Tainui Voters Will Take This Personally

te-pati-maori

Wed Jun 15 2005 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Tainui Voters Will Take This Personally

Wednesday, 15 June 2005, 8:37 am
Press Release: The Maori Party

The Maori Party candidate for Tainui Angeline Greensill is disappointed that Tainui voters have come second to a foreshores deal between Labour and NZ First.

The Labour Government deferred a bill yesterday that would have allowed legal aid to Maori pursuing claims to foreshores. The Maori Party thinks that voters in Tainui will take this personally.

“Even with the Tainui seat up for grabs, the Prime Minister has shown the voters have no voice,” said Angeline Greensill. “Even such a token gesture to Tainui voters has been stalled.”

“We worry about the relationship between the local MP and her caucus if she didn’t run the Bill past her colleagues,” continued Ms Greensill. “Obviously Winston has more sway over Helen Clark than the voters of Tainui.”

The Bill is being promoted as fuel for the Labour campaign – but by putting it on hold until after the election, it will dampen any message they try to sell.

“Nanaia voted for the foreshore confiscation last year. Now she has agreed to put her people on hold indefinitely.”

“We plan to take the seven Maori seats this election, and that will make us power brokers. We’re not just seeking legal aid after the election – we’ll be asserting our rights and responsibilities over property rights – just as we see with Federated Farmers’ actions now over the land access decisions”.

“If we don’t make this stand, we know the foreshores will be sold to the highest bidder. They’re doing it in Port Waikato right now”

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