Maori Internet wants macron ability

The Aotearoa Maori Internet Society has asked Internet New Zealand to change this country's domain name servers so they can cope with Maori addresses which use macrons.

Chairperson Karaitiana Taiuru says a technical change is required so the servers can cope with non-English alphabets.

Mr Taiuru says Internet New Zealand has agreed in principle to the change, but it will probably be until next year until it is implemented.

He says it's all part of promoting the use of Maori on the Internet.

“It would definitely be good for the Maori language if we could. Just the ability to be able to write macrons in Maori language is a basic human right which we don’t have at the moment. Whether people choose to use a macron or not to use a macron, they still need the choice,” Taiuru said.

Karaitiana Taiuru says people will need the latest browser or a small plug in to read web page text which contains macrons, which are used to indicate vowel length in some languages.

NEW BOSS FOR TERTIARY UNION

The Association of Staff in Tertiary Education has appointed its first Maori president.

Sharon Stevens of Te Whakatohea and Ngapuhi has served as the union's Vice President for the past four years, and has been a member since 1991

Ms Stevens says it's great to have the support of the 4000 members.

“That's exciting for me, knowing there is support within the union, to accept not only a woman but a Maori woman. I’m very excited about the future for the union because it’s got great things to off other unions in Aotearoa and beyond actually,” Stevens said.

Sharon Stevens says an important part of the role will be building relationships with other unions.

BROCK REMEMBERED AT BATHURST

Ngati Kahungunu rally driver, Marty Rostenburg will be among the tens of thousands glued to their TV screens to watch the Bathurst 1000, live from Bathurst this weekend.

He says says the race will serve as a celebration of the career of multiple winner, Peter Brock, who was killed last month while racing in West Australia.

Mr Rostenburg, a former national rally champion and winner of the Wanaka Race to the Sky event, says Brock's professionalism and skill were an inspiration to drivers of all motosports.

MANAHI TO BE REMEDALLED FINALLY

It's the last and longest campaign of the second world war, but the people of Te Arawa finally have won a victory on behalf of one of their heroes.

Defence Minister Phil Goff will tomorrow travel to Tamatekaupua Marae in Rotorua to tell the tribe how the Queen plans to honour the late Haane Manahi, who was denied a Victoria Cross for his feats in North Africa in 1943.

Three generals recommended Mr Manahi receive the highest military, but instead British authorities gave him a Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Mr Manahi died in a car crash in 1986, aged 72.

Manahi whanau members and supporters traveled to England with Mr Goff earlier this year to petition the Queen for the medal.

Buckingham Palace has won't award a posthumous Victoria Cross, but it has come up with other measures to honour Mr Manahi, which will be unveiled tomorrow.

After the announcement, Mr Goff will visit Mr Manahi's grave at Muruika Cemetery.

MAORI PROVIDERS WEAR EXPECTATION PRESSURE

The head of the iwi social service providers association Te Kahui Atawhai o te Motu says Maori service providers get more pressure than their mainstream counterparts because Maori expect more from them.

The association, which represents 137 providers ranging from groups who do mirimiri on the marae to level one approved social service providers throughout the country, held its annual meeting today in the Bay of Islands.

Chairperson Arapeta Hamilton says what unifies sector workers is the desire to do their best for the Maori they work with.

He says that can create challenges.

“The expectation is we will go the extra mile for our whanau and we don’t have the same resources as mainstream but we always go the extra mile. We’re not in it for the money. It’s about passion for the work you do. This is what our people have,” Hamilton said.

FISH ROW COULD CAUSE STINKY REPUTATION

Greens Maori spokesperson Metiria Turei says Maori should be careful a debate over minimum wage rates for the fishing industry doesn't damage their international reputation.

Ms Turei says many overseas indigenous communities look to Maori as an example of how they might advance their own struggles for cultural recognition.

Ms Turei says Maori should avoid any perception they are profiting on the backs of low paid workers from other countries.

“We don't want to be the exploiters of indigenous peoples. That is exactly what we have been fighting against and why we got the Maori fisheries settlement, as a recognition of the exploitation that’s happened in the past. To then use those resources to exploit other indigenous people’s is a terrible thing to do,” Turei said.

Maori Internet wants macron ability

The Aotearoa Maori Internet Society has asked Internet New Zealand to change this country's domain name servers so they can cope with Maori addresses which use macrons.

Chairperson Karaitiana Taiuru says a technical change is required so the servers can cope with non-English alphabets.

Mr Taiuru says Internet New Zealand has agreed in principle to the change, but it will probably be until next year until it is implemented.

He says it's all part of promoting the use of Maori on the Internet.

“It would definitely be good for the Maori language if we could. Just the ability to be able to write macrons in Maori language is a basic human right which we don’t have at the moment. Whether people choose to use a macron or not to use a macron, they still need the choice,” Taiuru said.

Karaitiana Taiuru says people will need the latest browser or a small plug in to read web page text which contains macrons, which are used to indicate vowel length in some languages.

NEW BOSS FOR TERTIARY UNION

The Association of Staff in Tertiary Education has appointed its first Maori president.

Sharon Stevens of Te Whakatohea and Ngapuhi has served as the union's Vice President for the past four years, and has been a member since 1991

Ms Stevens says it's great to have the support of the 4000 members.

“That's exciting for me, knowing there is support within the union, to accept not only a woman but a Maori woman. I’m very excited about the future for the union because it’s got great things to off other unions in Aotearoa and beyond actually,” Stevens said.

Sharon Stevens says an important part of the role will be building relationships with other unions.

BROCK REMEMBERED AT BATHURST

Ngati Kahungunu rally driver, Marty Rostenburg will be among the tens of thousands glued to their TV screens to watch the Bathurst 1000, live from Bathurst this weekend.

He says says the race will serve as a celebration of the career of multiple winner, Peter Brock, who was killed last month while racing in West Australia.

Mr Rostenburg, a former national rally champion and winner of the Wanaka Race to the Sky event, says Brock's professionalism and skill were an inspiration to drivers of all motosports.

MANAHI TO BE REMEDALLED FINALLY

It's the last and longest campaign of the second world war, but the people of Te Arawa finally have won a victory on behalf of one of their heroes.

Defence Minister Phil Goff will tomorrow travel to Tamatekaupua Marae in Rotorua to tell the tribe how the Queen plans to honour the late Haane Manahi, who was denied a Victoria Cross for his feats in North Africa in 1943.

Three generals recommended Mr Manahi receive the highest military, but instead British authorities gave him a Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Mr Manahi died in a car crash in 1986, aged 72.

Manahi whanau members and supporters traveled to England with Mr Goff earlier this year to petition the Queen for the medal.

Buckingham Palace has won't award a posthumous Victoria Cross, but it has come up with other measures to honour Mr Manahi, which will be unveiled tomorrow.

