Tāmaki Makaurau candidates have made their final appearance together, squaring off at Ngā Whare Waatea Marae last night.
Māori Party candidate John Tamihere spoke with the passion of the recent convert about tino rangatiratanga, while Labour’s Peeni Henare and the Greens Marama Davidson defended their record in government.
Mr Henare pushed back at Mr Tamihere’s often-repeated claim that less than one percent of the multi-billion dollar COVID-19 response and recovery funding was going to Māori.
He says that number fails to include other support such as the relief packaged and the wage subsidies that went to Māori businesses.
"It’s simply not true. That number is simply the vote Māori Development look, not across all the kaupapa that sit outside vote Māori Development which are still kaupapa Māori. Housing for example. The environment, which I know Marama and the Greens have pushed really hard about getting sustainable employment and all the rest of it, that actually has portions of Māori spending there. So it is misleading and that is of concern to me but we will continue to advance kaupapa Māori.
The actual figure is about 6 percent of COVID recovery funding going to Māori.
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