Sunday, 9 November 2008, 9:53 pm Press Release: Agenda
Press Release Agenda TV
ENTRENCHMENT NOT BOTTOM LINE
FOR MAORI PARTY-NATIONAL DEAL
Maori Party president
Whatarangi Winiata says entrenching the Maori seats would
not be a bottom line for the party when negotiating any
agreement to work with the National Party.
Asked today on
TVOne’s “Agenda” whether entrenchment would be a
bottom line Mr Winiata said: “No it is not.”
“What
we want in the first instance is that we act toward each
other in mana enhancing ways.
“If we can agree on that,
then the way is open for lots of arrangements to be made and
the discussion of the entrenchment of seats will be in that
context.”
Mr Winiata emphasised that instead of bottom
lines, strengthening the relationship between National and
the Maori Party was the priority for any deal they
made.
“The relationship is the prior issue. We get that
right then we’ll deal with the entrenchment and other
issues including the foreshore and seabed.”
Mr Winiata
said he believed reconciliation between the two parties
would eventually lead to the reconciliation of kawanatanga
and tino
rangatiratanga.
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