After the announcement, Mr Goff will visit Mr Manahi's grave at Muruika Cemetery.

MAORI PROVIDERS WEAR EXPECTATION PRESSURE

The head of the iwi social service providers association Te Kahui Atawhai o te Motu says Maori service providers get more pressure than their mainstream counterparts because Maori expect more from them.

The association, which represents 137 providers ranging from groups who do mirimiri on the marae to level one approved social service providers throughout the country, held its annual meeting today in the Bay of Islands.

Chairperson Arapeta Hamilton says what unifies sector workers is the desire to do their best for the Maori they work with.

He says that can create challenges.

“The expectation is we will go the extra mile for our whanau and we don’t have the same resources as mainstream but we always go the extra mile. We’re not in it for the money. It’s about passion for the work you do. This is what our people have,” Hamilton said.

FISH ROW COULD CAUSE STINKY REPUTATION

Greens Maori spokesperson Metiria Turei says Maori should be careful a debate over minimum wage rates for the fishing industry doesn't damage their international reputation.

Ms Turei says many overseas indigenous communities look to Maori as an example of how they might advance their own struggles for cultural recognition.

Ms Turei says Maori should avoid any perception they are profiting on the backs of low paid workers from other countries.

“We don't want to be the exploiters of indigenous peoples. That is exactly what we have been fighting against and why we got the Maori fisheries settlement, as a recognition of the exploitation that’s happened in the past. To then use those resources to exploit other indigenous people’s is a terrible thing to do,” Turei said.

Whanau focus for education summit

The fifth Hui Taumata Matauranga which kicks off in Taupo today will look at the role of whanau in the education of tamariki.

Organiser Connor Rangi from the Tuwharetoa Trust Board says it is a theme which has been consistent since the first Maori education summit in 2001.

He says the hui will consider ways to building whanau capability, relationships between whanau and schools, strategies which iwi can adopt and Te Puni Kokiri initiatives.

“Participants will be able
 to talk through, discuss, debate issues that are very real and critical to whanau engagement in terms of learning and in terms of education,” Rangi said.

Connor Rangi says section keynote speakers include Mark Solomon, Hekia Parata, Mason Durie and Tuwharetoa chief Tumu Te Heuheu.

MAURIORA VIOLENCE PROGRAMME FACING CHOP

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the Government should keep funding the Mauriora whanau violence programme.

Mrs Turia spoke at a conference this in Wanganui this week of Mauriora providers.

She says the programme, which was a pilot sponsored by Maori development ministry Te Puni Kokiri, has been undermined by other government departments.

Mrs Turia says Mauriora differs from other anti violence initiatives, because it targets families and asks them to work together to mauriora or a sense of wellness.

She says it's clear other approaches aren't working.

“Unless the whanau are engaged it doesn’t work, and that’s what the government and its agencies have never clapped on to. They have always treated peopled as individuals, and they have blamed individuals when people don’t respond to their programmes and their services,” Turia said.

Tariana Turia says those who fund anti violence programmes should take more responsibility when they fail.

KAHOTEA GETS POST DOC FELLOWSHIP

A Maori archaeologist has been given a post doctoral fellowship to study how archaeology, ethnography and tribal history affect the way Maori see their environment.

Des Kahotea from Ngati Pukenga says he will be working with hapu at Kawhia and Kapiti on how they define what is called ancestral landscape.

Dr Kohotea says traditionally archaeologists have tended to look at individual sites rather than the whole landscape, which has hampered Maori who are trying to protect their heritage.

He says to protect themselves in case of legal battles, iwi need to record their knowledge and make planning authorities aware of sensitive areas.

“If there's a issue and you haven’t got it flagged or raised, and you raise it to the court, well it’s all very much left to the individual judge. But I’ve found if you’ve managed to identify, put it in a district plan, of made it a historic area or whatever under the Historic Places Act, the judge has to lean to you,” Kahotea said.

Des Kahotea is doing his research at Victoria University through Nga Pae o te Maramatanga, the National Institute of Maori Research Excellence.

MATAURANGA HUI SETTING EDUCATION POLICY

Organisers of this weekend's Maori education hui in Taupo says it has become an important forum for influencing education policy.

Connor Rangi of the Tuwharetoa Trust Board says the four previous Hui Taumata Matauranga have led to changes in the way the Ministry of Education treats Matauranga Maori or Maori knowledge.

This year's theme is about supporting the foundation of whanau.
Mr Rangi says it's a chance for Maori educationalists to talk directly to policymakers.

“Our people have the ear of the ministers to be able to push issues that are specifically for Maori education and so other issues around fisheries, around land claims and so on take a back seat over this weekend and the focus is around better learning and teaching outcomes for Maori
,” Rangi said.

Connor Rangi says about 600 participants are expected in Taupo over the weekend.

WOMEN GATEKEEPERS AT KOHANGA

Kohanga Reo National trust chairperson Timoti Karetu says Maori men may be put off working in preschools because of the attitudes of Maori women.

The movement is struggling to attract male staff and volunteers, in line with a national trend that just one percent of pre-school teachers are men.

Professor Karetu says a hui held on Matakana Island this week discussed ways to attract more men into the sector.’

He says the 120 men who attended have gone home with a challenge to recruit more men to work alongside them, but a lot will depend on the welcome they get from women.

“Quite a number of men feel really uncomfortable about the ways the women treat them in kohanga, but I still thing the male presence in kohanga will be reinvigorating, will give a whole new impetus, and the kids will have a male presence to relate to,” Karetu said.

Timoti Karetu says it's important pre-schoolers get to see Maori male role models.

NOT ALL LAWYERS ON GRAVY TRAIN

The Maori law society wants to challenge the stereotype that Maori lawyers are all on the Treaty settlement gravy train.

Aidan Warren, the organiser of this weekend's Te Huinga Roia Maori hui at Te Aute Colege in the Hawkes Bay, says only a small percentage of Maori lawyers work in the treaty area.

He says while there are many young lawyers burning themselves out on claim enquiries, Maori lawyers encompass the whole range of what the profession has to offer.

He says Maori lawyers are asking how best they can serve Maori people.

The theme of this year's hui is Tino Rangatiratanga - controlling our own destiny, and includes a panel discussion chaired by Maori Land Court chief judge Joe Williams and featuring MPs Pita Sharples and Metiria Turia and lawyers Annete Sykes and Moana Jackson.

Maniapoto readies claims for hearing

Ngati Maniapoto is getting ready to lodge its claims over the King Country.

Glen Katu, the chair of the Maniapoto Treaty Claims Interim Steering Committee, says the iwi met the Waitangi Tribunal this week to discuss progress towards getting on the tribunal's work schedule.

While most King Country land remained locked up from sale until early in the 20th century, Mr Katu says there are still more than 100 claims from whanau, hapu and the whole iwi which need to be considered.
I
“Whilst we do not wish to reveal the extent of our claims, I with injustices in our area are considerable, and ll state that Maniapoto, in terms of our loss, will have a comprehensive claim,” Katu said.

