Seat result spells Maori Party rejection
Labour list MP Shane Jones says disillusionment with the Maori Party is a big reason there will not be another Maori seat.
While the number of North Island seats will increase by one, not enough voters switched to the Maori roll in last year's Maori electoral option to create another seat.
Mr Jones, who predicted the result, says while an increase in the South Island population was one factor, dissatisfaction by Maori voters with the Maori Party leadership was also important.
“They are basically saying ‘Right, we are going to get a better mix of representation and will have more trustworthiness by turning our backs on the leadership of the Maori Party,’ and I really feel based on the anecdotal information referred to me, that as the reason so few people elected to go on the Maori roll this time,” Mr Jones says.
The average size of a general seat next election will be just over 57 thousand people, while Maori MPs will represent 59 and a half thousand people.
WAITANGI READY FOR ANY EVENTUALITY
Organisers of next week's events at Waitangi are satisfied with security measures they've put in place and are not expecting trouble next Tuesday.
Spokesperson Pita Paraone says they have an obligation to ensure the safety of dignitaries visiting the Treaty Grounds, including the Prime Minister and the Governor General.
He says there are no plans for added security, as they expect behaviour will be as peaceful as last year.
“The Tino Rangatira group coming over the Waitangi on the day but we’re not expecting untoward action, but if there is, we certainly have the capabilities of ensuring the safety of those who come to Waitangi,” Mr Paraone says.
WAKA ON WAY TO AMERICA’S CUP
Waka builder Hekenukumai Busby says sending a war canoe to support New Zealand's Americas Cup campaign in Spain will lift the Maori profile overseas.
Mr Busby says Te Ika aa Maui made its international debut in San Francisco in 2005 to mark the start of the Toi Maori art exhibition.
He says thousands of Americans learned about Maori from that exercise, and he expects a similar result at Valencia.
“It's promoting us as a race, you know, show them the seamanship of out tupuna who sailed the Pacific in the early days,” Mr Busby says.
Te Ika aa Maui will participate in a number of events during the America's Cup regatta.
PYLON PLAN COULD SPARK PROTEST
Waikato Maori landowners may try to block Transpower workers from going on their land to build more pylons.
The Electricity Commission yesterday gave draft approval to Transpower's $800 million plan to build 430 steel towers from Whakamaru to south Auckland.
Willie Te Aho, the lawyer for Ngati Koroki Kahukura, says the decision will have major economic and environmental consequences for Maori and Pakeha landowners.
He says options include asking the Ombudsman to look at the decision, challenging it through the resource consent process, or asking the Waitangi Tribunal to step in.
“There's always the direct action, stopping people from accessing our lands. It is an option, it is an option we are going to exercise,” Mr Te Aho says.
SHARPLES DISAPPOINTED BY SEAT RESULT
Maori Party co leader Pita Sharples says he's disappointed at the failure to create another Maori seat in Parliament.
Maori Party MPs took to the road during last year's electoral option to encourage Maori voters to switch rolls.
But the chief statistician revealed today that their efforts weren't enough to counterweigh a boost in the South Island population, the other major factor used to determine electorate sizes.
Dr Sharples says the effort was still worth it.
“We certainly put in the effort, Yeah, we’re disappointed, but we’re not gutted. I mean, we’re talking abut an extra 15,000 enrolled in the whole process on the Maori roll, and we’re pretty happy with that,” Dr Sharples says.
He rejected the claim by Labour list MP Shane Jones that the failure to secure an extra seat was because of Maori dissatisfaction at the Maori Party leadership.
TREATY IRRELEVANT TO HISTORICALLY IGNORANT
Historian Paul Moon says the Treaty of Waitangi is becoming irrelevant to many New Zealanders because they are not taught history.
Dr Moon has surveyed 2000 people during the past year on their views on the treaty.
He says many people under 35 are turned off the treaty because they can't see any obvious outcomes from the settlement process.
Dr Moon says the government is encouraging indifference to the treaty.
“The intention by some governments to end, treaty claims, to say this is the deadline for claims, and some people are turning round and saying “good, now that the claims are over, there’s no more need for the treaty,” so clearly there’s a big group in New Zealand who link the Waitangi treaty with the claims process, they see the two as being the same thing,” Dr Moon says.
