Listen Now: 
Former New Zealand First minister Shane Jones says the organisers of a trade hui in Northland should have worked harder to make people aware of it.
Saturday’s Te Taitokerau Regional Trade Hui at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri was one of a series by Māori international trade consultative group Te Taumata, and had a particular focus on Māori women in trade.
Mr Jones says he was disappointed at the turnout, given the calibre of speakers such as Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta, Māori Trade Under-Secretary Rino Tirikatene and South African High Commissioner Vuyiswa Tulelo.
"So I have said to the local organisers you don't bring kaupapa like this into Māoridom, into the rural areas unless you have got a big crowd because these issues are of such significance given the knife edge tension that currently exits between America and China and the implications for Māoridom given we are so reliant now on free trade arrangements with China," he says.
!["p_facebook"]("/site/uma/images/story_img/facebook.jpg")
& !["p_twitter"]("/site/uma/images/story_img/twitter.jpg")
Copyright © 2021, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
RELATED NEWS
