No ta moko on ta budget

The chair of Labour's Maori caucus says there is a lot in the Budget for Maori, but it does always wear a moko.

Vote Maori Affairs has been cut by $4 million to $157 million, with a third of that going to Maori development ministry Te Puni Kokiri and another third to Maori Tellevision.

But Shane Jones says Maori also benefit from substantial spending in Votes like Education, Health and Housing.

He says the Labour Government has a clear policy of funding based on socio-economic status rather than ethnicity.

"The essence of this budget is to follow the money honey and there is contined support for Maori houora health programmes and other Maori initiatives and the finance is still flowing. Of course there is a challenge for me as chair of the Maori caucus to convey that to people, given those funds don't alwys wear a tattooed face," Jones said.

He said Te Puni Kokiri is reconsidering its role and how it can work most effectively with Maori communities.

OHIA DONFIRMED TO HEAD WANANGA O AOTEAROA

The troubled Wananga o Aotearoa finally has a new chief executive.

He is Bentham Ohia, who has worked in a range of positions at the Te Awamutu-headquartered organisation, and has been serving as acting chief executive since the retirement of founder Rongo Wetere.

One of his first jobs will be to implement a restructuring plan which will involve laying off more than 300 staff.

Wananga chairman Craig Coxhead says Mr Ohia is the right person to make the changes necessary for the wananga to survive.

"He's fully aware of what the purpose of the restructure is, he has led the management team that has gone out and heard submissions from staff. The idea is we need to make changes, staff are aware we need to make chnages to ensure this organisation is around for years to come," Coxhead said.

Mr Coxhead says the wananga council is now looking forward to stabilising operations so it can take back financial control from the Crown manager.

NZ POST DEFENDS KAPA HAKA STAMPS

New Zealand Post says it's surprised by negative reaction to new stamps featuring Maori performing arts.

Some kapa haka performers say the caricatures on the stamps are crude and offensive, and Maori Council spokesmak Maanu Paul says the council will be asking for the stamps to be scrapped.

New Zealand Post communications manager Richard McLean says the kapa haka stamps were designed by Wellington artist, Abel Vaireka from Te Atiawa.

"Abel has a kapa haka background himself. We think what has come out is really good, we think these are realy fresh designs, and when people say they are offensive, we are pretty amazed at that attitude," McLean said.

McLean says he welcomes any dialogue with the Maori Council.

MAORI PARTY SAYS BUDGET DISDAINFUL

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says Maori have been given the message in the Budget that there is no new money for them.

She says the government treated Maori with disdain by failing to spent its surplises where the money is needed most, with families at the lower end of the socio economic scale.

Mrs Turia also questioned Te Puni Kokiri's new programme to promote Maori potential.

She says it's pointless to fund an organisation that can't even perform its statuatory obligations properly, and its $56 million dollar budget would be better spent on education, health and welfare initiatives for Maori families.

Mrs Turia says Maori will suffer.

"The first budget last year when they didn't even mention our names, this year it was so when they took money off Maori, the Manaaki Tauira funds, tertiary education scholarship grant money, it's just appalling," Turia said.

Tariana Turia says Maori shouldn't be fooled by the Labour Party's financial smokescreen.

But Labour list MP Shane Jones says the Maori Party is looking for Maori spending in the wrong places.

Mr Jones says Labour signalled a shift some years ago to funging based on need rather than race, and that policy has continued.

He says housing is of continued benefit to Maori.

"Over 30 percent of all occupants in state houses are Maori, over 30 percent of all recipients of the accommodation supplement are Maori, and if we are not to continue to invest in key social institutions like subsidised housing, some of the disprortionately large causalties of any change in that would be Maori," Jones said.

NGAI TAHU, TAINUI FISH MANADATES RECONGISED

Two of the country's largest tribes have moved a step further towards securing their fisheries settlement assets.

Te Ohu Kaimoana Trust yesterday announced it had recognised Waikato Raupatu Lands Trust as the mandated iwi authority to receive $26 million in cash, quota and shares on behalf of the Waikato-Tainui tribes.

It also recognised the status of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu to manage Ngai Tahu's $58 million in settlement assets.

Te Ohu Kaimoana chief executive Peter Douglas says iwi which have already received their land settlements don't have to go through all the mandating processes other iwi do, but they still must comply with the Maori Fisheries Act.

The Ngai Tahu Runanga will still need to go back to its people to confirm its mandate.

The runanga had threatened to take the fisheries trust to court if it didn't get its assets.

Some Ngai Tahu members have also threatened to sue Te Ohu Kaimoana if it handed the fish to the runanga rather than a body more representative of iwi members.