Waatea 5th Estate – The importance of an independent Maori Political voice with Marama Fox & Hone Harawira

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Joining us tonight to discuss the importance of an independent political voice for Maori…

In studio,

Co-leader of the Maori Party – Marama Fox

and the leader of the MANA Movement – Hone Harawira

24 COMMENTS

  1. Willie said it right this AM on RNZ morning report.

    “We have become like pakeha are or face extinction doing deals in our own right in our own parties.”

    ALL POWER TO YOU HONE, GO, BROTHER GO!

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201805575/willie-jackson-predicts-deal-to-let-harawira-win-back-seat

    Willie Jackson predicts deal to let Harawira win back seat

    Hone Harawira’s decision to stand again in the Te Tai Tokerau seat has sparked talk work is under way to rebuild the bridges burnt when he quit the Maori Party in 2011 to found the Mana Movement.
    Listen (duration 4′ :13″)
    Download: Ogg  |  MP3

  2. Look at Hone’s face, and his body language, he didn’t agree with anything Fox said. Hone said: HE WOULD WORK WITH ANYONE, BUT NOT NATIONAL, well; he needs to steer clear of the tory Maori party.

    Fox is lying and is full of it, she has done nothing, achieved nothing for Maori who have sunk even deeper into poverty, been even more marginalized, and even Te Reo has declined during the 8 years that the Maori Party has been propping up the National government. Look at how the Maori party, behaving just like a gagging and bullying National party, politically interfered with Maori broadcasting to squash criticisms and the airing of embarrassing and damaging issues that could hurt the government and therefore, the Maori Party. The great M. Forbes didn’t quit over nothing.

    Fox is nothing more than a pathetic apologist for the National government and all she does is try to cover her back for continuing to prop up this government, that’s hurting and persecuting Kiwis on a massive, unprecedented scale. No matter how hard she tries, Fox cannot justify the Maori party’s continued support for the National government. A vote for the Maori Party, that doesn’t walk the talk, is a vote for National. Kick them out next year.

    • yes i agree the tories are uncaring bastards..

      ..but do/please tell/show us how the clark labour govt was any better..?

      ..they also did nothing for the poorest – for nine long years…

      ..so as far as i am concerned they are as bad as each other..

      ..so the best option for maori/the poor..is for maori parties to hold the maori seats..

      ..that surely is a no-brainer..?

      ..and this is what is being done here..

      • How is the the previous Labour government relevant in getting rid of John key and his Nats and those that prop up his corrupt government ?

        The tory Maori party have done absolutely nothing for Maori in the 8 years of propping up National. There are many instances when the tory Maori party should have walked away from National but refused to do so. The Maori party walked away from Labour for less in comparison of whats been happening over the last 8 years. The Tory Maori party are not the voice for Maori, and it will never be, it is the voice of John key and his National government.

        It would be far better for people to fund Hone’s campaign, so he doesn’t have to coat tail a tory tied party. The Maori party said they wanted all the Maori seats in the last election and only retained 1 seat out of 7. Even Maori don’t believe in them.

        May I remind you, a change of government cannot occur without Labour, who do have a better track record than National in comparison.

        • it is relevant in that you paint the tories as the devil incarnate (which they largely are..)

          ..yet you don’t mention labour..?

          ..and you finish by claiming labour ‘have a better record than national in comparison’..

          ..um..!..no..!..

          ..have you forgotten that labour policy @ the last election was to raise the level of benefits only by the rate of inflation – the same as the tories do..

          ..where is the feckin’ ‘better record’ there..?..eh..?

          ..and until the tories raised some benefits by amounts up to $20…

          ..benefit rates had not been increased (save for inflation) for 47 years..

          ..now correct me if i’m wrong..but wasn’t labour in power for parts of that 47 years..?

          ..and in fact clark cut benefits – by axing any supplementary-allowances previously granted for unusual stresses/family-needs/w.h.y..

