on Māori MPs
Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson has taken a swing at National’s Simon Bridges and ACT’s David Seymour, saying they’re a “total waste of bloody time’’ when it comes to advocating for their own Māori people, writes political editor Jo Moir.
Willie Jackson is offended, hacked off, but not surprised there are Māori MPs within Parliament who want the “racism and prejudice’’ of Māori wards to remain.
On Wednesday night legislation passed under urgency that will undo the current local government laws, which allow just five percent of voters to force a public referendum and ultimately overturn a council decision to have allocated Māori representation.
Since 2002 there have been 24 councils that have tried setting up Māori wards and only three were successful.
Jackson has been fighting for 20 years for the change and says finally “we have the opportunity to be Māori’’.
“Because the reality is, if you want to be pro-Māori you don’t get on council’.’
Link to article: Willie Jackson unleashes on Māori MPs (msn.com)
