Scathing words for Maori male MPs

By RENEE KIRIONA

Maori men in Parliament have been accused of failing to stand by their "sisters" when the going gets tough. And according to those on the hikoi against the foreshore and seabed legislation, that will be ended in the next general elections.

"There will be no more mistreatment of our wahine [Maori women] in Parliament come the next elections," said marcher Lance Hohepa of the Far North.

In a speech to an estimated 2500 marchers at Taupo on Saturday, Maori rights activist Annette Sykes said Maori women MPs had been abandoned by their Maori male colleagues.

"I'm still waiting for them to come out in public to support [Labour MP Tariana Turia]."

Ms Sykes, referring to Ms Turia, fellow Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta and the Green Party's Metiria Turei, said "those wahine of ours in Parliament are keeping it real". Hikoi participant Haare Matthews, of the Waikato, got emotional when asked about his views. "To be treated like that by their own because they have refused to be sheep makes me sick."

Former Maori Land Court judge Ken Hingston told more than 4000 people on the Rotorua leg of the hikoi on Friday the Labour Maori male MPs were traitors in the tribe.