“The Brazen Theft of Mana in Hobson's Pledge Digital Colonisation” - 8 August 2025
When Digital Cowboys Rob Sacred Taonga
Kua riri au. I am angry. When Te Arawa kuia Ellen Tamati was woken at 1:40am by her mokopuna's frantic calls about seeing her grandmother's sacred moko kauae plastered on billboards nationwide with words she never spoke, we witnessed digital colonisation at its most vicious. Hobson's Pledge, that well-funded vehicle for white supremacist talking points, had committed an act so breathtakingly arrogant it exposes the rotten heart of their entire operation - stealing a kuia's sacred mana to sell their anti-Māori poison.
Understanding the Sacred Violation
The theft of Ellen Tamati's image represents more than copyright infringement - it constitutes cultural desecration. Her moko kauae carries the sacred genealogy of her whakapapa, connecting her right side to Te Arawa waka and left side to Mataatua waka. This sacred taonga, as academic research demonstrates, functions as "a technology of memory" that "claims dominion and understanding across generations, across time, across space". When Hobson's Pledge weaponised her image with the words "My mana doesn't need a mandate - vote no to Māori wards," they violated the tapu nature of moko kauae in the most cynical manner imaginable.rnz+1
Rotorua kuia’s image used in Hobson’s Pledge billboard without consent, family outraged
The Digital Theft Machinery
The mechanics of this theft reveal the colonial mindset in action. Australian photographer Rafael Ben Ari captured Tamati's image at Waitangi Day 2025, then uploaded it to stock photo platforms iStock and Shutterstock. The image was labelled "Mature adult Maori woman with Ta moko tattoo stock photo" and marked for "editorial use only". This restriction specifically prohibits commercial, promotional, advertorial, endorsement, and advertising uses.rnz
Yet Don Brash and his cronies proceeded anyway, claiming they "thought it fair to use" and had secured "all rights to use it in public-facing materials". This brazen disregard for licensing terms reveals their colonial assumption that Māori images exist for their taking.rnz
The Wider Pattern of Hobson's Pledge Deception
This violation sits within a broader pattern of Hobson's Pledge's deceptive practices. The group has previously been condemned for "astroturfing" through fake grassroots websites and faced over 670 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority for misleading claims about customary marine titles. The ASA ruled their advertisements were "materially misleading" and "socially irresponsible".rnz+1
Democracy Project research reveals Hobson's Pledge operates through a network of interconnected far-right organisations, including shared use of The Campaign Company with the Taxpayers' Union. This coordination allowed them to spend $283,899 during the 2023 election, part of over $2 million poured into right-wing campaigning.democracyproject.substack+1
Legal Violations and Colonial Contempt
The theft of Tamati's image likely breaches multiple laws. Under New Zealand's Fair Trading Act, businesses cannot make misleading representations about endorsements. The billboard clearly implied Tamati endorsed the anti-Māori ward message through the first-person phrasing "My mana doesn't need a mandate."rnz
Furthermore, iStock's licensing terms explicitly prohibit the commercial uses Hobson's Pledge engaged in. Editorial use restrictions exist specifically to prevent misrepresentation and unauthorised commercial exploitation.stockphotosecrets+1
Most critically, this theft violates the fundamental principle articulated in the Waitangi Tribunal's Wai 262 report Ko Aotearoa Tēnei. The Tribunal recognised that Māori cultural expressions require protection from unauthorised commercial exploitation, particularly when such use undermines the kaitiaki relationship between Māori and their taonga.waitangitribunal+1
The Response That Revealed Their True Nature
When confronted with Tamati's distress, Don Brash's response revealed the colonial mindset underlying Hobson's Pledge. Rather than immediately apologising, he claimed they would "endeavour to contact the woman concerned and offer our apologies". This grudging response came only after over 30 complaints flooded the Advertising Standards Authority within hours.rnz
More tellingly, Brash insisted "we're not pushing anti-Māori campaigns of course" while simultaneously running billboards designed to eliminate Māori representation from local government. This gaslighting technique - claiming not to be anti-Māori while actively working to reduce Māori political power - exemplifies the sophisticated racism Hobson's Pledge peddles.rnz
The Broader Attack on Māori Democracy
The theft of Tamati's image serves Hobson's Pledge's wider assault on Māori democratic participation. Their 2025 referendum campaign targets 42 councils with Māori wards, seeking to eliminate guaranteed Māori representation in local government.wikipedia
This campaign exploits the coalition government's legislation requiring binding referendums on Māori wards - legislation that specifically targets Māori representation while leaving other ward types untouched. As ActionStation notes, this represents institutional racism in treating Māori wards differently from rural or other ward configurations.1news+1