Glen Katu says the tribunal has already prepared background historical research reports on the Maniapoto claim area, and the iwi is keen to start collecting oral histories and other tribal research.

WAGE BILL BOOST FISHY TO TURIA

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the government's plan to increase the hourly rate for foreign fishing crews in New Zealand waters is a direct attack on Maori.

Ms Turia says most iwi companies charter foreign boats to fish their deepwater quota, and workers are not paid less than they would usually get.

She says it will be Maori who are most affected by the change.

“This will have a huge impact on Maori fishing because if we think about who owns the majority of the fishery today, it’s us, and this is a deliberate attempt to undermine us,” Turia said.

KOHANGA REO LOOK FOR MALE INPUT

Te Kohanga Reo National Trust chairperson Timoti Karetu says Maori children need male role models at kohanga reo.

Professor Karetu says that was the consensus of a hui held recently at Matakana Island on the role of men in the Maori immersion preschool movement.

He says mokopuna need to understand the role of men, so they don't confuse the roles of men and women.

“Get them to preach the gospel of getting more men into the movement so that mokopuna in kohanga can identify with males as well as women or they might come to the conclusion that kohanga equals women, and no men, so that’s the simple reason for the hui having been held,” Karetu said.

Professor Timoti Karetu says there are just over men working within the kohanga reo movement nationally.

MAORI CRIMINAL LAWYERS NEEDED

The Maori Law Society says there is a real need for Maori law graduates who want to specialise in criminal law.

Members of Maori lawyers' association Te Huinga Roia Maori were welcomed to Te Aute College in Hawkes Bay this afternoon for the start of their annual hui.

Organiser Aidan Warren says this year's theme is Tino Rangatiratanga - controlling your own destiny.

Mr Warren says law has become a popular profession for Maori, but there are still not enough to go round.

“It's easy to say there arte too many lawyers and easy to say there are too many Maori lawyers, but I still think we have to look at the statistics and too many of out people are before the courts, particularly the criminal courts and the family courts, and what we are finding is that very few of our law students who compete their degrees head into that area of law,” Warren said.

Aidan Warren says about 160 lawyers and law students are expected at the three day conference.

MINISTER WAITS FOR ANSWERS ON DRUG REGIME

The Minister of Maori Affairs believes Maori interests can be accommodated in a new Australasian regulatory regime for drugs and natural remedies.

The Waitangi Tribunal has taken the government to task for its failure to properly consult with iwi in developing the proposed Australia and New Zealand Therapeutic Products Authority, and recommended it work with Wai 262 fauna and flora claimants to set up a consultation process.

Parekura Horomoa says it is still unclear how the new regime will affect Maori practices such as the use of rongoa or plants for healing.

He says the use of rongoa must be maintained, and he’s keen to see the detail of what is decided on.

CULTURAL SKILLS NEEDED IN HEALTH

A nationwide survey of development needs in the Maori health workforce development is identifying potential conflicts between cultural and professional skills.

Palmerston North based Te Rau Matatini has been holding regional hui with workers at health providers and kaupapa Maori services from Kawakawa to Wellington.

Project leader Lucy Bush says trainers need to overcome a range of barriers in increase competency in both worlds.

“Get very familiar and comfortable in the clinical or the technical or the professional world that we have to learn about, and still come from a Maori base. It’s about incorporating the two together for Maori. Those are some of the barriers the management from the various organisations needed some training in as well,” Bush said.

Lucy Bush says a final hui will be held at Ratana Pa from the later this month and Te Rau Matatini aimed to complete its report before the end of the year.

Tribunal worth questioned

A Maori lawyer says the Waitangi Tribunal's refusal to take a firm stand against the creation of a new Trans-Tasman body which will regulate rongoa Maori and other drugs and remedies raises questions about the tribunal's value to Maori.

WAI 262 indigenous founa and flora claimants asked the tribunal to recommend the Government hold off introducing a bill setting up the Australia and New Zealand Therapeutic Products Authority until their claim was fully heard.

Instead, tribunal chairperson Joe Williams asked the Crown to consult with Maori on how rongoa should be regulated.

Chief Judge Williams said he could understand why officials might reach the view that Maori lack a real world understanding of public policy and the legislative process.

Ms Sykes says the tribunal has become a toothless tiger.

“Decisions like this start making one worry whether we should be using our intellectual capacity to protect the meager resource that we have got left through this forum, which seems to have totally distanced itself from the context of Maori concern and is making these kinds of disparaging comments,” Sykes said.

Annette Sykes says the claimants will push for a better consultation process.

SURVEY SHOWING UP REGIONAL HEALTH DIFFERENCES

A nationwide survery of Maori public health is finding unequal distribution of resources around the country.

Te Rau Matatini project leader Lucy Bush says that was the major issue which came out of a series of regional hui last week.

Mrs Bush says in areas such as Northland, Maori health workers must travel long distances to service their people, and they have little after hours support.

That contrasts which what can be expected in urban areas such as Wellington, where services can offer after hours care and don’t have to stretch resources so thinly.

Lucy Bush says getting an accurate picture of the state of the Maori public health sector will help Te Rau Matatini set priorities and seek resources for workforce development.

NGAPUHI ROLE IN KINGITANGA

Ngati Hine leader Erima Henare says Ngapuhi has a role to play in the Kingitanga if it wants one.

The iwi is holding a hui on Friday to discuss how it should relate to the new Maori king, and who should speak for it at next month's hui at Pukawa by Lake Taupo to discuss national Maori structures.

Mr Henare says while much is made of historical conflicts between Ngapuhi and Tainui, the tribe most closely associated with the Kingitanga, they have much in common.

He says both Ngapuhi chairperson Sonny Tau and Taitokerau MP Hone Harawira have a direct connection.

“Sonny Tau and Hone Harawira’s tipuna Tamata Waka Nene and Patuone represented Ngapuhi at the hui at Pukawa 150 years ago and decide to select Te Wherowhero from Tainui as the first king,. This thing goes back a long way,” Henare said.

CLAIMS AFFECT IWI SOCIAL FOCUS

Hauraki treaty negotiator Harry Mikaere says taking claims to the Waitangi Tribunal can make iwi lose focus of their social responsibilities.

Mr Mikaere says now the tribunal has reported on the tribe's claim, the Hauraki Maori Trust Board is trying to address the social needs of its people.

It has become a provider for the Family Start programme in Waihi, and Mr Mikaere says it is looking at other social needs of Hauraki whanau.

“One of the things we’ve all got caught up in the past is the challenges of the settlements in the Waitangi Tribunal, and the focus has been too strongly put on that, and it’s had an effect on the social obligations we have. Hence we are moving in that direction as well and trying to build the whole process and capacity around our people,” Mikaere said.

