Former ACT and National Party leader Don Brash is supporting a new education trust set up by the Mongrel Mob Kingdom in the Waikato.
Brash has become a trustee of Mob-led Ngā Whānau o Mangarū, which was registered as a charitable trust in October last year. One of the trust's initiatives is to help get families into education and learning pathways at all levels.
"To me, the public has in some way seen me as anti-gangs, even anti-Māori. I'm not anti-gangs or anti-Māori - I'm for New Zealanders," he told Te Karere.
"If Mongrel Mob Kingdom members get better educated, they get better jobs, it's better for them, better for their families, and better for the wider community."
The alliance was organised by Brash's friend, Māori researcher and educator Dr Steve Elers of Massey University.
Sonny Fatupaito, leader of the Mongrel Mob Waikato, told Māori TV having Brash on board brings a different perspective.
"When I first heard about it, when I heard that he was willing to sit down and have a kōrero with us about it, about some of our visions and dreams and aspirations, especially around education, I've always got an open mind," he says.
"We were able to set aside our philosophical and political differences for the greater cause. After our first day of hui, we found that we have much more in common than we do differences."
Brash's appointment comes days after Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson attended a Mongrel Mob gathering, which drew criticism from National and ACT.
But National leader Judith Collins refused to criticise Brash's decision, telling reporters on Wednesday that he's a private citizen and what he supports is up to him.
"After he left the National Party he became the leader of the ACT Party, so perhaps they're probably best to answer it."
Brash has a controversial history, with several accusations of racism.
He's a member of the contentious lobby group Hobson's Pledge which is in favour of abolishing Māori seats in Parliament and the Treaty of Waitangi.
During last year's lead-up to the election, Brash was criticised for saying the Māori Party was "race-based" and he was "dead-keen for them to die" - causing former Māori Party co-leader John Tamihere to call Brash "confused".
