Landcorp land for settlements
Landcorp chairperson Jim Sutton says he's working on the basis the state owned farming company's land is available for treaty settlements.
Treaty Negotiations Minister Mark Burdon said this week Landcorp property is generally not available for use in settlements, because the Crown prefers to use other assets first.
Mr Sutton, a former Labour cabinet minister, says the company is selling off land that doesn't fit its strategic business, including coastal properties in Northland and Whitianga which have been sought by treaty claimants.
He says it first offered the land to the Office of Treaty Settlements before calling for public tenders.
“We always regard our land as a resource available to the Crown for treaty settlements, but of course the other side of it is if it’s not required for treaty settlements, we should get on and deal with it in a business-like way. We were told it wasn't needed,” Mr Sutton says.
He says the Office of Treaty Settlements may have made a mistake of judgment, and Landcorp won't rush to dispose of the land.
NGAPUHI CONSIDERS PRISON VISIT STRATEGY
Ngapuhi elders are discussing ways to improve the cultural services provided to Maori inmates in the Northland Regional Prison at Ngawha.
Ngapuhi Design Group chair Rudy Taylor says the wider iwi is reviewing the role of the Ngati Rangi Society, which has a contract with the Corrections Department to develop programmes.
Mr Taylor says Ngapuhi considers it important for prisoners' rehabilitation that they can reconnect with their whanau and iwi, but the current system isn't working.
“When we first went on board with this idea, it was to reach out to a lot of the extended whanau and kaumatua and kuia, but it stayed in the circle of Ngati Rangi. They’ve now gone and out to extend that relationship, knowing they need the wider grouping,” Mr Taylor says.
There will be a hui on the issue tomorrow at Paparore Marae near Kaitaia, to be followed by hui at Whangarei and Ngawha.
EXPLOSIVE START TO KAPA HAKA
The earlybirds are gathering at the Te Matatini, the national kapa haka festival being held in Palmerston North.
Waatea news reporter, Amomai Pihama is performing with Nga Tumanako, one of the new groups at the nationals.
She says there are a lot of anxious performers waiting to get on stage and perform the 20 minute routines they've worked out over the past few months.
The top teams are on show early, and people are already lining up to make sure they don't miss seeing some of the best in the business.
“It's quite an explosive start to the competition, starting off with Te Waka Huia, tutored by Bub and Nan Wehi, they’re definitely ones to watch out for. Straight after them are Waihirere, they’re former champs as well, and then after them is Te Whanau a Apanui, who’re he current national champs. They’re on one after another starting at 9.30 this morning,” Ms Pihama says.
LAND BANKS NOT BEST LAND
National's treaty spokesperson says the Government could end up with land banked for treaty settlements which claimants don't want.
Chris Finlayson says protests by claimants in the far north and Hauraki against the sale of Landcorp properties shows how the government's treaty policy is falling apart.
The sales were approved by the Office of Treaty Settlements, and treaty negotiations Minister Mark Burton told Parliament Landcorp property is generally not available for use in settlements where the Crown has other properties available.
Mr Finlayson says that raises an important question.
“Are those properties appropriate or acceptable to the Treaty partner? And a quarter of an acre in Thames or a quarter of an acre in Te Aroha may be a property that is available, but the essential question is does Hauraki want it? Is it a property that is going to be of use to them,” Mr Finlayson says.
He says Labour is under-funding the treaty process, and the minister seems incapable of the sort of deal-making needed to get settlements.
MAORI FERTILITY SERVICE MOOTED
A Maori health researcher says there could be a case for a Maori fertility service.
Marewa Glover has done a study of Maori attitudes to assisted reproduction.
She says while there is no consensus about the how Maori want such services delivered, they do say that existing services make no provision for tikanga Maori and can make couples feel whakamaa or culturally uncomfortable.
Dr Glover says the answer could be a separate service.
“Wouldn't rule out the establishment of a a Maori fertility service and I think there is, as I’ve said in my report, fertile ground for Maori involvement at all levels, partnering with fertility services, to get the information out to Maori to help understand what's available,” Dr Glover says.
CHURCHILL CUP PREPARATIONS ON TRACK
Maori rugby coach Donny Stevenson says preparations for his team's bid to retain the Churchill Cup in England in May are on track.
Stevenson will attend a number of fixtures involving Maori players over the next few weeks and keep a close eye on the Super 14 to see how team members are shaping up.
He says as the defending champion there will be a lot of pressure, and his players will have to adapt fast to English conditions.
“Canada suited our type of game. The grounds were pretty hard and fast. We’re not expecting grounds to be quite so hard in England so that’ll be a little bit of a challenge for us but we hope we’ll still be able to play our normal style of rugby and that’s plenty of attack and plenty of flair so yes, we’re looking forward to that challenge,” Stevenson says.
