Tariana Turia, Co-leader, Maori Party

“It is a tragedy for this nation that Dr Brash sees no future for the Treaty outside of the settlement process” said Tariana Turia today in response to the statement by Dr Brash, ‘We are all New Zealanders’.

Dr Brash has signalled the commitment to removing any legislative requirements to Tiriti o Waitangi from the statutes. In effect this would mean the Treaty is reduced to the history shelves, rather than having ongoing significance as the basis of our constitutional relationship.

“The Treaty is the basis of the relationship between Maori and the Crown, and it is absurd to think that that relationship can be arbitrarily cancelled” stated Tariana Turia, co-leader of the Maori Party.

“The National Party needs to relearn its history. The Treaty established the right for non-Maori to settle and establish Parliament in this land. If you remove the Treaty, do you remove these rights also?”

“There has been such significant progress made over the last two decades in developing the relationship, as Maori and Pakeha working together for the benefit of all New Zealanders”.

“All New Zealanders are benefitting from the dialogue and creative resolution that is being bought to many of our historical and contemporary issues”.

”Treaty settlements benefit all New Zealanders in many ways, particularly through the economy, and through social stability”.

“The Maori economy is growing, including Maori exports, and as a consequence the general economy growing. In the case of Ngai Tahu for instance, we see enormous benefits coming to the South Island economy in employment, investment, and creating opportunities for Maori and non-Maori alike. We should celebrate this fact, not forever paint a picture of doom and gloom”.

“The treaty at its heart, is about the fundamental relationship between the original peoples of this land, the tangata whenua; and the Crown. It is a relationship of utmost importance to the past, present and future of this land”.

“When all peoples in a community thrive, so too does the nation”.

”Dr Brash continually refers to the Treaty as “nonsense”, “a problem” and suffering from “political correctness afflicting our society”.

“Dr Brash must wake up and realise that 50% of Maori people are living with non-Maori partners, and the combination of that group is some 600,000 people going to the polls. That 25% of our young people under 18 are Maori, and this is a growing demographic. In ignoring the unique constitutional status of Maori, Dr Brash insults not just tangata whenua, but all those who have relationships, and family ties to them”.

“The Maori Party is saying to National, ‘We will not be extinguished or the Treaty reduced to a nullity. Our people are saying to him, it is time for a strong and independent Maori voice in Parliament”.

“We will do our utmost to ensure that the National Party does not make it to the Government benches”.

“We ask all ethnic peoples to support the call of tangata whenua to retain our unique status in this land, and to withdraw any support for the National Party”.

“This is electioneering at its worst because it is geared to turning New Zealanders in on each other, and we are not going to participate”.

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