September 21, 2017
Peters queries treaty returns as election narrows
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is skeptical treaty settlements will deliver significant economic and social advances for Maori.
He says there is an alternate view that the way forward is to focus on basic needs like housing, education, a proper health system and first world jobs, rather than demanding asset wealth on the basis of race.
He doesn't see settlement assets getting down to ordinary Maori.
"You can't see a decline in Maori housing in the last 25 years by a massive 38 percent without saying there is something wrong with our political system, it is not responding to key areas of education, health,housing and income needs. Make all the protestations you like but answer these questions – down the bottom are the mass heap of Maori and you are not having any improvement on their lives whatsoever," Mr Peters says.
The final Newshub-Reid research poll released last night shows Winston Peters is likely to decide who forms the next Government.
National was just under 46 percent, which means to form a Government it would need New Zealand First, which on current projections would have 7 percent and nine seats.
Labour was down to 37 percent, and would need both the Greens and New Zealand First to lay claim to the treasury benches.
The poll of 1000 people was conducted in the week to September 20, with a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
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