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\nFormer Party M\u0101ori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell told RNZ drawing a clear line between the movement and the party was the “right move”.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Rebekah Parsons-King\n<\/p>\n
A former M\u0101ori Party leader is backing a move by Toit\u016b Te Tiriti to distance itself from Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori.<\/p>\n
The movement has cut ties with the party<\/a>, after kaik\u014drero Eru Kapa-Kingi accused the party leadership of being “dictatorial”, and criticised the party for failing to hold its annual general meeting and national council hui, despite constitutional requirements.<\/p>\n Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori has disputed the claims, saying no formal complaints have been lodged and promised a “reset”<\/a> next week.<\/p>\n Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori co-leader R\u0101wiri Waititi declined an interview with RNZ, but told Radio Waatea the party had addressed the accusations through media statements.<\/p>\n “We’re open to having any open dialogue with the people that may be disgruntled. We’ve just got to continue the mahi.” he said.<\/p>\n Former Party M\u0101ori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell told RNZ drawing a clear line between the movement and the party was the “right move”.<\/p>\n “It’s a split and it doesn’t mean to say that there’s not compatibility or alignment with kaupapa. It simply means, and highlighted by some of [Kapa-Kingi’s] statements, that there’s a role to be played by a protest movement and there’s a role to be played by a parliamentary movement,” he said.<\/p>\n “We’re at a crucial time now where our people are really suffering at the hands of the economy, government policy, the general direction of the country and many people – not just M\u0101ori in fact – are hurt by those sorts of issues… they’re wanting a parliamentary lead to deal with some of those issues in Parliament.”<\/p>\n Flavell said Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori was well placed to carry that out.<\/p>\n “They’re in a good position, a wonderful position that I would have enjoyed as an MP back in my day, because you’ve got six people and the resources and the whole unit in Parliament to be able to really make a difference.<\/p>\n “Politics is a funny thing, it can take you out and it can keep you there. I’m hoping that some of these issues will be able to be dealt with in a good way that allows the M\u0101ori Party to present itself again as a viable opportunity for our people.”<\/p>\n The stakes are high for the opposition – with current polls showing Labour reliant on Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori’s numbers<\/a> to form a government following the election next year.<\/p>\n \nLabour leader Chris Hipkins says Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori needs to “sort themselves out”. Speaking to media on Thursday, Chris Hipkins made his strongest criticism of Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori yet, saying they were “quite a long way away” from playing a role in any future government and needed to “sort themselves out”.<\/p>\n Labour’s Willie Jackson, however, told RNZ all parties have “internal issues” from time to time.<\/p>\n “You have a number of mainstream commentators say, ‘oh, that’s why Labour can’t do a deal with Te P\u0101ti M\u0101ori’ and I’m sort of thinking, well, why?<\/p>\n “I don’t think them having an internal problem should prevent us at all from a future relationship with it…. in many ways, this has got nothing to do with us,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Mark Papalii\n<\/p>\n