September 22, 2014
Flavell prepares for Government office
Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell says he’s had a phone call from the Prime Minister, and he’s getting ready for the prospect of becoming Minister for Maori Affairs.
Mr Flavell doubled his majority in Waiariki, and depending on special voting might be able to bring Marama Fox in with him on the party list.
He says it was disappointing to lose Tamaki Makaurau and Te Tai Hauauru to Labour.
He told Willie Jackson on Radio Waatea’s Paakiwaha current affairs show Maori still don’t get the case for an independent Maori voice in parliament that all Maori should get behind.
"In the past we have always come at it from a negative point of view, that is, sitting in opposition. We have come at it from always trying to chase one of the major parties. An in this case in the past six years no matter how much we've put out and how much money we've got, no matter how many policy, changes we've made, how much we've responded to the calls from Maori across the country, our people don’t get it," he says.
Mr Flavell says he had to put up with lies and mistruths on the campaign trail about the future of the Maori seats, the Maori Land Court and the Waitangi Tribunal, but they ended up costing his opponents more.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH TE URUROA FLAVELL CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjIzNDY=
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