‘Pakeha backlash’ grown out of period of friction

Press, 4 February 1987, Page 36

‘Pakeha backlash’ grown out of period of friction

PA Wellington An emotional backlash against the Maori people had developed out of a period of “considerable friction, constant change and mystery and intrigue,” the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, has said. However, there had been an accompanying backlash from Maoridom towards the Government and the pakeha community, he said. The member of Parliament for Eastern Maori and Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Tapsell, has warned that the Maori

people were in danger of creating a serious pakeha backlash. Last year had been a bad year for Maoridom and he was not prepared to use “weasel words” to disguise the seriousness of the problems confronting the Maori people who were in danger of losing pakeha good-will Speaking during postCabinet press conference questions on the Maori’ loans affair and the contract work schemes, Mr Lange said Mr Tapsell was able to make that kind of statement. ’’Mr Tapsell made a

number of statements which he could make, but if I had made then I would have been in deep trouble.” However, there was unfortunately evidence of what had been called “backlash” against the Maori people, just as there had been backlash from the Maori people against the Government and the pakeha community. “When you have a period of considerable friction, constant change, mystery and intrigue, you do get those sorts of emotions developing.”