Raf Manji and Moana Maniapoto

The Opportunities Party was founded in 2016 by businessman and economist Gareth Morgan. He resigned as leader three months after the party failed to secure a seat in the 2017 election.
TOP is back into it. And leader Raf Manji is adamant that parliament is desperately in need of a Fresh Voice. Raf is running for the Ilam electorate so Moana Maniapoto met with him in Christchurch to find out more about a party that few have a handle on…

[@proanimator.]

Great conversation. Raf is very intelligent and well spoken on these issues

[@eugenerewi9076]

I like this party there on the right track for all our people co governess. Treaty. Climate change. Education. Investment in business.

[@tyronesmith15]

Awesome party

[@kylebeetham3679]

What a good man and a great interviewer

[@user-dv6rr5ld4m]

Well never really took much notice of this Party. Hopefully if they get in they will be listened to and not fobbed to the side like maori have been in the past.

[@Si-hz5tw]

viote for them, or atleast vote them as your 2nd, electorate vote. they might have a chance at parliament

[@jamescooper-hope6930]

Labour, ACT & National in 2023 have merged into the same grey, staid and stale entity. A fresh perspective is a breath of fresh air. Greens, TPM and TOP bring that, and our country will be tangibly far richer because of it.

[@michaeljohnson2438]

Kia ora Raf! Thanks for sharing your views!

[@vickietuhakaraina1452]

Offer our kids an apprenticeship if they complete 3rd yr high school, put money towards Club Fees & Uniforms, Youth Groups 💯 get our kids off the Streets

[@waiskuxx]

Apprenticeships are free (business expenses are waived) already. You only need the basic level of education. Not a Labour supporter but we’ve already had over 150,000 apprentices.

[@iosefa89]

Absolutely forward thinking stuff from Raf and TOP, guttered they didn’t get in

[@rebeccabriggs2982]

Id like to see NZ First and TOP in. Scrap Labour, National and ACT.

[@marianaandrews6274]

This guy makes so much sense

[@gluehAffe]

Great conversation :) thank you. Very different to other parties ...

[@dallashibbs6540]

Sounds sensible, clever, whilst being optimistic and solution focused - which, unfortunately means, many Kiwis will be suspicious (lol). I'd love to see him build a tribe of 'pragmatic types' that vote him in.

[@karensmith7741]

Very interesting. Just asking. Who is maori? I am a pakeha mother of a maori daughter. Maui pomare was great friends with my grandparents in rarotonga. We have to remember united we stand, divided we fall. We are all human beings. Kia ora. Karen.

[@T-ww7eg]

Anyone who has a Māori ancestor is Māori. That being said, Pākehā can still be mana whenua. There is probably more too it via whānau too, and while I don't believe that alone would make someone Māori, it likely wouldn't be separatist.

[@user-oo4zo8yy5u]

Who is Pakeha?

[@T-ww7eg]

@@user-oo4zo8yy5u There isn't a legal definition - but I believe an accepted definition is a person who is not of Māori ancestry (living in New Zealand).

[@user-oo4zo8yy5u]

@@T-ww7eg Wrong. A Pakeha is a white person whose heritage is originally from the UK and has a connection to the colonization of this country.

[@T-ww7eg]

@@user-oo4zo8yy5u Why did you ask then?

[@linden5165]

We Kāi Tahu have Whai Rawa savings because of the settlement of our claim. Lots of iwi are yet to have their settlements - that's the underlying issue.

[@grahamhughes2025]

nice guy, but lost my awhi when he wanted a deal to get into bed with the Natz........yeah like him more than Winnie, but who you sleep with matters

[@myangreen6484]

That was always on the table...

[@prettyvacant2701]

IWS has a 20% success rate

[@roberthooker4970]

Before he has said TOP will abstain on confidence and supply. So he has changed his speak.

[@erina4586]

Aotearoa-NZ is not a third world country correction. He wants to make it easy for foreign people to come live in NZ for investments. Q: What about our people who are homeless Raf? I DO NOT TRUST YOU RAF.