The Pattern of Privileged Impunity
What makes this theft particularly galling is the privileged impunity Hobson's Pledge expects. Don Brash, former Reserve Bank Governor and political leader, assumed he could appropriate a kuia's sacred image without consequence. The group's $283,899 election spending and connections to wealthy donors insulate them from accountability most New Zealanders would face.rnz
This impunity extends to their media enablers. The New Zealand Herald initially took Hobson's Pledge advertising before eventually pulling a follow-up advertisement amid public backlash. NZME's willingness to platform misleading propaganda demonstrates how corporate media enables far-right messaging when profit beckons.thespinoff
Cultural Appropriation in the Digital Age
The theft of Tamati's image exemplifies how digital colonisation operates through cultural appropriation. Academic research on tā moko appropriation demonstrates how non-consensual use of Māori cultural symbols perpetuates colonial power relations. When social media platforms allow moko filters or stock photo sites monetise sacred imagery, they enable the commodification of Indigenous identity.bbc+1
The ease with which Hobson's Pledge acquired and weaponised Tamati's image reveals how digital platforms facilitate cultural theft. Stock photography sites like iStock and Shutterstock profit from Indigenous imagery while providing minimal protection for depicted individuals' cultural rights.
The Economics of Hate
Financial analysis reveals Hobson's Pledge's substantial war chest, allowing them to blanket the country with divisive messaging. Their billboard campaign, using LUMO company displays, represents significant financial investment in spreading anti-Māori sentiment. This economic power enables them to dominate public discourse while genuine grassroots Māori voices struggle for resources.democracyproject.substack
The group's interconnections with other right-wing organisations create an echo chamber where anti-Māori messaging appears to have broader support than reality. By coordinating through The Campaign Company and sharing platforms with groups like Groundswell and the Taxpayers' Union, they manufacture artificial consensus for divisive policies.rnz
Fighting Digital Colonisation
Ellen Tamati's violation demands systematic response. First, New Zealand needs stronger legal protections for Indigenous cultural expressions, building on Ko Aotearoa Tēnei recommendations. The Crown must finally implement the Waitangi Tribunal's 2011 findings calling for enhanced protection of Māori intellectual property.waitangitribunal
Second, stock photography platforms must be held accountable for enabling cultural appropriation. Sites like iStock and Shutterstock profit from Indigenous imagery while shirking responsibility for protecting depicted individuals' rights. Regulatory frameworks must ensure meaningful consent and cultural sensitivity requirements.
Third, we must expose the networks funding and enabling groups like Hobson's Pledge. Their sophisticated operation requires significant resources and coordination - transparency about their donors and connections would reveal the vested interests driving their divisive messaging.
The Broader Implications for Māori Sovereignty
This violation occurs within the coalition government's broader anti-Māori agenda. From attacking te reo Māori on passports to undermining co-governance arrangements, the current administration systematically erodes Māori tino rangatiratanga. Hobson's Pledge functions as the attack dog for these policies, normalising anti-Māori sentiment through sophisticated propaganda.1news
Māori ward campaigns specifically target Māori political representation at the local level. By eliminating guaranteed Māori voices on councils, these referendums undermine Māori ability to protect their interests in resource management, cultural preservation, and community development.rnz
Standing with Ellen Tamati
Ellen Tamati's courage in speaking out despite her distress provides a powerful counter-narrative to Hobson's Pledge propaganda. Her mokopuna Anahera Parata correctly identified this as choosing "the wrong whānau" - a whānau with deep connections to Te Arawa and unwavering commitment to Māori advancement.rnz
Tamati's message was clear: "please go and vote for our Māori wards... because we need them". Her dignity in the face of this violation contrasts sharply with Hobson's Pledge's cowardly theft of her image.1news
The kuia's call for Hobson's Pledge to "come and see me" represents more than personal confrontation. It challenges them to face the human cost of their propaganda rather than hiding behind corporate lawyers and spin doctors.rnz
We must heed Ellen Tamati's call. This election, when Māori ward referendums appear on ballots across the country, we must vote YES to preserve Māori representation. We must reject the fear-mongering and division Hobson's Pledge peddles. We must protect our kuia's mana from further violation.
