October 11, 2016
Tana puts mana whenua high on mayoral agenda
Porirua's first Maori mayor says while he will be mayor for all the city's people.
Mike Tana from Ngati Whatua was elected on Saturday in his first venture into local government politics.
He says his just-finished term as president of the Pulic Service Association have prepared him for the job of mayor.
He says in his job with the Ministry for Primary Industries and in the PSA he pushed for recognition of mana whenua.
"I'm a Maori mayor, I recognise the role as kaitiaki as mana whenua that our people have but in this role as mayor I actually represent all people in Porirua, all the different ethncities, diversity of Porirua. I just think that the protocol is that we should start on the right foot and the right foot is having Ngati Toa right there with their aspiration and their dreams going forward with the council," he says.
Mike Tana says what's needed is not just consultation with Maori but partnership
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