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Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia’s former Labour Party Maori colleague’s aren’t buying her version of history.
Mrs Turia, who retires from parliament at the election, told TVNZ’s Marae programme at the weekend that Labour’s Maori caucus was going to leave as a bloc over the Foreshore and Seabed Bill, but the others backed down.
Her account has been challenged by then-Tai Tokerau MP Dover Samuels and Waiariki MP Mita Ririnui.
Mr Ririnui says the rest of Labour’s Maori MPs were in fact working with ministers to turn a bad bill into something they could live with.
"Unfortunately she didn't participate in that. I beleive if we'd stayed together, stayed tight, and argued our case, which other members of the Labour caucus expected of us, I think we could have made further gains," he says.
Mr Ririnui says Tariana Turia found it hard to work in a caucus environment where you might win some issues and lose others, but you had to agree to be bound by the majority view.
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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