The White Supremacist Broadcasting Network Enablers
But the theft of Ellen Tamati's mana becomes even more sinister when we examine the propaganda ecosystem that enabled and amplified this violation. On August 7th, Don Brash appeared on The Platform NZ, the white supremacist broadcasting platform founded by Sean Plunket. This wasn't mere damage control - it was a strategic deployment of the far-right media infrastructure designed to normalise racist rhetoric.rnz
Sean Plunket's White Supremacist Platform
The Platform NZ represents the apotheosis of New Zealand's far-right media ecosystem. Founded by Sean Plunket after his "deplatforming" from mainstream media, this digital cesspit proudly positions itself as "the resistance" to "the twitterati, the woke and the wackos". Plunket's venture has systematically provided a platform for white supremacists, anti-vaxxers, suspended doctors, and right-wing media personalities.thespinoff+1
The Platform's content and messaging explicitly targets "an agitated audience on topics they feel journalists have ignored, like Three Waters and co-governance", promoting the dangerous fiction that mainstream media has been "poisoned" by the New Zealand Government's Public Interest Journalism Fund. This conspiratorial thinking creates the perfect breeding ground for anti-Māori sentiment.wikipedia
Plunket's roster of regular guests exposes the white supremacist network The Platform serves. Notable guests have included former National Party leader Don Brash, ACT Party leader David Seymour, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, right-wing activist Kelvyn Alp, Voices for Freedom spokesperson Alia Brand, and anti-vaccine influencer Chantelle Baker. This is the same Chantelle Baker who became a fixture promoting anti-mandate and anti-vaccination propaganda.rnz+1
The platform's anti-transgender activism reveals its white supremacist character. During Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull's ("Posie Parker") Auckland visit, which sparked "genocidal" levels of online hate toward the trans community, Plunket denounced the violence as "mob rule" and described the cancellation of Keen's tour as "a victory for cancel culture and bullies in the trans and gay communities". This rhetoric directly echoes white supremacist talking points about "defending" traditional gender roles.wikipedia+1
Brash's Pathetic Performance Exposed the Whole Operation
When Plunket interviewed Brash about the Ellen Tamati theft, the exchange revealed the contemptuous colonial mindset driving both men. Brash's performance was a masterclass in privileged deflection, demonstrating the sophisticated racism that both The Platform and Hobson's Pledge peddle.
Plunket began by framing the issue as merely about "privacy law" and "commercial relationships," deliberately obscuring the cultural violence Hobson's Pledge had committed. This rhetorical sleight of hand - reducing sacred moko kauae to mere commercial imagery - epitomises the cultural blindness that enables digital colonisation.youtube
When pressed about using Tamati's image "without knowing if that was her political point of view," Brash's response was telling: "Sean, if I had my time again, I would ask for an AI designed photograph or picture of a totally non-personal. That would have been a safer option". Note the language - not "more ethical" or "more respectful," but "safer." This reveals the calculating cynicism behind their operation. They're not concerned about cultural violation - only about getting caught.youtube
The interview exposed Brash's profound ignorance about basic licensing requirements. When Plunket asked if he was "aware of the small print in most agreements on stock libraries that people's images cannot be used for political purposes," Brash admitted: "I was not aware of that". This from a former Reserve Bank Governor who claims to run a professional lobbying organisation. The ignorance is either genuine incompetence or wilful blindness - both equally damning.youtube
The Network of Complicity
Most tellingly, the interview revealed the interconnected network enabling this racist propaganda. When Plunket pressed Brash about who designed the advertisement, Brash initially tried to deflect: "I don't think we need to know that name, do we?" Only when Plunket insisted on transparency did Brash admit it was "the campaign company... run by Jordan Williams".youtube
