Key tells Maori Party to shove off

Written By: - Date published: 1:09 pm, July 19th, 2010 - 25 comments
Categories: john key, maori party, national - Tags:

Here’s John Key announcing his broad-based attack on the rights to fairness and justice that you and I currently enjoy in our jobs:

‘In advancing this package, I would especially like to acknowledge the involvement and assistance of the Act Party, who will be working with us to ensure the passage of legislation through Parliament.’

Why did Key put this phrase in? What does it say to the Maori Party?

It says to the Maori Party that National will no longer be willing to compromise to gain its support and does not particularly want it.

The Maori Party’s support has been a vital element of the sheep’s clothing this rightwing government has worn until now. It has been the fig leaf behind which the true nature of the rightwing agenda of the National Party has hidden.

For its own reasons (mostly Tariana Turia’s pride-fulness) the Maori Party has been a willing accomplice, taking symbolic ‘gains’ (DRIP, Foreshore and Seabed) and swallowing some breathtaking humiliations, not to mention supporting truly appalling legislation like the gutting of the ETS. All the while, it has believed this would somehow be repaid by that Nice Man Mr Key.

Well, we saw in the Foreshore and Seabed deal that Key’s attitude to the Maori Party was ‘take it or leave it’ and they foolishly took it. Key now has no need for their support. Indeed, he can gain by distancing himself from them with only a year until the election.

So, what will the Maori Party do? Make the hollow gesture of voting against the stripping of our work rights while still supporting the Government that did the deed on supply and confidence votes? Or will they finally act to restore their mana and walk away?

We know by now which they will choose. The back of that limo is just too comfy.

25 comments on “Key tells Maori Party to shove off ”

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  1. Cnr Joe 1
    19 July 2010 at 1:41 pm

    blowjobs
    oh, and the greater good

    cap: ‘reported’ (for old times sake)

  2. joe bloggs 2
    19 July 2010 at 1:48 pm

    to hell with the limos, the last cab off the rank still looks pretty good…

    You draw a very long bow to suggest that Key’s mention of ACT is a signal he’s cutting the Maori Party adrift.

    Only a few weeks ago he mentioned the cooperation and support of the Maori Party over the repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act and the restoration of customary rights and
    the right of Māori to go to court.

    Using your impeccable logic, he doesn’t need or want ACT support because he didn’t specifically include mention of ACT in that press release.

    Whatever.

    • Lanthanide 2.1
      19 July 2010 at 1:58 pm

      Yes, this is a pretty flimsy post.

    • The Voice of Reason 2.2
      19 July 2010 at 1:58 pm

      I think the broad hint that they will not stand, or only put up a patsy, in Epsom tells you all you need to know, Joe. The Nat’s want a two party government next time. The cloak of reasonableness has been removed now, so no need for the pretence of wanting maori support.

      The repeal of the F&S and other token gifts were no more than beads and blankets anyway and now that Key has no further use for them, he is strongly suggesting the MP, useful idiots that they were, can piss off.

      • Ari 2.2.1
        19 July 2010 at 9:12 pm

        National really don’t want a two-party government. Being held hostage to ACT could be pretty terrible for their appeal to soft voters, and it gives their base an excuse to migrate rightwards. If they want to remain the “big tent” party for the right, National needs to have a viable centre-ish coalition partner to make it look appealing to the soft vote, and to allow it to pass legislation that ACT won’t support. (Of course, ideally, they want a permanent one-party government, but good luck on getting them to ever admit that) They just want someone who’s a bit further right of centre as their backup choice, because they really have very little in common with the Mäori Party.

        National has made similar comments to this before, so I’m not really sure why this is an issue. They always thank their coalition partners for their support. Granted, I think everything else brought up in the post (and all of the comments thus far) is as true as it has ever been.

  3. Gooner 3
    19 July 2010 at 3:27 pm

    TVOR, the Nats could put up an excellent candidate which would be saying to the fine people of Epsom “vote for National and get Hone Harawira as minister of Treaty negotiations”.

    Why does National even need to mention Act? This policy is from National’s 2008 election policy. They just need to implement it. I am sure Act will vote for it as it makes it easier to hire people; give people jobs; and give them careers.

    • The Voice of Reason 3.1
      19 July 2010 at 3:39 pm

      What I’m told, Gooner, is that ACT have insisted on these changes and the free run at Epsom as the price of their participation in the next National led Gov’t. The changes do not come from Nationals 08 manifesto, as far as I know, but if someone can find a copy in their dunny or bird cage and check for me, I’d be most grateful.

      Only two months ago, Key was telling the CTU these attacks were off the table this term. So clearly, something has changed. My pick is that Key is shoring up both his electoral and parliamentary support before calling a snap election. And, while the Maori party don’t figure in his thinking at all, Rodders definately does.

      • Gooner 3.1.1
        19 July 2010 at 5:05 pm

        You might be right TVOR, but as I say, the Nats could tell Rodney to stuff off and put up a good candidate and all Rodders would have to do is campaign on a “vote for National candidate, get Hone as Treaty negotiations minister.’

        Struth, even I could win Epsom on the back of that!

