THE PRICE OF BAUBLES ...

Press Release

MANA Leader Hone Harawira

Monday 12th December

"Yesterday's deal struck by National and the Maori Party shows how little the Maori Party has learnt" said MANA leader Hone Harawira.

"First of all, they should've waited for the final results which gave them a stronger negotiating position, but they jumped in and ended up with nothing."

"Then they chose to take up a full confidence and supply agreement which commits them to another 3 years of voting for anti-Maori, anti-worker, anti-beneficiary and anti-environment budgetary legislation."

"So what did the Maori Party get in new money or new initiatives to prove they can deliver on their promises?"

"Well, they got a committee to look into child poverty (led by the same guy who increased GST), but it means they'll have to vote for legislation making poor children even poorer, and they got money for rheumatic disease but less than government should be spending on it anyway, and 20,000 more houses insulated thanks to the Greens, and ... that's it."

"And what about the Maori Party's big election promises? Dire stuff really"

"Whanau Ora - nothing"

"Kaupapa Maori prisons - nothing"

"Kura Kaupapa Maori - nothing"

"Compulsorily available Maori in schools - nothing"

"Constitutional review - nothing"

"200 new Maori language teachers - nothing"

"Maori employment and training - nothing"

"GST off food - nothing"

"And in return, the Maori Party agrees to support budgets which will devastate Maori people's lives" said Harawira "You can almost see their minds ticking over - the people or the baubles, the people or the baubles, the people or the baubles ... I guess the baubles of power were just too much to ignore ..."

ENDS -

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