"There's nothing to fear from talking with tangata whenua" says Dr Pita Sharples

Friday 2 February 2007

Dr Pita Sharples, Co-leader of the Maori Party

Dr Pita Sharples today reflected on the statements made yesterday by the National Party, from their caucus retreat in Tairawhiti.

“It is a great pity that the National Party has failed to grasp the significance of such concepts as consultation with tangata whenua; Te Tiriti o Waitangi; the Maori electoral seats; and the widespread grief expressed by Maori about Labour’s confiscation of the foreshore and seabed” reflected Dr Sharples today.

“The new leader of the National Party made a public declaration that there was nothing to fear from tangata whenua” said Dr Sharples. “And then at the first opportunity to show Maori there is some substance to that declaration, their caucus retreats in alarm and panic”.

“What would it have hurt to allow the debate to take place?” asked Dr Sharples.

Dr Sharples also referred to the back-tracking in positions made in relation to the Repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

“The statements made on Marae (Television one) on 2 December that National would be keen to suggest changes to the foreshore and seabed bill at the select committee, clearly indicated to the Maori Party – and to many commentators – that their support was assured at least through to that stage” said Dr Sharples.

“For that’s the way the numbers stack up” said Dr Sharples. “The Bill would never make it to Select Committee stage, unless National would offer its support – because we know for-shore that Labour would not be voting for any discussion at a Select Committee!”.

Dr Sharples also reacted to suggestions that Maori don’t want the Maori electoral seats anymore by reviewing the latest electoral participation data.

“Maori have taken up the opportunity to engage in big numbers” said Dr Sharples. “In the lead up to the 2005 elections, we were thrilled that 30,000 more Maori voters had enrolled, with an additional 14, 914 coming onto the Maori roll in 2006. Measured against the Maori population, the numbers are significant".

“Today’s 18 year olds have seen the strength of their vote more than treble during their lifetime” said Dr Sharples. At the end of the 1986 Maori Option the roll sat at 70,000. At the end of the option last year, the new Maori roll total was 244,121. What is even more powerful, is that 80% of all new voters in the 2006 Option chose the Maori roll."

“The decision from National to abolish the seats, flies in the face of that growth”.

“From the feedback we have been receiving from Maori and Pakeha alike” said Dr Sharples, “New Zealanders are seeing that with the Maori Party the Maori seats have been brought back to life and are performing as they should, independent, influential and reflective of a tangata whenua world view that is in the interests of our nation. It is vital that Maori should be consulted about our political options in an area which is so crucial for our future”.

Ends

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