Tariana Turia has come up with a novel way of distracting attention away from the Maori Party’s vote in favour of increasing GST. During her First Reading speech on the Tax Bill this afternoon she decided to claim that the unions were responsible for Maori unemployment. Here is a direct quote:
“…in the 1980s when we had really high unemployment our people knew what it was like to be on the training-go-round. Through access training, through steps programmes, you name it. And did any of those young people get trained in real jobs skills, no they did not, and why didn’t they, because the union movement wouldn’t allow the kind of skills training that needed to take place for those young people that would have given them really employable skills in the workforce because they were afraid that by training these young people up in those skills that they would take jobs away from those who were working…”
Turia went on to claim that during the “9 years of plenty” Maori didn’t benefit from lower unemployment, despite the huge drop in Maori unemployment and the massive increase in Maori unemployment since her party decided to prop the National Party up in government. Check out the speech:
I caught a snippet last week on Maori TV where the spokesman said that although the unemployment dropped down to 6% there was no sign that Maori figures had improved. Some clever could check the truth of this. Nasty Unions at work I suppose.
Down to 6% Labour had it much lower
Those damn unions.
There the ones who caused the recession as well.
They probably were the ones who gave the allblacks food poisoning before the 95 world cup final.
Maybe they sugested the underarm bowl to the Aussies.
Anything else we can blame on the unions?
- The super city fiasco.
- The failure of democracy in Canterbury.
- Worst inflation in a couple of decades.
Wait – those are all NACT’s doing.
What was the question again?
The Unions are going to win the 2011 election for you. When they do, legislate for better, equitable wages.
Keep New Zealand work for New Zealand Workers.
NO tax cuts.
She really is a piece of work. THer is a deep well of bile in Ms Turia that overflows every now and then, and this speech is just such an occasion. Maori workers will be impressed by her Stalinesque air-brushing of history and fact.
She’s a fool..
She really is a piece of work. THer is a deep well of bile in Ms Turia that overflows every now and then, and this speech is just such an occasion. Maori workers will be impressed by her Stalinesque air-brushing of history and fact.
Inspired prose, Robert, simply inspired. Reminds me a lot of a previous politician who was renowned for comments like ‘haters and wreckers’ and ‘cancerous and corrosive’ and for a little artistry of her own every now and then…
It’s all my fault. I’m a Pakeha male working for a trade union therefore must develop a guilt complex for all I and my fellow demographic have done to hurt Tariana Turia’s feelings going all the way back to the 1980s, like the Germans must suffer for the sins of their grandparents’ generation. NOT! What is with that ridiculous MP?
If you have a good look at the Zapruder film you can see unionists on the Grassy Knoll !
This is an interesting claim by Turia, No doubt we will hear more anti union sentiment from the Minister (and others) in preparation for the whanau ora workforce.
Unlike MSM the Maori program was generally scathing of the budget. The reporter summed it up as “Maori have been swallowed by the sharks.” BTW, I look forward to hearing the Maori (labour) MP’s perspective on the budget.
@ Alexandra – the funny thing is I watched the budget and didn’t hear them differentiate any policy by race.
So how is it worse for one ‘people’ – dont poor white people count – of does using race help them get a sympathy vote or something?
Mrs Turia hates labour, and it shines through now and then, despite her rhetoric I still sense her main reason for being with NACT is she despises Labour…
I have heard a whisper that there was a unionist on the iceberg that sank the titanic, quick someone phone taria, she needs to know
I always enjoy listening to Peter (Cameron?) from CTU (economist), given he obviously has a “slant”, he seems to give even-handed a pretty good go I think?
@ Tracy @11.29 – its not like it isnt a 2 way street.
Labour referred to them as “haters and wreckers” and “last cab off the rank” – on the other hand National went out of their way to work with them when they didnt need to.
Labour should be looking at themselves as to why they side with the Nats over you guys (even tho you were a more natural fit)
Chris
Im not sure what your trying to say. I think poor white people do count, but most poor people are not white are they? Unfortunately, the post budget commentary on main stream TV last night ignored the voice of poor people, full stop. It focussing instead on the concerns of white middle income earners. Dont get me wrong, white middle income earners count too, but I would like better balance. Maori TV thank goodness offered alternative perspective, one which represents the interests of all poor people. You should tune in some time.
Chris yes national didnt have to work with them, and I was quite cynical about their reasons.
I will say that two of the more innovative ideas I consider to have come out of this Government, outside the usual square if you like, is Whanou Ora and the new prison initiative announced yesterday. I can see why MP hangs in there for these kinds of initiatives. I also think we ought to reserve judgment on both until they have had iomplementation time.
I am not sure what other innovations have come out of this Goverment though.
Tax cuts are obviously welcomed by many but its not new or innovative, neither is privatisation.
Response from Kaimahi Maori
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1005/S00226.htm
I watched Tagata Pasifika last night, the impact on Pacific people seems to be even worse (and there is also an impact on poor white people as well). Tariana Turia is half-American, could that explain her views on unions? Still, you’d think she’d know better…
Chris says:
May 21, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Difference: Helen Clark called the organisers of the Hikoi haters and wreckers not the Maori people. Tariana Turia came into Labour to learn from them how to survive Parliament; then she stabbed them in the back and changed from a ‘people oriented’ party to a money/land grasping party.
Thanks for that link Darien, great response by Syd Keepa.
@Jum: In other words, what John Tamihere, for all his faults, referred to as the ‘brown table’. Maoridom isn’t one contigious bloc like Quebec or Scotland.