          ..and get this..!..clark justified this at the time by chanting a neoliberal-mantra..

          ..straight faced she said she was doing it to create ‘a level playing field’ for benificiaries..(see..!..she only had their interests at heart..!..eh..?..)

          ..that is some ‘better track record’ you are touting there..eh.?

          ..and as for your recommended election-campaign tactics of a battle to the death between mana and the maori party..
          ..(which will just continue to gift the seats to (an always ungrateful) labour..

          ..that’s worked really well up until now..eh..?

          ..so i guess we should follow your urgings..

          ..and just do that/step on that rake – again – eh..?

          • The previous Labour government IS irrelevant and has no bearing on what John key and his government are doing now. Blaming Labour for what National is doing is stupid, and doesn’t wash anymore. The Tories are the devil incarnate. The Tories take the title in that regard and the tory Maori party has been propping up that evil for 8 years.

  3. Last election, the Maori party completely relied on the National party and it’s cabinet club fundraisers to fund it’s election campaign. Remember, the Maori party didn’t even run a political ad campaign.

    John key will not let his tory Maori party team up with Hone, unless there’s a win somewhere in it for his National party.

    Hone’s biggest problem, I would say, is money, that was one of the reasons he partnered up with Dotcom last time.

    • “yes i agree the tories are uncaring bastards.but do/please tell/show us how the clark labour govt was any better..?

      Shit I hope no one takes this seriously as Labour never left this carnage like we have NOW!!!!!

      Even the last National lot never left us at the close of the last century with this mess and wow what a mess we have now, even with a lying toad at the top!

      Still there as a defacto US representative welcoming us into their deep dark state intervention.

      no no no!

      • yes..it is worse now..but this did not start with the election of key..did it..?

        ..the tories war on the poor/welfare-state was made so much easier by how well clark/labour had prepared the ground for them..

        ..by doing nothing to help them (for nine long years) – and even turning the public mind against the poorest with her ‘deserving’ and ‘undeserving’ families propaganda/marginalising..

        ..welfare for people earning over $100,000 under ‘working for (some) families’..and nothing/zero/zip/nada for those who needed it most..

        ..those who clark and her ministers not only turned their backs on – but sneered over their shoulders at as well..

        ..how can any minister/labour party member from that time not hang their heads in shame at that f*cken obscenity..eh..?

        ..so to now try and paint labour as so so much ‘better’ than these tory bastards..

        ..is unadulterated crap..eh..?

    • Bernie Sanders proved in this day and age yo don’t need big party donors. Stick to a nice clean egalitarian message to create a movement.

      • Sanders relied on donations from supporters, and that’s what Hone needs. Previously, Hone won TTT twice, the last time he won it against and despite the Maori party and Labour. Trying to tie himself to the toxic tory Maori party is just as self defeating as hooking up with Dotcom.

        John key and his Nats want to see the left polarized, it plays right into his hands and it’s a win for him. Don’t trust the Maori party, a vote for them is a vote for National. Knock them and United Future out, and no friends National will be consigned to history, they’re out !!

  4. This is a great episode. It is also really good to see a return to basic values and community approach as the main starting point. The last word sum ups were excellent.

    There is absolutely ZERO reason that we should allow poverty in this country. It should and could be eradicated if government wanted to.

    In my view Hone is one of the most ethical politicians and I feel for him in the sense that people can identify that he is a change agent which is why they vilify him so much. They are right to fear Hone, because he demands change and change is what NZ needs. He is not going to be fobbed off with a few beads and blankets to prop the government up which in my view the Maori party has done.

    Even Marama came across a lot better than normal. I’m not sure about the blue nail polish though is that some subliminal Nat endorsement???

    Hone was successful vote wise last time (35,000 party votes) compared with The Maori Party (31,000 party votes) in that he did try to reach out past Maori into a digital economy. I think the big picture inclusive approach is important. He is also right that his Dotcom risk was successful – not in the short term – but you can be down and out and rise back up better than ever, which I think will happen.

