Labour holding head high at Ratana

The Prime Minister says Labour can hold its head up high at Ratana Pa each year because its policies have delivered real benefits for Maori.

National and the Maori Party used their appearances at the pa yesterday to fire shots at the government, with National's John Key saying Maori should be wary about Labour's claims of Maori economic advancement, and Tariana Turia saying Maori deserved to be given more of the credit for their improved fortunes.

Helen Clark says the evidence is there from the census that Maori incomes have risen faster than average during the term of her government, and other indicators are positive.

“You can go back with your head held really high and say we’re proud to have worked with you to get these results. Now we’ve got the number of the rangatahi coming through the school system with qualifications way up, Maori in trade training, Maori in university. This is the basis fort the future and it's fantastic,” Ms Clark says.

She says the appearance of a National Party leader at Ratana is still a novelty which gives rise to more confusion than clarity.

GRANDPARENTS OVERLOOKED IN CHILDCARE PICTURE

A Maori health researcher says Maori grandparents raising their mokopuna are an overlooked sector of society.

Cheryl Smith from Wanganui was won a grant to spend three years studying the health needs of such grandparents.

She says they are often called in to help children who are going through a traumatic period.

Dr Smith says health statistics don't indicate how many Maori grandparents are affected and what support they need.

“When I began to talk to pediatricians, health workers, people working with children especially, I realized there’s quite an increase in grandparents taking over the fulltime care of mokopuna, and I’m really interested in looking at the health of those grandparents, because they’re an important safety net for us as whanau,” Dr Smith says.

She says grandparents need to learn how to look after childhood ailments, as well as worrying about their own health.

SOLOMON WANTS CONFISCATIONS FOR POUNAMU POACHERS

Ngai Tahu chairperson Mark Solomon says he's disappointed the court refused to let the Crown seize a helicopter used to transport stolen pounamu.

Central Otago helicopter pilot Harvey Hutton was last week jailed for 18 months and ordered to pay 300 thousand dollars reparations for stealing up to $1.6 million of Ngai Tahu-owned greenstone, but turned down an applicaiton for forfeiture under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Hutton was prosecuted as a result of evidence gathered by a private investigator hired by Ngai Tahu.

Mr Solomon says there is a substantial black market in pounamu, and the South Island tribe wants illegal miners to understand the risks.

“That's the law isn’t it? If you’re caught black marketing paua, you run the risk of having your boat, your trailer, your vehicle confiscated. And we were hoping the same signal would be sent by the courts in regards black marketing of pounamu,” Mr Solomon says.

He says Ngai Tahu will keep using private investigators to monitor the industry.

TURIA ENDORSING KEY APPEARANCE

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has given National's new leader the thumbs up for his Ratana appearance.

Mrs Turia says he appeared to win favour from the morehu who had listened to his speech, and he scored points for mixing informally with the crowds, including taking part in a game of volleyball with local rangatahi.

She says it was a down to earth outing.

“They liked his message. He’s been the only politician since I’ve been in Parliament who’s been prepared to say that New Zealanders should acknowledge the tangata whenua and their special place in society, and they lose nothing by it,” Mrs Turia says.

She felt Mr Key's comments at Ratana were genuine.

NGAI TAHU TRIMMING FOREST HOLDINGS

Ngai Tahu Properties has called for bids for nine forest blocks in North Canterbury.

Manager Tony Sewell says the 16 thousand hectares are leased to a Rayonier joint venture, and return about three quarters of a million dollars a year in licence fees.

Mr Sewell says Ngai Tahu wants the money for other investments, and forest land is not a good performer compared with other opportunities now available.

“We've got a portfolio of $300 million of property assets, and as the assets mature we sell them and buy other assets we can buy and add value to and that’s what happens when you manage a portfolio,” Mr Sewell says.

Ngai Tahu expects to do well out of its investment, given the price it paid the Crown for the blocks.

Bids close on March the 23rd.

WAKA FOR WOMEN NEARS COMPLETION

Northland waka builder Hekenukumai Busby is getting ready to launch a canoe built especially for women.

Hinemoa will be launched in front of Te Tii Marae on February the fifth as part of the Waitangi commemorations.

Mr Busby has been building the 12 seater waka during the past month, and says it will be completed by the end of this week.

He says while old tikanga featuring prevents women from crewing on war canoes, Hinemoa it will create new tikanga.

“We can't actually put them on waka taua, but we’ve decided to change to a waka tetekura which allows the wahine to paddle without breaking the laws of our waka taua,” Mr Busby says.

Hinemoana is the 22nd waka Mr Busby has been involved in creating.