Mana | Movement of the People

 

Abuse of Political Office

“First it was Tuhoe. Now it is the media,” said Annette Sykes upon hearing the news that police are issuing warrants to search media organisations that may in possession of the teapot tapes.

“People need to wake up, this is a blatant breach of political power.

“John Key is sending in his heavies to get rid of any damaging evidence so he can win the coming election.

“We all frown upon countries that use strong-arm tactics by dispatching the police to intimidate its citizens.

“Here is the ‘Smiling Assassin’ John Key doing it to our media who are employed to keep politicians honest.

“He obviously has something to hide. Let’s remember the facts – Key invited all of the country’s media to a staged event designed to manipulate our system of democracy. He even picked up the tape recorder! He then defended his position for the tapes not to be released by likening the recording to that of a phone being tapped by News of the World that belonged to a young murdered girl.

“Her family’s lawyer was right to be offended at the analogy. The discretion to permit search warrants rests with the Solicitor General.

“I urge him to let sanity prevail and resist political pressure by upholding the Bill of Rights. This was not afforded to Tuhoe and they still live with the memories of being raided by police in the middle of the night.

“I also urge Te Ururoa Flavell to tell National that the Maori Party has no interest in working with a political party that abuses its power.

Annette Sykes said the people who you represent, Tuhoe, know all too well what happens when the Government oversteps the mark in an attempt to stay in office”

• For further comment please contact Te Ringahuia Hata on 021 236 0931