Willie Jackson: Labour MP voices disapproval with Tākuta Ferris comments

Labour's Willie Jackson is defending his party's volunteers during the Tamaki Makaurau by-election as they come under fire from a Te Pati Māori MP.

Last night, Tākuta Ferris posted a video saying it's unacceptable for people of other ethnicities to campaign to take a Māori seat from Māori.

It follows a similar post from last week.

Te Pati Māori apologised for the first post - but have refused to answer questions today. 

Jackson says he's personally apologised to the volunteers hurt by the comments. 

"Basically, he's saying you've got no right to participate, this is just the Māori seat. Yes, it's a Māori seat, but these people want to help. They didn't come on to take over the Māori seat."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Taku de Ferris has doubled down on his anti immigrant post.
He's posted an eight minute video rounted midnight where he
says he doesn't give a crap about what Willie Jackson thinks.
Marty seeds it for Mary only to campaign and basically
he's not sorry. Willie Jackson is head of the labor
Marty Caucus.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hi, WILLI yeah, you to hear that, all right?

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Have you spoken to the Mary party about this post.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
I haven't spoken to them, but Chippy has. Chippy gave
him a call and voiced his displeasure and over apologized
and apparently apologized the game to the public. So you know,
we're pleased about that, but IM not sure what Doc's doing.
You know that we haven't heard from him.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
We'll take a punt. What do you reckon he's doing.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
He's probably doubled down and doesn't want to resolve from
what he said, which is, you know, I think it's
really disappointing. I am you know, of course what was
very disappointing result in tarmaky, but I wanted to say,
and I'll say on your show because you got to
you got a big following. You know, we were humbled
by the support by from the different ethnic groups, Indians, pacifica.

(01:10):
You know, it's great part our people, you know, African people.
I think Doc called them black people or whatever. But
you know, I think it's great when they all come on.
They didn't come on to take over the Mauldi Sea.
They come on as fellow colleagues and Labor Party members
just to give us some support. I think that that's
humbling and I'm never We're never going to say no

(01:32):
to that because that's what makes up this country and
the you know, we reciprocate of helped in general electorates.
So I don't know, you know, I think he's just
got the wrong end of the stick. And it's been
quite offensive.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
Really, yeah, what is it to you that is offensive?

Speaker 2 (01:48):
Oh? The calling out, the belittling of those those people,
that's what I that's what I think is is wrong,
you know, And to say, you know, basically saying you know,
you have no right to participate. You know, this is
just the Maordi scene. Yes it's a Maldi scene, but
these people want to help. And so you know, when
you're in politics, hither you take as much out as possible.

(02:10):
And those people were all offended. So I've apologized personally
to a number of them, and I take the opportunity
are getting to apologize today. But I mean I'm not
the one who offended them, but you know they'll be
a lot of them were taken back but shocked. Actually,
who you mean the people who are helping that's right? Yeah, sure, yeah,

(02:30):
fair enough.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Now I'd like to know why the Maori Party has
changed their tune. I mean, up to now, they've been
pretty unapologetic for some of the pretty wacky stuff they've said.
But all of a sudden, in the last week they're
prepared to apologize for this kind of thing. Why is that?

Speaker 2 (02:45):
Well, I think you're going to have to ask them.
I mean, this is the second time we take them
on their word, and deb and the already have been
quite very apologetic. I mean, I think you've seen it
if I saw this heroll post from Dead Pecker, and
I thought it was very good about a week ago,
and then doctor Ferris came out after that and and

(03:05):
sort of made it. Really you know, this is my theory.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Really, my theory is that the reason that the Maori
Party have apologized for like the first time ever is
because they realized that if they want to get into
government with you, guys are going to have to tone
this crap down.

Speaker 2 (03:21):
I mean, I don't think it takes a genius to
work there out, you know. I mean, that's that's just
the reality, right, we can't and those I mean, you
know you've been around a while, you know those are
the big Those are conversations we've had that I have
with them, you know, And I know the line that
you know, you and your mate the Hoskins are running.
You know, they're out of control, they're racist.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
Well come on, I mean, did you watch the eight Minutes?
Does seem a little out of control and racist? U?

Speaker 2 (03:49):
Well? Well yeah, but you know, I mean look at
the party. I mean I thought Seymour in the most
racist campaign in history, the National Party lux and had
no problem jumping all right. You know, Won Winston went
off as rocket during the campaign, people saying things, but
they managed to pull things or pull together when it counts.

(04:10):
So you know, I'm hoping that party Malory can get
it together and get Doc into shape.

Speaker 1 (04:15):
Yeah all right, Hey, thank you very much, Willy appreciate it.
Willie Jackson Labor Party. For more from Heather Duplassy Allen Drive.
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