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Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Harawira self-muzzled says leader

Maori party co-leader, Tariana Turia says she cannot take the credit for having achieved what few have been able to do.

That is to muzzle outspoken MP Hone Harawira.

Mr Harawira was uncharacteristically quiet at a media conference where the party outlined its new policy on accepting koha.

The conference was called after Mr Harawira had tried to defend Labour MP Philip Field by saying he himself had accepted cash koha from supporters.

Mrs Turia says it was the Taitokerau MP's decision to keep mum.

"He made the choice himself. He'd said what he believed he had a right to say, and that he would withdraw from saying anything else. And the party accepted that," Turia said.

FINANCIAL LITERACY TEACHING NEEDED FOR POOR

A lack of financial literacy is keeping some Maori in the poorhouse.

That's the word from Juan Aspinall, who hosts Mahi Nui, a business programme on Maori radio.

A study by the Retirement Commissioner has found people from poorer areas and 60 percent of youth have little understanding of how to deal with financial institutions including banks, moneylenders and credit agencies.

Mr Aspinall says that makes them vulnerable to manipulation by unscrupulous lenders or scam merchants.

He says the place to start addressing it is in the school system.

"The environment is very important. The treaty is very important. But to pay their bills, to keep the wolf from the door, they need financial literacy. It's a no brainer. Whay are they not putting the emphasis they need to put on it," Aspinall said.

Juan Aspinall says while some elite schools now run financial or entreprenurial programmes, it is not happening enough in the poorer areas where students need the extra help.

KURA BUS STANCE EARNS AWARD NOMINATION

A Rotorua school's battle to put the word 'Kura' on its school bus has won it a nomination for this year's Maori Language week awards.

The awards are the Maori language commission, Te Taura Whiri''s way of recognising effort and achievement in promoting te reo Maori.

Hawea Vercoe, the principal of Te Kura O Rotoiti, says he is thrilled by the nomination.

The winners will be announced this Thursday in Wellington.

MANU KORERO STEPPING STONE FOR FUTURE LEADERS

The convenor of the national secondary schools speech competitions says people recognise the event as a stepping stone for future Maori leaders.

Nga Manu Korero starts in Opunake today, bringing together the 52 winners of the regional speech contests compete for awards in both te reo Maori and English speechmaking.

Organiser Rawiri Tinirau says past Nga Manu Korero award winners have included former ACT MP Donna Awatere and fisheries commission chair and now Labour MP Shane Jones.

"And other names that spring to mind are people like Willie Te Aho, Derek Llardelli, Julian Wilcox, and a host of other people that have come through this competition, and you just look at what they've gone on to do and it's remarkable, and I konw the rangatahi that compete this year will go on to do great things just like them," Tinirau said.

Rawiri Tinirau says the eight iwi of Taranaki have come together to house and feed the thousands of whanau and supporters expected in Taranaki for the competition.

DRAW LEAVES TEAMS FIGHTING FOR CHANCE TO SHINE

A new way of scheduling the Te Matatini national kapa haka competiton has left some of the top teams concerned they won't get a chance to show off their best moves.

Instead of spreading the previous finalists evenly among the three competition pools, places for February's finals in Palmerston North were chosen at random from the regional competiton winners.

The result was five of the top teams will slug it out in pool A, with only two going through to the final six.

Kingi Kiriona from Waikato kapa haka Te Iti Kahurangi, says the process was transparent, but concerns will remain about its fairness.

"The draw was done on the agreement of the delegates we all chose at regional level. Morally or personally there could be (questions), but that could be because we have become so reliant on the top six system over the years," Kiriona said.

Te Matatini is already shadowed by a boycott from the top Te Arawa groups over a dispute with chairperson Tama Huata.

GIBBES NOT WELSHING ON NZ TEAMS

Jono Gibbes' decision to stay in New Zealand could be good news for the Maori rugby team, according to coach Donny Stevenson.

The Maori skipper has signed a new three year deal with the New Zealand Rugby Union, turning down an offer to finish his playing career in Wales.

Coach Stevenson says New Zealand rugby can't afford to lose someone of Gibbes' calibre:

"We're really rapt because if the All Blacks don't want him, certainly the Maoris will be rapt to have him becuase he's such and influen tiual leader and he was a big part of our success this year. We're just glad he's still in New Zealand and hopefully he has an opportunity to play for us, but clearly he wants to make the world cup team," Stevenson said

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