PACIFIC CONCEPTS FOR PARLIAMENT

Green Party Maori affairs spokesperson Meteria Turei says New Zealand should consider incorporating traditional Maori leadership structures in government.

Ms Turia was been attending a Commonwealth Parliamentarians Association Pacific region workshop on gender equity in the parliamentary process.

She says the most thought provoking contributions came from MPs from Samoa and Tonga, who talked about how representation by matai and nobles respectively created unique parliaments.

Ms Turei says Maori iwi may aspire to similar representation.

“In Aotearoa we have a hundred and something years of the Westminster system to have to cope with, and so reform would be much more difficult, but it is heartening to know that other countries are finding ways to recognise their traditional leadership systems within a western democratic system,” Turei said.

LEAGUE CLUBS LEARNING TO VALUE IDENTITY

Former New Zealand and Maori rugby league captain Tawera Nikau says a strong sense of cultural identity can be positive for a professional career in sport.

Nikau, who will be working with the South Sydney Rabbitohs next year to mentor young Maori and Polynesian players, says there are many potential pitfalls for newcomers.

Players are well paid, and with time on their hands can fall in with bad company and bad habits such as womanising, drinking and drug taking.

Mr Nikau says rugby league bosses have recognised the importance of strong support structures.

“In Sydney there's a huge problem with second and third generation Pacific Island teenagers and Maori, who have lost a little bit of their identity, and they’re having a lot of issues of gangs, similar to here in New Zealand, and a lot of clubs in the NRL are trying to work back in the community,” Nikau said.

Tribunal refuses rongoa recommendation

The Waitangi Tribunal has turned down an application by Maori healers for a recommendation the government delay the introduction of a bill next week setting up the Australia and New Zealand Therapeutics Authority.

Instead Chief Judge Joe Williams says the Crown and Wai 262 fauna and flora claimants should consult on how traditional Maori medicines can be exempted from regulation, and how Maori can be involved in any commercialisation of rongoa.

Annette Sykes, the lawyer for Maori organic growers association Te Waka Kai Ora, says her clients are disappointed with the recommendation, given the minimal consultation the government has had with Maori over the 10 years it has been working on setting up the new regime.

“They also are doubtful given that there is this big new relationship partner called Australia, as part of the equation, that they will get a treaty compliant process that’s endorsed by both the New Zealand and Australian governments. The Australian government is of course a problem , mainly because of their own difficulties in recognising the indigenous rights and customs of their own indigenous peoples,” Sykes said.

Annette Sykes says Wai 262 claimants met today to discuss what kind of consultation process they want with the Crown.

IWI FISHERS CONCERNED AT WAGE BILL BOOST

The head of one of the largest Maori fishing companies says a Labour Department plan to set minimum pay rates for foreign workers in New Zealand waters will hit iwi revenues.

The department wants to boost pay for fishers to at least $12.75 an hour, which is above the minimum wage paid on shore.

Richard Batley from Raukura Moana Fisheries says his Hamilton-based company already pays above minimum wages to the Polish and Russian crews who work on its charters.

Mr Batley says the change would add $1.5 million to $2 million to Raukura Moana's wage bill.

“In terms of this particular proposed legislation, it has the effect of eating into our operating revenue and making things almost marginal for the company to operate,” Batley said.

Richard Batley says both iwi companies and the charter fishers are happy with current arrangements.

PARTY DEMISE DESTINY

A kura kaupapa principal who stood for Destiny New Zealand at the last election says of the demise of the Christian Heritage Party is not unexpected.

Christican Heritage has called it quits after 17 years because of fall out from the conviction of former leader Graeme Capill on child molestation charges.

Hawea Vercoe says Christian political initiatives face similar challenges to those promoting a Maori kaupapa.

“The problem the Christianity is very similar to Maoridom in terms of trying to get unity. Trying to get people to come on board and work together as Maori is sometimes as hard as trying to get Christians on board to work as Christians. It’s a huge challenge,” Vercoe said.

CLAIMANTS WANT REAL CONSULTATION ON RONGOA RULES

Wai 262 fauna and flora claimants want the Crown to act quickly on a Waitangi Tribunal recommendation that Maori be consulted on how the new Australia and New Zealand Therapeutic Products Authority will operate.

Lawyer Annette Sykes says a tribunal interim report falls short of what the claimants asked for, which was for the government to hold off setting up the authority until the claim is completed.

But she says the report did confirm that Maori have an interest in commercial exploitation of traditional Maori medicines or rongoa.

Ms Sykes says the pressure is on the Crown to improve the consultation process.

“What our claimants are clear for is they want a commitment from the Crown that Maori will control both the regulation and management of rongoa Maori whether it’s by way of commercial rongoa and services or by way of tohunga kind of practices that are undertaken at the moment,” Sykes said.

HIV POSTIVE NEED WHANAU SUPPORT

The AIDs Foundation says Maori need to support their whanau who are infected with the HIV virus.

The Otago School of Medicine has found an alarming increase in the number of heterosexual Maori women living with the disease.

Foundation executive director Rachel le Mesurier says they need support to overcome the stigma attached to the virus.

“Stigma is still very much an issue, particularly for Maori women and Maori heterosexual men, because the numbers are so low. And again I think one of the keys for Maori women and heterosexual men and obviously homosexual men, the safest place for them is the whanau and their supportive communities,” le Mesurier said.

A KING FOR NGAPUHI TOO

A Ngati Hine leader says Ngapuhi needs to look at what they have in common with Kingitanga, rather than dwell on differences.

The northern tribe is holding a hui in Kaikohe on Friday to discuss the relationship it should have Maoridom's oldest political institution.

Erima Henare says the New King Tuheitia is already connected to the north through his Te Aupouri paternal grandmother and his late mother, who shared an ancestor with Ngati Hine.

“In King Tuheitia we have the coming together of those two Ngaphui lines of Waimirirangi through his father, Whatumoana, and Hineamaru through his mother, through Te Rongopatutonga, so to say Tuheitia is not Ngapuhi would definitely roll against the whakapapa, so something Ngapuhi definitely has to think about that this king now carries their whakapapa,” Henare said.

Erima Henare says Tamata Waka Nene, the ancestor of current Ngapuhi chairperson Sommy Tau, represented Ngapuhi at Pukawa 150 years ago whent he first Maori King was chosen.

Whangarei tough on rates shirkers

A Whangarei District councilor says the problem of non-payment of rates on Maori land will need help from central government to resolve.

The Whangarei Council has voted against write off outstanding rates totalling almost $1.2 million.

Kahu Sutherland says it's disappointing 700 thousand dollars of that is owed on Maori land, and he hopes some of the landowners will eventually pay up.

But he says there are problems with the way the rating system treats Maori land, which only central government can fix.

