Matangireia

Former Labour Party MP Dover Samuels is a veteran of Māori politics. But on his rise to prominence, a political scandal threatened to derail his career.
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*The views expressed in this interview are the honestly held opinion of Dover Samuels
Former Labour Party MP Dover Samuels is a veteran of Māori politics. But on his rise to prominence - a political scandal threatened to derail his career.
"I had all the bloody undercover agents knocking on my door in the Beehive... 'you should resign, you should resign'... I refused, simple as that - so I got sacked."
Dover Samuels opens up to Mantangeria presenter Mihingarangi Forbes about the unfounded sex crime allegation which lost him his ministerial portfolio.
Before entering politics - Dover Samuels had already seen and experienced more than most people.
As a young boy he was part of the generation caned for speaking Māori at school. As a young man he served in the air-force, and later moved to Australia to perform with the Māori showbands.
Dover Samuels entered Parliament in 1996 as a list MP for the Labour Party and quickly rose through the ranks of the Labour Party under the leadership of Helen Clark.
And in 1999 there was change in the air as the Labour Party swept into power.
The Te Tai Tokerau was part of that change - being appointed Minister of Māori Affairs and becoming the highest ranked Māori MP in the Labour caucus.
But just a year into his tenure - he would be left fighting for his political survival.
Samuels became the subject of a police investigation into alleged historical sex crimes. He was later cleared, but never regained his former ministerial portfolio.
"It was an interesting part of my political life. It was interesting because you begin to see through the veil of hypocrisy," he said.
Samuels points the finger at former ACT leader Richard Prebble, claiming he was the "architect" in parliament who pushed for the allegations to be escalated and investigated.
"I regret not smacking him between the eyes... not giving him an uppercut if you like."
The Prime Minister at the time, Helen Clark, stripped Mr Samuels of his Māori Affairs portfolio.
"I had all the bloody undercover agents knocking on my door in the Beehive... "you should resign, you should resign"... I refused, simple as that - so I got sacked."
Once the political storm passed - Dover Samuels was cleared of any wrongdoing - with his whānau eventually receiving an apology…
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Former National MP Harete Hipango may have had a short stint in Parliament. But the Whānganui lawyer has a long history of fighting for her people.
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*The views expressed in this interview are the honestly held opinion of Harete Hipango who is speaking as a former member of Parliament at the time of recording.
Former National MP Harete Hipango may have had a short stint in Parliament. But the Whanganui lawyer has a long history of fighting for her people.
"I was assaulted by the police in the courthouse because I was Māori" - Harete Hipango talks with Mantangireia presenter Maiki Sherman about her career as a Māori lawyer, and later a National Party MP.
In the world of politics Harete Hipango is a name which remains relatively unknown.
The one-term National MP barely had time to familiarise herself with the rabbit warren that is Parliament, before losing her seat during last year's bruising election defeat.
"Three years went by too quickly... not nearly enough was done and achieved," she said.
Harete Hipango is however a household name amongst her people of the Whanganui River.
A descendent of a prominent whānau within the area, she served as a criminal defence lawyer representing the collective and individual voices of her people for decades.
One of the cases she was involved in was the 1995 land occupation of Moutoa Gardens, led by Te Rūnanga o Pākaitore.
Having repossessed the disputed land block the occupation lasted 79 days and sparked a standoff with local police.
"I haven't spoken publicly about this, but the journey that I went on was one of real struggle and hardship," she said.
"I was treated appallingly by the justice system, by the police, by the court's staff, by the judges, by my colleagues - because I was a Māori woman and I was down there amongst my people, but I was also seen by my people, some, as kūpapa because I worked in the courts."
Holding back tears she recalled one day in particular during the land occupation.
"I was assaulted by the police in the courthouse because I was Māori - no doubt in my mind about that at all, whatsoever," she said.
Walking into the courtroom as a duty lawyer, police demanded they search her.
"I got searched, I mean patted down the full body search by male police officers. I had two police officers come up to me to restrain me physically, then I had about another two come up and my arm was forced up behind my back.
"They body slammed me up into the wall."…
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From the frontline of protests to the corridors of Parliament, former Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira reflects on a lifetime of service to Māori.
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*The views expressed in this interview are the honestly held opinion of Hone Harawera
From the frontline of protests to the corridors of Parliament - Former Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira reflects on a lifetime of service to Māori.
"Not for one second" - Hone Harawira has no regrets over leaving the Māori Party and using the term "white motherf*****" as he reflects on his career in politics to Mantangireia presenter Maiki Sherman.
Hone Harawira is a straight shooter - he calls it like he sees it.
It's a roughshod approach that's worked for him and for which he makes no apology.
From frontline protests across the country to the leather-lined seats of the debating chamber at Parliament, Hone Harawira has been an unwavering voice for change.
"We were really bulletproof... we could not be told we were wrong."
As a young man he led several protests including against the Springbok Tour with the Patu Squad.
"We got offside with a lot of people including a lot of our own people...but in those days there was a demand for change.
