Webmasters have been busy removing the name of Mega Whaitiri from the Beehive and Labour Party websites, after she announced she was crossing the House to become a member of the Maori Party.
But immediately she is sitting as an independent MP.
Whoever looks after the Maori Party website has not been quite so busy. No news has been posted there since November 1, when a statement was posted under the heading Expressions of Interest for Candidates for the 2023 General Election.
But expressions of interest in a candidate for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, the seat held by Meka Whaitiri, was not mentioned in that press statement. The electorate was formed for the 1999 election and held by Parekura Horomia of the Labour Party until his death in 2013. Whaitiri won the by-election to replace him on 29 June 2013 and has held the seat ever since.
While no statement from her can be found on the Beehive website today, there is a statement from Deputy Prime Minister, who says Whaitiri has been removed from her ministerial responsibilities, effective immediately.
The website records two other announcements of special interest to people in her neck of the woods.
Her constituents will be especially chuffed to learn that the Crown has recognised four new customary marine title areas along the East Cape and East Coast in ngā rohe moana o Ngā hapū o Ngāti Porou.
This recognition adds Hautai Beach, Port Awanui, Tūpāroa and Waipiro Bay to the areas already recognised in 2021.
The government is also pouring more millions into the Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti regions to help the clean-up after Cyclone
While no statement from her can be found on the Beehive website today, there is a statement from Deputy Prime Minister, who says Whaitiri has been removed from her ministerial responsibilities, effective immediately.
The website records two other announcements of special interest to people in her neck of the woods.
Her constituents will be especially chuffed to learn that the Crown has recognised four new customary marine title areas along the East Cape and East Coast in ngā rohe moana o Ngā hapū o Ngāti Porou.
This recognition adds Hautai Beach, Port Awanui, Tūpāroa and Waipiro Bay to the areas already recognised in 2021.
The government is also pouring more millions into the Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti regions to help the clean-up after Cyclone
- $102 million to help councils process and dispose of all the debris coming from residential properties, and to deal with sediment on council-land to make it available to the public again
- $70 million for commercial properties (including farmers and growers) to help clean up their land and return to profit
- Funding (unspecified) for debris and sediment removal from whenua Māori
Latest from the Beehive
New Zealanders are in paid work in record numbers and wages are outpacing inflation as the Government’s economic plan continues to deliver more jobs and growing wages to help with cost of living pressures.
Meka Whaitiri has been removed from her ministerial responsibilities, effective immediately, Acting Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni has announced.
The Government is providing significant financial support to assist removal of cyclone-related sediment and debris in the Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti regions, Ministers announced today.
All remaining coal boilers will be removed from hospitals and tertiary institutions by the end of 2025, Climate Minister James Shaw has announced.
The Crown has recognised four new customary marine title areas along the East Cape and East Coast in ngā rohe moana o Ngā hapū o Ngāti Porou.
Announcing the removal of Meka Whaitiri from her ministerial responsibilities, Acting Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said the Administrator of the Government had been advised (does that mean “instructed”?) to give effect to that decision this morning.
“Obviously we’re disappointed in Meka Whaitiri’s decision. But we are moving on,” Sepuloni said.
“Decisions on the permanent allocation of the portfolios will be made in the next week.
“Until then, Kieran McAnulty will be the Acting Hawkes Bay Lead Minister for Cyclone Recovery, Ayesha Verrall will be the Acting Minister for Food Safety, Peeni Henare will be the Acting Minister for Veterans, and Damien O’Connor will be the Acting Minister of Customs. All Associate Portfolios will return to the lead Portfolio Minister.”
Sepuloni said Labour was proud of its track record for Māori.
She ticked off the Government’s establishment of the Māori Health Authority/Te Aka Whai Ora, its boost of Whānau Ora funding to historic levels, the creation of the Matariki public holiday, and “the introduction of New Zealand history in schools.”
That last claim surprised the writer of this Buzz from the Beehive, because he was taught New Zealand history at Southland Boys’ High School in the 1950s.
What Sepuloni’s press statement did not tell us is whether Meka Whaitiri is set to be automatically ejected from Parliament under the “waka jumping” legislation.
We may get the answer this afternoon when Parliament sits.
The party she has chosen to join – by the way – is not strong on diversification when it comes to the ethnicity of its election candidates.
The aforementioned statement in which the Māori Party sought expressions of interest for a candidate for the Tāmaki Makaurau, Hauraki-Waikato and Te Tai Tonga electorates and candidates for list MP’s said:
This is an opportunity for a talented Māori leader to represent Te Pāti Māori at a national level.
Key requirements for applicants included:
- Applicants must demonstrate Māori Whakapapa.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
1 comment:
The larger political parties are starting to learn the foolishness of imagining that their support for Maori supremacy will secure the gratitude and loyalty of its Maori MPs or voters.
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