“A lot of it is non productive and a lot of the Maori landowners don’t live there, so contacting them and determining those details is really pretty difficult. But having said that, a lot of it is extremely valuable property. It is coastal property and carries high values, There is a whole raft of issues pertaining to Maori land rates,” Sutherland said.

Kahu Sutherland says the Whangarei council's iwi liaison committee will attempt to tackle the problem.

CULTURAL DOUBLE ACT FOR WOMEN MPS

The Green Party spokesperson on Maori Affairs says indigenous women MPs from around the Pacific are challenged by having to work within both traditional and western political structures.

Meteria Turei is attending this week's Commonwealth Parliamentarians Association workshop on gender equality in the Pacific region.

She says as in the Maori community, many of the visiting MPs must balance the expectations of their tribal communities with their responsibilities as parliamentarians.

Ms Turei says it is a responsibility few Pakeha MP's have to deal with.

“There’s a whole other leadership structure that they have to engage with, based on completely different principles in the Westminster Parliament. You’ve got to be too different kinds of people in some ways to deal with both structures, and that’s something Pakeha MPs just don't understand,” Meteria Turei said.

NGAPUHI ASSESSES KINGITANGA RELATIONSHIP

Northland iwi Ngapuhi is reassessing its relationship with Kingitanga.

Kaikohe kaumatua Judah Hei Hei is organising a hui in the town on Friday to discuss how Maoridom's largest tribe should respond to the new Maori king, Tuheitia.

Mr Hei Hei says issues which need clearing up include deciding who should speak for Ngapuhi at the hui Tuwharetoa is calling at Pukawa next month to discuss new structures for Maoridom.

He says the relationship between Ngapuhi and the Kingitanga has changed over the generations.

“The attitude of Ngapuhi towards Kingitanga is totally different to that of yesterday. They now have a lot more understanding of tikanga and respect towards it,” Hei Hei said.

The hui will be held at the offices of Te Runanga O Ngapuhi at 10am.

WATER RIGHTS REVIEW SPARKS PRIVATISATION CONCERN

A Wellington group is raising the alarm over a a government review of water rights.

The Takutai Moana Poneke Collective is holding a hui at the Wellington central Library tonight at which lawyer Moana Jackson will discuss the implications of what's known as the Sustainable Water Programme of Action.

Hui supporter Meteria Turei, the Green's Maori affairs spokesperson, says the review could lead to privatisation of water rights.

Ms Turia says the Resource Management Act provides for Maori input into the decision making process over water use, but it never seems to happen.

“Section 33 which enables a council to delegate a decision to iwi authority, which has never been used, will again get ignored. Councils do it with other organizations around water, and this is a classic opportunity to enable Maori decision making, but I can almost guarantee it won’t happen,” Turei said.

Meteria Turei She says the Sustainable Water Programme of Action ignores the cultural connection Maori have with the resource.

WOMEN’S BUSINESS ZEAL INSPIRATIONAL

Prime Minister Helen Clark says the enthusiasm with which Maori women are embracing business should be an inspiration for all.

The number of Maori women running their own businesses increased 46 percent over the past decade, according to the Ministry of Womens Affairs.

Ms Clark says it is the result of a lot of hard work over the years by organisations such as Dame Georgina Kirby's Maori Women's Development Incorporation, which offers loans and mentoring for Maori women.

The entrepreneurial nature of Maori as measured by international research is also a factor.

“Maori women I understand come out as the most entrepreneurial group in the world. I think it’s just so fantastic, so exciting, and to see Maori women coming out of unemployment not only into jobs but into setting up their own businesses is just inspirational,” Clark said.

HAURAKI GETS FAMILY START

An initiative aiming to improve the health of tamariki within the Hauraki District Council boundaries, could be extended through the wider Hauraki rohe.

Waihi-based Te Korowai o Hauora this week became a provider of the Family Start programme.

Chairperson Harry Mikaere says the contract will be managed in conjunction with the Hauraki Maori Trust Board, and will allow better co-ordination among government and private agencies working with at risk families.

“This is focused on the young mothers who are at a high level of risk, The project fits nicely too with Hauraki Trust Board and Te Korowai o Hauora and fits nicely with the nation building strategy the board is developing right this moment,” Mikaere said.

Harry Mikaere says if the three-year contract proves successful, Family Start will be introduced in the rest of the Hauraki region.

Settlement right for Te Arawa

The Prime Minister says critics of the Te Arawa settlement are out of step with a national desire to wrap up the claims process.

Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell says Nga Kaihautu o Te Arawa executive council, the body recognised by Government to settle the iwi's claims, represents just 55 percent of claimants.

Lawyer Donna Hall. whose Ngati Rangiteorere iwi went to the High Court to be allowed to withdraw from Nga Kaihautu, says it represents even fewer than that.

But Helen Clark says the settlement is the right thing to do.

“Somewhat unfortunate that their local member of Parliament isn’t supporting it, and I understand that got some quite adverse comment, but I feel there’s huge traction now with the treaty settlement process. I think throughout the country people say ‘Let’s get on with it, let’s not go for another generation when we haven't settled,” Helen Clark said.

WAITANGI PLACE FOR BRASH

The head of the Waitangi Day organising committee says National Party leader Don Brash should come to the Bay of Islands next February to explain his stance on Maori issues.
Pita Paraone from Ngati Hine, who is also a New Zealand First MP, says any aspiring prime minister should be prepared to respect the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in Maori society.

He says Dr Brash's comments on Maori ethnicity are at odds with that.

Mr Paraone says Maori are always ready to listen and debate, and Waitangi Day is a good time to do that.

“People are always welcome to come and I think that welcome will still be extended to Dr Brash and people who make those sorts of comments because that’s an opportunity for them to face the people and justify their comment,” Paraone said.

Pita Paraone says it's sad that Dr Brash's increased support in the polls seems linked to his Maori bashing.

ORGAN CONSULTATION BEST BEFORE DEATH

A Counties Manukau Maori health worker says Maori wanting to donate their organs should make sure their whanau understand the process

Phil Heremaia says many Maori say they will be donors, but whanau veto the decision after their death.

He says people should talk with their whanau before it is too late.

“More likely for them to accept that you are going to be a donor if you sat down and said ‘Hey, this is what it’s about, this is what I want to do, carry out my wishes,’ and normally, hey, we do, but where do you define whanau, you’ve got your wife, your children, but what about uncle, brother, do they step in and say no, what happens there,” Heremaia said.

Heremaia is planning a three year national hikoi to educate Maori on organ donation.

HIV RISK FOR MAORI WOMEN

Heterosexual Maori women are at greater risk of being infected by the HIV virus than any other group.

Nigel Dickson, the head of the AIDS Epidemiology Group at the Otago University School of Medicine in Dunedin, says the most recent survey of HIV cases shows 69 people contracted the disease in the past six months in New Zealand through heterosexual transmission.

44 were women, including 20 Pakeha and 10 Maori.

