Press Statement

MANA Leader and MP for Te Tai Tokerau Hone Harawira

Tuesday 27th November

When Prime Ministers Go Bad

In July this year the Maori Party threatened to walk out on their relationship with National over the issue of Maori water rights. Following a hui with National they released a statement that in part read:

“The Maori Party and the Government continue to support a process of negotiation between hapu and iwi and the government on their rights and interests in water and the Government has undertaken not to legislate over those rights and interests”.

Today the Prime Minister has stated that this government will not enter into direct negotiations with iwi regarding water rights.

Today the Prime Minister has also said that if the Crown loses the water rights case then there will be no money available to purchase capital works such as hospitals and schools.

There’s only one man to blame for there being no money in the bank.

Under John Key’s watch he has given tax cuts to the rich to the value of $5.5 billion per year, he bailed out investors of South Canterbury Finance to the tune of $1.6 billion, he gave Warner Brothers a sweetener of around $100 million and he wants to give Sky City more pokie machines so they can continue to extract every cent from the poor.

Above all else, John Key still foolishly believes that selling shares in our power companies will produce a profit despite economists saying that he will lose money on the deal.

John Key’s comments today were designed to influence the judiciary and incite racial hatred.

He is telling Pakeha that Maori are to blame if the country’s bank account runs dry and that there is no money to invest in essential services like health and education.

He is also saying that he would rather deal with failed investors, movie moguls and Chinese high rollers than with Maori. His comments have reminded Maori of when they were told by a Prime Minister that she would rather meet a sheep.

Today I ask the Prime Minister to refrain from making such comments.

Today I ask Justice Ronald Young not to be influenced by the Prime Minister’s remarks.

Today I yet again ask the Maori Party to reconsider their “first-class” relationship with National.

And finally, today I call upon all Maori and Pakeha to unite together against the Crown’s plans to privatise our power companies and ignore Maori water rights.

ENDS

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