"New boy learns the Labour Lines"

Tariana Turia, Co-leader, Maori Party
Maori Party spokesperson for Social Development
Wednesday 19 July 2006

"I was disappointed to learn that Charles Chauvel, new MP in the House, has studied his homework, and regurgitated the tired old Labour lines" said Tariana Turia today, upon hearing that Mr Chauvel had promoted the need for the Maori Party to 'cuddle up to the Labour Party' if they wanted to stay in politics.

"Tangata whenua are tired of being told that they need to look to Labour for a Hand-Up" said Mrs Turia. "We know that tangata whenua can shape the direction of their lives - and the Maori Party will learn from their leadership to guide the future pathways for this nation".

"We do not need the new recruit to tell us how to be successful" said Mrs Turia. "We also do not need Mr Chauvel's mentor, Shane Jones, to tell us how bad and sad we are" said Mrs Turia.

Shane Jones was quoted in The Northern Advocate as describing "all of Northland's small towns and communities" as having the Kahui "formula"; with families, "generation after generation ending in peril", ending up "in the spiral of infanticide".

"We must all take responsibility to put a stop to such a negative, and defeatist attitudes towards our families" said Mrs Turia.

"Mr Jones should focus his energies on developing policies that will transform whanau to sites of well-being rather than wasting his considerable talents slagging the Maori Party" said Mrs Turia.

"I believe that the overwhelming majority of our families want the very best for their children" said Mrs Turia. "I also know that in every person's whakapapa there exist role models of caring and nurturing, stretching back generations. We must actively choose to take up all opportunities for healing, for restoration, for prevention, in order to move forward".

"It is my firm belief that agencies of the state, such as the Ministry of Social Development or Te Puni Kokiri, must make every effort to support the vulnerable members of our communities".

"There is a well-developed body of literature which makes an explicit association between poverty and child mal-treatment" noted Mrs Turia.

"If we are to do anything about creating positive environments for people to live, we politicians must take our responsibility seriously to raise living standards, and develop policies which focus on improving social conditions".

"The great challenge before the Parliament must be to all work together, to eliminate social inequalities, and to reduce the glaring disadvantage that confronts too many families here in Aotearoa" concluded Mrs Turia.

ENDS

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