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National | Business

Jackson names favourites as Te Mātāwai replacement

Willie Jackson has named who he would want to succeed him as the urban Māori member on Te Mātāwai.  Jackson has already stood down from his two radio talk shows following his announcement he will stand on the Labour Party list and plans to resign from Te Mātāwai in the next few weeks.

Jackson may not have stepped down yet, but he has his favourites.

“We all know Hēmi Dale, he's a very good choice, and he lives in our community and does good work. Tuku's (Morgan) daughter, Reikura would be good, she does great work.”

With more than 142, 000 Māori living in Auckland, Māori education exponent Te Kepa Stirling says the position is a big undertaking.

“To sit there you should know the aspects and dialect of each tribe.  If they don't have an understanding that would be detrimental to the autonomy of their region.”

Jackson was the first to be appointed to Te Mātāwai by the National Urban Māori Authority last year.

Te Mātāwai co-chair Waihoroi Shortland says, “It carries all the needs of the nation to revitalise the Māori language.  To enable us to seek new uncharted methods to revitalise the language and lift the standard of the language, that's the person who should be selected.”

Four members of NUMA are expected to make a selection by mid this year.