INDEPENDENT NEWS

No Maori in Brash's brave new world

Published: Tue 3 Feb 2004 02:20 PM
3 February, 2004
No Maori in Brash's brave new world
Green MP Metiria Turei said today that National's dumped Maori Affairs spokesperson, Georgina te Heuheu had been unfairly treated by her caucus.
"National's policies on the Treaty and Maori can have absolutely no credibility if the party's only Maori MP cannot support them, and has to be stripped of her portfolios by a vengeful caucus," said Metiria, the Green Party Maori Affairs spokesperson.
"We mightn't have always seen eye-to-eye, but Georgina's been highly successful at raising public awareness of issues such as Te Puni Kokiri and Maori TV. National are undermining their own efforts by removing their only MP with any experience of critiquing Government policy on Maori issues.
"I guess after a week of Maori-bashing it was inevitable that they would sacrifice the one caucus member with enough guts to publicly denounce Brash's new policy for the cynical vote-catching ploy it really is," said Metiria.
"I hope Georgina will continue to take a principled stand against her leader's policy of racial intolerance."
ENDS

Next in New Zealand politics

Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
By: New Zealand Government
Parliamentary Network Breached By The PRC
By: New Zealand Government
GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan
By: New Zealand Government
Tax Cuts Now Even More Irresponsible
By: New Zealand Labour Party
New Zealand Provides Further Humanitarian Support To Gaza And The West Bank
By: New Zealand Government
High Court Judge Appointed
By: New Zealand Government
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media