MANA Party Candidate for Waiariki Annette Sykes Challenge to the Maori Party:

Do You Support National and ACT?

MANA Party Candidate Annette Sykes is offended at a press release issued by Maori Party President Pem Bird yesterday.

She says the Maori Party is claiming that they do not believe in the political spectrum of the left and the right.

"This defies political history and I challenge the Maori Party to find any politico who would agree with the statement issued by Pem Bird yesterday. I am particularly disappointed at his choice of words given that I have never sworn at the Maori Party.

"This is politics at its worst and I will not revert to swearing in order to rebut an argument.

"I'm sorry Pem but I fail to believe that the Maori Party represents Kaupapa Maori and is not right wing.

"How can voting for a rise in GST, stating that our people marched in 2004 for the Marine and Coastal Area Bill and passing the cost of pollution made by big businesses onto our people under the ETS be Kaupapa Maori and not right wing?

"How can you continue to support National and ACT, two parties that want to get rid of the Maori seats, who are only interested in selling state assets and who want to put the boot into beneficiaries? Is that Kaupapa Maori and not right wing?

"Our people want you to come clean. Will you support National and ACT after the next election? Will you prop them up while they cause harm to our people through the policies they promote? Some commentators are alleging that you could be the kingmaker of a right wing government as the polls show a narrowing between the right and the left.

"We are quite clear ? we are a party of the left and we are Kaupapa Maori focussed. We will not work with ACT or National.

"The question our people want to know the answer to is will you support National and ACT after November the 26th? If you remain silent, voters will take that as a yes. They will also believe that you do not stand for Kaupapa Maori and that you do support the right wingers."

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