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December 06, 2023
National hui to tackle Government attacks
Adam Gifford
Posted On December 6, 2023
Download AudioA spokesperson for the Māori king says a hui next month is a chance for te iwi Māori to come together in unity to tell the Government what it needs.
Kiingi Tuheitia called the national hui at Turangawaewae Marae on January 20 after discussions with other Ariki and leaders.
Chief of staff Ngira Simmonds says there was a lot of unhelpful and divisive rhetoric during the election campaign which has continued into the agenda of the new Government.
He says that’s not unusual from Governments of every political shade, and Maori have always responded by coming together.
“The reason Kiingi Tuheitia is calling this national hui is because if we can come together and distil or voice through mana motuhake then we can go to the Government and say let’s work on this, this, this and this because equally with them we’ve achieved great things – kohanga reo, kura kaupapa, whare wānanga, but all of those things have come off our unity and our tireless efforts,” Mr Simmonds say.
He says new Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he wants people to give the Government time – and the same could be said about initiatives like the Māori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora.
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