Shane
JONES

Associate Māori Affairs (Economic Development) Spokesperson

18 April 2011 MEDIA STATEMENT

Time for Māori ‘Putty’ to go back to the Pa

Labour’s Associate Māori Affairs spokesperson Shane Jones says the Māori Party’s hopelessly inadequate response to the Brazilian oil exploration fiasco shows “it is time for the Māori Party to go back to the Pa.

“The performance of the ‘Māori Putty’ over Petrobras shows just how deeply it is selling tangata whenua out,” Shane Jones said.

“While the party is crowing about how good its pretend foreshore and seabed deal is, it is actually ignorant of how the government it is part of has excluded local Māori from any involvement in a major industrial development like the Petrobras exploration.

“It is absolutely bizarre that the Māori Party is now proposing to introduce a Private Member’s Bill to secure consultation between tangata whenua and the oil industry,” Shane Jones said.

“If you are part of a government that has apparently done such a good foreshore and seabed deal, what is wrong with picking up the telephone and talking to John and Gerry?

“It is this type of weeping dribble that is causing Māori up and down the country to believe that they no longer have a Māori Party. Rather we have a Māori Putty --- easily moulded to suit the National Government’s agenda.

“It is definitely time for the Māori Party to go back to the Pa,” Shane Jones said.

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