October 07, 2014
Maori Party support deal challenged
Former Mana Motuhake leader Sandra Lee says rather than propping up the National Government, the Maori Party should be talking with Mana about rebuilding itself as an independent voice in parliament for Maori.
The former cabinet minister says leader Te Ururoa Flavell's status as a minister outside cabinet means he is not really at the table, and the status of the new Maori Development portfolio is instantly downgraded.
She says despite the Maori Party's assertion that its being in Government has benefited Maori people, the data shows that over the past six years whanau Maori have been going backwards.
"Both Mana and Maori Party, the time has come for our people to unify and actually fight the issues that affect our people directly. All those negative things like really do we mind our kids being brought up in cars? Really do we mind 100,000, and they are our kids, going to school with an empty puku? Really do we mind our whenua, including our rural and residential land, really do we mind the assets being sold to offshore interests," she says.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH SANDRA LEE CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjI4MTY=
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