Sharples: North still wants a Maori Party Candidate

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharple's told Waatea News recently that the Maori Party may go back on its agreement with former member and now independent MP Hone Harawira and stand a candidate against him in the northern Te Tai Tokarou electorate, that is apparently what the leaders of Ngapuhi want, and their been in touch with Sharples, the other co-leader Tariana Turia and the party president to make that want clear.

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We’ve had Ngapuhi leaders growling us because we’ve deserted them up north and I mean the leader leaders, the ones you see on tv doing all the claim and speaking on behalf of the iwi at Waitangi and everywhere else

Its these “leader leaders” that the Maori Party has based its policy on, but the great number of Maori people who support Harawira and other parties don't seem to have much faith in Iwi leaders. Low income families will not benefit when iwi purchase state houses and raise the rents, they have not benefited from iwi contracting out their fishing quotas to overseas companies who run seaborne sweatshops and many Maori workers were disadvantaged when Sealord, half owned by the pan-iwi Aotearoa Fisheries Limited laid off 160 staff two years ago (at the same time as giving the CEO a 231% pay rise no less).

Its not a stretch to believe Maori were put off when Sealord was condemned by human rights organisations for exploiting the fisheries of Western Sahara either. The Maori Party is facing an uncertain future. Prominent voices in Maoridom have been critical of the party's direction, including Huirangi Waikerepuru and Monana Jackson. The latest poll shows Sharples majority in his electorate severely reduced, in fact depending on the events of the next eight months he may not be returned to parliament in Novembers election.