This revelation exposes the sophisticated infrastructure of New Zealand's far-right ecosystem. Jordan Williams, as founder and Executive Director of the Taxpayers' Union, represents one of the most powerful right-wing lobby groups in the country. With 200,000 members, the Taxpayers' Union is "one of the largest lobby groups in New Zealand" and receives nearly $3 million in donations annually.rnz+1
Williams' organisation is deeply embedded in international far-right networks. The Taxpayers' Union is an official partner of the Atlas Network, "the global network of taxpayers groups working together for lower taxes, limited and accountable government, and taxpayer rights all over the world". This Atlas Network connection reveals how local anti-Māori campaigns connect to global white supremacist infrastructure.taxpayers
The Taxpayers' Union's funding sources raise serious questions about foreign interference in New Zealand democracy. Williams admits that tobacco companies British American Tobacco and potentially Phillip Morris are members, and that "industry money" accounts for "less than 3%" of their budget. Yet with a $3 million budget, even 3% represents $90,000 annually from corporations with vested interests in undermining public health policy.rnz
Williams' international networking extends to "training sessions" with the Atlas Network and representing New Zealand taxpayer groups at World Health Organization conferences in Panama. This Panama trip specifically aimed to "oppose the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" - work that directly benefits the tobacco companies funding his organisation.rnz
LUMO: The Digital Infrastructure of Hate
The physical infrastructure enabling Ellen Tamati's violation deserves equal scrutiny. LUMO Digital Outdoor, the company displaying Hobson's Pledge's racist propaganda, operates "a network of digital billboards" helping "local and international brands reach New Zealand audiences in prime urban locations". Their premium locations across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Hamilton provide maximum exposure for divisive messaging.lumodigital
LUMO's business model exemplifies how digital colonisation operates through supposedly neutral infrastructure. By treating Ellen Tamati's sacred moko kauae as mere "content" for their digital displays, they enable the commodification of Indigenous identity. Their slick marketing materials celebrate "campaigns that turned heads" while ignoring the cultural violence they facilitate.lumodigital
The company's client roster reveals its role in New Zealand's corporate ecosystem. Major brands like Air New Zealand, McDonald's, Z Energy, and Southern Cross Pet Insurance use LUMO's network, demonstrating how supposedly progressive corporations implicitly support the infrastructure that enables racist propaganda. When these companies purchase LUMO's services, they subsidise the same network that violated Ellen Tamati's cultural rights.
Hobsons Pledge newsletter pleading their case after the event - 7 August 6:16pm
The Brash Doctrine: Twenty Years of Sophisticated Racism
Don Brash's appearance on The Platform represented more than damage control - it continued his two-decade campaign to normalise anti-Māori sentiment in New Zealand politics. Brash's infamous 2004 Orewa Speech "approached the subject by advocating 'one rule for all' and ending equitable measures and affirmative action for Māori, which he described as 'special privileges'".wikipedia
That speech was explicitly recognised as racist. Prime Minister Helen Clark immediately condemned it as "the politics of desperation", saying "this kind of speech sets out to be divisive". Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen was more direct: "He is too scared to engage with the Government on the economy and has instead resorted to the dirtiest trick in the book - racial divisiveness".nzherald
The media were almost unanimous that Brash was a racist. One Sunday paper devoted its entire front cover to a photograph of Brash alongside Pauline Hanson, "the Australian politician widely regarded as racist". Yet despite this universal condemnation, the speech caused "a political earthquake" that saw National's support leap dramatically.donbrash
This pattern - elite condemnation followed by popular support - reveals how sophisticated racism operates in liberal democracies. By couching anti-Māori sentiment in the language of "equality" and "fairness," Brash made white supremacist ideas respectable to middle-class Pākehā voters. The success of this strategy explains why he continues recycling the same arguments twenty years later.
