Veteran broadcaster, actor and beloved Tai Tokerau kaumātua, Waihoroi Shortland, was one of many notable names who attended the pōwhiri at Waitangi on Saturday morning, offering his thoughts on the coalition government, specifically on Act Party leader David Seymour.
“David Seymour has done what very few Māori people in my lifetime have done, what very few Māori in my lifetime have been able to do,” says Shortland.
“And that’s unite Māori people. No one has done it better than him. The only problem he has is that we are not united behind him.
“But there is no doubt, that what he has said and what he is proposing, has driven Māori to one central understanding. And for that, I think we might be thankful.”
Seymour’s push for charter schools and opposition to the Māori seats in Parliament have raised concerns about excluding Māori voices from the education system and political representation. Additionally, his emphasis on individual freedoms and market-oriented solutions is said to overlook the systemic inequalities Māori face, perpetuating disparities in healthcare, housing and economic opportunities.
“Now, what he (David Seymour) has to do is to see what the real moment ahead of him is,” says Shortland.
“And over the next couple of days, he might be able to hear that message.”