The Waitangi Tribunal, health policy, gangs and grocery prices dominated discussion among the seven party representatives at the 1 News Kaupapa Maori Debate.
National’s Tama Potaka defended the Government’s record against criticism from Labour’s Willie Jackson, who rated Potaka’s performance as Maori development minister “negative one”.
Jackson described the coalition as “the most anti-Maori government of my lifetime,” while Waititi called it the “most racist” and “fascist” government ever.
Potaka would not commit to retaining the Waitangi Tribunal. NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones argued the institution was no longer fit for purpose, while Green co-leader Marama Davidson reaffirmed the party’s support for making its recommendations binding.
Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi defended representing Maori connections to gangs following controversy over MP Oriini Kaipara’s gang pad visit.
“All of these people have whanau in gangs,” he said, pointing to Treaty breaches as a factor in the emergence of gangs decades ago.
Jones and ACT deputy leader Nicole McKee opposed all policy based on race, while Waititi and Davidson defended targeted programmes, particularly in healthcare. Jackson said “there is institutional racism in the healthcare system”.
Jones defended NZ First’s mining and resource development policies, arguing that private industry, rather than government, generated jobs. Opportunity’s Eden Skipper rejected working with NZ First over its environmental approach. “If they want to tear up the environment and take away from our future generations, we won’t work with them,” Skipper said.
Waititi argued that learning te reo Maori should be part of being a “true New Zealander”. “We need to make Maori compulsory. But we won’t strap you into it,” he said. McKee opposed compulsion, saying learning the language should remain a choice.
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