Turei harpoons whalers in flak
Green MP Metiria Turei says the Maori fisheries settlement trust should stop using Japanese whaling industry spokesperson Glen Inwood as its communications advisor.
Ms Turei says the Japanese deliberately blur the line between indigenous whaling, which some Maori support, and Japan's industrial whaling.
She says by speaking for both the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research and Te Ohu Kaimoana, Glen Inwood is laying Maori open to claims they are supporting whaling in the southern ocean.
“The Japanese commercial whaling, which is effectively for human food and for dogfood, of whales which are supposed to be protected in our own Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is outrageous, and no Maori organisation should have an association with that kind of behaviour, and I don’t believe the Maori owners of the resource want there to be that connection,” Ms Turei says.
Sealord Group, which is co-owned by Te Ohu Kaimoana and Japanese fishing giant Nissui, has already had to deal with consumer boycotts because of Nissui's former whaling activities.
FIELD DAY FOR TURIA
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says disgraced Labour MP Taito Philip Field hasn't had a fair deal.
Labour is moving to expel the Mangere MP because of his treat to stand as an independent next election.
He has been under suspension from his parliamentary duties while police investigate allegations of corruption and bribery against him.
Mrs Turia says the police have taken far too long dealing with Mr Field's case.
“He's had to put up with a very public laundering of issues which he’s never ever had the right to give his side too. So we think he hasn’t had the right to be heard and he hasn’t had the right to justice,” Mrs Turia says.
TE AUTE JOINS CHORUS AGAINST FUNDING REGIME
The principal of Te Aute Maori College says government funding changes are putting whanau off sending their boys to the Maori boarding school.
Tairua Takurua says in the past, grants like Matihi Pounamu have helped parents with the fees.
Mr Takurua says for reasons he can't understand, the age of entitlement to the grant has gone up.
“I’m certainly a bit baffled by what goes on in the minds of those who make decisions. You have to be 14 years of age before you actually qualify for the financial assistance. It has placed more financial burden on our families about sending their sons to Te Aute and it has a big impact on families making their decision,” Mr Takurua says.
BEYER BOWS OUT OF HOUSE
One of the most colourful Maori MPs bowed out of Parliament today.
As well as being the world's first transsexual MP, Georgina Beyer had the rare distinction among Labour Maori MPs of holding a general seat.
She was elected MP for Wairarapa in 1999 and 2002, and returned to the House last election as a list MP.
Ms Beyer says there were many highs, particularly the way she was able to inspire others in minority situations.
She says her major conflict was over the Foreshore and Seabed Bill, when she had to put loyalty to the party over her concerns as a Maori.
“I actually gave quite serious thought that if I walked from Parliament with Tariana Turia at that time, as the holder of a general constituency seat and I happened to be Maori, I was loathe to think of what example tht may have set to any Maori in the future who wished to run in a general seat in the future, because my bad example might be thrown back in their face,” Ms Beyer says.
Her next job is acting in a play at Dunedin's Fortune Theatre, and she'll then consider whether to contest the Wellington mayoralty.
PERFORMANCE NOT GOOD ENOUGH
National's Maori Affairs co-spokesperson says Minister Parekura Horomia must face the music over Maori leaving school with no qualifications.
More than half of Maori boys and 45 percent of Maori girls leave school without level one NCEA.
Tau Henare wants to know how Mr Horomia intends to address the problem.
He says the minister has had seven years to make a difference.
“It seems to me that what they want us to be is uneducated, unskilled labourers, because that’s what it sounds like when they don’t do anything about the lack of qualifications for Maori kids,” Mr Henare says.
RAGLAN PROTEST CELEBRATION PLANNED
Tainui Awhiroa has already started planning for the 30th anniversity of the occupation of the Raglan Golf Course next February.
Spokesperson Angeline Greensill says the highlight of week's commemoration on the land was the gift of a sculpture by Eruera Nia, one of the 17 protesters arrested back in February 1978.
The arrests and subsequent court cases eventually led to the return of the land, which was taken during the second world war as an airstrip.
Ms Greensill says a much larger Te Ao Marama festival is planned next year,
“We're going to call our people back. They’re all over the world. So just trying to plan ahead to make sure we give them enough notice to come home and celebrate and commemorate that 30 years since the arrests and also our declaration of independence we launched in 1996,” Ms Greensill says.