[@Si-hz5tw]

take the tin foil hat off bro, settle down. he's discussing the possibility of attracting highly skilled young professionals to nz, which will boost innovation and development for our future. these innovation's create jobs, reduce carbon emissions and pay higher tax, which in turn make for healthier living conditions. this is completely different form nationals overseas buyer policy.

[@foggycoast]

Everyone is likeable when Moana lets them speak instead of constantly interrupting like she did with Winston. Extremely biased interviewer.

[@ArvinMani-yx6xu]

Owsome

[@ayjaynz1875]

No surprises here. Moana is blatant propagandist not a journalist.

[@mattie9481]

That’s why I watch. To see how triggered she gets.

[@jamie_d___]

I like your style 😃@@mattie9481

[@proanimator.]

When exactly is she divisive? It was a great conversation. You’re spewing nonsense

[@ayjaynz1875]

Moana is obviously an advocate for Maoridom. This is her agenda and good for her. May we always have free speech. But you cannot expect to have credibility as an objective serious jounrnalist as well as being passionate maoridom advocate. An advocate with an unwavering point of view is merely a propagandist. There are no surprises, only predictability.

[@Tommy5903]

Was thinking of voting for TOP but when you won’t front on the Platform to answer questions and put your case forward… what are u afraid of ?

[@BewareOfTheFLuFF]

This guys weak ....

[@myangreen6484]

You were never voting TOP. Don't lie

[@proanimator.]

The Platform is an echo chamber pumping out right wing misinformation and propaganda. Their comments section is full of racist boomers. Good on him for not going on there

[@myzenlifeinnature]

He did, I saw tbe interview with Sean on the Platform right here on YT

[@DaParty3473]

Irama = Illam lol

[@perryanderson9103]

Yawning

[@proanimator.]

Make an argument

[@kareh6976]

Aotearoa is in a way better position than the state of the UK which is declining big time. Perhaps Mr Manji should go help out his beloved UK. His advice would be more appreciated there.

[@myangreen6484]

His advice is appreciated here....

[@rosie40ify]

Don’t trust him

[@jamie_d___]

This is ridiculous . Why can New Zealand not get it's legislative visions beyond ethinicity , Laws and Social assistance should be colour blind . So many parties in New Zealand seem to focus their policies around a sort of intergenerational shame the country carries for it's past , for the Love of God , stop all this attempted conscience scrubbing , the past is gone . Move forward a united counrty , all this divisive ethnic based viewership is disingenuous to the best NZ can be . Far out

[@waiskuxx]

Why? It’s literally ingrained in our founding document. That would be like telling America to rip up their constitutions to suit our way of life. Two seperate systems because both parties did not understand the meaning of each document hence why there are two systems. Stop being a sook fkn cry baby.

[@waiskuxx]

It’s so easy for white people to just say move on after you stacked the decks against us, stole land then wrote laws to erase our culture and white wash our people by mix racing and have the nerve to tell us to get over it. You guys signed the treaty, don’t like it? Then stop thinking about the past and move on.

[@olsaffa7679]

You're so right. There's so many in NZ who think that Part-Maori have some rights to put their hands in my tax pocket, when I owe them nothing. Who, in their right mind, would believe the British would make their own people second rate citizens to people then still in the stoneage? It's all about greed and entitlement based on the nothingness of "an ancestor of mine came here before yours" and now "I interpret the Treaty as an anti-White document." Get real. Confiscated land settlement should be finalized and NZ needs to move on and become strong as a united country.

[@OryanMcLean]

Why can't u respect the people who were here before tour ancestors.

[@OryanMcLean]

Yes acknowledge the evils of your ancestors past on this land.

[@DaParty3473]

You've got 3 years Raf, grow your Party and I may very well vote TOP next time - preferably without the racists and Conspiracy theorists though. You can't "balance" the unhinged.

[@myangreen6484]

What Racists and conspiracy theorists? Are you just making shit up now?

[@myzenlifeinnature]

You must be thinking of another party