Waitangi Day organisation a shambles, says Carter

9.45am

Organisation for Waitangi Day celebrations at Waitangi have been described as a "shambles" by a local MP.

The National Party MP for Northland, John Carter, said it was not clear who was running affairs at Te Tii marae.

The marae is the launching pad for Waitangi Day celebrations and both National leader Don Brash and Prime Minister Helen Clark are expecting to get a rough reception when they arrive there later today.

Mr Carter said the situation was confusing, but local Maori were talking about a watered down reception for Dr Brash in retaliation for a recent speech advocating the end of race-based policies.

"Quite honestly it is a shambles. The (marae) trustees have all resigned or been ejected," Mr Carter told National Radio.

"No one seems to know what is going on."

Mr Carter said many local elders were disturbed that Dr Brash would not get the formal welcome political leaders normally received.

National Radio reported that not only were non-Maori journalists banned from the marae, but most Maori media had also been told they could not report events.

Dr Brash told Newstalk ZB that he was unsure what was happening on the marae as there had been many rumours.

He said if media were excluded on the basis of race he would not enter the marae.

There was uncertainty about whether local Maori wanted him to speak or wanted to speak to him.

Dr Brash said he did not regret his speech and had recently been become even more worried about race-based policies.

He said new holidays legislation that would give Maori wider rights to take leave would work against Maori.

"Many employers faced with the choice of hiring a Maori or a non-Maori of equal qualifications, equal merit might very well choose the non-Maori because of the risk that the Maori might be away for a significant chunk of time," Dr Brash said.

He said both Maori and non-Maori had expressed their support for his views, despite them leading to the sacking of his only Maori MP Georgina te Heuheu from the Maori affairs portfolio after she refused to back the policy direction.

Dr Brash was unconcerned about facing Maori anger over his decision to replace Maori MP Georgina te Heuheu with Gerry Brownlee in the Maori affairs portfolio.

Mrs te Heuheu was forced to stand aside due to what she described as a "huge gulf" between her and Dr Brash on the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in society.

Prime Minister Helen Clark is scheduled to arrive at Te Tii marae later this afternoon, but has said she is equally in the dark about planned events.

"It is not quite clear at this point what will be happening at Te Tii marae over the next few days but we will go with the flow as usual."

Most politicians are expected to arrive at Waitangi throughout the day ahead of a reception hosted by the Governor-General later tonight.

Normally visitors are welcomed by local Maori as they arrive, but it appears this year it has been decided to do away with this in protest at both Labour and National's attitude towards Maori.

The Government has angered many Maori with their proposals for the foreshore and seabed, while National's attack on the current role of the Treaty of Waitangi has also created controversy.

Many Maori were further angered when Mrs te Heuheu was replaced by non-Maori.

Mrs te Heuheu, who has indicated she hoped to return to her home in the central North Island for Waitangi Day, said Maori should target their anger not at Dr Brash, but the Government.

"They should be focusing on Helen Clark. She is the one to whom they gave their vote and she is being viewed by a great number of Maori as having turned her back on them. I would hope they would keep their focus on her."

- NZPA