Hon Mita Ririnui
List MP

30 April 2009 Media Statement

Maori Party waffle fails to answer the question

The Maori Party’s response to Labour’s request it support a Member’s Bill to entrench the Maori seats in Parliament is nothing but all-too-familiar and evasive waffle, says Labour MP Mita Ririnui.

“I announced today that I have drafted a bill to go into the next ballot, which will ensure that the Maori seats in Parliament will not be able to be abolished unless 75 per cent of MPs in any Parliament vote in favour of such a move.

“The only other way the seats would be able to be abolished under the Bill, would be if a majority of Maori electors voted in a referendum to support such a step, Mita Ririnui said.

“Labour signalled its support for the entrenchment of the Maori seats prior to the 2008 election and I’m now planning to give effect to that. But the Bill will need the votes of the Maori Party and National’s Maori MPs to succeed.

“I was looking forward to the Maori Party’s support in particular, as they have long advocated entrenching the seats and are certainly making a big noise about the need for Maori seats on the Super City – despite being part of a Government which refuses to allow this to happen.

“But instead they have responded with a ridiculously waffly press statement, which fails to say either ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

“That’s all that Maori want to hear. So how about a straight answer now?”

ENDS

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