Māori Party supports LGBQTI community
Māori Party co-leaders Marama Fox and Te Ururoa Flavell say they are fully supportive of the LGBQTI community after the
party was accused of being anti-takatāpui.
“We are a party based on a belief in whakapapa, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga and as such we will always support
LGBQTI members of whānau,” says Ms Fox.
“To be clear, the comment made in a press release by a party candidate that prompted the accusation of the party being
anti-takatāpui is not the party’s position. It is the personal view of that candidate and a vote on such topics is, by
convention, a conscience issue.
“ln 2013, all three Māori Party MPs voted in favour of marriage equality and I was proud to serve on the Justice and
Electoral Committee that this year supported the Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual
Offences) Bill, a bill that would both expunge historical crimes committed by homosexuals and provide an apology,” says
Ms Fox.
Ms Fox is also the Māori Party representative on the cross-party working group on LGBQTI rights.
“We are a party of inclusiveness, and sometimes there are different points of view, but I can assure the LGBQTI
community they have our support,” said Mr Flavell.
“In Budget 2015 the Māori Party secured $2.1 million in funding for Māori youth suicide prevention and some of the key
initiatives were directed specifically at takatāpui. We secured a further $8 million in this year’s Budget to continue
that work.
“We are against discrimination in all quarters of society and this includes against takatāpui.”
ENDS