My opinion

This is all my own opinion.

It is just what I think.

It's all just my own opinion. It's my own thoughts.
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I cast my mind back to the 2008 Election.

For Maori, alot had lead to them electing 5 Maori Party MPs in the Maori seats.

Primary among them were the Tuhoe raids, and the rejection bu the NZ Government of the U.N.D.R.I.P

The Maori Party had been in Parliament for a full term, since the 2005 Election. They had debated every issue and opposed many many things, voting many many things down.

By giving the Maori Party 5 MPs, Maori voters at that time, were giving there confidence and their trust to the Maori Party.

Let's remember, Parekura Horomia was still alive. Hone Harawira was a Maori Party MP. (I voted for him in 2008)

We had no way of increasing Labour's bloc, and thus helping them get in to Government. And of course, we have no assurance they would've even asked, had they still been in Government.
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Now, let's explore the possibility, 6 years ago of STAYING in Opposition.

We'd still be in Parliament. We'd still have 5 MPs.

But the Maori Party were the unheard of, Maori lot.

And what could we have done. We had a bigger team. We had a strong membership. We had a firm Party structure, up and down the country.

BUT; No power. No real say. And we could effect NOTHING!!!!

All the aspirations and hopes given to us, would come to nothing, as we had no way to achieve them.

The other factor to consider, was that National had run a campaign on getting rid of the very Maori seats that the Maori Party (and Parekura and Nanaia) had won.

National were about to team up with ACT and United Future.

The Global recession was destroying Maori hopes, Maori dreams, Maori jobs and Maori livelihoods.

We had a fairly New Maori King.

We had a Maori Council, but I am not sure that grassroots really knew who they were.
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So the Maori World, Maori people and the Maori Party were set up for lack of leadership, lack of resourcing, lack of help and alot more to lose.
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The Free market could've destroyed us, and both major parties wouldn't care who we were or What we said or did. Five little fish in a big Pakeha sea.

The Maori Party had made NO Law changes, they had NO Funding for projects of initiatives.
They talked alot, but didn't do much.
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And so....

IN MY OPINION, I believe, that considering all of that;

If the Maori Party had NOT Gone in to Government in 2008;

They would've been out of Parliament in 2011.

Hone gone, Pita gone, Tariana gone, Rahui gone, Te Ururoa gone...

They'd be gone too early.. without having made any great gains

No Maori Party, no Mana Movement...

No one to fight for Mana Motuhake, No Champions of Tino Rangatiratanga,