September 08, 2016
Harawira defends Ngapuhi right to choose leader
Mana leader Hone Harawira says the Minister for Treaty Negotiations is out of line in calling tor Ngapuhi chair Sonny Tau to quit tribal leadership and the treaty settlement process.
Mr Tau is on leave until next year while he serves out his come detention after being convicted of killing five kukupa.
Mr Finlayson says his time is over, and he should leave it to the young stars of Ngapuhi to get stuck in and deal with the settlement.
Mr Harawira says leadership is an issue for the tribe to resolve internally.
"Minister Finlayson should drop out of making comments about whether certain people have the right to be leaders. He doesn't have the right to make that choice. He's trying to say that about Sonny Tau but if Sonny Tau puts his hat in the ring and everyone votes for him, then that's a straight kick in the arse for the minister and for anyone else who thinks they have a right to make a decisions about what happens in Ngapuhi," he says.
Mr Harawira says the critical thing in the settlement is to get an acknowledgement that Ngapuhi did not cede its soverignty by signing the Treaty of Waitangi.
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