  4. Stephen Franko 4
    19 July 2010 at 3:41 pm

    Screw the Moari party. What this country needs is less politicians, nor more. We were stupid to increase the number of MPs. Get rid of MPs all together. Corporations would run the country with far more efficiency

    • Shane 4.1
      19 July 2010 at 6:33 pm

      That’s Fascism Stephen – is that why your second name is “Franko”? Do you fancy yourself as our glorious leader? I thought that place had been taken by Rodney…

    • Mac1 4.2
      19 July 2010 at 6:47 pm

      Ah yes, run the country with eight white middle-class wealthy men……….. who have little acquaintance with culture, humanity, empathy, social values. Mmmmmmm. Efficiency.

      Let’s see. Hitler. Goering. Streicher. Borman. Hess. Heinrich. Goebbels. Gosman.

    • Ari 4.3
      19 July 2010 at 9:15 pm

      Politicians might be bloody annoying, but they’re better than the alternative. I’d rather have plenty of them, so that they can trip each other up when they’re acting like clowns. 🙂

  5. Pete 5
    19 July 2010 at 3:58 pm

    I do think shifty Key and co purposely fed the Maori party a few of the candy coated carrots ,so they got less flak about all these other changes they always had in mind anyway.

    Sadly i think the Maori will be the ones in the end to pay for these changes the most ! in the long run.Having the repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act and the restoration of customary rights and
    the right of Māori to go to court.

    Aint going to do much in helping giving Maori good secure jobs and decent work situations .It aint going to do much in stopping higher numbers of them ending up in jails either ,when lack of income and rising costs sees anger and fighting and violence in housholds.And a rise in thieft and alcohol or drug abuse.

    Key has managed to pull off another old colonial trick, of bait and switch.

    Instead of beads and trinkets, this time its swapping candy coated carrots that wont really ever be able to change matters much ,for riches built on the hard labour of a people who families will possibly pay the highest price in the long run.

    • loota 5.1
      19 July 2010 at 4:39 pm

      And then there is the other old colonial trick, blankets infested with TB and small pox carrying fleas. Ah well, I guess the Maori Party managed to feel the warmth for the first few nights.

  6. michaeljsavage 6
    19 July 2010 at 4:29 pm

    [Sorry – IrishBill gave you a week off — r0b]
    http://www.thestandard.org.nz/keys-desperate-spin/#comment-233960

  7. Ron 7
    19 July 2010 at 7:02 pm

    I can’t say I told you so because I never thought the MP would be stoopid enough to go with the Tories.
    However, I did say that going with the Tories would spell the end of the MP.
    Turns out it will. They were a goner the moment they signed up with this filthy Tory government.

  8. Alexandra 8
    19 July 2010 at 8:20 pm

    Wishful thinking on the part of many including Marty. Maori will vote the Maori party candidates in again next year and its long over due that the left start facing up to that reality and stop abusing them. I’ve challenged the ongoing accusation that the MP is motivated by limo’s and alike, because the same criticisms is seldom if ever directed at pakeha MP’s. Ask yourselves why that is? Is it because Maori MP’s are somehow undeserving of parliamentary perks or is it because you think they are greedy, compared to pakeha mp’s or pakeha society in general ? I disagree with a lot the MP have done, in particular going to bed with the Nats, but that does not equate to MP decisions being motivated by the perks of office.

    • Ari 8.1
      19 July 2010 at 9:18 pm

      Not sure I particularly disagree with anything there. Except perhaps for the lack of paragraphing. 🙂 If the Left doesn’t keep everyone happy, they can and SHOULD risk narrowing their constituency in Parliament.

  9. IrishBill 9
    19 July 2010 at 8:32 pm

    On the other hand Turia is backing the law to stop unions entering work sites so maybe they’re just fine with this rightward shift.

  10. Rharn 10
    19 July 2010 at 9:46 pm

    Both leaders of the Maori Party need to make a joint declaration that their support for National was a ‘mistake,’ and offer their supporters an apology. Nothing less will restore their ‘mana.’

  11. hmmmm 11
    19 July 2010 at 10:34 pm

    The headline

    Key tells Maori Party to shove off

    is almost accurate. However, to be completely accurate it should have said

    Key doesn’t tells Maori Party to shove off

    Because nowhere does Key say anything like that.

    It has been the fig leaf behind which the true nature of the rightwing agenda of the National Party has hidden.

    Absolutely. Good call. Exhibit A: Kiwirail. Gutted, torn down. Oh wait.

    Air New Zealand. Flogged off, sold, privatised once agaon. Oh, hold on.

    Tax cuts. Yes there you ago. Apart from the pesky GST increase, taxes have definitely been cut. There you go. Right wing nutters at the helm.

    Except this government is indistinguishable from Labour. More spending. More borrowing. Almost nothing cut. Basically, a populist, socialist and, let’s say it, increasingly nationalist government that doesn’t like them foreigners. Almost everything you can throw at National could have been and was thrown at Labour this time two years ago. Which makes everything here nonsense.

  12. Rharn 12
    21 July 2010 at 2:31 am

    I wonder how long it will take before Sharples and Turia realize that they now have nothing to bargin with.

    And I wonder how long it will take Key to figure out that he has nothing to offer the Maori Party and in time they will go back to their ‘traditional home’ of Labour

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