August 22, 2016
King speech irks Peters
New Zealand First MP Winston Peters says King Tuheitia has made a major misstep by involving himself in party politics.
In unscripted remarks at the end of his speech at Turangawaewae Marae yesterday, the king slammed Labour for its supposed refusal to work with the Maori Party, endorsed Mana Movement leader Hone Harawira, and criticised Mr Peters for not acting Maori.
Mr Peters told Radio Waatea host Willie Jackson he blames the king’s close advisor, new Maori Party president and former New Zealand First MP Tukoroirangi Morgan.
"I hear Tuku Morgan, who probably wrote it and Tuku as you know is not the smartest sandwich in the box really. To get that sort of advice is really quite tragic to a King to say that. The Maori king has never been on my marae up north, our marae where we come from or any of our marae to my knowledge. I have been to his and followed their protocol," he says.
Mr Peters says King Tuheitia’s mother, Te Atairangikaahu, would never have made such a statement because she knew her followers were entitled to hold divergent political views.
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