Labour 'in for the long haul' with Ratana Church

Prime Minister Helen Clark (right) greets Ratana Church secretary Waka Palmer during her welcome to the Ratana marae yesterday. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Helen Clark yesterday stressed the length and tradition of Labour's relationship with the Ratana Church, but the Maori Party said the Prime Minister had broken the bond.

Both parties, vying for the Maori vote, received a warm welcome to Ratana's annual celebration of the birthday of its founding prophet, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana.

But church head Harerangi Meihana snubbed the arrival of the Maori Party delegation, which was enjoying its first formal visit onto the marae near Wanganui.

He skipped the powhiri in favour of having tea with Helen Clark, who had been welcomed earlier.

Mr Meihana, a former unionist and staunch Labour supporter, missed Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples' speech and arrived only in time to hear the party's last speaker, Huirangi Waikerepuru.

Mr Meihana's absence offended Maori Party leaders, but they declined to speak about it afterwards.

Despite it, there was clear support for the party from the many who gathered to hear its leaders.

Dr Sharples told the crowd Maori were hurting and it was time for unity and a plan for a way forward.

Fellow co-leader Tariana Turia did not speak but said afterwards it was clear Maori were looking for a new political movement.

She said Labour claimed it had delivered to Maori "but it was unable to show it in any actual way" and the alliance formed between T. W. Ratana and Labour in 1935 was "gone".

The Prime Minister arrived with a 26-strong team of MPs, one of the biggest entourages she has taken to Ratana Pa. In recent years she has been asked to sit on the home paepae with the group welcoming visitors and she was immediately escorted there upon arriving.

Several rows behind her was Mrs Turia, whose party was yet to be welcomed on but who comes from the area and who also traditionally sits there.

Church secretary Waka Paama told Helen Clark that her Government was being scrutinised to ensure it was living up to the promises it had made to the prophet.

Helen Clark did not mention any political parties in her speech, although she contrasted Labour with "flash-in-the-pan" parties.

Along with fellow speakers, she highlighted the 69-year bond Labour had with Ratana and said they were "in for the long haul."

She said Labour was wedded to the vision of the prophet that "Maori and Pakeha live together in harmony. We know we are more likely to achieve our aspirations together than apart".

National leader Don Brash was the first politician to arrive and used his speech to urge Ratana to be flexible over its political allegiances. He said National had frequently delivered for Maori in a pragmatic way, but he was not apologising for calling for one law for all.

Like Helen Clark, New Zealand First leader Winton Peters did not refer to the Maori Party, but in a clear reference to it warned against "false prophets". He also stressed the regularity with which his party had been coming to Ratana and the fact that six of his 13 MPs were Maori.

All political leaders said they were there for T.W. Ratana's birthday, not politics.