Georgina te Heuheu

National Spokesperson for Maori Affairs

6 September 2002

Three years wasted

Opposition Spokesperson for Maori Affairs, Georgina te Heuheu expressed disbelief today at the statement of the Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia that Maori Television was "complex".

"Tell us something new," Mrs te Heuheu said. "If it has taken the Minister this long to figure out that Maori Television is complex, it's no wonder we are no further ahead than where we were three years ago.

"In the House this week I questioned where the Maori leadership was in the Government, and asked the Minister to show leadership for Maori," Mrs te Heuheu said.

"New Zealanders need to feel confident that this Minister is capable of
coming up with solutions to complex issues. That is his job. If the best he can do is to state the obvious, and say it's complex, then he is part of the problem not part of the solution.

"So far hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent, with little result. That is the legacy of this Minister's first term in office. He needs to show leadership, and show that he has solutions. Otherwise he should step aside and let John Tamihere have a go", Mrs te Heuheu said.

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