Maori party without money 'just a great idea'

5.00pm

Former Mana Motuhaka leader Willie Jackson, a long-time campaigner for a new Maori Party, today said the idea would not become reality unless Maoridom put up the money.

The issue will be among items on the agenda at a hui in Auckland tomorrow, organised by the National Urban Maori Authority, to be chaired by Mr Jackson at Hoani Waititi marae.

"It will definitely come up, but I don't think there will be a Maori Party at the end of it," he said.

Mr Jackson believed grass roots support for a new party was strong, "but they can't finance it".

"The big players in Maoridom -- Ngai Tahu, Tainui, the Treaty Tribes Coalition -- have to bankroll it, otherwise it will not happen.

"You can start with an idea, but then you have to have dollars behind it. Until that happens, it's just going to be a great idea."

Mr Jackson said the hui was organised in the light of developments in race relations since National Party leader Don Brash's speech to the Orewa Rotary Club in late January.

"I would like to see something positive come forward so we can plot a course forward," he said.

"What is the next event for us? How do we stay tight as a Maori community? I wouldn't like just to have a hui and not have any resolutions after it."

Mr Jackson said there was also a need to "quell some of the anger" caused by the Orewa speech, one result of which was Mr Brash having mud thrown at him on Waitangi Day.

"Don Brash got a bit of mud in his eye, but there's a few people out there who want to do a bit more than that," he said.

"It's about providing guidance and direction to our people about how we operate day to day."

Associate Maori Affairs Minister John Tamihere, National MP Georgina te Heuheu, Maori academic Pita Sharples and former Race Relations Conciliator Gregory Fortuin will be the main speakers at the hui.

Mr Jackson, a one-time Alliance MP, said Mr Tamihere and Mrs te Heuheu would be asked to explain why Maori voters should stick with Labour or National.

"It's important to hear why we need to be loyal to their parties," he said.

"We seem to be the political football with both those parties."

He said Mr Tamihere, a key voice of urban Maori, remained low in cabinet ranking despite supporting the Government's foreshore and seabed policy.

"He really copped it from Maoridom when he was selling the Labour Party's message and what's his reward when the portfolios are handed out? Absolutely nothing.

"You cannot get too much influence if you're a junior minister."

Mrs te Heuheu was sacked as National's Maori affairs spokesman when she could not back Mr Brash's Orewa speech.

- NZPA