Wednesday 30th Jun 1999
Donna Awatere Huata
ACT Maori Affairs Spokesman Donna Awatere Huata today said Maori crying foul over Roger Sowry's comments yesterday are
getting angry at the wrong person.
"We have pussy-footed around this issue for far too long with Maori happy to sit back as the victims and wait for
Government to improve their lot.
"The dependency addiction Maori are suffering is not terminal. But, until we stop standing in queues with our hands out
waiting for politicians to hand over welfare cheques, the damning statistics the Minister spoke of yesterday will never
improve.
"Our failure to get off our back sides as a people and get into work has cost our Maori babies the start in life that
they deserve.
"Our leaders in Maoridom are so focused on the wrongs of the past that they are not addressing the wrongs being
inflicted on our children by parents who are ill-equipped and ill-educated.
"Government's can't raise children. The most important role models for our Maori children are their Maori parents.
Before we look to Government, let's look to ourselves to see how we can do better for our children," said Donna Awatere
Huata.
ENDS