Tariana Turia

Today’s news from Hone Harawira, to set up a Maori Parliament, might well be one of the ideas considered within the wide ranging review of New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements suggested Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Maori Party.

“In the NZ Herald article, Mr Harawira hoped that a parliament of Maori MPs would not be dismissed as “Hone’s Parliament” said Mrs Turia

“That is what is so positive about the cross-party constitutional review” said Mrs Turia. “The fact that all parties are involved – and that the review will be lead by a Constitutional Advisory Panel with a Maori co-chair – means that we will have the broadest possible platform for talking about such ideas”.

The Constitutional Review is one of the key milestones agreed in the Relationship and Confidence and Supply Agreement between the Maori Party and National.

“We must provide a way for all New Zealanders to engage on the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the relationship between rangatiratanga and kawanatanga and the promise of nationhood intended in the Treaty”.

“The fundamental issue in the constitutional review is to discuss the role and status of the Treaty of Waitangi in our constitutional arrangements – and this must be a debate for all of us – whanau, hapu, iwi, community and MPs too”.

“I would expect all manner of issues to come up, from an Upper House model, the Tikanga Maori House proposed by Professor Whatarangi Winiata, the Maori Parliament Movement which arose out of Papawai Marae; the Iwi Congress and of course Hone’s model may well be discussed as we come together to share our best thinking as a nation about how the Treaty should be reflected in our constitutional arrangement”.

“We understand that the Iwi Chairs Forum has invited an iwi leaders' group, chaired by Moana Jackson, to canvass the views of Maori in a process independent from the Government consultation process, so that iwi and Maori can formulate their own proposals and then put them to the government . This may also be another forum for Hone to present his views – and we would actively encourage all whanau, hapu and iwi to be part of this conversation”.