Hone Harawira - Don't forget your hapū, ngāpuhi

Traffic came to a standstill in Whangarei last night due to protestors. What was meant to be Tuhoronuku's last meeting over Ngapuhi's Treaty claims, was instead the second hui to be cancelled. Ngapuhi runanga chair says they're thinking of the safety of hui participants. Earlier I spoke to Mana leader and Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira about this and other current political issues. My first question to him - where does he stand in the Ngapuhi dispute over Tuhoronuku? I support Ngapuhi's fight for independence, but people need to understand - Ngapuhi is only an umbrella for its hapu. Hapu are in charge of these claims. So, Ngapuhi, don't forget your hapu. Just as a parent should never forget its children. Shouldn't you try and intervene and mediate some sort of solution? I'm here, day and night. I've already spoken to Sonny, to Rudy and Pita. I've tried to get them all together, but Te Kotahitanga has refused. They might need to be invited back to sit down at the table and discuss all the issues relating to Ngapuhi. To child poverty. Treasury has just confirmed figures that children living in poverty has increased to 285,000, your response? I'm gutted. I feel for our kids who're suffering from hunger. That's why we're still fighting for our Feed the Kids bill to become law. That's the first step. Then we'll look at housing so they're in a safe environment and jobs for their parents. But first, we need to feed the kids. Your Feed the Kids bill - what's happening there? It's scheduled for a reading on Wednesday. But it's been moved three times in past months. So hopefully it'll finally come out next week. Then we'll know if it has some support from National or not. If they do then it will become law. Social housing - you revealed in Parliament this week that only $16m out of the $28m social housing fund was spent. How could this happen when we hear about severe housing shortages? That's because it's being managed badly. That's the first thing. Secondly, the government is being stingy and holding back the rest of the funds that could help community, family, hapu and iwi groups. And tomorrow, state house tenants in Glen Innes face eviction by Housing NZ - do you think they'll be kicked out? Even though some of them have lived there for 30- 40- even 50 years, now they're being kicked out so the land can be sold to the wealthy. So I'm asking my Auckland supporters to take up this cause. If you're there tonight, support the march, and tomorrow, support the families.