Labour say the Maori Party is struggling to deliver for Maori as a small party in a support arrangement with the Government.Cranking up pressure on the Government to deliver more, Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples yesterday said issues affecting Maori
Labour say the Maori Party is struggling to deliver for Maori as a small party in a support arrangement with the Government.
Cranking up pressure on the Government to deliver more, Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples yesterday said issues affecting Maori people had put stress on his party's support arrangement.
Dr Sharples is a Maori Party co-leader but his speech at an Auckland marae about race relations was in his ministerial role.
He said the support arrangement with the Government was "very difficult and stressful" at times.
The Government's decision not to have special seats for Maori on the Auckland super-city was an example, as was its feet dragging on signing up to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Dr Sharples said the Government had agreed to support the declaration, but with too many caveats attached.
"I am dedicated to completing this exercise and to pull back these caveats. I believe adopting the declaration would mean recapturing some of the courage and momentum in advancing race-relations that we lost with the Auckland seats."
The Auckland seats decision was "regrettable" he said, and failed to acknowledge the history of Auckland Maori and what they had been through.
"It seems to me to be poor reward for such a major role played by Ngati Whatua in ensuring that the city of Auckland could survive, grow, and flourish. So I feel that the Auckland city seats decision is a missed opportunity, lost to the politics of the day. I am saddened by that course of action."
Dr Sharples said his party's agreement was as an example of leadership in race relations but it was difficult.
However he said Treaty issues were making good progress and highlighted areas the Maori Party had made gains such as the Whanau Ora social welfare policy; recognition of the Maori flag, and impending changes to the foreshore and seabed legislation.
Labour MP Shane Jones this morning told Radio New Zealand the Maori Party had not made any tangible gains for Maori.
"The deeper problem, and its always going to be a problem for a minority party, is the ability to deliver and they are up against some pretty powerful forces in the National Party."
Legislation repealing the foreshore legislation was expected to be introduced in August with a replacement in place by December. Mr Jones said it was taking a long time and it was yet to be seen if the party would get anything close to what it campaigned on.
Mr Jones said under Labour Maori would have got two seats on the Auckland Council voted for by those on the Maori roll.
In his speech Dr Sharples said he thought the idea of one vote one person was an "artificial concoction" that was used to block Maori seats.
Mr Jones said that was a "ridiculous assertion to make". He said Dr Sharples appeared to be arguing for a tribal vote.
"Tribes have assets, maraes, and their own political culture - there's no place for a special tribal vote in a democratic vote. One person one vote."
The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance had recommended two members on the proposed 23-member Auckland Council be elected from the Maori electoral rolls and proposed another member be appointed by a Mana Whenua Forum, the members of which would be appointed by mana whenua from the district of the Auckland Council.
The Maori Party supported that proposal but wanted two mana whenua representatives, one for Ngati Whatua and another for Tainui.
As it became clear that would not happen the Maori Party pushed for two Maori seats elected by the whole Auckland population.
It has since said it would push for an independent Maori Statutory board that would advise the council on policy.
