Waitangi Day 2005: MPs rush north before protesters

Labour MPs are breaking with tradition and will head on to Te Tii Marae at Waitangi a day early in a bid to avoid protesters whose numbers are set to swell tomorrow.

Prime Minister Helen Clark will head to Waitangi tomorrow but is bypassing Te Tii completely, unwilling to face any repeat of last year's Government welcome, which turned into a brawl.

Te Tii is a Ngapuhi marae traditionally seen as the gateway to the national Waitangi Marae on the Treaty Grounds, a place where political and iwi leaders stop to pay their respects to the tangata whenua.

A smaller Government contingent led by about six of Labour's Maori MPs will still pay their respects at Te Tii, but plan to do so late this afternoon instead of tomorrow when they usually go.

Te Tii trustees had reserved tomorrow morning as the time for politicians and iwi to be formally welcomed, but tradition dictates visitors are welcome at other times.

Government sources said the early visit was designed to pre-empt the arrival of a hikoi of young activists tomorrow, scheduled an hour before the official powhiri.

Tamaki Makaurau MP John Tamihere yesterday labelled the Northland hikoi - which aims to educate a new generation of Maori activists - a "thinly disguised political rally for the Maori Party".

"This is just a [Hone] Harawira stunt. A drive to get a new set of Northland's young people behind his party and disrupting Waitangi Day."

Hikoi organiser Rueben Porter said Mr Harawira had helped to organise the hikoi and his whanau's marae had helped to feed them.

Many of the marchers were Maori Party members, but there were also Green Party supporters on board. Three Green MPs will take part in the hikoi.

Te Tai Tokerau MP Dover Samuels said he would not believe assurances that there would be no trouble.

This was despite the fact Maori had discovered that since the passing of the Foreshore and Seabed Act "they can exercise their tikanga in regard to the foreshore and seabed just as their ancestors did".

Protest at Te Tii had become entrenched, he said, but the MPs nevertheless wanted to tautoko (support) the tangata whenua of the marae.

Mr Harawira, the Maori Party Tai Tokerau candidate, has no official role at the lower marae this year, but warned that the Government would get a hard time.

"The Government has just passed the Foreshore and Seabed Bill. What are the chances that we are going to be happy about that?"

The brawl last year saw Government MPs and officials pushed, shoved and spat at, with several punches thrown.

Asked if he would discourage the type of physical intimidation experienced by members of the Government party last year, Mr Harawira said: "Who am I, with my history, to say to people 'protest, but protest nicely'. I am a supporter of active and vigorous protest."

In contrast, Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia, a member of the Government group last year, urged her supporters to protest peacefully.

Media co-ordinator Mike Smith said from Te Tii yesterday that all media would be welcome on the marae and into the wharenui (meeting house), but there was only room for one camera - Te Karere's - in the house.

Several other news outlets were pressing for their cameras to be allowed, but the Ngapuhi Taumatua Kaumatua (council of elders) had not authorised more.

Despite this, National MP John Carter said leader Don Brash would not go to Te Tii because the party had been told a "race-based media ban, the same as last year" would be in place.

Dr Brash used the same reason not to enter Te Tii Marae last year, when he went as far as the gate and was pelted with mud as he turned back in protest.

The Herald advised Mr Carter of Mr Smith's comments and noted that mainstream media - with Pakeha and Maori journalists - Maori Television crews and most other Maori news outlets were treated the same as last year. They could go anywhere on the marae as long as they left their recording equipment outside.

Te Karere and Mr Harawira's radio station could use their equipment inside.

But Mr Carter said he had rechecked with the marae and stood by his comments.