Rates rebate welcome but missing multiple dimension
Ngati Porou elder Koro Dewes says a change in the rates rebate scheme could have a big impact on areas like the East Coast, but more needs to be done to improve the situation for Maori multiply-owned land.
A Gisborne District Council rates review has increased rates on some coastal properties by as much as 10 times, and owners say they are being priced off their ancestral land.
Now the government has raised the rebates councils can give ratepayers on low incomes from $200 to $500, and increased the income threshhold from $7400 to $20,000.
Mr Dewes says a lot of people in Ngati Porou will qualify, but it still doesn't addess the the problems faced by owners trying to develop multiply-owned land.
SHAPRLES SAYS MEDIA DESENSISTISING
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says New Zealanders have become desensitised to violence.
Dr Sharples says that is why a a lot of family violence is going unreported, even though it is happening under people's noses.
He says the media is contributing to the problem, as people get turned off by some of the coverage of violence on television.
NGAI TAHU FACTIONS WORKING TOGETHER
Peace has broken out in Ngai Tahu, or so says chief executive Tahu Potiki.
After two votes on who should head the South Island tribe, the Ngai Tahu runanga's board is still divided 9-9 between supporters of Mr Potiki and those loyal to chairman Mark Solomon.
Mr Potiki says in the month since the election things have settled down between the factions, and the whole board is looking ahead.
He says governance of the tribe's $450 million commercial arm has been restructured, and the runanga is now trying to rebuild confidence among the tribe's members.
PARAONE BALKS ON ROTORUA LAKES DEAL
The Government's Te Arawa lakes settlement could be heading for the rocks, with a key New Zealand First MP having second thoughts.
Pita Paraone is a member of the Maori affairs select committee which sat in Rotorua last week to hear submissions on the settlement bill.
Mr Paroane says 17 of the 19 submissions opposed the settlement.
While many submissions were about the pollution in the lakes and whether the settlement would help clean them up, there were also serious concerns about the mandate of the negotiators.
Pita Paraone says he will put his concerns to the New Zealand First caucus about whether they should continue to support the bill.
POTIKI SAYS SOME MUST BE WRITEN OFF
Ngai Tahu chief executive Tahu Potiki says social services agencies need to make some hard decisions about who they help.
Mr Potiki has come out against a National Urban Maori Authority plan for the benefits of some Maori beneficiaries to be paid direct to Maori social services agencies, who will then help families manage their finances.
Mr Potiki says as a former social worker, he understands the furstration about the huge amount of resources which go into a small group of people, with seemingly little positive result.
He says the challenge is to find community interventins which make a long term difference - and that may mean writing some people off.
Tahu Potiki says many long term social workers turn into prison guards in the community, trying to protect family members from other family members.
MAORI PARTY TICKET MOOTED
A Tuhoe man appointed to Manukau City's Treaty of Waitangi standing committee says he wants to see the Maori Party enter the local government arena.
Tunuiarangi McLean was chosen by a hui to be one of four taura here members representing the interests of Maori who whakapapa from outside South Auckland.
He says putting together a Maori Party ticket for next year's local government elections is the way to get more Maori round council tables.
A Gisborne District Council rates review has increased rates on some coastal properties by as much as 10 times, and owners say they are being priced off their ancestral land.
Now the government has raised the rebates councils can give ratepayers on low incomes from $200 to $500, and increased the income threshhold from $7400 to $20,000.
Mr Dewes says a lot of people in Ngati Porou will qualify, but it still doesn't addess the the problems faced by owners trying to develop multiply-owned land.
SHAPRLES SAYS MEDIA DESENSISTISING
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says New Zealanders have become desensitised to violence.
Dr Sharples says that is why a a lot of family violence is going unreported, even though it is happening under people's noses.
He says the media is contributing to the problem, as people get turned off by some of the coverage of violence on television.
NGAI TAHU FACTIONS WORKING TOGETHER
Peace has broken out in Ngai Tahu, or so says chief executive Tahu Potiki.
After two votes on who should head the South Island tribe, the Ngai Tahu runanga's board is still divided 9-9 between supporters of Mr Potiki and those loyal to chairman Mark Solomon.
Mr Potiki says in the month since the election things have settled down between the factions, and the whole board is looking ahead.
He says governance of the tribe's $450 million commercial arm has been restructured, and the runanga is now trying to rebuild confidence among the tribe's members.
PARAONE BALKS ON ROTORUA LAKES DEAL
The Government's Te Arawa lakes settlement could be heading for the rocks, with a key New Zealand First MP having second thoughts.
Pita Paraone is a member of the Maori affairs select committee which sat in Rotorua last week to hear submissions on the settlement bill.
Mr Paroane says 17 of the 19 submissions opposed the settlement.
While many submissions were about the pollution in the lakes and whether the settlement would help clean them up, there were also serious concerns about the mandate of the negotiators.
Pita Paraone says he will put his concerns to the New Zealand First caucus about whether they should continue to support the bill.
POTIKI SAYS SOME MUST BE WRITEN OFF
Ngai Tahu chief executive Tahu Potiki says social services agencies need to make some hard decisions about who they help.
Mr Potiki has come out against a National Urban Maori Authority plan for the benefits of some Maori beneficiaries to be paid direct to Maori social services agencies, who will then help families manage their finances.
Mr Potiki says as a former social worker, he understands the furstration about the huge amount of resources which go into a small group of people, with seemingly little positive result.
He says the challenge is to find community interventins which make a long term difference - and that may mean writing some people off.
Tahu Potiki says many long term social workers turn into prison guards in the community, trying to protect family members from other family members.
MAORI PARTY TICKET MOOTED
A Tuhoe man appointed to Manukau City's Treaty of Waitangi standing committee says he wants to see the Maori Party enter the local government arena.
Tunuiarangi McLean was chosen by a hui to be one of four taura here members representing the interests of Maori who whakapapa from outside South Auckland.
He says putting together a Maori Party ticket for next year's local government elections is the way to get more Maori round council tables.
posted by Adam | 10:20 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home