important institutions to ensure that Maori are able to play a role. I would argue that this extends to universities. They act as the gateway for people who wish to play a part in our legal system and our health system. Without Maori participation in these arenas, the principle of partnership has no real meaning. 
Maori are over-represented in negative crime and health statistics. A lack of Maori doctors, lawyers, and judges severely limits the ability of Maori people to positively engage in addressing these concerns. Without Maori involvement it becomes too easy to engage in paternalism aimed more at assuaging white guilt than addressing Maori issues.
The second reason is that a Maori quota plays a role in addressing historic grievances. There is no doubt that historically Europeans have acted in extremely bad faith: stealing traditional Maori land, depriving them of meaningful suffrage, and disconnecting them from their culture. 
People who claim these actions are irrelevant historical anecdotes are wrong. Their effects are still felt today. The spiritual and material deprivation Maori faced at European hands far exceeds any direct Treaty reparations, and is largely responsible for the poverty, poor health, and crime than affect Maori on aggregate. In the long run, the Crown and Pakeha New Zealanders needs to address these symptoms at their root. Maori too need to take some responsibility. But it is also important to treat the symptoms in the meantime. A lack of Maori educational achievement is justly addressed through reserving Maori places in law and medicine.