April 18, 2016
Walk out as Maori Council cleans house
The chair of the New Zealand Maori Council, Sir Taihakurei Durie, says the organisation now has its house in order, after a meeting on Saturday where former co-chair Maanu Paul and his supporters walked out.
Sir Taihakurei was confirmed as the sole chair in an election overseen by Sir Harawira Gardiner.
He says the only way the council can work is by following its own rules, which was confirmed by a High Court hearing last week.
"Maanu and his group, they run off, they just flout every rule in the book. What this council now has is a group of people who will follow the constitution, uphold the constitution and maintain a proper democratic process. I don't see this as an implosion. It is quite the opposite. We are getting our house in order and I believe we now have got our house in order," Sir Taihakurei says.
He says the New Zealand Maori Council can now concentrate on addressing national issues of concern to Maori such as water rights, Resource Management Act reforms, the Trans Pacific Partnership claim and changes to the Maori wardens.
FULL INTERVIEW: SIR TAIHAKUREI DURIE
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