November 24, 2014
Sharples blamed for selection debacle
Urban Maori advocate Willie Jackson says former Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples should have stepped in to resolve a row over representation on Auckland's Independent Maori Statutory Board.
Nine months after the case was run, the High Court has ruled that the group that appointed the board failed to properly consider the submissions regarding candidates to represent Maori from iwi outside the super city.
It set aside the appointment of Papakura Marae executive Tony Kake and ordered the process to be done again.
Mr Jackson, who heads the Manukau Urban Maori Authority, says the major flaw in the law was giving mana whenua the task of saying who should represent mataawaka.
"And then of course then backed by the Minister for Maori Affairs, Pita Sharples, who refused to intervene on this, again forgetting he was put in there by us, by urban Maori here in Auckland, Pita did not intervene and now of course we have the decision back from the judge which said the whole process was fatally flawed," he says.
Mr Jackson says he has great regard for Tony Kake, but he should seriously consider not putting his name forward again.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH WILLIE JACKSON CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjQzMzQ=
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com