Five members of the Labour Party's Maori caucus visited Rotorua to find out about local Maori business initiatives saying Maori around the country could learn a lot from Te Arawa.
While in the city yesterday they also spoke to the Rotorua Daily Post about how they plan to unseat Waiariki MP and Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell, who holds the only Maori electorate seat outside of the Labour Party.
Visiting Rotorua were MP for Hauraki-Waikato Nanaia Mahuta, MP for Te Tai Hauauru Adrian Rurawhe, MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti Meka Whaitiri, MP for Te Tai Tokerau Kelvin Davis and MP for Tamaki Makaurau Peeni Henare.
MP for Te Tai Tonga Rino Tirikatene and MP for Manurewa Louisa Wall make up the rest of the party's Maori caucus but did not make the trip to Rotorua.
While in the city they praised the Rotorua Lakes Council's newly-formed Te Tatau o Te Arawa Board, saying it was a good model to follow for the rest of the country, and spoke to successful Maori businessman Wetini Mitai-Ngatai about the challenges he faced and the future of Maori business in the region.
"There's a lot that Maori across the country can learn from what's happening here," Ms Mahuta said.
"What makes this place so unique is the time that tangata whenua here have participated in the development of Rotorua. It outclasses several areas, many of us from our own tribal rohe are quite envious of that, but we can learn from it and what's worked here and how we can translate to other regions.
"It's not all about making dollars, although that's important, it's actually to ensure that that dollar spreads to lift the wellbeing for whanau, and that's a point of difference," she said.
When it came to talk of Mr Flavell, Mr Rurawhe said the Maori Party might have already had its day in the sun.
"2008 was pretty much the best they [the Maori Party] ever did. The trend is really clear from that time until now. Their support has trended down and from what we are hearing from the electorate their support is trending down even further."
"Te Ururoa is championing some very difficult, risky issues for Maori - the TPPA, the Te Ture Whenua [Maori Act], and even the Te Reo Maori Bill had a really rough time because people absolutely believe in supporting te reo but the big question is the mechanism behind that," Ms Mahuta said.
"He is in front of the types of issues that aren't winning a lot of support for him, so he may unseat himself," she said.
Mr Flavell said the Labour Party had done nothing in its last six years in opposition.
"They can't talk they haven't passed any legislation. In fact they have supported most of the things we have done as common sense issues, like the te reo bill. We've held all of the cards in the last few terms and the people of Waiariki know the importance of having a real independent MP in the Waiariki."
"If anything, the Maori members of the Labour Party have been gagged by their own leadership. I think we have our best years ahead ... and we are in the best position to negotiate with the National Party," he said.
Labour Party Maori caucus visit:
- Meeting with mayor Steve Chadwick and Rotorua Lakes Council officials
- Meeting with Wetini Mitai-Ngatai about challenges for Maori in business
- Meeting with officials at Crown research institute Scion
- Open meeting with the public at Ponsonby Rd Lounge Bar
- MPs visiting were Nanaia Mahuta, Adrian Rurawhe, Meka Whaitiri, Kelvin Davis and Peeni Henare