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The Maori Party is upset its former chief of staff is being held up by Social Development Minister Anne Tolley as representing Maori on a panel reviewing Child, Youth and Family.
Co-leader Marama Fox says she's pleased Helen Leahy, who now works as an advisor for Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, was selected for the group.
But she has told Mrs Tolley the panel also needs Maori and social work expertise.
"I actually feel quite sorry for Helen Leahy that she was held up that way because she herself would never have put herself up that way and that’s the respect that she has for our people so in her own right she deserved to be there for her expertise but yes, we agree with the rest of the nation that we need Maori representation on that panel considering the great number of children in CYFS care," Ms Fox says.
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