There's no denying the number of issues Maori have faced in recent weeks.
But before I begin, I want to thank everyone who supported me through the election period and those who worked tirelessly on my campaign. The work that you did played a huge part in my success. I am humbled by your faith in me and our party and will do everything I can to work hard on your behalf to repay that faith.
I've only just returned from supporting my friend, Tame Iti, at his Urewera 4 trial at the High Court in Auckland.
For obvious reasons I am not going to go into too much detail, however, for me personally, the offending began the moment families were invaded at gunpoint and the moment tamariki and mokopuna were disregarded.
The pain is still raw and Tuhoe continue to pay the price - that, to me, is the only offence. I spoke to the media while I was at the High Court about how Tuhoe still sing about the scorched earth policy that happened 159 years ago.
Well, you can bet your bottom dollar that these events four years ago are going to be written about and stay with the people for many more years to come, so indeed this can be considered history repeating itself.
Such is the case with the potential sale of our state-owned assets. The Maori Party is clear that it does not support the sale of SOEs, however, what's really made the hackles rise is the prospective amendment of section 9 of the State Owned Enterprises Act, better known as the Treaty clause.
One might ask how the Treaty is going to stop the sale of state-owned assets. Well, section 9 of the SOE Act maintains the responsibility of the Crown to uphold the principles of the Treaty including partnership, protection and participation.
From those come the obligation to act in good faith, to be fair and to act honourably. So a decision cannot be reached without consulting the other half of the partnership, which is what the Mixed Model Ownership consultation hui aims to do. And the consensus is to keep our assets in NZ ownership. Who said the Treaty clause was only "symbolic"? Seabed and Foreshore Bill all over again? Perhaps so.
Before I end this week's column I want to congratulate those who performed at the Te Arawa waka kapa haka competition.
Well done to all those involved, the combined efforts of all will see six of our teams at the nationals next year in Rotorua.
