Maori party kicks off first annual conference

Widespread Maori opposition to the Government's seabed and foreshore legislation was the catalyst for the formation of the Maori Party after years of unrest, the party's co-leader Pita Sharples said today.

Dr Sharples, speaking immediately before the party's first annual conference in Auckland, said the party had emerged from a range of issues relating to Maori that needed addressing.

"It comes on the back of years of grieving, the inequalities that exist at this time have got to be addressed and that was the straw," Dr Sharples said as a powhiri welcomed supporters on to the Hoani Waititi Marae in west Auckland.

He said the party would discuss and consolidate policy at the conference, complete its constitution and finalise the candidate selection process.

Some candidates might be finalised in January and announced before Waitangi day on February 6.

Dr Sharples and co-leader Tariana Turia are the party's only two confirmed candidates - Mrs Turia in Te Tau Hauauru and Dr Sharples in Tamaki Makaurau.

In a policy document issued today, the party said it was "born of dreams and aspirations of Tangata Whenua to achieve self determination for whanau, hapu and iwi within their own land".

The party was for the benefit of all people of New Zealand. It's founding was a Maori initiative. It's vision was of a nation of cultural diversity and richness where it's unity was underpinned by the expression by tangata whenuatanga (citizenship) by Maori.

The document says the party was also committed to the Treaty of Waitangi as the founding document of the nation.

In a speech to be delivered later today Mrs Turia said the Maori Party already had 7500 members and was gathering momentum.

She said 70 per cent of the tangata whenua was under 35, and the movement was about their future.

"Focusing on the potential of our people may mean we also need to focus on healing and restoration."

We must not be afraid to confront behaviours and attitudes that are hindering out ability to progress.

"We must ensure our whanau are violence free. We should rid ourselves of any mind altering substances, because we need to be strong and in control of ourselves for the future ahead," she said.

Between 200 and 300 people attending the conference today were to hear from both co-leaders before closed hearings to discuss its constitution, campaign strategy and the election of party officials.

Tomorrow the conference will look at funding, electorate plans and candidate training.

A recent poll showed wide support for the Maori Party - suggesting it could win five of the seven Maori seats - and Dr Sharples said that level of support throughout the country was not surprising.

He said it was a very encouraging because supporters realised the party stood for things such as restoration of the Maori language and putting the Treaty of Waitangi into a New Zealand constitution.

He said while the poll showed widespread support it was still early days.

"We are very new to this," Dr Sharples said.

The Maori Party formed around the byelection campaign of its co-leader Mrs Turia. It was officially launched in May this year.

Mrs Turia quit Labour and her ministerial postings in April over her opposition to the Government's foreshore and seabed legislation, now passed into law, which legislated Crown ownership of the zone between the high and low tide watermarks.

Mrs Turia romped home in the July byelection in her Te Tau Hauauru electorate, giving the party its first and only member in Parliament.

Much of today's conference proceedings will be in committees, which are not open to the media.

- NZPA