Maori increasingly embarrassed by Horomia

The National Party says the embattled Maori Affairs Minister is doing the people he represents no favours with his confused answers to simple questions on spending within his own department.

"The Prime Minister's strategy of having Parekura Horomia coached by senior colleagues does not make a blind bit of difference to the underlying problem now facing the Government - a serious lack of leadership in the top Maori job," says National Party Maori Affairs spokesperson Georgina te Heuheu.

"Mr Horomia's handling of the Te Mangai Paho issue has been simply abysmal," she says.

"It mirrors the inept manner in which he handled the sorry saga of the setting up of the Maori Television Service, which is now a cause of increasing embarrassment in Maori communities.

"The Minister's performance in the House over recent weeks shows he has no idea of the scope or depth of his Ministerial responsibilities, this is now obvious to all.

"The murmurings within Maoridom suggest a lack of confidence in his ability to ever meet the challenges of high office," Mrs te Heuheu says.

"The sad thing is that this failure of leadership has now infected his Ministry.

"The underperformance works both ways. The recent apology by his Chief Executive demonstrates serious failures at that level as well.

"This is a tragedy for Maori, and raises the question of how serious this Government is about assisting Maori development," says Mrs te Heuheu.

"It is no longer credible for Mr Horomia to be heading up a portfolio titled 'Maori Development'.

"That the Prime Minister keeps him secure in his job, in the wake of such underperformance, shows her cynical disregard for Maori and their development aspirations - Maori deserve better," Mrs te Heuheu concluded.

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