John Tamihere: Either they will vote for their past or they will vote for their future

John Tamihere

Twenty years ago I would have definitely been a member. Ten years ago I may have been. Today I see absolutely no way membership of a separate Maori Party can make a real difference to the majority of Maori.

Maori lives today are being shaped by a young, vibrant and dynamic population in an equally dynamic world.

We have our Maori renaissance. We have our kohanga reo, our kura kaupapa, ware, kura and wananga, and bilingual classes multiply in mainstream schools. We have Maori television and radio.

We are recognised directly in our 40 pieces of legislation in a constitutional sense. We control 40 per cent or more of the nation's fish stocks. We have low debt and high capital-raising capacity off our asset base. Treaty settlements continue apace, transferring money and assets. We have Maori health, welfare and education providers. What we have obtained, notwithstanding what we lost, has been extraordinary.

We do not need a separate Maori Party telling us how poor we are, how suppressed we are and how ripped off we are. We need Maori leadership that promotes the powerful potential of our young community, rather than excusing its shortcomings and blaming others.

The Maori Party in large part is controlled by educationists. They are doing well, being paid to articulate our grievances and reconstruct our history and culture. I worry about self-appointed people that reconstruct the noble, romantic notions of how wonderful things would have been if Captain Cook never came.

The Maori Party represents those who have done well out of the new Maori economy over the past 25 years. Most Maori cannot participate in this new economy but are told they are not Maori enough if they don't.

In announcing three policies - one on tax, one on tertiary education and one on superannuation - the Maori Party has allocated more than $12 billion. They promise much, knowing that what they promise can never be delivered.

It is a myth that Maori hold the balance of power. In 1996 Maori voted New Zealand First and NZ First formed a Government with National. In 1999 and 2002 Maori returned to their Labour roots and Labour was able to form a Government. The outcome for Maori over the past five years has been significant.

We have the highest labour participation rate in 20 years and the highest participation rate in education of any racial group. The defining point of Kiwi culture is heavily influenced by the distinctive Maori brand.

In regards to foreshore and seabed, we have a solution on the table. The other party does not have any solution, they just articulate problems.

We must continue to focus on unleashing the positive and significant potential of our young community, switching them from filling our prisons and away from failing in the education system and health system.

All our energy must be motivated to ensure Maori know they are positive progressive citizens of a great country and proud of their own heritage, language and culture. But there is a fine line between being proud of yourself and being so proud that you are anti-others and forge a separate path. This is unacceptable and the Maori Party presents difficulties for our positive and continuing nationhood story.

The Tamaki Makaurau seat, based in Auckland, is going to be a watershed test for Maori. They will either vote for the Maori Party candidate, Dr Pita Sharples, and the Maori Party to endorse their past, or they will vote for myself and the Labour Party to ensure their future. We must never forget our past, but our past is our place of reference, not a place of residence.