Treaty Negotiations Minister Mark Burdon said this week Landcorp property is generally not available for use in settlements, because the Crown prefers to use other assets first.
Mr Sutton, a former Labour cabinet minister, says the company is selling off land that doesn't fit its strategic business, including coastal properties in Northland and Whitianga which have been sought by treaty claimants.
He says it first offered the land to the Office of Treaty Settlements before calling for public tenders.
“We always regard our land as a resource available to the Crown for treaty settlements, but of course the other side of it is if it’s not required for treaty settlements, we should get on and deal with it in a business-like way. We were told it wasn't needed,” Mr Sutton says.
He says the Office of Treaty Settlements may have made a mistake of judgment, and Landcorp won't rush to dispose of the land.
NGAPUHI CONSIDERS PRISON VISIT STRATEGY
Ngapuhi elders are discussing ways to improve the cultural services provided to Maori inmates in the Northland Regional Prison at Ngawha.
Ngapuhi Design Group chair Rudy Taylor says the wider iwi is reviewing the role of the Ngati Rangi Society, which has a contract with the Corrections Department to develop programmes.
Mr Taylor says Ngapuhi considers it important for prisoners' rehabilitation that they can reconnect with their whanau and iwi, but the current system isn't working.
“When we first went on board with this idea, it was to reach out to a lot of the extended whanau and kaumatua and kuia, but it stayed in the circle of Ngati Rangi. They’ve now gone and out to extend that relationship, knowing they need the wider grouping,” Mr Taylor says.
There will be a hui on the issue tomorrow at Paparore Marae near Kaitaia, to be followed by hui at Whangarei and Ngawha.
EXPLOSIVE START TO KAPA HAKA
The earlybirds are gathering at the Te Matatini, the national kapa haka festival being held in Palmerston North.
Waatea news reporter, Amomai Pihama is performing with Nga Tumanako, one of the new groups at the nationals.
She says there are a lot of anxious performers waiting to get on stage and perform the 20 minute routines they've worked out over the past few months.
The top teams are on show early, and people are already lining up to make sure they don't miss seeing some of the best in the business.
“It's quite an explosive start to the competition, starting off with Te Waka Huia, tutored by Bub and Nan Wehi, they’re definitely ones to watch out for. Straight after them are Waihirere, they’re former champs as well, and then after them is Te Whanau a Apanui, who’re he current national champs. They’re on one after another starting at 9.30 this morning,” Ms Pihama says.
LAND BANKS NOT BEST LAND
National's treaty spokesperson says the Government could end up with land banked for treaty settlements which claimants don't want.
Chris Finlayson says protests by claimants in the far north and Hauraki against the sale of Landcorp properties shows how the government's treaty policy is falling apart.
The sales were approved by the Office of Treaty Settlements, and treaty negotiations Minister Mark Burton told Parliament Landcorp property is generally not available for use in settlements where the Crown has other properties available.
Mr Finlayson says that raises an important question.
“Are those properties appropriate or acceptable to the Treaty partner? And a quarter of an acre in Thames or a quarter of an acre in Te Aroha may be a property that is available, but the essential question is does Hauraki want it? Is it a property that is going to be of use to them,” Mr Finlayson says.
He says Labour is under-funding the treaty process, and the minister seems incapable of the sort of deal-making needed to get settlements.
MAORI FERTILITY SERVICE MOOTED
A Maori health researcher says there could be a case for a Maori fertility service.
Marewa Glover has done a study of Maori attitudes to assisted reproduction.
She says while there is no consensus about the how Maori want such services delivered, they do say that existing services make no provision for tikanga Maori and can make couples feel whakamaa or culturally uncomfortable.
Dr Glover says the answer could be a separate service.
“Wouldn't rule out the establishment of a a Maori fertility service and I think there is, as I’ve said in my report, fertile ground for Maori involvement at all levels, partnering with fertility services, to get the information out to Maori to help understand what's available,” Dr Glover says.
CHURCHILL CUP PREPARATIONS ON TRACK
Maori rugby coach Donny Stevenson says preparations for his team's bid to retain the Churchill Cup in England in May are on track.
Stevenson will attend a number of fixtures involving Maori players over the next few weeks and keep a close eye on the Super 14 to see how team members are shaping up.
He says as the defending champion there will be a lot of pressure, and his players will have to adapt fast to English conditions.
“Canada suited our type of game. The grounds were pretty hard and fast. We’re not expecting grounds to be quite so hard in England so that’ll be a little bit of a challenge for us but we hope we’ll still be able to play our normal style of rugby and that’s plenty of attack and plenty of flair so yes, we’re looking forward to that challenge,” Stevenson says.
posted by Adam | 12:32 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home