Left ‘Don’t Own Maori, the Poor, or the Workers,’ New National MP Tells Parliament

While he has worked as a public lawyer and a consultant, new National Party MP James Meager told the 54th New Zealand Parliament in its first maiden speech that his roots were humble. He described himself as “A part-Māori boy raised in a state house by a single parent on the benefit. Now a proud National Party MP in a deeply rural farming electorate in the middle of the South Island. But there is no contradiction there.” His father, he said, was “kicked out of school at 14 and never told his parents,” and spent his days hiding in his bedroom or at the river until he reached 15 and could convince his parents to let him get a job....