October 02, 2012
Tamihere touted for parliamentary return
Former Labour MP Dover Samuels says he would welcome the return of John Tamihere to parliamentary politics.
The Waipareira chief executive and radio talkback host has reportedly rejoined the Labour Party and is sounding out insiders about making a run.
Mr Samuels says his former colleagues still has a fire in his belly to improve the lot of Maori and low income New Zealanders.
“I think that he believes, and so do I, that he can make a contribution to the growing gap, that the sun is no longer shining on John Key and the reality of the lack of policy and direction in this country is resulting now where even the centre of New Zealand, middle income people, people who have got jobs, are suffering, it’s not just people at the bottom of the food chain,” he says.
John Tamihere has talked about the need to challenge Waitakere MP Paula Bennett, who as Social Development Minister endorsed the axing of Waipareira’s Family Start contract which is currently being challenge in court.