    My only criticism was that everyone including Martyn seemed to discuss Labour critically more than National. Come on!!! National have been in power 8 years – stop the Labour beat up – and put the blame where it should lie!

    As for the seabed and foreshore – how have National every helped Maori? Ripped them off behind their backs more like it! Key did not even make it to Waitangi this year for gods sake!

    I’m also critical of Labour’s past mistakes but it really is time to move on and look at the best way to get change and bagging Labour for past wrongs while National plays the fiddle and NZ burns, is not the way to go.

    Labour will have to be in power to beat National so beating Labour up is not doing Maori any good!

    As for going on about Little being a centrist – of course he is, he is Labour and for middle NZ, (something they forgot last election)! How the hell are Labour are going to get elected if they are not in the centre to gain the votes? What would they prefer, National for the worldwide .1%?

    Being in the centre does not rule out working with Mana on Maori issues and defeating National. They should strategically work together next election instead of knocking each others votes down.

    • You know what it looked like Save NZ? It looked like Labour bashing was used as the convenient whipping boy, whilst giving National a free pass, was because they didn’t want to put a most defensive Marama Fox on the spot. This is hugely self defeating and counter productive imo. There are stats out there that proves Fox wrong at every turn. Yet her position is never challenged.There is no justification whatsoever as to why the MP still props up the bad Nats.

  5. As for Marama saying unemployment is not at it’s highest point, in my view that is rubbish because National have manipulated the unemployment figures so that if you work 1 hour or are on a zero hour contract you are considered working, let alone the hoops to get on a benefit that mean many of the most disadvantaged give up, or have your benefit stopped every 5 minutes.

    As far as I am concerned any statistic seems to be lies and half truths under National and this defiantly includes unemployment figures.

    Even worse those working can’t make ends meet anymore on the pitifully low wages.

    People are sleeping in cars and tents and you now need advocates to get a person what they are entitled too as WINZ staff are too busy making their own bizarre assessments such as questioning medical certificates to get 2nd opinions if someone is blind or not.

  6. Hone always hits it home – WOW – no wonder the establishment is shit scared of him.
    @Save NZ – great words too.
    New Zealand has lost its heart – with Hone in Government, we as a country may have a chance at getting it back.
    I for one will be happy to donate to the Mana Party – for the sake of all New Zealand.

  7. I almost can’t believe I’m saying this, but do we even need the Māori seats anymore? If people sign onto the Māori role, and then just give the Māori seats to one of the pākeha parties (usually Labour), what’s the point of them? I actually agree with Marama that such MPs are prevented from fully representing their people’s interests by party alleigances. If the same people who sign onto the Māori role gave their party vote to a kaupapa Māori party (be in Mana, Māori Party or whoever), they’d get pretty much the same number of Māori representatives that they do by having the Māori seats, but without the appearance of special treatment.

    When I attended a Mana hui not long after the election, I left at lunchtime with the distinct impression that Hone viewed the Mana Movement as the Hone Harawira party, nothing more than a vehicle for getting him back into parliament. Although the implication that he’s now the co-leader may mean he’s done some serious soul-searching over the last year or so, or perhaps that being back in the real world of unfunded, extra-parliamentary activism has brought his ego back to earth.

    As for Marama, I actually think she came across well on this show. For those of us who, like Phil Ure, remember the many crimes and inactions of the Clark government, Māori Party working with National is no worse than the Alliance and Greens working with Clark’s Labour. I don’t think anyone should waste their party votes on the Māori Party in 2016, and I doubt many will, but if they do manage to win some of the Māori seats and want to join a Labour/Greens coalition (assuming they get the numbers to form a government), why not? I think it’s simplistic to dismiss them as “tories” when there are people like Tame Iti standing as candidates, people who have every reason to see Labour as being just as bad as National.

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