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PM John Key outside Te Tii Marae - Source: ONE News
Protesters wait for John Key to arrive at Waitangi - Source: ONE News
Protesters greet John Key as he arrives at Waitangi - Source: ONE News -
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Prime Minster John Key says he was not intimidated by protesters who rushed towards him at Te Tii Marae in the Bay of Islands today, and plans to return to Waitangi.
Key was bustled by security onto the marae, but left early after complaining he was not being listened to.
The Prime Minister was bundled into a car and drove to the nearby Copthorne Hotel where he is staying. It was expected that he would go inside the marae.
He later said the tension at Waitangi has "gone up a notch" this year, and he had left because the proceedings could not be heard and he did not feel threatened.
"I think the tension within Maori politics is higher at the moment, we're obviously a new government, there are a lot of things on the table."
"There are a lot of big issues we're discussing so I think it is up a notch."
"I'm not angry about the situation - I just see it as a bit of a lost opportunity," he said.
Earlier around 60 flag waving protesters ran towards Key as he arrived for his official welcome ahead of the Waitangi Day celebrations.
Ten protesters got to about 10 metres before they were held back by security. They did not get close to Key, however a cameraman suffered a gash to his forehead during the scuffle.
The group was allowed to stay on the marae grounds behind a line of Maori wardens.
Protesters, holding mainly Mana Party flags, also stood outside the marae yelling "shame, shame, shame". Others held placards which said "Stop Deep Sea Drilling".
The Popata brothers were amongst protesters today, having made a tradition of protesting at Waitangi. They said that they are upset about deep sea drilling and want a treaty clause included in the state assets law.
"There are many issues affecting all of us in Aotearoa, our generation just likes to say 'no more ah no more'," Wi Popata told ONE News.
But the protest was not just aimed at the Prime Minister, with Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples coping some of the flak in the form of racist slurs being chanted at Maori MPs.
"I was a bit disappointed (that) a lot of the protest was aimed at me personally, because we're actually fighting for the same thing they are, in fact I've put my job on the line for it," the co-leader told ONE News tonight.
Controversy over asset sales and job cuts at Te Puni Kokiri, the
Ministry of Maori Development, have raised tensions ahead of the
annual event at the marae.
Signed in 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi is New Zealand's founding
document which established British law while at the same time
guaranteeing Maori authority over their land and culture.
Asset sales under the spotlight
Protests were expected this morning amid growing disquiet among Maori leaders particularly on the issue of asset sales.
Ahead of his visit to the marae Key told the Sunday-Star Times he would talk about welfare reform, the Treaty settlements process, and the controversy over the inclusion of a Treaty clause covering the "mixed-ownership" energy companies, starting with Mighty River Power.
The Government is canvassing three options with Maori. They are no clause, the carry-over of the existing Section Nine requiring the Government to adhere to Treaty principles, or a clause that would make the Crown's obligations clear but not bind private shareholders.
The Maori Party said it would be political suicide if the Prime Minister did not include a treaty protection clause in the legislation for selling state assets.
Sharples told ONE News that the party is still prepared to cut coalition ties over the issue.
"I have a feeling the Government didn't realise how baseline that is to Maori people and the reaction over the SOE sale without Section Nine or some treaty reference is major," he said tonight.
"If we (the Maori Party) betray the treaty, we can't walk around in public anymore, you know the Maori public."
"I believe it would be suicide for him (Key) not to do it, I really do. I just think Maori people would rebel big time".
Key met with 60 iwi leaders this afternoon, with intentions of convincing them that he will maintain the principles of the Treaty.
He said he was not intending to deliver a formal speech today, but his main message at Waitangi would be that the Government was not looking "in any way, shape or form" to reduce its treaty responsibilities.
"We acknowledge those, we think they are there, they are hard-won rights, and we intend to preserve them," he said.
"My view has been that we'll need some form of treaty clause, and I don't think we can put a general clause in, but that's not where the Government's been going anyway."
He favoured a specific Treaty clause that would bind the Crown because it made no more sense to impose a general Treaty clause on a private shareholder, than it did on any other company, he said.
The Maori Party wants people to either support Section Nine being in the new legislation, or ask for a specific Treaty clause applying to Crown obligations be included.
Haam Piripi from the Iwi Leaders Forum told ONE News he would support new legislation if it meant staying in coalition with National, but there wasn't anything acceptable on the table.
"We certainly can't see anything on the horizon that comes anything near being equal strength to it (Section Nine) and unless we see that, we couldn't even entertain the idea of relinquishing that hard fought for right," he said.
"(However) I believe if the Maori Party were to walk away from this, and let the side down as it were, it would be the beginning of the end."
Security was expected to be tight for Key's arrival at the marae this morning. In 2009 the Prime Minister was pushed and shoved by protesters as he was welcomed to Waitangi.
He was expected to address the controversy over the treaty clause, as well as welfare reform and the treaty settlements process today, and will then attend the official celebrations at the treaty grounds tomorrow.
Others welcomed peacefully
Most of the near 300 people, of which the majority were protesters, at Key's welcoming had dispersed when Labour leader David Shearer was welcomed to the marae without incident.
Activist Tame Iti, Maori Party's Te Tai Tonga MP Rahui Katene and Green Party co-leader Russel Norman where among those welcomed onto the marae with Shearer.
- with AAP
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