October 25, 2018
Love driver for Labour policy
Labour’s Māori MPs have acknowledged the contribution of the late Sir Ngatata Love to the party and New Zealand.
Māori caucus co-chair Willie Jackson says Sir Ngatata, who died last week aged 81, had a huge influence on Māori development not just as an educator and during his term running the Ministry for Māori Development but through his long service to the Labour Party.
He encouraged and supported Mahara Okeroa, Mita Ririnui, and the late Parekura Horomia to enter parliament.
"He was the go to Maori leader for Helen Clark so he had a huge influence on Labour Māori in the late '90s, early 2000's with those three MPs and then he played quite a part in terms of the Labour Party policy so no doubt about his work and what he did," Mr Jackson says.
He says Sir Ngatata Love paid a price for the activities that led to him serving a jail term late in life, but his career should not be judged on that.
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