February 03, 2017
Media fee step too far for Te Tii trustees
Labour MP Peeni Henare says it may be time to clean out the committee running Te Tii Marae in Waitangi, or move welcoming ceremonies across the river to the Treaty Grounds.
The marae committee is demanding media pay a $1200 ‘coverage fee’ for access to a small area at the marae, or $10,000 for full access.
Mr Henare says elements in the marae have tried to demand media fees in the past, to negative reaction.
He’s disappointed his Ngati Kawa and Ngati Rahiri relatives are trying it on again.
"The only options left to us now is we persist and are at the will of the organising committee, 2 we either take over and usher in change to make sure these things don't happen in the future or 3 we simply take it off the marae and take it up to Te Whare Runanga which is up on the treaty grounds" says Peeni Henare.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH PEENI HENARE
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