Academic Jon Johansson correctly identified the speech's impact: "Whether intended or not, the Orewa speech reinforced the ignorant and racist stereotype that Māori were 'savages' before the 'gift' of European civilisation was visited upon them". This colonial mythology - that Māori should be grateful for colonisation - remains central to Hobson's Pledge messaging.wikipedia
Brash's recent appearances demonstrate his continued commitment to this racist project. When he spoke at Waitangi in 2019, organiser Reuben Taipari acknowledged that Brash was "dismissed by many of his whānau as 'the most racist politician in the country'". Yet Brash persists, driven by an ideological commitment to white supremacy disguised as "equality."1news
His 2017 return to Orewa demonstrated this continuity. Speaking alongside Casey Costello - now a New Zealand First MP and Associate Health Minister - Brash insisted "it never will be racist to call for equality". This rhetorical manoeuvre - claiming anti-racism itself is racist - represents the pinnacle of white supremacist discourse.scoop
The Platform Interview: Dissecting the Colonial Mindset
Don Brash Responds To The Hobson's Pledge Māori Wards Billboard Controversy - 7 August 2025 - approx 12pm
Returning to Brash's Platform interview, every response revealed the colonial contempt driving Hobson's Pledge. When Plunket suggested the decent thing was to "withdraw the ad and apologise," Brash's response was grudging: "that's true". No acknowledgement of cultural violation, no understanding of moko kauae's sacred significance - just irritation at getting caught.youtube
The interview's final moments exposed both men's fundamental dishonesty. Plunket's framing of Ellen Tamati's violation as an "interesting discussion" about "privacy law" deliberately obscured the cultural dimensions of the theft. This rhetorical strategy - treating sacred Indigenous imagery as mere commercial content - enables digital colonisation by denying its cultural significance.youtube
Brash's admission that he would use AI-generated images "next time" revealed the calculating cynicism behind Hobson's Pledge. They're not interested in finding authentic Māori voices opposing Māori wards - they simply want imagery that can't fight back. This preference for artificial over authentic demonstrates their understanding that their message fundamentally contradicts Māori aspirations.
The Ecosystem of Elite White Supremacy
The Platform interview illuminated how New Zealand's elite white supremacist network operates. Brash, Williams, and Plunket represent different nodes in this ecosystem - former political leaders, current lobby organisers, and media amplifiers working together to normalise anti-Māori sentiment.
This sophistication distinguishes contemporary white supremacy from crude historical forms. Rather than burning crosses or wearing hoods, these men wear suits and speak in boardrooms. They deploy economic arguments about "efficiency" and constitutional rhetoric about "equality" to disguise their racial animus. They appear on respectable platforms like The Platform to give their ideas democratic legitimacy.
Yet beneath this veneer lies the same colonial project that has oppressed Māori for 184 years. Whether through nineteenth-century land confiscation, twentieth-century assimilation policies, or twenty-first-century digital theft, the goal remains constant: eliminating Māori as a distinct people with inherent rights.
Ellen Tamati's violation represents this colonial continuity in digital form. Just as colonial governments once stole Māori land through legal mechanisms, contemporary colonisers steal Māori images through licensing loopholes. The technology changes; the theft continues.
The Māori Green Lantern fighting misinformation and disinformation from the far right
The Path Forward
The theft of Ellen Tamati's sacred image crystallises the urgency of protecting Māori cultural and political rights in the digital age. Hobson's Pledge represents more than mere political opposition - they embody the continuing colonial project that seeks to eliminate Māori as a distinct people with inherent rights.
Their brazen appropriation of kuia mana for anti-Māori propaganda reveals the contempt underlying their "one people" rhetoric. They demand Māori assimilation while denying Māori agency over our own cultural expressions.
But their overreach has backfired. By stealing from the wrong whānau, they've exposed their true character to the nation. Ellen Tamati's dignity and the overwhelming support she's received demonstrates that their divisive messaging doesn't represent mainstream New Zealand values.
The sophisticated infrastructure enabling this theft - from international lobby networks to local broadcast platforms to digital billboard companies - requires systematic dismantling. We must expose the funding sources, challenge the licensing frameworks, and hold the enablers accountable.
Most importantly, we must recognise that behind every propaganda campaign lies human cost. Ellen Tamati's mana was violated to sell a message she abhors. Her mokopuna's midnight anguish was the price of Hobson's Pledge's political ambitions.
Now we must channel this outrage into action. Vote YES on Māori wards. Support stronger protections for Māori cultural property. Demand accountability from stock photography platforms and media outlets that enable cultural theft. Expose the white supremacist networks funding and amplifying anti-Māori propaganda.
Kua mutu. Enough. The time for polite discourse with digital colonisers has passed. They declared war on our kuia's mana. Now they face the consequences.
To those who value this kaupapa and have the capacity to support our work, a donation would be gratefully received: HTDM: 03-1546-0415173-000. These are challenging economic times for many whānau, so please only contribute if you wish to and are able to do so.
Mauri ora.
Ivor Jones The Māori Green Lantern
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