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New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. With the country's election coming up, both Miss Clark and Opposition Leader John Key were campaigning for Maori votes at the Ratana Church celebrations.
(AAP Image)
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WORLD: NZ leaders vie for Maori votes as election heats up
Issue 146 - 07 Feb 2008
By Grant Fleming
NEW ZEALAND
Issue 146, February 7, 2008: The country's Opposition Leader John Key has pledged a National government would revive what he says is a "stalled" Treaty of Waitangi settlements process.
But Prime Minister Helen Clark has denied the process is stalled and says Labour is making good progress in returning assets to Maoridom.
The war of words erupted as both party leaders hit Ratana Pa near Wanganui on the North Island to pitch for Maori votes at the 135th birthday celebrations of the movement's founder, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana.
Ratana formed a close relationship with Labour when the founder met Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage back in 1936.
But Mr Key, who was welcomed on to the Ratana marae with seven of his MPs, said the special nature of Labour's relationship with Maori could have played a part in treaty settlements falling down its list of priorities.
Mr Key said those iwi which had settled their treaty claims were benefiting enormously from the assets they had received and the process needed a boost.
The National party would ensure the Waitangi Tribunal was better resourced to settle claims. It would also consider bringing in high-profile Maori with sufficient "mana" to assist it with the settlement process.
As part of National's bid to boost its vote among Maori, Mr Key said more Maori names would be on the party's list when it was unveiled later in the year.
Miss Clark denied the treaty process was stalled, pointing out two recent settlements in principle -- Te Atiawa in Wellington and Tainui's claim to the Waikato River.
She said Labour remained committed to helping Maori achieve their "fair share" of economic development.
Miss Clark, who was greeted on to the marae as part of a 100-strong delegation that featured about 20 MPs, said the government had a strong record when it came to Maori.
That included a big drop in the Maori unemployment rate, large gains in Maori early childhood participation, as well as a rise in Maori gaining high school and tertiary qualifications.
She said tribal organisations were in good heart and Maori assets, initially gained from treaty settlements, had grown from an estimated $9 billion to $16 billion in the past six years.
In recent years the relationship between Ratana and Labour has been tested by the row over the foreshore and seabed and the emergence of the Maori Party which captured four of the seven Maori seats at the last election.
But Miss Clark said the relationship remained strong, despite the more "complex multi-party environment" Labour found itself in - a veiled reference to the challenge it faces from the Maori Party.
Miss Clark later refused to comment on Labour's chances of winning back the Maori seats, but said it would be "competitive" in both the party and electorate votes.
"We are mounting very strong candidates in the Maori electorates," she said. - NZPA
 
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