She says surviving protesters arrested along with her mother Eva Rickard will also be called back.
Ms Turei says the Japanese deliberately blur the line between indigenous whaling, which some Maori support, and Japan's industrial whaling.
She says by speaking for both the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research and Te Ohu Kaimoana, Glen Inwood is laying Maori open to claims they are supporting whaling in the southern ocean.
“The Japanese commercial whaling, which is effectively for human food and for dogfood, of whales which are supposed to be protected in our own Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is outrageous, and no Maori organisation should have an association with that kind of behaviour, and I don’t believe the Maori owners of the resource want there to be that connection,” Ms Turei says.
Sealord Group, which is co-owned by Te Ohu Kaimoana and Japanese fishing giant Nissui, has already had to deal with consumer boycotts because of Nissui's former whaling activities.
FIELD DAY FOR TURIA
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says disgraced Labour MP Taito Philip Field hasn't had a fair deal.
Labour is moving to expel the Mangere MP because of his treat to stand as an independent next election.
He has been under suspension from his parliamentary duties while police investigate allegations of corruption and bribery against him.
Mrs Turia says the police have taken far too long dealing with Mr Field's case.
“He's had to put up with a very public laundering of issues which he’s never ever had the right to give his side too. So we think he hasn’t had the right to be heard and he hasn’t had the right to justice,” Mrs Turia says.
TE AUTE JOINS CHORUS AGAINST FUNDING REGIME
The principal of Te Aute Maori College says government funding changes are putting whanau off sending their boys to the Maori boarding school.
Tairua Takurua says in the past, grants like Matihi Pounamu have helped parents with the fees.
Mr Takurua says for reasons he can't understand, the age of entitlement to the grant has gone up.
“I’m certainly a bit baffled by what goes on in the minds of those who make decisions. You have to be 14 years of age before you actually qualify for the financial assistance. It has placed more financial burden on our families about sending their sons to Te Aute and it has a big impact on families making their decision,” Mr Takurua says.
BEYER BOWS OUT OF HOUSE
One of the most colourful Maori MPs bowed out of Parliament today.
As well as being the world's first transsexual MP, Georgina Beyer had the rare distinction among Labour Maori MPs of holding a general seat.
She was elected MP for Wairarapa in 1999 and 2002, and returned to the House last election as a list MP.
Ms Beyer says there were many highs, particularly the way she was able to inspire others in minority situations.
She says her major conflict was over the Foreshore and Seabed Bill, when she had to put loyalty to the party over her concerns as a Maori.
“I actually gave quite serious thought that if I walked from Parliament with Tariana Turia at that time, as the holder of a general constituency seat and I happened to be Maori, I was loathe to think of what example tht may have set to any Maori in the future who wished to run in a general seat in the future, because my bad example might be thrown back in their face,” Ms Beyer says.
Her next job is acting in a play at Dunedin's Fortune Theatre, and she'll then consider whether to contest the Wellington mayoralty.
PERFORMANCE NOT GOOD ENOUGH
National's Maori Affairs co-spokesperson says Minister Parekura Horomia must face the music over Maori leaving school with no qualifications.
More than half of Maori boys and 45 percent of Maori girls leave school without level one NCEA.
Tau Henare wants to know how Mr Horomia intends to address the problem.
He says the minister has had seven years to make a difference.
“It seems to me that what they want us to be is uneducated, unskilled labourers, because that’s what it sounds like when they don’t do anything about the lack of qualifications for Maori kids,” Mr Henare says.
RAGLAN PROTEST CELEBRATION PLANNED
Tainui Awhiroa has already started planning for the 30th anniversity of the occupation of the Raglan Golf Course next February.
Spokesperson Angeline Greensill says the highlight of week's commemoration on the land was the gift of a sculpture by Eruera Nia, one of the 17 protesters arrested back in February 1978.
The arrests and subsequent court cases eventually led to the return of the land, which was taken during the second world war as an airstrip.
Ms Greensill says a much larger Te Ao Marama festival is planned next year,
“We're going to call our people back. They’re all over the world. So just trying to plan ahead to make sure we give them enough notice to come home and celebrate and commemorate that 30 years since the arrests and also our declaration of independence we launched in 1996,” Ms Greensill says.
She says surviving protesters arrested along with her mother Eva Rickard will also be called back.
posted by Adam | 11:07 pm
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