Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Sharples denies being sidelined

Updated at 2:40 pm on 18 March 2010

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples is dismissing accusations that he's being sidelined in his associate ministerial roles.

The Labour Party says the National and ACT parties are thumbing their noses at the Maori Party, rendering it ineffective in Government.

Labour's law and order spokesperson, Clayton Cosgrove, has tabled a Cabinet paper in Parliament showing the Maori Party wasn't consulted over the Government's three-strikes policy.

He says that is astounding, given that Dr Sharples is associate corrections minister.

But Dr Sharples says he was given briefings, saw Cabinet papers and attended Cabinet meetings in his role as Maori affairs minister.

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