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February 29, 2016
Maori Council coup breaks forced harmony
Waatea Team
Posted On February 29, 2016
There’s a split in the New Zealand Maori Council, with some district Maori councils moving to end the co-chair arrangement that has prevailed for the past four years.
The council’s last annual meeting agreed that Sir Edward Taihakurei Durie and Maanu Paul should continue sharing the chair, but a hui last week decided the job should be done by Mr Paul alone.
Deputy chair Des Ratima says seven of the 16 district councils were represented at the hui.
He says the organisation was suffering because the relationship between the two chairs had broken down.
"There were promises made last year at the meeting at Waiwhetu that they could work together but it didn't happen and quite quickly that relationship soured, there was no action on behalf of the council that could be called unless both co-chairs signed off on it, and if one would say yes, the other would say no," Mr Ratima says.
Sir Taihakurei is questioning the legitimacy of the hui and its ability to make decisions on the chairmanship.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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