NZ First bill to be buried in select committee

Tainui MP Nanaia Mahuta says Doug Woolerton's Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Deletion Bill is likely to die in the select committee.

Labour MPs voted in favour of the bill at its first reading today.

Ms Mahuta says the select committee process will be the opportunity to consider what New Zealand First is proposing, and she expects a lot of opposition, not just from Maori, once the implications become clear.

She says it's the second time round for the bill, which was rejected by Labour and its then-allies in the last parliament.

“This time the government arrangement gave an undertaking to New Zealand First to send it to select committee, probably bury it there, I don’t think it’s the way to go but it’s part of our supply agreement,” Mahuta said.

Nanaia Mahuta says government and local government agencies have found effective ways to the work within the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, and deleting the term will create uncertainty.

MINISTER COMMITTED TO MANGERE EFFORT

Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia says he's committed to supporting the South Auckland community to stop family violence.

More than 200 people attended a hui in Mangere yesterday to look at ways to prevent child abuse and the increasing levels of violence in families.

Mr Horomia says communities have the expertise to tackle these issues head on:

“I think the experts are there at the hui I was at with Dr Sharples and co, and I certainly am committed to joining in with Sharon and Tamaki ki Raro Trust to make sure best efforts are put forward,” Horomia said.

NON-MAORI SUPPORT NEEDED FOR TE REO

Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres says non-Maori communities can do a lot more to support the increased use of te reo Maori.

Mr de Bres says he is encouraged by a survey released for Maori Language Week that shows a majority of non-Maori support the use of bilingual signage, and attitudes to people speaking Maori in the workplace and in public are improving.

But he says the Te Puni Kokiri survey also shows how much needs to be done.
“It's startling to note that only 6 percent of non Maori have been on a marae and only a very small number have been at events where there has been Maori protocol, I think about 17 percent. Most of these encounter experiences are in single figures in terms of response, so I think we still have a challenge to share the experience of our two cultures,” de Bres said.

TALKING ESSENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE WORKERS

The woman behind yesterday's hui in South Auckland on family violence says even if no immediate solutions came out, just talking is important.

Sharon Wilson from Mangere social service agency Tamaki ki te Tonga says she was pleased at the turnout at the hui from government agencies and politicians, as well as community people.

She says the killing of the Kaahui twins in the suburb made all agencies stop to consider what they were doing.

Ms Wilson says it's clear all agencies involved need to work together better.

“Relationships are extremely important to have that foundation. It’s no use jumping in the waka and rowing and you don’t know where you are going. So to get things on the right path, it does take dialogue, we do need to hui. We owe it to the people who work on the ground floor to get their whakaaro, to get their input into things. You can only do that through hui,” Wilson said.

OHIWA MUSSELL BAN EXTENDED

Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton has extended his ministry's formal recognition of a rahui on taking mussels from Ohiwa Harbour, in the Bay of Plenty.

Mr Anderton says mussel stocks hadn't replenished sufficiently in the first two years of the ban imposed by Te Runanga o Ngati Awa and the Upokorehe hapu of Whakatohea.

He says the extension acknowledges the efforts of Maori and non-Maori residents to restore the health of the fishery, and the ministry is happy to go along with their advice.

PAKEHA PLACE PRONUNCIATION PROGRAMME

A former primary school teacher has designed a course to help people pronounce Maori place names properly.

Sue Ngatai, who is Pakeha, says she got tired of hearing Pakeha friends and acquaintances mispronounce words.

With support from east Auckland arts and culture centre Te Tuhi, Mrs Ngatai has developed a six week course called "How do I say Pakuranga?"

She says often people don't know the right way to say words and don't know where to turn.

“You're hearing place names because people are talking abut their street or where they are going to do their shopping, and you’re hearing them wrong. I mean, you’re hearing them really wring. And people have said to me I’d like to say them properly but I don’t really know where to go,” Ngatai said.