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PM’s comments ‘insult to all of us’ – Maori Party

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PM’s comments ‘insult to all of us’ – Maori Party

3News NZ

The row over who owns the water is straining the Government's relationship with the Maori Party

The row over who owns the water is straining the Government's relationship with the Maori Party

The Maori Party has come out firing against Prime Minister John Key after he said the Government can ignore recommendations from the Waitangi Tribunal.

The Tribunal is currently hearing submissions on the ownership of the water used to generate electricity for the four state-owned power companies the Government plans to partially sell.

Mr Key appeared on Firstline this morning and said the power companies can be partially sold regardless of what the Tribunal comes up with.

The Maori Party has waded into the debate and says the comments are an insult to Maori and breach the spirit of the Treaty of Waitangi.

"Let us not forget the Tribunal represents the Treaty partnership. The membership of the Tribunal being half tangata whenua and half Crown representation is a tribute to this partnership,” co-leader Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia said in a statement.

“The Tribunal, in making recommendations on claims brought by Māori relating to actions or omissions of the Crown, which breach the promises made in the Treaty of Waitangi, has a significance and a status amongst tangata whenua which should be recognised."

Mr Shaples and Ms Turia say Mr Key’s comments are “bitterly disappointing”.

“To make such comments is an insult to all of us. We believe that the Government is required in good faith to consider the recommendations of the Tribunal.

“We will be eagerly awaiting the Tribunals’ recommendations and also seeking the Iwi Leaders’ response to these comments. It is of utmost concern in so far as it threatens the very heart of the Treaty relationship”.

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Comments

12/07/2012 10:55:39 p.m.

John wrote:

Key & english has no policy Two terms and all they can do is tax breaks for the rich and sell us out. Vote them out

12/07/2012 6:53:38 p.m.

tania p wrote:

NO TO ANY MORE ASSET SALES! You dont need to be a genious to see that these assets sales will not benefit everyone in nz, in fact it would hurt the average citizen in the pocket. I am a proud maori, i am also smart so then why do i feel like a second rate person because im a maori. You can not sell off 49% of the electricity facilities and expect to own it. 51% is made up of smaller investors - wake up and do the maths ppl.

12/07/2012 12:52:13 p.m.

Graeme R wrote:

Point one. Kiwi assets are not for sale. A maximum of 49% is for sale. 51% will always remain in control. Why hasn't there been an outcry over 26% of Air NZ being held in 'private' hands??? The public are ignorant of these matters and lead by the nose by the likes of the Labour Party (why did they put up with a mixed ownership model...Air NZ?) Point two. Maori need to harden up and cease playing the downtrodden, culturally hurt, racist game..it is tearing this country apart & they know it! This water rights debate should not even be happening..Maori do not own the water..see the debate for what it is. An attempt to legitimise and create a perception that the water is theirs. IT IS NOT and never will be. Will the next claim be for the very air we breath??? NZ will never be united until the likes of John Key becomes hard-nosed and puts the welfare of ALL NZrs ahead of this primitive tribal B...S..T All Maori at this time in our history have some degree of Pakeha in them. Perhaps as a fourth geneartion English decent Kiwi I will now start making claims (of course with government/tax payers money) against Maori for their foreshore sites (popular beaches). I am every bit a citizen as these tribes, who after all imigrated here themselves. How is it that Maori 'law' was, if you wanted another tribes land you fought for it, won and took it. Those were the 'rules'. When Europeans came, paid and sometimes fought for land or just took it..."that is not fair"!! "we can act that way but not you lot because you have beaten us"... Hard luck...get over it and stop believing all your fellow Kiwis owe you.

12/07/2012 10:28:49 a.m.

adam wrote:

John Key failed to do his research.

11/07/2012 9:59:49 a.m.

Brad Spiers wrote:

To the Wai (water) Tangi (funeral) tribunal: "You gentlemen, by dint of long seclusion/ From better company, have kept your own/ At Keswick, and through still continued fusion/ Of one another's minds at last have grown/ To deem, as a most logical conclusion/ That poesy has wreaths for you alone/ There is a narrowness in such a notion,/ which makes me wish you'd change your lakes/ for ocean." (Byron - Don Juan) Article 3 of the maori version - signed by most maori and 'preferred' re: contra proferentem. I'll hold my piece until we create a tribunal to hear breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi by the waitangi tribunal... bspiers.com bspiers@gmail.com

10/07/2012 11:59:08 p.m.

Nick wrote:

Kia Kaha, you are right Pita and Tariana do have to make a stand however i have not seen them fight hard when Tariana's smoking bill is going so well. Tariana was talking the talk for the Foreshore & Seabed but when her smoking bill went through Parliament, suddenly you heard nothing more from them, now it feels like it is happening again, anyone can talk, but it does not mean that they will fight, i still believe she has sold out her people just so her bill will go to the end. I could be wrong but we will see what they do from now.

10/07/2012 11:32:07 p.m.

kia kaha wrote:

John Key is an embarrassment. He needs to go. Pita and Tariana need to make a stand not only on behalf of Maori, but also on behalf of many pakeha.

10/07/2012 7:56:05 p.m.

Nick wrote:

My money is on the Maori Party squeaking and doing nothing more, if Tariana wants her smoking bill to proceed, she will not say much at all, sellouts

10/07/2012 6:35:19 p.m.

Dee wrote:

"Oh for goodness sake. When will this rot end?! This country will never ever be united as long as this carry on continues. Stop anymore of this tripe". If they can put a stop to this then good on them, the majority of NZders do not want assets sold. DonKey's doesnt give a damn about this county and the sooner the puppets wake up to that the better.

10/07/2012 5:54:33 p.m.

kelvyn wrote:

Now may be the opportune time for the Maori Party to walk out of the coalition. It may be the one act that will save them from oblivion at the next election. There is no doubt the wrath of voters against national may just single them out for punishment, just as a lot of labours vote went to the Greens and NZ First at the last election, the Maori association with the Nats may be punished by a swing back to Labour. Labour may just recapture the Maori vote they lost, not as support but as a protest vote against the Maori Party playing loose and fast with what is rapidly becoming a very unpopular government.