MEDIA RELEASE
22 May 2009
Hone Harawira
Maori Party MP for Tai Tokerau

No need for Aucklanders to fear Maori seats

The people of Auckland should not fear having guaranteed Maori seats on the proposed super city council.

That’s the message from the Maori Party MP for Tai Tokerau Hone Harawira who has been bombarded with emails and calls from non-Maori living in Auckland.

“I’ve been receiving emails from the left, from the right and way out field assuming that Maori on the council will only serve Maori.

“I tell them it has always been the Maori way, the Ngati Whatua way and the Tainui way, even before the Treaty was a sparkle in our eyes, to always think of and cater for all peoples in this country.

“On many occasions, Maori have perhaps been a bit too generous, to the point where others took advantage of them but despite this our manaakitanga has not been diminished.

“Non-Maori have nothing to fear by allowing Maori seats on the super city and if anything it will be them who will do the best job of ensuring Auckland stays in the ownership of Aucklanders, not some overseas conglomerate that couldn’t care less.”

Parts of the Tai Tokerau electorate, of which Mr Harawira is the MP of, include the North Shore and areas in Waitakere.

ENDS

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