Doctor Dickson says that means Maori women were over represented, as a percentage of the population.

“If you look at the population as a whole of women aged 15 to 45, there are four times as many European women as Maori but it does suggest Maori women are being over-represented in these statistics. The numbers are small, could be a chance finding, but it does perhaps provide a warning that Maori women are at greater risk of HIV,” Dickson said.

BRASH CLAIMS RIGHTLY OFFENSIVE

Prime Minister Helen Clark says Maori have a right to be offended by Don Brash's questioning whether Maori were still a distinct indigenous group.

Ms Clark says far from being a display of political naivity, the National Party leader is mounting a deliberate campaign to win support from those who belive Maori are in a privileged position.

“It's a statement of the obvious to say that there is no person in New Zealand who only has Maori ancestry. We all know that. But to leap from that to saying that that means Maori are not a genuine indigenous people I find quite offensive myself, and I don’t have a drop of Maori ancestry. It’s like denying an entire people’s culture and ancestry. This cannot be,” Clark said.

KAWERAU RANGITAHI GET BLUE LIGHT FOR GREAT OUTDOORS

Like many other small rural communities, Kawerau has issues with rangatahi abusing alcohol and drugs.

But the community tried to do something about it by running blue light events which show young people alternatives to the drug lifestyle.

Blue Light coordinator Wes Hall says many young Maori who live in and around Kawerau, haven't experienced the outdoor pursuits the region offers.

“The blue light team here in the last 12 months has run 62 events. The abseiling, the rock climbing, getting out in there and doing things, to show the kids there is more to life than just ... the drugs.,” Hall said.

Wes Hall says as well as outdoor events, Kawerau Blue Light is staging a whanau extravaganza this month featuring local bands and fronted by Lotto presenter Russell Harrison.



League looks at making a difference

Maori Women's Welfare League president Linda Grenell says the league can play a valuable role tackling community violence.

The league wrapped up its annual conference at Ngaruawahia over the weekend, with more than 100 delegates sharing stories, watching cultural performances and hearing from a range of politicians.

Ms Grenell says increased levels of domestic violence are in part caused by the break down of wider family networks in many low income communities.

"There's lots of pockets of those areas, and they don’t have an extension of the family to support them, so they do get into those violent situations ad it’s very difficult to get out of them, because in many cases there’s nowhere else for them to go to,” Grenell said.

Linda Grenell says it's the sort of problem the league was set up to tackle, and it still has the networks and resources to make a difference.

MAORI BUSINESS IS WOMEN’S BUSINESS

Former business studies lecturer Ella Henare says a huge increase in the number of Maori women in business is changing the face of Maoridom.

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs says the number of Maori women in business increased 46 percent in the ten years to 2004, while their unemployment rate fell 10 points to 9 percent.

Ms Henry says women have been at the forefront of change within Maori communities, establishing kohanga reo and kura kaupapa Maori for their children.

She says many get into business out of necessity, and sign up for classes to improve the prospects of success for them and their whanau.

“The majority of students in the classroom are mature aged Maori women with a wealth of lifetime experience but limited business acumen. Now, you combine that thrust for necessity entrepreneurship with an increased level of training and skills, and what you have is a potent force for economic change,” Henry said.

Ella Henry says women are also becoming an increasing force in tribal politics through their involvement in trust boards and runanga.

BRO’TOWN NO FUN FOR ACADEMIC

Auckland University's director of Pacific studies says while Maori programming puts the culture in a positive light, Pacific peoples have to put up with the negative stereotypes of Bro Town.

Melani Anae says the TV3 cartoon series reinforces negative stereotypes of Pacific peoples, while true reflections of Pacific culture like TV One's Tangata Pacifika are denied a place in prime time.

Dr Anae says she wants the same positive programming Maori get.

“If you look at how Maori started, their programmes that became mainstreamed where ones that dealt with te reo, language, culture, Te Karere, all those programmes, then it eased into other genre, but with Pacific, it’s just bang, straight into Bro'Town,” Anae said.

Dr Melani Anae says Bro'Town promotes racism in classrooms, work environment and social areas.

LEAGUE TRAINING GROUND FOR WOMEN

The president of the Maori Women's Welfare League says the 50 year old organisation still provides a valuable training ground for young women.

The league held its annual conference at Turangawaewae over the weekend, with many young faces among the long serving kuia who remain loyal members.

Linda Grenell says it still attracts women who want to contribute to the health and welfare of their communities.

Ms Grenell says there is competition for members.

“A lot of women are going into sports areas, a lot of women are going into kappa haka. But the ones that want to come through and learn how an infrastructure such as the league works, and then they can go on and do training in terms of public speaking and then get supported into local government or regional government, those sorts of environments, I think the league can be quite supportive for young women,” Grenell said.

Linda Grenell says the league may have a low profile because many league members avoid the limelight.

LONA SHARK SOLUTION IN GOVERNMENT HANDS

A South Auckland lawyer says the government could shut down unscrupulous loan sharks overnight, if Kiwibank loans were available to beneficiaries with bad credit ratings.

Catriona MacLennan says too many Maori and Polynesian people end up being hit by exorbitant interest rates charged by finance companies because they take out loans for crises like tangihanga or transporting relatives to hospital.

Ms MacLennan says most are unaware of the huge penalties charged if they miss payments.

She says loan companies are targeting their advertising at an increasingly vulnerable sector of society.

“It's an explosion in the number of ads targeted at low income people saying bad credit rating, beneficiary, can’t get a loan from anyone else, don’t worry,
we’ll give you the money. What the government should do is look at providing loans at reasonable rates through Kiwibank to low income people, because that would put these rip-off finance companies out of business almost overnight,” MacLennan said.

SHARE A TABLE WITH WASSIE

Television often seems like a young person's game, but Maori Television will tonight look at current affairs from a kaumatua perspective.

It is debuting a new series Te Tepu, hosted by veteran broadcaster, Waihoroi Shortland.

He says while nightly news bulletin Te Kaea and weekly show Te Heteri cover current events, the older generation are seldom canvassed for their views on events in the Maori world.

Te Tepu will invite guests to comment in te reo Maori on the news of the day.

“We don't have too many forums in which the reo becomes the main carrier of our opinions, and it may be the thing that attracts the masses, the English, but the reo deserves its own place,” Shortland said.

Waihoroi Shortland says Te Tepu will carry subtitles, for the non-Maori speakers in the audience

Te Arawa settlement chance of lifetime

Nga Kaihautu o Te Arawa chairperson Eru George says the iwi accepted the $36 million settlement on offer so kaumatua would get a chance to see it in their lifetime.

Mr George says there were calls to hold off the settlement for at least another year, but the signing went ahead in Rotorua on Saturday.

He says concern for elders played a big part.

“Having a person like Andery Rangiheua sitting round a table saying that he wants to see a settlement in his lifetime, that was the determination that moved us on. The team we had working with us the management, the negotiators, and of course the executive council, got to be praised for their determination in moving on, getting out of that grievance mode,” George said.

