Claimants misrepresent Maori Women's Welfare League

The Minister of Maori Affairs, the Hon Tau Henare, today accused a group of national Maori bodies who filed a claim with the Waitangi Tribunal over Maori broadcasting of grandstanding.

Mr Henare said he was disappointed not only for reasons outlined yesterday, but also because the group misrepresented one of the groups to the claim, the Maori Women's Welfare League.

"They said the claim had the support of the MWWL when clearly they didn't," he said.

Mr Henare today received a letter from the MWWL saying it had told the claimants lawyer it did not wish to be part of a claim to the tribunal.

The letter also said the claimant group had preempted the MWWL's position by releasing material to the media prior to meeting with the league yesterday.

"So one has to ask is it a case of the parties to the claim wanting to stifle discussion," said Mr Henare.

Accordingly the Minister will initiate moves to have the claim struck off on the basis the claimant group had misrepresented one of the parties to the claim.