Sharples threatens Govt over Super City

A protest sign during today’s hikoi and (inset) Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples. Photos / Getty Images / Sarah Ivey

Maori will develop their own infrastructure within Auckland if they are not given seats on the planned Super City, says Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples.

Speaking after today's mass hikoi, Dr Sharples was confident that Prime Minister John Key was still open to ideas and the door was still open.

But he said if Maori seats were not accepted, Maori infrastructure would grow and Maori will have their own capacity within Auckland.

"We're now a major player in the economy in terms of labour and everything around this city.

"If we can't be included, Maori will turn in on themselves and say OK, we'll develop our own infrastructure and we'll be our own source within this city," Dr Sharples said.

He spoke to NZPA in Aotea Square, where thousands of protesters, waving Maori flags and banners, braved the rain to protest the ditching of Maori seats for the planned Super City.

Led by demonstrators performing haka, they slowly made their way to Aotea Square past hundreds of gathered onlookers along Queen Street.

Banners reading "No Super City Without Us", "Don't delete Maori seats", "John's taking our key" and "Move aside Rodney Hide, give us back our Maori pride" were thrust upward as marchers sang and shouted and walked peacefully, but with determination.

Police flanked the street and re-directed traffic away from the hikoi, and reported that protesters had been well behaved.

Kikorangi Puhipi had travelled down to Auckland from Matauri Bay in Northland.

"I think it's important for Maori to have seats in the Super City, but I'm also here for personal grief for my own land, which was taken away by the Government," Mr Puhipi told NZPA.

Rose Hollins, of Avondale, was handing out flyers encouraging people to join a rates revolt to make the Super City unworkable.

"Stuff the Super City. We don't need the fat cats, and we didn't vote for this undemocratic super rip-off," Ms Hollins said.

Aperehama Anihana, from West Auckland's Hikoi organising committee, told NZPA it was obvious why so many thousands of people were marching today.

"It's not just for Maori, it's for all the cultures that live around the Auckland area. We don't want our city to become a corporate entity," Mr Anihana said.

Pekimana Haaka, from Auckland, said it was important for Maori to be involved in how Auckland goes into the future.