6 May 2009 Media Statement

Davis looks forward to challenge of new roles

Labour Maori MP Kelvin Davis is looking forward to the challenge of being Labour’s spokesperson for Tourism and Associate spokesperson for Maori Affairs.

The former role will see him in a position to hold the Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Tourism to account, while the latter enables him to back up his senior colleague Parekura Horomia.

“Growing up in the Bay of Islands I am well aware of the importance of tourism to New Zealand’s economy,” Kelvin Davis says.

“I look forward to talking to operators in the industry to find out what needs to happen to ensure the New Zealand tourism industry flourishes. Obviously there are challenges to this industry because of the recession, so I will be interested to see what the Minister of Tourism does to meet those challenges.

“I am especially interested in developments in Maori tourism and know of a specific Maori tourism initiative in the mid-North that will promote the history and people of Ngapuhi. I look forward to doing whatever I can in my spokesperson role to support that Maori initiative and others like it.

“However, it is my role as Associate Maori Affairs spokesperson that really excites me. Combined with my present role as Maori Education spokesperson, I have a real opportunity to contribute to Maori wellbeing and development. This is what I entered politics to do.

“Maori education goes hand in hand with Maori development,” Kelvin Davis says.

ENDS

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