Wananga protest 'too friendly'

Wananga supporters protest outside Parliament but there were laughs for all. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Laughter and jokes with National and Act MPs blended with the challenges as Te Wananga o Aotearoa supporters converged at Parliament before a Waitangi Tribunal hearing yesterday.

It was too much for wananga chief executive Rongo Wetere, who criticised the gathering as "all too friendly for my liking".

Mr Wetere, currently sidelined from his job on full pay, was joined by Aotearoa Institute members and supporters on Parliament's forecourt for the protest, held before the tribunal hearing - which Government insiders have dismissively dubbed "Rongo's last stand".

The group were met by caretaker Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia and other Labour MPs, Don Brash and several other National MPs, the Maori Party co-leaders and Act leader Rodney Hide, whose party launched the parliamentary attacks on the wananga. Dr Wetere rose after many had spoken to express his concern about the tenor of the protest, which he believed too genial.

He had a crack at Mr Hide, who "tried to kill us", saying Act should be supporting the self-determinism embraced by the wananga.

Dr Wetere asked Mr Horomia how he could support a Government that appeared to want to prevent Maori moving from welfarism to education.

And he asked whether the Government would attempt to downsize Auckland or Massey Universities in the same manner as the wananga.

Dr Wetere was warmer towards Dr Brash, thanking him for his party's objection to the race-based quota Labour had tried to impose.

He said he regretted that National had not won a few more votes in the election, as he was sure the wananga could have worked with the party.

Maori allegiance to Labour had to be rethought, he said.

But Dr Wetere could not resist a dig at National, too, saying he was "delighted to hear, Don, that whatever the Maori Party has asked for, you have agreed to".

There was also a dig at Crown appointee to the wananga Wira Gardiner, who Dr Wetere said was trying to "undermine" the institution.

Dr Brash told the group of about 180 that when he saw the protesters' blue signs he thought he had arrived at a National Party gathering.

The signs called for choice in education and "no to separatist education" - a reference to the attempt to enforce a race-based quota.

Dr Brash said National saw a positive future for the wananga, but had concerns about its management that needed to be addressed.

Mr Horomia said Labour was committed to Maori educational achievement and the wananga, but wanted to ensure Maori did not waste their time and money on low-quality courses.

He refused to say afterwards whether he agreed with the quota, saying the matter was before the tribunal. But he said issues raised in the yet-to-be-released Auditor-General's report had to be addressed.