Te Ururoa Flavell: People air frustration in hikoi

The Asset Sale Hikoi reached Parliament recently and boy was it a showdown. It was interesting to see such a huge contingent of supporters from various political persuasions. All in all, it was good to see a united approach. Mike Smith the key organiser on behalf of Greenpeace was clear in his approach which was that it would be for the people, hapu and iwi to carry the kaupapa but on the day, it was unionists and politicians.

When the hikoi arrived here to Rotorua, I joined in to welcome them on to Te Papaiouru Marae. The topics placed in front of the nation are important so it is only appropriate to give support. I remember assisting with the Seabed and Foreshore Hikoi back in 2004. It's a tough job, but you cannot doubt the commitment of those who travelled all of the way to Wellington, leaving families all in an effort to present a case.

It was a tough crowd at the conclusion of the Asset Sale Hikoi, I'm not going to lie. People are unhappy about a number of things and I guess this was a good time to air their frustrations. But I want to remind those who booed at me as I spoke; the Maori Party WILL NOT be supporting the sale of state-owned assets. In fact, if all goes the way of rumours and suggestions regarding Mr Banks, then the answer to the sale of state-owned assets will rest in two electorates called Epsom and Ohariu not with the Maori Party. Some people for some reason do not accept that.

I walked amongst the people that day of the Asset Sale Hikoi, having met them at Te Papa. I saw brown, I saw white - everyone was there from all corners of society.

It was expected that all Maori would oppose the sale of state-owned assets. That may not be the case as some iwi are waiting for the chance to invest in some of New Zealand's most valuable resources and to form relationships with oil companies. But having read all the submissions from the Mixed Ownership Model consultations, and the points made by Iwi who have concerns like Te Whanau a Apanui and Ngati Porou the answer for us as a party was simple. No sale, no drilling.

On to a totally different kaupapa now. What about that programme The GC! That has stirred up a hornets nest all over social media!!! I've seen so many comments both positive and negative about that show, all things ranging from "plastic Maori" to people praising these rangatahi for not being in jail? I'm not so sure where I sit with it to be truthful. Is it better to be famous for having parties and drinking and lying by the pool, or should we just be happy for them that they are not featuring on Police Ten 7? One thing is for certain, they have got the social media abuzz - I heard that the letters GC were trending on Twitter for a few days after it first aired. It will certainly be interesting to see if the show is allowed to continue or if it gets the chop!

Finally, I want to congratulate the organisers of the Marae Masterchef Competition held recently at Owhata Marae. To Whaea Aneta and the team at Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa - what an awesome event!!! Congratulations to Taheke Marae who took out the overall prize! I really enjoy seeing events such as this being held locally to encourage and support Marae and whanau, hapu and iwi competing with each other in different fields. Kei wani ke koutou!

I tae mai te hikoi mo nga rawa o te motu ki Paremata inatatanei. Katahi te ahuatanga ko tera! I tae atu nga kaitautoko no nga paati maha o te motu. Ano nei te kotahitanga. Me tuku mihi ki a Mike Smith mo tana kaha ki te whakarite i te kaupapa nei. He tika tana korero, ma te iwi tenei kaupapa e kawe, heoi, ehara tera te tikanga i taua rangi, ko nga uniana, ko nga torangapu ke!

I te taenga mai o te hikoi ki Rotorua nei, i haere au ki te pohiri i te ope ki runga o Te Papaiouru Marae. He whakahirahira nga take e korerorero ana i waenga i nga iwi, no reira, he tika kia whakaatu i taku tautoko i a ratou. He hokinga mahara, ka tika, ki nga ra o te hikoi takutai moana. Ano nei te uaua, engari, te taea te karo i te kaingakautanga o ratou i tae ki Te Whanganui-a-Tara mai i wahi tawhiti ke, ka waiho ko mahi, ko whanau mo te wa, kia taea e ratou te whakaatu i to ratou awangawanga.

Ko te nuinga o te ope i te hikoi mo nga rawa he pukuriri. Heoi, na te kaha awangawanga o te minenga ki etahi take e hia ke nei, i whakamahi tenei wa hei paepae mo ratou ki te whakatakoto i aua awangawanga. Ki te roopu i takahi i te mana o taku whaikorero, he whakamaumahara tenei ki a koe, kaore te Paati Maori i te tautoko i te hoko o nga rawa o te motu. Me titiro ke tatou ki nga takiwa o Epsom me Ohariu ki te tika nga hari-korero e pa ana ki a Hone Peeke.

Ko te whakaaro e whakahe ana a Ngai Maori ki te hoko atu o nga rawa o te motu ehara i te tino tika. Ka mutu, kei te tatari etahi o o tatou iwi ki te hoko i aua rawa e korerongia ana, ka mutu, ki te hui ki etahi kamupene rapu hinu hoki. Heoi, na te kitenga o nga whakaaro i puta i nga hui Hokohoko i nga rawa o te kawanatanga, kotahi noaiho te whakaaro o te Paati Maori, kia kaua e hoko atu, kia kaua hoki e rapu hinu.

Ki take ke inaianei, katahi te whakaaturanga ko te GC!! Me nga whakatau a etahi kua puta i runga i te ipurangi! Kua kite au i nga whakaaro e tautoko ana, e whakahe ana hoki. Kaore au i te tino mohio he aha ra oku whakaaro, engari he tika te korero, kei te kaha a Maori ma, a Pakeha ma ki te korero mo tenei whakaaturanga me nga take e whakaaturia ana.

Hei whakakapi i nga korero, me mihi au ki nga kaiwhakarite o te whakataetae Marae Masterchef i Owhata Marae. Ki a Whaea Aneta, koutou ko Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa, kei wani ke! Me mihi hoki, ka tika, ki te Marae i toa, ki a Taheke Marae.

I welcome your feedback. Email: mpwaiariki@parliament.govt.nz Post: PO Box 12028 Rotorua 3045 Phone: 07 3503261