Joos wrote:the Maoris in New Zealand are doing comparatively well.
While they are certainly not comparible to aborigines in Australia, Maori in NZ are still very much over represented in prison, gang and low income populations. Maoris also tend to do a lot worse in schools and have much poorer health than white people. They do a bit better than polynesians, but that's not saying much.
Personally I think it is a lack of good role models that is a large part of the problem. While there are plenty of good role Maori role models in the sporting fields, and even a fair representation of Maori in government (but one could argue they're poor role models), the number of Maori in big business and academia is very much an under-representation.
Maori people don't get free education, but there is a quota for maori attending university and so it is easier for maori to get into uni, and many of the maori tribes (some who have done very well for themselves with the compensation money received from the government for past land stealing) tend to help fund maoris through tertiary education. Many people complain about that, but personally, I think anything that is helping to increase the number of academic role models for a poorly performing section of the population is a good thing.
I would certainly not support a ban on alcohol on maori and polynesian people, even though they are also heavily over represented in child abuse cases.
