Maori king ‘manipulated’ says Peters

NZ First leader Winston Peters says the Maori King’s predecessor, Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, would never have been advised or taken advice to endorse a political candidate.

The Maori King is being “manipulated” by his advisors and the entire movement is under threat, says Winston Peters.

The NZ First leader is fuming over advice King Tuheitia received to publicly endorse Rahui Papa for the Maori Party to stand in the Hauraki-Waikato seat currently held by Tuheitia’s cousin, Nanaia Mahuta.

“It’s a sad thing. I really feel sorry for the King that he has been given that sort of advice and that he’s taking it.

The advisors need to remember this - they’ve got ideas way above their station when it comes to making those statements and they’re seriously letting down the Kingitanga as a movement.”

Mahuta has held the Maori seat for Labour for more than two decades and says she’s not taking Tuheitia’s criticisms that she has “no mana now” and his endorsement of another candidate personally.

“He’s chosen his forum to make a statement. I’m not going to get involved in why he said that, what’s motivating him or who is behind that,” Mahuta said on Thursday.

But Peters says now is not the time for the people of Kingitanga to be “silent”.

“They need to very quickly restore equilibrium here and get out of the ruck of politics so whoever they’re speaking to in the political arena is not prejudiced against them.”

The rare move by Tuheitia comes after he vowed to never vote Labour again at celebrations of his coronation last year, citing Labour leader Andrew Little’s refusal to work with the Maori Party and the treatment of Labour’s Maori MPs as his reason for doing so.

Maori Party president Tuku Morgan is a close advisor and friend of Tuheitia’s and both Labour and NZ First hold him responsible for influencing the King.

“The Maori Queen, the predecessor, would never ever have been advised that way or taken such advice. She knew how important it was to stay above the ruck of politics so to speak and to ensure they got the best outcome no matter what parties they were dealing with.”

“This is new and bad advice and Mr Morgan can say what he likes but he’s not doing the King any favours at all,” Peters said.

Maori votes in all sorts of different ways and Tuheitia’s political meddling can “only have serious ramifications for the Kingitanga movement,” he said.

“The King is being seriously manipulated by his advisors who don’t seem to understand the constitutional issue here in the sense that the King must be above party politics.”

- Radio NZ