Libz Back Turia Call for Declaration of Independence
"Finally Tariana Turia has got something right"! exclaimed Libertarianz Leader Russell Watkins. "She is absolutely
right," he says agreeing with Turia, "the Government has no right to tell Maori how they should cope with family
violence, health and education. Now let's see her act consistently and call for taxpayer dollars wasted in this way to
be returned to taxpayers." He says this with no expectation of consistency from the Associate Minister however.
"For years, successive governments have poured millions of taxpayer dollars into assorted propaganda campaigns - but
with little or no success," he says. "Unfortunately, and also for years now, Turia and many other Maori have been biting
the taxpayer hand that feeds them. In other words, we can safely assume that when Mrs Turia calls for the 'right [of
Maori] to live in their own way of life according to their own tikanga' she intends that to mean 'in their own way, and
with cash and payments from the taxpayer.'
Mr Watkins says he "understands her frustration - I applaud her call for Government interference to stop, to allow Maori
to run their lives as they see fit. But she must understand that for that to happen Maori must first wean themselves
from their widespread dependence on government. That," he says, "would consititute a real Declaration of Independence."