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Protesters greet John Key as he arrives at Waitangi - Source: ONE News -
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The Government is still on track with plans to sell stakes in several state owned enterprises despite vocal protests by Maori during Waitangi Day commemorations.
Angry protesters hijacked celebrations at Waitangi, marching
onto treaty grounds calling for the Government to respect the
Treaty of Waitangi.
State asset sales were at the heart of the protest and many of the
activists were waving Maori Party and Tino Rangatiratanga flags as
they marched.
The Maori Party has threatened to walk away from its coalition with National unless it retains section 9 of the State-Owned Enterprises Act, which forces the Government to follow the principles of the Treaty and consult with Maori.
National says that clause applies to assets that are completely crown owned, but can't work where private investors also share ownership, which it proposes for four state power companies.
ONE News political reporter Jessica Mutch says even if the Maori Party is threatening to walk away from them, National still has the numbers in Parliament to go through with the partial asset sales because it still has the support of Act and United Future.
Mutch told TV ONE's Breakfast National has hui with Maori coming up this week and is also trying to negotiate behind closed doors "because at the end of the day this isn't a good look if they can't try and work out some kind of compromise with the Maori Party".
'Elegant solution'
Prime Minister John Key said yesterday he was still confident he could find an "elegant solution" to the issue, and Mutch said he has maintained that confidence.
"So whether the Maori Party are saying something different behind closed doors and being a lot more threatening in public we're not sure. But the Prime Minister has been absolutely confident that he's going to find some kind of compromise with them over this," Mutch said.
Apart from the welcome onto the marae at Waitangi which was met by protest over the weekend, the Prime Minister did get a good reaction from iwi leaders and there was a lot of discussion over the Treaty clause issue, Mutch said.
"So he was able to be heard in that forum even though he didn't get a chance to say it on the marae."
The Maori Party has always been strongly against asset sales, so even though they have been in a coalition relationship, that matter has been kept out, Mutch said.
PM unfazed by protests
Key vowed to return to the marae next year despite abuse and threats being hurled at him and his ministers on Sunday.
He left Sunday's ceremony early after complaining he was not being listened to, but said he was not intimidated by the protesters who rushed towards him.
Yesterday, Key was at the centre of more protest action during
the dawn service at Waitangi, a protester shouting at him as he was
leaving the Te Whare Runanga.
In a repeat of Sunday's disruption, Key was taken by an alternative
route to the flagstaff for the traditional raising of the flag
ceremony.
However, the Waitangi National Trust is happy with how the commemorations went this year.
Waitangi National Trust CEO Jeanette Richardson says generally, they were pleased with the overall behaviour.
She says protest is part of the Waitangi Day scene so it is to be expected.
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