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Labour’s Māori spokesperson says Pita Sharples’ political legacy won’t be in policy.
Dr Sharples today announced he would step down as co-leader at the Māori Party AGM in two weeks.
The ongoing tussle with Te Ururoa Flavell over the leadership was seen as hurting the party in the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election.
Shane Jones says Dr Sharples was politically marooned once he teamed up with John Key, because National’s policies have penalised Māori.
He says as Minster of Maori Affairs Dr Sharples failed to come up with any signature policy.
"I accept he's overhauled or changed the seabed and foreshore legislation but whānau ora, which is the only policy that the Māori Party had anything significant to do with, is really Tariana's policy. Pita's strengths have really been in the area of culture and the marae and that whole kapa haka scene and no one can take that away from him but if you're asking me as a policy advocate what transformational things he delivered as the Minister of Māori Affairs, then the cupboard is bare," Mr Jones says.
He’s confident Pita Sharples’ Tāmaki Makaurau seat will come back to Labour at the next election.
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