October 25, 2017
People’s mandate for new Maori Minister
A leading Maori social service provider says Nanaia Mahuta is extremely well qualified to serve as Minister for Maori Development.
Waipareira Trust chief executive John Tamihere says the line-up that will be sworn in today means there will be not one but two Maori ministers around the cabinet table, with Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis also having a new portfolio of Crown – Maori Relations.
Mr Tamihere, who was a minister in the last Labour Government, has high hopes for the Hauraki Waikato MP.
"Twentyone years in the house. She's been a cabinet minister under (Helen) Clark. In the election she beat her king, beat Tuku Morgan, the president of the Maori Party and was returned with not just a reasonable majority but a thumping majority, a 9000-seat majority. Huge. This woman deserves the shot, deserves to be backed, and has won a mandate of the people and that’s what counts," he says.
Willie Jackson, a Minister outside cabinet, is Ms Mahuta’s associate as well as being Employment Minister, while Peeni Henare is Minister for Whanau Ora.
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