MEDIA STATEMENT
Maori Party

25 October 2013

Maori Party president welcomes talks with Mana Party

The Maori Party has asked the Mana Party for a meeting to discuss how they can work together on a kaupapa-by-kaupapa or issue-by-issue basis.

“The Maori Party is firmly founded on kaupapa such as kotahitanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga – all which emphasize the importance of relationships with others through the expression of generosity and mutual respect. And the Mana Party is included in that,” said Maori Party president Rangimarie Naida Glavish.

“It is vital that we work with other parties to achieve the needs of our people and that’s why we’ve left ourselves open to working with whoever is in government at anytime be they blue or red, green or yellow.

“It makes sense to open discussions with the Mana Party on an issue-by-issue basis, but the question of merging with them looks very unlikely at this stage because of their position to only work with certain parties,which we think would be to the political detriment of our people.”

Examples of the Maori Party working with other parties include its current arrangement with the National Government, working with Labour, the Greens and Mana on the Maori Electoral Option campaign, working with Act to support opportunities for Maori and Pasifika groups in Kura Hourua and working with United Future in opposing the changes National wants in the Resource Management Act.

The Maori Party leadership has made contact with the president of the Mana Party to request a meeting to discuss issues they both agree on and how future discussions might take place.

ENDS

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