Henare eyes TV show for Maori

Parliament's "likeable rogue" and outgoing Maori Affairs Minister Tau Henare would like a job in television as a presenter of a cutting-edge programme for Maori.

"I would dearly love to do that. Not that I want to be a journalist but I think that having a person that's been an MP, been a cabinet minister, knows a lot of that stuff and knows a lot of the issues as well ...

"I think there is an absolute need for a Crossfire-type Maori programme on any channel. The present Maori programmes on TV like Marae are pathetic."

Mr Henare, who along with other Mauri Pacific MPs was thrown out of Parliament, said the future of his party would hinge on its members.

Packing up with staff at his Beehive office yesterday, he was philosophical about his roller-coaster ride in politics over the past three years.

But he did have some parting shots for his former party, NZ First, and its leader, Winston Peters. "There is no future for NZ First. They are a has-been old fart party, quite frankly, and the sooner they remove themselves from the political landscape the better."

Mr Henare, renowned for his Dirty Dog sunglasses and an in-your-face attitude, was looking forward to a spell outside public office but not ruling out a political comeback.

"I want to go out there and see if I can make a bit of money, be a capitalist for a change and get stuck into work.

"I certainly haven't given up. I just think we need to step aside for a moment and let the new Government bed itself in and let them show us their wares."

He said the Maori Affairs portfolio should go to his replacement in Te Tai Tokerau, Dover Samuels, which was widely expected, and not the Alliance which, he said had no mandate from Maori voters.

Meanwhile, after spending the past 14 months blocking entry to many would-be migrants, Tuariki Delamere is going into business to help them enter the country.

Mr Delamere, sacked as Immigration Minister amid controversy three days before the election, plans to use his experience as an immigration consultant.

He said he stood behind the decision he was sacked for, to offer Chinese business people permanent residency if they invested in Maori business projects.

He believed there was still scope to develop a scheme along those lines and would continue to lobby for it.

Mr Delamere said he did not enjoy deporting people, but was unrepentant about the controversial decision to deport German couple Guenther and Petra Schier after Guenther Schier was found to have a drug conviction.

"I have developed a reputation in immigration; some may say that's good, some may say that's bad," he said. "I doubt I'll get Mr and Mrs Schier as clients, but there's huge opportunities out there."

- STAFF REPORTER, NZPA