Doubts whether flag will fly at Waitangi

The tino rangatiratanga flag is now the official symbol of Maoridom, but doubts remain over whether it will ever fly officially at Waitangi.

Prime Minister John Key and Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples yesterday confirmed the flag would fly on Auckland Harbour Bridge, at Parliament and at Premier House on Waitangi Day next year.

Government House has confirmed it will also fly the Maori flag on Waitangi Day in Wellington and Auckland, saying to do so was "in the spirit of the Prime Minister's announcement."

However, Kingi Taurua, from Waitangi's Te Tii Marae, said tino rangitiratanga was more representative of the Maori Party, and would not be allowed to fly at his marae.

"It's a political symbol that shouldn't be flown from the harbour bridge either.

"Why should their political flag fly from our marae?

"John Key and his cohorts can fly it anywhere they like but it will never fly at Waitangi."

Former New Zealand First MP Pita Paraone, the new chairman of the Waitangi National Trust Board, the body that administers the treaty grounds, said the trust had yet to discuss the new flag and its role at Waitangi, and he could not say whether it would fly on Waitangi Day.

Dr Sharples was more confident about the tino rangatiratanga flag's future at Waitangi.

"Ultimately, it will. I'm not saying it will next year, but it will."

Mr Key sought to distance the flag from its links with Maori activism, saying the flag meant different things to different people.

"The meaning I take from it is potential and hope."

Labour MP Shane Jones said the flag was a pay-off for the Maori Party's support of the emissions trading scheme, which included a deal with Ngai Tahu and four other iwi for forestry rights others did not have.

"The Maori Party's entire style of politics is trophies and trinkets.

"It is a trinket, showing how easily the Maori Party can be bought off."