Maori Party Co-leader Dr Pita Sharples speaks to the media
at a press conference, after it was announced Maori Party
MP Hone Harawira was to stay with the party, Auckland, New
Zealand, Wednesday, December 2, 2009. Credit:NZPA / Wayne
Drought.
Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples says issues
affecting his people had put pressure on his party's support
arrangement with the Government.
Dr Sharples is a Maori Party co-leader but his speech today
at an Auckland marae about race relations was in his
ministerial role.
He said the support arrangement with the Government was "very
difficult and stressful" at times.
The Government's decision not to have special seats for Maori
on the Auckland super-city was an example as well as its feet
dragging on signing up to the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples.
Dr Sharples said the Government had agreed to support the
declaration but with too many caveats attached.
"I am dedicated to completing this exercise and to pull back
these caveats. I believe adopting the declaration would mean
recapturing some of the courage and momentum in advancing
race-relations that we lost with the Auckland seats."
The Auckland seats decision was "regrettable" he said, and
failed to acknowledge the history of Auckland Maori and what
they had been through.
"It seems to me to be poor reward for such a major role
played by Ngati Whatua in ensuring that the city of Auckland
could survive, grow, and flourish. So I feel that the
Auckland city seats decision is a missed opportunity, lost to
the politics of the day. I am saddened by that course of
action."
Dr Sharples said his party's agreement was as an example of
leadership in race relations but it was difficult.
However he said Treaty issues were making good progress.
Dr Sharples also talked about the plight of Asian immigrants
who he said tended to be ignored and that Maori had to share
some blame.
"To me, personally, I feel shamed at those admissions. I feel
it is a role that we must complete -- and powhiri our Asian
settlers -- as a Maori, I feel it is our duty.
"Perhaps, a major event consummating the Asian contribution
and acknowledging their presence towards new settlers is
another project towards good race-relations," he said.
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