Shaquille Shortland questions Prime Minister Chris Luxon’s authority to decide for Māori, emphasising the importance of Te Tiriti and Māori sovereignty.
Te Ao Māori News reporter Tumamao Harawira spoke to community leader Shortland (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Hine) at the hīkoi in Whangārei.
Christopher Luxon said during his post-cabinet press conference that there was nothing he liked about the Treaty Principles Bill and would be open to meeting representatives from Hīkoi mō te Tiriti.
Harawira asked Shortland, “Kua puta te kōrero a te Pirimia, me tana kī mai, ka whakaae ia, kia kōrero tahi ki ngā māngai o te hīkoi. He aha tō whakahoki ki tērā kōrero, ko te wairua i roto i te hīkoi, ko āhua tūreiti pea, kua wehe kē tērā hōiho, kua puta kē i te kēti?”
The Prime Minister has said he would speak to the leaders of the hīkoi. What is your response to that, especially with the spirit here in the hīkoi, is it too late, has the horse bolted?
“Āe, well, ko wai ia ki te whakaae? Ko wai ia ki te whakaae? Ko ia he minita, he tonotono mō te hunga tāngata o Aotearoa katoa, ko wai ia ki te whakaae?”
“Yes well, who is he to decide? Who is he to decide for us? He is the Prime Minister, he is in that position because of the people of Aotearoa. Who is he to decide?” Shortland said.
“Koia rā tana mahi? Kia hui tahi me ngā iwi taketake, ngā iwi pākehā, aha atu rānei, koia rā tana mahi?
Ki a mātou o te iwi Māori, he mana tō te tiriti, he mana tō te iwi Māori kia whakakāhore i te Tiriti hoki.
“That’s his job, to meet people, the indigenous, Pākehā, and others, that’s his job.
“To us Māori, the Treaty has significance, Māori have significance and that’s even to pull out of Te Tiriti.”
“Ko Te Whakaputanga tō tātou nei tīmatanga o te Tino Rangatiratanga, mēnā he whakakāhoretia [e] te iwi Māori Te Tiriti, ko mātou ngā tino rangatiratanga o te motu nei.
“So the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand, that was the start of Māori sovereignty, so if we as Māori renege on the Te Tiriti, we have sovereignty of this land.
“Nā reira, ko wai tērā tangata kia whakaae, kia kore whakaae rānei?
“Therefore, who is that person to agree or disagree?”
