Tukaki warns UNITEC that Maori will not put up with their actions

The Executive Director of the New Zealand Maori Council has warned UNITEC that any denigration of Maori staff, whanau and students will not be tolerated. Matthew Tukaki, Council Executive Director, has called the situation at UNITEC untenable:

“Lets face it the previous board and CEO couldn’t manage a rat out of a trap and that saw them sacked and replaced by a crown appointed official – now a new crew is in and already causing havoc akin to institutional racism writ large and cannot and must not be tolerated.” Tukaki said

“Māori staff are devastated that the Chair of the Rūnanga, Tui Ah Loo, has resigned as a result of disrespect shown to Māori at Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka, Unitec. Tui Ah Loo is a highly regarded Māori leader, with more than 21 years of service in this institution. Her work follows in the legacy of her father, Sir John Joseph Te Ahikaiata Turei and her mother Lady Te Huinga Turei, who were integral in the establishment of Te Noho Kotahinga Marae on the Unitec campus.”

We have seen turmoil at Waikato University and also Otago when it came to Maori medical students and now this – I’ll tell you now that new board and CEO should be sacked and this time it would do well for the Minister to appoint a Board who actually knew what they were doing. Lets not muck around anymore – if our people, our students and our staff feel they are being racially targeted or otherwise we need to cut the head off that rotten fish.” Tukaki said

Tukaki will be writing to the Minister asking him to intervene.