November 27, 2023
Māori conservatism factor on new Cabinet
A Māori political scientist says Māori eyes will be on new Māori Development Minister Shane Reti and Health Minister Shane Reti as the new Government starts rolling out its coalition agenda.
The new Prime Minister and Cabinet were sworn in by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro this morning, formalising the first three way coalition in New Zealand history.
Victoria University associate professor Lara Greaves says there will be questions about how the ministers from the various parties will work together, with eight ministers having whakapapa Maori – two from National and three each from ACT and New Zealand First.
“Definitely there’s more conservative, right wing Māori in New Zealand First and ACT you have this kind of, completely abolitionist view of Māori where I’d say Dr Reti and Tama Pōtaka have a different kind of pro Māori Development view. More, more like 1990s Winston Peters type vibe,” she says.
Dr Greaves says Paul Goldsmith’s appointment as Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations minister has made Māori on social media uneasy because of comments he made in 2021 that colonisation was good for Māori.