While the number of North Island seats will increase by one, not enough voters switched to the Maori roll in last year's Maori electoral option to create another seat.
Mr Jones, who predicted the result, says while an increase in the South Island population was one factor, dissatisfaction by Maori voters with the Maori Party leadership was also important.
“They are basically saying ‘Right, we are going to get a better mix of representation and will have more trustworthiness by turning our backs on the leadership of the Maori Party,’ and I really feel based on the anecdotal information referred to me, that as the reason so few people elected to go on the Maori roll this time,” Mr Jones says.
The average size of a general seat next election will be just over 57 thousand people, while Maori MPs will represent 59 and a half thousand people.
WAITANGI READY FOR ANY EVENTUALITY
Organisers of next week's events at Waitangi are satisfied with security measures they've put in place and are not expecting trouble next Tuesday.
Spokesperson Pita Paraone says they have an obligation to ensure the safety of dignitaries visiting the Treaty Grounds, including the Prime Minister and the Governor General.
He says there are no plans for added security, as they expect behaviour will be as peaceful as last year.
“The Tino Rangatira group coming over the Waitangi on the day but we’re not expecting untoward action, but if there is, we certainly have the capabilities of ensuring the safety of those who come to Waitangi,” Mr Paraone says.
WAKA ON WAY TO AMERICA’S CUP
Waka builder Hekenukumai Busby says sending a war canoe to support New Zealand's Americas Cup campaign in Spain will lift the Maori profile overseas.
Mr Busby says Te Ika aa Maui made its international debut in San Francisco in 2005 to mark the start of the Toi Maori art exhibition.
He says thousands of Americans learned about Maori from that exercise, and he expects a similar result at Valencia.
“It's promoting us as a race, you know, show them the seamanship of out tupuna who sailed the Pacific in the early days,” Mr Busby says.
Te Ika aa Maui will participate in a number of events during the America's Cup regatta.
PYLON PLAN COULD SPARK PROTEST
Waikato Maori landowners may try to block Transpower workers from going on their land to build more pylons.
The Electricity Commission yesterday gave draft approval to Transpower's $800 million plan to build 430 steel towers from Whakamaru to south Auckland.
Willie Te Aho, the lawyer for Ngati Koroki Kahukura, says the decision will have major economic and environmental consequences for Maori and Pakeha landowners.
He says options include asking the Ombudsman to look at the decision, challenging it through the resource consent process, or asking the Waitangi Tribunal to step in.
“There's always the direct action, stopping people from accessing our lands. It is an option, it is an option we are going to exercise,” Mr Te Aho says.
SHARPLES DISAPPOINTED BY SEAT RESULT
Maori Party co leader Pita Sharples says he's disappointed at the failure to create another Maori seat in Parliament.
Maori Party MPs took to the road during last year's electoral option to encourage Maori voters to switch rolls.
But the chief statistician revealed today that their efforts weren't enough to counterweigh a boost in the South Island population, the other major factor used to determine electorate sizes.
Dr Sharples says the effort was still worth it.
“We certainly put in the effort, Yeah, we’re disappointed, but we’re not gutted. I mean, we’re talking abut an extra 15,000 enrolled in the whole process on the Maori roll, and we’re pretty happy with that,” Dr Sharples says.
He rejected the claim by Labour list MP Shane Jones that the failure to secure an extra seat was because of Maori dissatisfaction at the Maori Party leadership.
TREATY IRRELEVANT TO HISTORICALLY IGNORANT
Historian Paul Moon says the Treaty of Waitangi is becoming irrelevant to many New Zealanders because they are not taught history.
Dr Moon has surveyed 2000 people during the past year on their views on the treaty.
He says many people under 35 are turned off the treaty because they can't see any obvious outcomes from the settlement process.
Dr Moon says the government is encouraging indifference to the treaty.
“The intention by some governments to end, treaty claims, to say this is the deadline for claims, and some people are turning round and saying “good, now that the claims are over, there’s no more need for the treaty,” so clearly there’s a big group in New Zealand who link the Waitangi treaty with the claims process, they see the two as being the same thing,” Dr Moon says.
posted by Adam | 11:21 pm
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