When your answer to every problem is a review, a white paper, an awareness campaign or a code of conduct. Shane Jones hits the nail on the head, as reported by TVNZ…
Labour MP Shane Jones says iwi leaders should spend less time “dreaming of ways to profit” from sales of state-owned assets and more time on salvaging the children of their tribes.
Jones, who is Labour’s spokesman on economic development for Maori, has lashed out at tribal leaders and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples after a report today from his department said government agencies are failing the children of Maori prisoners.
The report released by Te Puni Kokiri , the Ministry of Maori Development, criticised police for arresting many offenders in front of their children, and prisons for subjecting children to stringent searches when visiting their parents in jail.
Sharples has announced he will launch a review in the wake of the report to see what can be done to help inmates’ children.
However, Jones says there are already reviews into economic, treaty and constitutional issues and we do not need another review of what is happening to the children of prisoners because this is already known.
“What we need are short, sharp solutions. In the absence of leadership from Dr Sharples, iwi leaders must focus on salvaging the children of their tribes instead of sucking at the teat of asset sales that won’t solve anything long term for Maori.”
By the way – what ever happened to the National/Maori Party constitutional review?
It really does remind me of this brilliant clip from the Australian show The Hollowmen. Enjoy…
