August 25, 2016
Voters not king have final say
Labour leader Andrew Little says he’s disappointed the Maori king has stepped into the political arena by attacking Labour.
Mr Little was at Turangawaewae Marae on Sunday for a service to mark the 10th anniversary of King Tuheitia’s coronation.
But he had left by the time the king made his speech criticising him for refusing to work with the Maori Party.
"They’re his views. He's entitled to his views. In the end it is the Maori voters who will decide who will represent them, particularly in the Maori seats. Labour is privileged to currently represent six of those Maori seats. We have some great MPs and I am focused on making sure they have the chance to do the best they can," he says.
There is no record of Mr Little saying won’t work with the Maori Party, and the Maori Party is part of the current cross party inquiry into homelessness with Labour and the Greens.
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