16 Sep 2013

Labour missed chance to cross divide - Samuels

6:47 pm on 16 September 2013

The Labour Party missed out on a chance to cross the racial divide by passing over Shane Jones as leader, former Maori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels says.

Mr Jones came third in the party's leadership race, prompted by former leader David Shearer stepping down. David Cunliffe on Sunday took the top job, after a two-week battle with Mr Jones and Grant Robertson.

Mr Samuels congratulated Mr Cunliffe and said the New Lynn MP always backed his bids to advance Maori when he was in Parliament.

However, he had thought the party would have recognised it was time for a New Zealander with Maori heritage to lead it and said Mr Jones stamped his mana and authority on the race.

The party had had the support of the Maori nation for many years, and Mr Jones would have re-united Maori to Labour. Despite that, the party must unite behind Mr Cunliffe and get on with the job of developing policies to move the country forward, Mr Samuels said.

Tangata whenua uplifted

Labour Party Maori Vice-President Haare Williams said Mr Jones uplifted tangata whenua and drew in Maori support for the party in his leadership bid.

Mr Williams said Mr Cunliffe was a worthy leader who had wide-ranging support but also commended Mr Jones, saying he had also made his mark as a leader.

Mr Jones had showed his ability and aspirations for Maori to the whole nation, and that had uplifted Maoridom, leading to a return to supporting Labour for many Maori.

Mr Williams said he was not sure whether the country was ready for a Maori leader but that that time was coming.