The Best
Tariana Turia
I’ve never been inclined to include Tariana Turia at the top of the list. However, in light of recent performances and achievements, I think she deserves top billing. For the first time in a long time, the Maori Party is leading on issues. Thanks, for the most part, to Tariana Turia.
In what was, for all intents and purposes, an austerity budget the Maori Party – led by Turia – managed to carve out a few wins. Extra funding for rheumatic fever, extra funding for Maori early childhood education and a 10% rise in tobacco excise each year for the next four years.
Turia has fronted the smoking issue across the Maori and mainstream media and, I think, come across well. In my opinion, Turia’s increased activity signals a resurgent Maori Party. Having said that, more rational minds are probably right to see the Maori Party’s recent wins as a blip in what’s undeniably a downward trend.
Tariana Turia
I’ve never been inclined to include Tariana Turia at the top of the list. However, in light of recent performances and achievements, I think she deserves top billing. For the first time in a long time, the Maori Party is leading on issues. Thanks, for the most part, to Tariana Turia.
In what was, for all intents and purposes, an austerity budget the Maori Party – led by Turia – managed to carve out a few wins. Extra funding for rheumatic fever, extra funding for Maori early childhood education and a 10% rise in tobacco excise each year for the next four years.
Turia has fronted the smoking issue across the Maori and mainstream media and, I think, come across well. In my opinion, Turia’s increased activity signals a resurgent Maori Party. Having said that, more rational minds are probably right to see the Maori Party’s recent wins as a blip in what’s undeniably a downward trend.
Te Ururoa Flavell
I rate Te Ururoa Flavell below Annette Sykes and that’s no secret. Nonetheless, credit where credit’s due – Te Ururoa has done an outstanding job supporting Ruatoki and Tuhoe from the day the raids occurred to the day the Urewera four were sentenced. Absolutely outstanding.
Te Ururoa has also led the Maori Party against the government’s plans for tertiary education and pushed for Maori seats on the Rotorua District Council.
Many of you’ll remember Te Ururoa’s botched attempt to overthrow Pita Sharples. Well, I think at least, Te Ururoa’s done his time in the sin bin. He needs to take a step up if he wants to fend off Annette Sykes in 2014.
I rate Te Ururoa Flavell below Annette Sykes and that’s no secret. Nonetheless, credit where credit’s due – Te Ururoa has done an outstanding job supporting Ruatoki and Tuhoe from the day the raids occurred to the day the Urewera four were sentenced. Absolutely outstanding.
Te Ururoa has also led the Maori Party against the government’s plans for tertiary education and pushed for Maori seats on the Rotorua District Council.
Many of you’ll remember Te Ururoa’s botched attempt to overthrow Pita Sharples. Well, I think at least, Te Ururoa’s done his time in the sin bin. He needs to take a step up if he wants to fend off Annette Sykes in 2014.
Annette Sykes
As the President of the Mana Party, Sykes is all over political issues. More recently she has taken the lead criticising the actions and rationale of the Police and prosecutors and, more significantly, taken a lead criticising the decision of Justice Hansen in sentence Tame Iti and Rangi Kemara to two and half years in jail. Annette also helped lead Mana’s opposition to asset sales and took a lead role in the Rotorua leg of the Aotearoa is not for sale hikoi.
Rino Tirikatene
Rino has stared some ugly redneckery in the face and advocated hard for a Maori seat on the Nelson City Council. As you’d expect, the call fell on deaf ears, but it signalled the start to Rino’s campaign for Maori wards. I’m glad Rino is taking the issue up, because no other Maori MP has taken an advocacy role outside of their own electorate. Maori seats on councils are one of the most important issues for Maori and one where, I think at least, we’re making absolutely no head way. In fact, we’re being pushed backwards.
Credit must also go to Rino for supporting the AFFCO workers and joining the picket line on a number of occasions.
As the President of the Mana Party, Sykes is all over political issues. More recently she has taken the lead criticising the actions and rationale of the Police and prosecutors and, more significantly, taken a lead criticising the decision of Justice Hansen in sentence Tame Iti and Rangi Kemara to two and half years in jail. Annette also helped lead Mana’s opposition to asset sales and took a lead role in the Rotorua leg of the Aotearoa is not for sale hikoi.
Rino Tirikatene
Rino has stared some ugly redneckery in the face and advocated hard for a Maori seat on the Nelson City Council. As you’d expect, the call fell on deaf ears, but it signalled the start to Rino’s campaign for Maori wards. I’m glad Rino is taking the issue up, because no other Maori MP has taken an advocacy role outside of their own electorate. Maori seats on councils are one of the most important issues for Maori and one where, I think at least, we’re making absolutely no head way. In fact, we’re being pushed backwards.
Credit must also go to Rino for supporting the AFFCO workers and joining the picket line on a number of occasions.
The not so good
Hekia Parata
Forgetting that the buck stops at the top, Hekia is pointing the finger at her officials claiming that they supplied her with poor advice on the effects bigger class sizes will have. This, to be frank, is a cop-out. A cop-out not worthy of Hekia, but not uncommon within Cabinet it should be said.
Parata is also coming under fire for refusing to be ‘straight up’. Instead choosing to fudge, muddy and obfuscate. This, I think, is her way of dealing with the political fall-out of her policies. Rather than front foot the criticisms with evidence and reason, she deflects them with soundbites and irrelevant material.
If Parata cannot deal with the political fall-out that has begun, and that will continue it should be added, she shouldn’t set her sights any higher than where she is.
Shane Jones
Jones finds himself in hot water – again – however he doesn’t appear to be digging. Not yet at least.
Jones is accused of ignoring official advice for party political reasons. When Jones was the associate Minister of Immigration he granted citizenship to Bill Yiu, a prominent Labour Party donor and – apparently – a suspected criminal. Jones granted citizenship against official advice. To me, this is all fairly innocuous given Jones never received money personally.
But, yes there’s always a but, to avoid all elements of doubt Jones should have voluntarily stood down pending independent investigation. Instead, he held out and, in the process, distracted attention away from Labour’s attacks on the budget and the day before the budget put David Shearer in a position where he had to stand Jones down. Essentially, Jones probably could have played the situation better.
Louisa Wall
I think Louisa is a capable MP and good advocate for Maori, but lately she has been silent. To be fair, Louisa doesn’t represent a Maori electorate. Having said that, a Maori electorate is not a requirement to be a Maori MP. Where are you on Maori issues, Louisa?
The good but could be better
Metiria Turei
Metiria isn’t, considering she is the co-leader of a significant party, active enough on Maori issues. However, Metiria does cover a range of issues that affect Maori, albeit not as comprehensively as Mana and the Maori Party. This, though, is to be expected. Metiria has to and does cover more mainstream issues and she does so with intelligence and charm. I rate, as far as intellect goes, Metiria as the most intelligent Maori MP.
Metiria isn’t, considering she is the co-leader of a significant party, active enough on Maori issues. However, Metiria does cover a range of issues that affect Maori, albeit not as comprehensively as Mana and the Maori Party. This, though, is to be expected. Metiria has to and does cover more mainstream issues and she does so with intelligence and charm. I rate, as far as intellect goes, Metiria as the most intelligent Maori MP.
