November 27, 2020
Waititi rejects compromise
Waiariki MP Rawiri Waititi says he isn’t in parliament to make friends.
Mr Waititi and his Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer stormed out of the chamber yesterday after Speaker Trevor Mallard ruled out of order his attempt to get speaking slots in the Address and Reply Debate, as well as being able to make maiden speeches next week.
He insists his interpretation of standing orders was correct and the Speaker was oppressing a minor party.
Mr Waititi says he doesn’t accept compromise is an essential part of parliamentary business.
"That’s the narrative that Pakeha continuously drum into us. That's the narrative I'm not willing to accept any more, because that has got us the crumbs off the plate after they've eaten the cake. If people wanted the same old same old, they should have voted for the same old, same old in the Waiariki but the Waiariki showed they wanted something different," he says.
Mr Waititi says he campaigned on not being subjugated or assimilated.
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