Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland

10 MARCH 2017

KING TUHEITIA SHOULD BE LEFT ABOVE TAWDRY MAORI PARTY POLITICS

It’s sad to see Maori King Tuheitia being manipulated to endorse a political candidate, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“His advisors clearly don’t understand, or wish to ignore, the constitutional niceties. They are undermining the King’s office and should stop this right now.

“There’s no way his predecessor the Maori Queen would ever have been persuaded to do this.

“She knew there are different political views in the Kingitanga movement, and she had to stay above politics.

“In England, Queen Elizabeth would not endorse a political party or a candidate and neither should the Maori King be doing that in New Zealand.

“The King stated in his annual speech at Turangawaewae earlier in the year that he would not vote for the Labour Party again and would be supporting the Maori and Mana parties.

“It’s clear these unfortunate views have come through the King’s former advisor and now president of the Maori Party, Tukuoirangi Morgan, who has got King Tuheitia mouthing his criticisms.

“It’s shocking, and any self-representing Kingitanga supporter will know it,” says Mr Peters.

“This is no time for their silence.”

ENDS

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