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To share his thoughts on current issues,
Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell of the Maori Party joins us live.
Aftershocks have hit Christchurch again?
I feel for them. I saw the footage today
that illustrated the devastation families had experienced.
The aftershocks have ruined sewage pipes and buildings.
Boulders have fallen from cliffs.
I feel for them deeply.
The big question is whether it is worth rebuilding?
That's a tough question.
It's easy for me to speculate from Wellington
but the Ngai Tahu residents are the best people to ask.
Some will be scared, concerned and anxious,
some might even look to move out of Christchurch
but the people of Christchurch should answer that question.
On the Te Tai Tokerau by-election now.
You rejected statements made in Hone Harawira's campaign
for the by-election saying he lied.
Why do you say that?
Earlier Hone Harawira and the Mana Party
released a media report stating that the Maori Party strongly upheld
National Party policies. This is a lie.
The Maori Party favour Labour's policies over National's.
Secondly, he accessed the Maori Party
of supporting funding to private schools.
Again this is incorrect. That was an ACT Party policy.
Thirdly, he says we did not support the kura kaupapa Maori.
They got $61 million out of the Budget.
He also accused us of cutting funding to Whanau Ora.
He's deceived the people so I'm just correcting his errors.
Recent polls show your candidate Solomon Tipene
is behind in the polls.
It seems he has a lot of campaigning to do?
It's a big job for all of us,
we are focusing on the job at had and will do our best to campaign.
It's not just a job for Solomon Tipene
but for the Maori Party as well.
It's not easy, but that's nothing new to us.
We will continue to work hard to achieve our goal.
- Te Ururoa Flavell, thank you for your time.