Will the Maori Party make a stand for kids?

Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, December 12th, 2012 - 14 comments
Categories: maori party, national, poverty - Tags: ,

I’ve been critical of the Maori Party over the years. I think they’ve sold out their principles and their supporters to be seat-warmers in government. But if this is the issue where they choose to make their stand, then they will have proved me wrong. And, much more importantly, they will have helped out kids:

Warning on child poverty

The Government has ruled out another of the main recommendations in a major child poverty report – but the Maori Party has sent a warning it will make the Government’s life uncomfortable if it ignores the report.

In a rare step, the Maori Party yesterday held a press conference with all three of its MPs and called on National to look at all 78 recommendations in a new report by an expert panel working with the Children’s Commissioner. …

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said the child poverty report was part of the Maori Party’s support agreement with National and she did not expect National to simply brush the report aside.

OK, what next? Was this a token protest for form’s sake, or will the Maori Party actually make a stand for kids? If they do decide to act, how far will they go? We’ll be watching this space.

14 comments on “Will the Maori Party make a stand for kids? ”

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  1. One Tāne Viper 1
    12 December 2012 at 9:46 am

    “…she did not expect National to simply brush the report aside….”

    Why not? What’s wrong with her that she can’t see something that is blindingly obvious? Perhaps she thinks that coming across as a half-wit is preferable to her existing kupapa brand.

  2. bad12 2
    12 December 2012 at 10:13 am

    Newsflash for Tariana, Paula Benefit has already brushed aside the report on child poverty, according to Paula its ”sigh all too expensive”,

    The only stand the Maori Party are likely to take in it’s relationship with the Slippery National Government will occur should National attempt to interfere with Tariana’s ‘Whanau Ora Program’, Slippery is rumored to love that program, for the small price of 30 million annually He gets to play the various Government factions off against each other and at the same time keeps dissent within His own ranks at a minimum….

  3. Johnm 3
    12 December 2012 at 10:25 am

    The “Baubles, Bangles, and Beans” party won’t do a thing to risk their: “Baubles, Bangles, and Beans” 🙁

  4. tc 4
    12 December 2012 at 10:25 am

    HYPOCRITE, off you go back into your whanau ora lines whanau’s nest.

    [lprent: Who are you talking to? It reads like you’re doing it to the Anthony. And having a go at authors is a policy violation. Looking at the actual post, it looks like you may be writing it in response to comment 3. Please use the Reply button… It means that I don’t waste my time looking at possible moderation problems. ]

    • tc 4.1
      12 December 2012 at 1:58 pm

      My bad I should have written that Tariana Turia is a hypocrite, says one things yet votes in support of a gov’t that’s doing nothing about poverty whilst dishing out corporate welfare and propping up it’s cronyism.

  5. the sprout 5
    12 December 2012 at 1:24 pm

    Good post anthony.
    I guess the answer to the title’s question hq the same as the answer to this question: what has the maori party ever made a stand on that wasn’t directly in their own interests?

    • Dr Terry 5.1
      12 December 2012 at 4:58 pm

      the sprout. You might be right. But surely “poverty” must very much fall within the sphere of Maori interests?

  6. McFliper 6
    12 December 2012 at 1:43 pm

    Was the “rare step” the MP fronting up to the media, or suggesting they might stand up to national? Either is pretty rare these days…

  7. ak 7
    12 December 2012 at 4:11 pm

    Nice spotting r0b – yet another indication of a healthy new attitude from Tari that we can only pray continues. Tempting fate a bit, but wouldn’t rule out Mana Maori for 014 at this rate….

  8. muzza 8
    12 December 2012 at 7:59 pm

    What have the MP actually done that is of any use for NZ as a whole ..

    Rhetorical question, and the MP won’t be chaging that form as long as they are part of the govt.

    Shame!

    • marty mars 8.1
      12 December 2012 at 10:06 pm

      Hey muzza I’m not into defending the MP, even though I voted for them in the past but I think they have contributed to this country endorsing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, so lovingly abbreviated to UNDRIP. I know it’s not much, hell i promise I really know that, but it is for the good of everyone and they did contribute to it. The good is in the raised awareness of the issues relating to indigenous rights particuarily Māori rights to equality and self determination. And it doesn’t even matter if the UN is a front for whatever world-dominating yet secretive cabal of loonies and their devious plans because the only thing that will stop them is people and community and that is built on trust and truth IMHO and that is what raised awareness is about.

      My radar did tweak in your use of “for NZ as a whole ..”

      I certainly agree that there won’t be change as long as they are part of government – too often my hopes were raised only to be dashed them.

      For me the birth of The Mana Movement has been a good also to come out of them, a bit like a butterfly from a caterpillar

  9. Macro_adder 9
    12 December 2012 at 9:10 pm

    Probably not. 🙁

    Have they taken the chance to do anything positive?

    I gave my candidate vote to a Maori Party Candidate once – I was voting in the Helensville Electorate at the time, and knew the MP candidate personally. But the promise the party had in its early couple of years has long faded and they are little more than seat warmers now. Time for them to go.

  10. The Al1en 10
    13 December 2012 at 6:41 am

    Never ceases to amaze what hatred can do to a person.
    Like Tariana Turia’s of the Labour party, partner in crime with a tory government, while the people she represents are arguably worst affected of all by blue ideology.
    That’s some axe to grind, lady, that see you crap on your own.

    In the old days they used to call that collaboration, now it’s spun as a seat at the table..

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