Eru George says what is being returned, including 50,000 hectares of forestry land, is only a small part of what Te Arawa lost.

ETHNIC SLURS A GRAB FOR HEADLINES

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says Don Brash's comments on ethnic identity are a deliberate grab for headlines.

The National Party leader has come under fire for saying that intermarriage meant Maori were no longer a distinctive group, as they would have been when the treaty of waitangi was signed in 1840.

Peters says either Don Brash is displaying a shallow understanding of the issue, or he is playing it up for political advantage.

“What Don Brash is sort of saying is that’s not a bad headline, I’ll grab that, but when he’s asked a second, third and fourth question what he means, he’s got no darn idea. This latest denial that Maori are an ethnic group is utterly extraordinary and you won’t find any world group looking at New Zealand who wold say that is a rational sane statement he is making,” Peters said.

Winston Peters says New Zealand First believes policies for Maori must be based on individual need.

MAORI LEAGUE PLAYERS GETTING SUPPORT IN OZ

Sports commentator Ken Laban says Australian clubs are recognising the need for support networks for young Maori players looking to make their mark in the National Rugby League.

New Zealanders might be surprised at the number of Maori players involved in second tier competitions across the Tasman.

Mr Laban says Wiremu Wepu, who is a cousin of the All Black halfback Piri Wepu, scored the winning try in yesterday's Jersey Flegg Final, while Paramatta player Marcus Perenara dropped a field goal against the Newton Jets in extra time to carry his team to victory in the final of the Premiere League.

He says clubs are setting up supportive environments for their young Maori players.

“They feel they they’re not doing the greatest job looking after some of those young boys coming into the professional environment, and many of them are taking some of the more established Maori and whanau that are over there and using them in advisor roles to set up homes and support networks for some of the boys coming over from New Zealand,” Laban said.

Ken Laban both grand finalists, Melbourne and Brisbane, have Maori on their playing rosters who will force their way into top side over the next couple of seasons.

BRAHS BASHED FOR FALSE STEREOTYPE

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says Don Brash is deliberately promoting negative stereotypes about Maori.

Dr Sharples says the National Party leader always has something bad to say about Maori.

He says Dr Brash is feeding false stereotypes, such as claiming there is a treaty gravy train.

“If you promote one line about negativity about a people, then people buy iunto that. Look at the treaty claims, how it’s been touted as a gravy train. Heavens above. Less than one percent of what the land which was confiscated was worth has been returned to the people. How can that be a gravy train,” Sharples said.

Pita Sharples says Don Brash is casting back to his divisive Orewa speech in 2004 to shore up his poll ratings.

LAW SCHOOL DOESN’T NEED QUOTA

The dean of Auckland University's law school says a preferential quota for Maori tends not to be filled, because there are so many qualified Maori candidates coming through the normal enrolment process.

National leader Don Brash referred to the process in a newspaper opinion column today, saying if there are relatively few Maori at the law school, it is because of individual choice rather than any fault of the Government.

But professor Paul Rishworth says 10 percent of the Auckland law school's 1800 full and part time students are Maori, and the 32 preferential places on offer only played a small part.

He says a career in law atttracts many Maori.

“Well obviously there’s a whole area of practice that reflects the Maori dimension of New Zealand. Law firms with practices dealing with the post settlement treaty assets and so on, and I think that’s the thing we are looking at in the law school, our own Maori dimension, It’s not a just about looking back at the pasty, it’s not a grievance sort of things, it’s also about structures for the future,” Rishworth said.

Paul Rishworth says the law school needs to attract Maori and Pacific Island students so the legal profession reflects society as a whole.

CROWN RELATIONSHIP CAUSE FOR PRIDE

The head of Te Arawa's Nga Kaihautu tribal executive, Eru George, says the tribe is proud of its history, including its links with the Crown.

A $36 million treaty settlement with about 60 percent of the Bay of Plenty confederation has drawn fire from Te Rarawa treaty claim negotiator Haami Piripi, who says Te Arawa got a more generous settlement offer than his Kaitaia-based iwi because of its historical friendliness to the Crown.

Mr George says it's true Te Arawa fought on the Crown's side during the land wars, but the people were making the best decisions they could in the circumstances.

“For us as far as far as Te Arawa is concerned, maybe some of our people did wirk with the Crown, they did. It would have been in duress in some cases also, the fear of losing their land if they didn’t participate, and I guess it’s unfair for him to make a general statement like that,” George said.

Eru George says Te Arawa is getting back just a fraction of the land it lost due to colonisation.

Te Arawa settlement chance of lifetime

Nga Kaihautu o Te Arawa chairperson Eru George says the iwi accepted the $36 million settlement on offer so kaumatua would get a chance to see it in their lifetime.

Mr George says there were calls to hold off the settlement for at least another year, but the signing went ahead in Rotorua on Saturday.

He says concern for elders played a big part.

“Having a person like Andery Rangiheua sitting round a table saying that he wants to see a settlement in his lifetime, that was the determination that moved us on. The team we had working with us the management, the negotiators, and of course the executive council, got to be praised for their determination in moving on, getting out of that grievance mode,” George said.

Eru George says what is being returned, including 50,000 hectares of forestry land, is only a small part of what Te Arawa lost.

ETHNIC SLURS A GRAB FOR HEADLINES

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says Don Brash's comments on ethnic identity are a deliberate grab for headlines.

The National Party leader has come under fire for saying that intermarriage meant Maori were no longer a distinctive group, as they would have been when the treaty of waitangi was signed in 1840.

Peters says either Don Brash is displaying a shallow understanding of the issue, or he is playing it up for political advantage.

“What Don Brash is sort of saying is that’s not a bad headline, I’ll grab that, but when he’s asked a second, third and fourth question what he means, he’s got no darn idea. This latest denial that Maori are an ethnic group is utterly extraordinary and you won’t find any world group looking at New Zealand who wold say that is a rational sane statement he is making,” Peters said.

Winston Peters says New Zealand First believes policies for Maori must be based on individual need.

MAORI LEAGUE PLAYERS GETTING SUPPORT IN OZ

Sports commentator Ken Laban says Australian clubs are recognising the need for support networks for young Maori players looking to make their mark in the National Rugby League.

New Zealanders might be surprised at the number of Maori players involved in second tier competitions across the Tasman.

Mr Laban says Wiremu Wepu, who is a cousin of the All Black halfback Piri Wepu, scored the winning try in yesterday's Jersey Flegg Final, while Paramatta player Marcus Perenara dropped a field goal against the Newton Jets in extra time to carry his team to victory in the final of the Premiere League.

He says clubs are setting up supportive environments for their young Maori players.

