Maori Party Candidate Pledges Support to Wananga Council

Maori Party candidate for Tainui Angeline Greensill has pledged the full support of the Maori Party in the fight to keep its reigns in Maori hands.

In a letter to council chairman Craig Coxhead, Trevor Mallard has said he thought the council should be dissolved and a commissioner appointed.

The Party is considering calling on its 17,000 members to come out and support of the Wananga, which the Party calls a taonga Maori. We can be a formidable force.

“Te Wananga is probably the largest single kaupapa Maori organisation in the country,” said Greensill. “We will not sit back while the government tries to take control and reduce it to a minor player in education.”

Ms Greensill has taken on board the issue because the Wananga started its 20 year history in the heart of Tainui. Te Wananga has its roots in the building of a marae at Te Awamutu College.

“If the Council needs support from the Maori community in 21 days then I say let’s call on our members to hit the streets for the kaupapa.”

The Party also has concerns over the so called $20 million loan from the government to Te Wananga.

“Te Wananga is a Maori success story like we’ve seen recently in rugby, golf, netball and dancing. It even makes the government look good with so many more Maori in tertiary education.”

In an election year, we think the government is treading dangerously if it thinks it can wind back our success without consequences.

The Maori Party in Tainui will start planning this week in ways that they can actively call on members to show their support for the Wananga in a coordinated way.

ENDS

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