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  1. This could cost the left the election . Either shape up or ship out because it is doing your cause no good . This government is running roughshod over Maori aspirations and you are running roughshod over your own party

    1. Yes this factionalism of TPM is so counterproductive at this moment. As JT said “leave” and start your own party if they won’t toe the line. Why can’t the leadership kick them out immediately. Not sitting in the house and not concentrating on policy and also how to work with other left parties to overcome CoC is not looking good.

  2. I feel that this faction competing with present TPM don’t understand the importance of the contest that they are involved in. They seem to be prepared to upend lightly the gains made by TPM as if for a laugh, and the thrill of putting one over the present leadership. Their images show people very pleased with themselves with perhaps the thought that JT et al have had their turn and it’s time for others to ‘have a go’.

    Dun Mihaka is not mentioned much now – he died in 2023 RIP. But he was an activist and kept standing for Parliament, putting his views forward and was well-known for his provocative display to Royalty (whakapohane (baring his buttocks, a traditional Māori insult)*). That stirred things along for Maori, with other less startling support work,
    and always standing in elections, and now is the time to carry forward his and others work to concentrate on politics the people. One thing he did was to press for legalising cannabis, considering it a higher priority then than other Maori political aims. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dun_Mihaka#Early_life_and_family

    But this three are enjoying themselves. They are following the ‘trash the past’ that seems current in our country now. They remind me of a sort of innocent cheek and insouciance of the aunties in Witi Ihimaera/s 1972 book Pounamu Pounamu. In his story about a hockey match between local rivals Beginning of the Tournament
    everyone can join in the team. One of the older aunties needed a break and to reorganise themselves so she sits on the ball, claiming she has to catch her breath.
    And the game pauses till she is ready. That was 1972 and life is serious in politics these days, in a different way from the past.

    There are some loud firework explosions just now, on the 8th of November, and there will be other bangs later in the year I think. We have governments that are too weak to introduce sensible and practical restraints on fireworks for personal use. But they will introduce wide ranging legislation about important matters affecting Maori, which have advantages for politicians’ personal acquisitive selves; they have become self-serving automatons.

    In the memory of many people Maori or not who have toiled to advance Maori from which we all would benefit, please the leadership group control activity and meet often and foster wide, not hapu, esprit de corp; the Maori Dictionary suggests wairua as the right word.

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