April 22, 2016
Labour taiaha aimed at policies not persons
Tamaki Makaurau MP Peeni Henare is rejecting a charge Labour’s Maori MPs have become the brown taiaha used by Labour to patu the Maori Party.
Maori Party president Naida Glavish is accusing the MPs of using social media to spread innuendo and mistruths about key Maori Party initiatives like the Te Reo Maori Bill and Maori land law reform.
Mr Henare says the MPs can’t be blamed for what other people are saying on social media.
"I’m reminded of my grandfather's korero, 'He tangata puhaehae te Maori, ko tona puhaehae ko te taiaha,' and I think that's where she takes her korero from of being the brown taiaha of jealousy and spreading mistrust and mistruths. I try not to engage with that on social media, we just need to attack the kaupapa instead of the person," he says.
He says he and his colleagues are always willing to take opportunities to work cross-party on issues if that will benefit Maori.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com