Author Description

The books compares stories of Roman Catholic involvement in current and historical indigenous policy debates in Australia and New Zeland. They are stories of inconsistent and often confused applications of God's perceived 'constant' truths about humankind to complex and controversial questions of public policy. The book, authored by a Maori New Zealander, is a discussion of the relationship between religious ideas and secular political decision making. It explores religious principles relevant to how Australian and New Zealand socities have considered the political implications of ideas about race, treaties, biculturalism, titles to land, foreshore and seabed, land rights, native title and reconciliation. The author is a postdoctroal fellow at the University of Waikato, New Zeland.