"We were fighting apartheid but also using it as an opportunity to strike a blow against racism here in this country and that's what it was for a lot of us. Our apartheid, our racism was right here at home," he said.
Domestic protest against the Labour government in 2004 would lead Hone Harawira on a pathway to Parliament.
The Foreshore and Seabed debate gave birth to the Māori Party and Mr Harawira would win the Te Tai Tokerau electorate seat at the following general election.
So, how was protest any different to politics? And what of the very public split from the Māori Party?
"It was activism that was driving my career as an MP - my love for kaupapa Māori and for my colleagues - but I remained an activist," he said.
He remembers the Māori Party's first years in parliament fondly.
"They were great years, they were absolutely great years."
A confidence and supply deal with National at the next election would spell an end to that.
"The parting of the ways came because I felt that we were becoming a little too close to the National Party," he said…
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Former Green MP Denise Roche remembers the day she revealed in Parliament she was a survivor of sexual abuse - and taking a stand against then-Prime Minister John Key.
Content warning: This article discusses sexual violence and could be distressing for some people.
Watch the video version of the episode here.
*The views expressed in this interview are the honestly held opinion of Denise Roche
Former Green MP Denise Roche remembers the day she revealed in Parliament she was a survivor of sexual abuse - and taking a stand against then Prime Minister John Key.
"His political persona I thought was just shockingly horrible and reeking of a type of privilege and elitism which I just find offensive to the very core."
Former Green MP Denise Roche shares her opinion on former Prime Minister John Key to Mantangireia presenter Scott Campbell.
Denise Roche is a politician who knows what it means to take a stand.
In 2015, The Green MP and other politicians walked out of Parliament's Debating Chamber in protest.
This came after then Prime Minister John Key accused the Labour Party of "backing the rapists" - his way of describing New Zealand detainees being held on Christmas Island in Australia.
"I have no sense of the man - of the person," Roche said of Key.
"His political persona I thought was just shockingly horrible and reeking of a type of privilege and elitism which I just find offensive to the very core".
Opposition MPs demanded Key apologise. He wouldn't. They requested the Speaker make him. He wouldn't.
At the time he was considered one of the most popular Prime Ministers of all time.
"I think people like, you know a jokie white guy who's gonna make you chuckle and might be useful on the barbecue kind of guy," Roche said.
"But he was deeply offensive to so many people."
By walking out of the debating chamber that day, Ms Roche and Opposition MPs had also revealed they were survivors of sexual abuse.
It was a brave call and Denise Roche remembers feeling scared and panicked.
She was worried not about herself, but about the impact on all women - including her sisters and daughters.
"This is where you get the mad, sad and bad kinda reputation from 'oh she survived sexual abuse she must be completely f***ed up."
But, her children were proud of their mum's stance.
"It's like people with mental health issues do you disclose this publicly because you will wear this - and people will judge you."
Denise Roche went to Parliament, like many aspiring politicians to change the world…
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Georgina Beyer knows all about breaking barriers - becoming the first transgender MP in the world. But what is her biggest regret as a Māori MP in Parliament?
Content warning: This article discusses suicide and could be distressing for some people.
Watch the video version of the episode here
*The views expressed in this interview are the honestly held opinion of Georgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer knows all about breaking barriers - becoming the first transgender MP in the world. But what is her biggest regret as a Māori MP in Parliament?
"A disaster, an absolute nightmare... it was one of the largest proposed confiscations from Māori, in modern times".
The former Labour Party MP describes the fallout over the Foreshore and Seabed legislation to Matangireia presenter Scott Campbell.
Beyer never shies away from the painful path she took to becoming one of New Zealand's most trailblazing politicians.
Beyer's list of achievements are extensive - a drag queen, a sex worker, an actor, an activist, a Mayor, and a MP.
In fact, when elected in 1999, she was the world's first transgender Member of Parliament, becoming known for her bold and colourful exterior.
But her story is one of pain, adversity, and fear - and it's also one of courage and bravery.
Beyer was born George. Her biological father was a policeman who was sent to jail, leaving her mother to fend for herself and two young children.
Raised by her grandparents, until her mother remarried, she describes life in the Beyer household as "mildly well-off". Her stepfather Colin was a barrister and solicitor.
From around four years old, Beyer started to secretly express her feminine side through theatre, dressing up and acting.
"If I was caught or discovered, or anything like that, it would be dealt with physical punishment, corporal punishment - beatings, hidings, things like that, to beat it out of me."
At 16 years old, George became Georgina, but the abuse followed her from home to the streets.
As a sex worker, she was confronted daily with physical and verbal abuse from members of the public.
"It drove me to suicide... to attempt suicide on three times, in my young life," Beyer said, "I had been pack-raped in Sydney in 1979, which was a terrifying, horrifying experience, and the law didn't defend me."
After working in a gay night club in Auckland, she moved from the glitzy lights of Karangahape Road to conservative back blocks of the Wairarapa.
It was in Carterton Beyer's career in politics began…
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