Willie Jackson criticises Maori-Nat talks

Willie Jackson

Broadcaster Willie Jackson shook up the weekend Maori Party conference by criticising its relationship with National.

Mr Jackson, the only invited guest speaker at the Christchurch gathering, attacked the party's decision to talk to National after an election in which it had run a "racist campaign".

The former Alliance MP was also critical of Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell and others for recently failing to support Te Arawa settlement legislation, asking: "Who do you think you are when you tell Maori that they should not have a settlement?

"Do you think Mahuta in Tainui and O'Reagan in Ngai Tahu didn't understand what they were doing [when they brought about settlements for their iwi]?"

Mr Flavell said later the issue was difficult for the MPs, who had to balance the aspirations of people to reach a settlement with the cheap Crown offers which "we know in our heart of hearts is wrong".

Maori Party MPs defended the party against Mr Jackson's criticisms about National, saying they had promised to consult all parties.

Unspoken but relevant was the party's unwillingness to be perceived as a Labour lapdog in its first year. But the National relationship clearly remains an issue of concern.

Co-leader Tariana Turia, who recently cancelled a meeting with Don Brash because of his blood quantum comments, said plans were afoot for a meeting between the National leader, his Maori MPs and her caucus. But she reiterated previous criticisms.

"We don't see Don Brash as the National Party per se. He's an individual within it and we don't support his views and we're clear about that.

"He thinks we have misunderstood what he said. We don't think we have."

Mrs Turia also used her conference speech to signal her disapproval at the decision by Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira to refuse to help constituents on the general roll in his electorate.

She said: "My message is that everybody is important, it doesn't matter who they are, what roll they are on. In the end if you are talking about MMP, you are likely to have people in an MMP environment voting for the Maori Party with their party vote."

Asked if she had asked Mr Harawira to back down, Mrs Turia said: "We always encourage one another to do the very best that we can."

Asked if he planned to change his approach, Mr Harawira said he had not been asked and had no plans to: "Not at the moment, no."

While her electorate supports fielding an equal number of Maori seat and general seat candidates, Mrs Turia admitted yesterday there were "mixed views" on the subject and the party had yet to make a decision on whether to once again field general seat candidates.

Mr Harawira said the party should concentrate its energy on the Maori seats only, while Mr Flavell said the goal had to be to "clean up the Maori seats" but there might be a few key general seats yet worth contesting.

Mr Flavell said there had been much internal debate and angst about the decision by some MPs to vote against or abstain on Treaty settlement legislation.

The latest Marae-DigiPoll, survey, which showed Mrs Turia and co-leader Pita Sharples were considered the most popular Maori MPs, was widely touted at the conference as an indication of the success of the party's first year.