E ai ki te kōrero, ka whiti te rā ki tua o Rehua, ka ara a Kaiwhare i te rua. Kua tō te rā ki te rangatira o Ngāti Maniapoto, ki a Koro Wētere. Nō reira e te Pāpā, e te kaikōkiri i te tika me te pono, e te matakahi o te ao Māori nō roto i ngā tau, haere atu rā. Waiho mai tō iwi Māori ki konei, tangi mōteatea atu ai ki a koe, otirā ki a koutou katoa.

The Māori Party mourns the loss of esteemed rangatira Hon Koro Wētere of Ngāti Maniapoto.

“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of Uncle Koro” says Che Wilson, Māori Party President. "Uncle Koro was one of the foremost leaders of his time who led a life dedicated to service to his people of Ngāti Maniapoto and te iwi Māori nui tonu.”

“Mr Wētere was a respected leader across the nation and was known for his genuine and honest nature. As the Member of Parliament for the Western Māori electorate for 27 years, he was instrumental in having te reo Māori recognised as an official language, and the Māori Fisheries Settlement Act which established Te Ohu Kaimoana.”

“The Māori Party wish to extend our aroha to the Wētere whānau who mourn the loss of a true rangatira; an inspiration to the motu; and a man greatly loved by his whānau and his iwi, Ngāti Maniapoto, and the country” Mr Wilson says.

Mr Wētere is lying in state at Tūrangawaewae Marae.

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