Mana Pleased to At Last Meet with Maori Party

“At last” said Annette Sykes, MANA President, upon hearing the Maori Party has agreed to meet with MANA.  “We’ve been pushing for this meeting for a couple of years now, so it’s been a long time coming.”

“We know working together to build a united, independent Maori voice in Parliament is really important to our people and to achieve the results we want. 

Ms Sykes and MANA Co-Vice President, Lisa McNabb, will meet with Maori Party executive members next week to build a policy programme as a foundation to a working relationship.  The policy programme will address growing poverty and unemployment.

“MANA is happy to talk policy with all parties – as we’ve done with our flagship policies like Feed the Kids. 

“But talking policy won’t mean much if the Maori Party continues to put the National Party into power – the same National Party who has worked to entrench and increase poverty, homelessness and unemployment, with Maori wearing the worst of it.  They prop up finance companies, oil merchants, and casino bosses while refusing to give ordinary whānau what they most need to get ahead – jobs, decent pay rates, an affordable house, a safe, clean environment, and so on.

“That’s why any talks about policy have to include discussions on working together both before and after the next election. The most important issue being the Maori Party continuing to put National back into power. Any policy gains MANA and the Maori Party could make together are minimal compared to the damage National is doing every day.

“A united, independent Maori voice in Parliament can’t happen if the Maori Party continues to support National at the expense of our people,” concluded Ms Sykes.

ENDS

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