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The chair of Te Tii Marae has offered to resign if that's what's needed to resolve conflicts over the way the marae manages the welcoming that form part of the annual Waitangi Day commemorations.
Kingi Taurua was challenged at a hui at the marae on the weekend by Labour Party stalwart Rudy Taylor and former MP Shane Jones, who were concerned at incidents during this year's event.
Mr Taurua stood by his decision to bar Prime Minister John Key from the marae, which he says was supported by the majority of a hui called to discuss the issue.
He says Mr Key's decision to sign the Trans Pacific Partnership the day before he was scheduled to come to Waitangi was inflammatory.
" That says to me that the government are more interested in other things than the very document they signed. I'm talking about partnership here. They say partnership between Maori and them must prevail but they're not talking about partnership anymore, they are talking about we are the boss of Waitangi, we are the boss of the Treaty of Waitangi, we are the boss of Te Whakaputanga 1835 and what we say goes and that's not good enough for me," he says.
Kingi Taurua says if the tribe says he must resign, he will take his protests to the road outside the marae.
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