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We have Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell live with us now.
Tena koe, Te Ururoa.
ACT says the minimum wage is dangerous,
particularly for Maori,
because it diminishes the incentive to up-skill
and secure higher paying jobs -
what is the Maori Party's position?
What a ridiculous idea.
Maori do strive to reach their goals
and to find employment.
Those speculations are dead wrong.
Just as Te Keepa said,
Maori are looking for employment opportunities,
and this minimum wage is OK.
It's a start, but the Maori Party have aspirations for workers.
You say this minimum wage is just a start -
what does the Maori Party think the minimum wage should be?
We think it should be $16.
- Why?
Well, that's the number
that came out of our studies in the past
for families to be able to afford the things they need to live on.
The minimum wage would be $16,
but a living wage would be more like $18.80.
These are the numbers our experts came up with.
But it seems your coalition partner
National isn't too keen on your opinion.
And others as well, you're right.
That's why we've kept our seat at the table
so that we can influence these issues.
We've long said that the minimum wage should go up
to ease the bite of poverty,
but nothing has come of it yet.
We've not achieved what we hoped to,
but it's a start.
As the saying goes, something is better than nothing.
Consultations on the Maori language strategy
have just been completed -
there's been a number of criticisms about the proposal.
The Maori Party is the lead party in this process -
what's your response to this disquiet?
Well, the door is still open
to those who want to give their feedback.
This issue came to the fore two or three years ago, in 2011.
This resulted in the minister's report by Te Paepae Motuhake.
Now we hope to present this to Parliament
to provide funding for the right people.
I have no qualms about the time allocated for feedback
because it was the same two years ago.
It'll be left in the hands
of the Maori Affairs Minister and his team
to sort through the information gathered
at the meetings over the past two or three weeks.
I haven't heard one person say it's a good strategy.
Most people believe it should be thrown out
in favour of starting again.
But it looks like it will go ahead, so what'll happen with the strategy?
When will it be passed?
That's the problem with living in Auckland.
You need to come home!
But it's what our Te Arawa relations are saying, too -
they don't agree with it.
No, they're saying the strategy has good points,
but there are places where it can be improved.
All I have to say is if you have any thoughts on this strategy,
send them through to the minister.
He'll take a look at it, as will the rest of the party,
to figure out whether it's worth taking to Parliament or not.
This is the process Parliament follows.
In saying all that,
thank you for challenging me to come home.
Finally, Maori in Australia
are holding rallies in cities all across Australia
claiming discrimination
because they can't access social services and benefits
- do you sympathise or should the 'Mozzies' simply come home?
I have two answers to that - yes, come back home.
Leave the discrimination in Australia.
Secondly,
I'm meant to be heading over there in a few weeks
to hear about these issues.
It's a big issue.
Maori living there
put the issue to the PM while he was there recently
to no avail.
Australia did not want to work on the issue.
Hold off until I return from there in a few weeks.
Perhaps we can discuss the fruits of my trip when I return.
Te Ururoa Flavell, thank you for joining us.