Summarised by Centrist
Labour MP Willie Jackson says he understands what Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris is getting at in controversial social media posts stating Māori risk being treated as “just another ethnic group.”
Earlier this month, Ferris posted that it was “mind-blowing” to see “Indians, Asians, Black and Pākehā” campaigning for Labour’s Peeni Henare in Tāmaki Makaurau. He followed up with a late-night video doubling down: “In the Māori seats, it’s about the Māori people, Māori only … Māori have unique rights as opposed to everyone else.”
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer apologised to other parties for the remarks, but Ferris has refused to retract them. The video remains on his Instagram account.
Jackson, co-chair of Labour’s Māori caucus, responded on Facebook: “I understand what Tākuta is trying to say about Māori just being seen as another ethnic group. But individuals from other ethnic groups helping campaign in a Māori seat is not some ethnic takeover.”
Jackson said Ferris had handed ammunition to opponents: “Our very worst political extremists on the Right now have the attack lines they need to paint Te Pāti Māori as too extremist to ever work with the Labour Party to kick this Government out.”
Editor’s note: While appearing to condemn some of Ferris’ remarks and agree with others, Jackson avoided directly addressing Ferris’ claim that Māori have “unique rights as opposed to everyone else.” Instead, he spoke vaguely about the Treaty as a “relationship” and “values”, which is essentially a softer restatement of the idea that Māori must be treated as distinct.