“They feel they they’re not doing the greatest job looking after some of those young boys coming into the professional environment, and many of them are taking some of the more established Maori and whanau that are over there and using them in advisor roles to set up homes and support networks for some of the boys coming over from New Zealand,” Laban said.

Ken Laban both grand finalists, Melbourne and Brisbane, have Maori on their playing rosters who will force their way into top side over the next couple of seasons.

BRAHS BASHED FOR FALSE STEREOTYPE

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says Don Brash is deliberately promoting negative stereotypes about Maori.

Dr Sharples says the National Party leader always has something bad to say about Maori.

He says Dr Brash is feeding false stereotypes, such as claiming there is a treaty gravy train.

“If you promote one line about negativity about a people, then people buy iunto that. Look at the treaty claims, how it’s been touted as a gravy train. Heavens above. Less than one percent of what the land which was confiscated was worth has been returned to the people. How can that be a gravy train,” Sharples said.

Pita Sharples says Don Brash is casting back to his divisive Orewa speech in 2004 to shore up his poll ratings.

LAW SCHOOL DOESN’T NEED QUOTA

The dean of Auckland University's law school says a preferential quota for Maori tends not to be filled, because there are so many qualified Maori candidates coming through the normal enrolment process.

National leader Don Brash referred to the process in a newspaper opinion column today, saying if there are relatively few Maori at the law school, it is because of individual choice rather than any fault of the Government.

But professor Paul Rishworth says 10 percent of the Auckland law school's 1800 full and part time students are Maori, and the 32 preferential places on offer only played a small part.

He says a career in law atttracts many Maori.

“Well obviously there’s a whole area of practice that reflects the Maori dimension of New Zealand. Law firms with practices dealing with the post settlement treaty assets and so on, and I think that’s the thing we are looking at in the law school, our own Maori dimension, It’s not a just about looking back at the pasty, it’s not a grievance sort of things, it’s also about structures for the future,” Rishworth said.

Paul Rishworth says the law school needs to attract Maori and Pacific Island students so the legal profession reflects society as a whole.

CROWN RELATIONSHIP CAUSE FOR PRIDE

The head of Te Arawa's Nga Kaihautu tribal executive, Eru George, says the tribe is proud of its history, including its links with the Crown.

A $36 million treaty settlement with about 60 percent of the Bay of Plenty confederation has drawn fire from Te Rarawa treaty claim negotiator Haami Piripi, who says Te Arawa got a more generous settlement offer than his Kaitaia-based iwi because of its historical friendliness to the Crown.

Mr George says it's true Te Arawa fought on the Crown's side during the land wars, but the people were making the best decisions they could in the circumstances.

“For us as far as far as Te Arawa is concerned, maybe some of our people did wirk with the Crown, they did. It would have been in duress in some cases also, the fear of losing their land if they didn’t participate, and I guess it’s unfair for him to make a general statement like that,” George said.

Eru George says Te Arawa is getting back just a fraction of the land it lost due to colonisation.

Smith vision misses vital step

The co leader of the Maori party says Mike Smith must think he's a political seer, with his predictions of the demise of the Maori party.

Last week the activist, who gained notoriety by chainsawed the pine tree on Auckland’s Maungakiekie or One Tree Hill, said Maori voters will soon turn away when they see the Maori Party can't deliver.

Tariana Turia says Mr Smith is overlooking the effect the Maori party is having outside the Parliament.

“I'm not a matakite, and obviously Mike Smith thinks he is. I think there is a huge change taking place in this country, and I think people like Mike Smith should realise it’s not only the change in Parliament that we are looking for.

We are looking for changes in attitude right through this country, and if that’s all we do, we will have done a good job,” Turia said.

MAORI COT DEATH DRAGS NZ FIGURE

High rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome among Maori have pushed New Zealand near the bottom of the table for infant deaths in developed countries.

Pat Tuohy, the Health Ministry's chief adviser on child health, says a new Commonwealth Fund study found our cot death rates are high compared to European countries, Scandinavia, America and Australia.

But Dr Tuohy says the study didn't take into account ethnic background.

“In NZ our cot death or SIDS rates are higher than most of the other countries that we compare ourselves with. However, if you break it up by ethnicity, you will find that the rates among European and Asian families are quite low and the rates among Pacific families are somewhere in the middle and the rates among Maori families are higher,” Tuohy said.

In 2003 some 42 Maori babies died of sudden infant death syndrome, compared with 14 Pakeha babies.

LIGHT SHINES THROUGH TUTUKUKU

A Massey University masters student is using fibre optic technology to update a traditional Maori art form.

Kura Puke of Te Atiawa has received a $10 thousand Massey fellowship towards her project Muramura, which uses optic fibre illuminated by light-emitting diodes to create tukutuku panels.

Ms Puke says the panels can be sychronised to work together.

“These panels can be shown as individual pieces or they can be shown in an installation such as a wharenui. There is a dialogue between them, in that they create a space between them. Or these panels can all come together and make one very large work,” Puke said.

Kura Puke is using customary patterns such as patikitiki and purapurawhetu in her illuminated tukutuku panels.

ARAWA SETTLEMENT DIVIDES IWI

The MP for Waiariki, Te Ururoa Flavell says the deal announced between the crown and a group representing Te Arawa will result in haves and have nots within the Arawa community.

He says a number of tribes who had already presented their cases to the Waitangi Tribunal were left out of the deal, as the government prioritised cases involving large natural groupings.

He says while the settlement with Nga Kaihautu O Te Arawa, is costing the Crown $36 million, but could be worth a lot more to the tribe.

Mr Flavell says that will impact 60 percent of the iwi, but leaves a sizeable number yet to have their cases resolved.

Te Ururoa Flavell says he wants to know what mechanisms the government has in place to resolve the rest of the Te Arawa claims.

ARMY MARK TOO HIGH FOR MAORI TEENS

If they're fit enough to play league or rugby, they can join the army.

That's the thought of Ron Mark, the Defence spokesperson for New Zealand First.

The former career soldier says entry criteria for the military, should be relaxed to allow young Maori and Polynesian men, who didn't do well at school, a chance to learn skills in the structured environment the military provides.

Mr Mark says he sees too many aimless young men missing out on that chance because of low grades.

Ron Mark says the army should reevaluate its entry criteria.

OLD TROUPERS BACK ON STAGE

Some of the most respected Maori musicians from the old days are busy rehearsing a new show for Maori Television

The bandleader, steel guitarist Ben Tawhiti, has put together a group including saxophonists Marsh Cook and Joe Haami, Buddy Wilson on guitar, who will back a range of singers.

The band goes by the name Nga Kaumatua.

Mr Tawhiti says the TV series, Maumahara, will hark back to the places and sounds many older Maori still remember fondly, such as the Auckland Maori Community Centre.

The series will also include interviews with elders like Ranginui Walker, Doc Wikiriwhi and Kingi Taurua about the experience of moving to the city in the 1950s and 60's.