May 11, 2023
Flavell forecasts more defections to Māori Party
Former Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell says more of Labour’s Māori MPs would be ready to shift to the Māori Party if they had a chance.
Mr Flavell says he was surprised by Meka Whaitiri’s defection last week after 10 years as a Labour MP, but politics can be strange.
He says the Māori Party is a place Māori can be free to say what they want and not be shackled by the political machines of the larger parties.
That was shown when Māori Party founder Dame Tariana Turia quit Labour over the Fioreshore and Seabed Act.
“Tariana was proof of it and there are others who in private conversations would gladly switch because they want to be Māori but the political process says Labour put you in, you are loyal to Labour, National put you in, you are loyal to National land so on so that is just a part of the political process and one or two wake up,” Mr Flavellsays.