Settlement process deeply flawed
A leading treaty historian says the Government process for direct negotiation of treaty settlements is deeply flawed.
Massey University associate professor Michael Belgrave says by acting outside the Waitangi Tribunal and Maori Land Court processes, the Crown took upon itself the job of deciding the nature of Maori customary interests in claim areas.
Dr Belgrave yesterday gave evidence on behalf of the Marutuahu Confederation to a Waitangi Tribunal hearing into the Tamaki Makau Rau Settlement.
He says Marutuahu is particularly concerned at the decision to grant exclusive ownership of Maungawhau-Mt Eden to Ngati Whatua o Orakei, because it was part of Marutuahu's traditions going back several hundred years.
“And our concern was really that in looking at custom the crown really hadn’t treated these traditions with the sort of respect that is required given that these are key traditions that are associated with the identities of tribes, and that’s as true for Ngati Whatua as it is for Marutuahu,” Dr Belgrave says.
He says the Crown has ignored principles of natural justice in reaching its agreement in principle with the Orakei hapu.
LEADERSHIP IN GOOD HANDS SAYS CLARK
The Prime Minister says she's seeing a new generation of Maori leaders coming through.
Tainui chairperson Tukoroirangi Morgan has expressed concern at what he sees as a gap in experience of interest in Maori aged from 30 to 55, and urged iwi to consider succession planning.
But Helen Clark says there are other forces at work, and Maori are responding
“As the treaty settlements have taken place, as significant resources have come out to iwi, as iwi become major investors in their region, increasingly they look to the generation that has had the tertiary education qualifications to come and run organisations professionally, so there’s probably a generational shift going on as we speak,” Ms Clark says.
PARENTING THE PIO WAY
Maori entertainer Pio Terei is off the the South Island next month to put his own spin on parenting.
Over the past five years Mr Terei has developed a seminar mixing humour, songs and parenting tips for a Maori audience.
He says when he has tried the programme in places like municipal halls he gets a limited response from tangata whenua, but it's a different story on marae.
“We're packing maraes out. And I’ve seen guys, gang members, sitting in the front row taking notes, and I say ‘Why are you here, because of the kids?’ and they say ‘No bro, I’ve missed the boat with the kids, but my mokos.’ And it’s pretty inspiring stuff,” Mr Terei says.
CROWN TAKING POWER TO DETERMINE CUSTOM
Historian Michael Belgrave says the only precedent he can find for the way the government intends to settle Ngati Whatua's Auckland land claims is the Waitara decision which led to the first Taranaki war of the 1860s.
Dr Belgrave, an associate professor at Massey University, gave evidence yesterday to a Waitangi Tribunal hearing into the way the government conducted direct talks with the Orakei hapu.
He says the Office of Treaty Settlements decided who had customary interests to Tamaki Makaurau.
Dr Belgrave says that's a significant change, because since 1862 issues of custom have been left to the Maori Land Court or expert commissions of inquiry like the Waitangi Tribunal.
“And the parties in that, however roughshod the process may have been at some stage, the parties were protected by natural justice – they had the right to be heard, they had the right to bring evidence, and in the end , once they’d presented their case, even if it went against them, they had a process they could understand and participate in,” Dr Belgrave says.
He says everyone needs to know the basis for Crown decisions, but the current process is not transparent or fair to other claimants.
CANTERBURY RESULTS SOME OF WORST
The head of Maori at Christchurch Polytechnic says Maori secondary students in Canterbury have some of the worst achievement rates in the country.
Hana O'Regan says Canterbury has the highest rate of suspensions and stand downs for Maori students, and only a third of Maori school leavers in 2004 had NCEA level two.
Ms O'Regan says education strategies developed in the North Island did not always work in the south, with its lower Maori population.
“The focus in the north, you might have a strategy that’s easier to come up with because you do have a high density. Those strategies don’t necessarily work in the south, and yet if we fail to address the issues in the south, then in fact what we’re saying is a Maori in the south is worth less than one in the north,” Ms O'Regan says.
She says the under-achievement should be seen as a problem to be tackled by the whole community, not just schools and whanau.
MAORI IRISH LINKS TO BE CELEBRATED
Irish and Maori in the Hawkes Bay are planning a special St Patrick's celebration this Saturday.
Hui and Hooley will celebrate the links Maori have forged with Irish immigrants to Aotearoa.
Coordinator Dennis O' Reilly says the event at Napier's Waiohiki Marae will include a multi-denominational church service, plenty of talk, an auction of art from artists with a shared Celtic and Maori heritage, and a feast befitting two proud cultures.
Mr O'Reilly says both Irish and Maori are going through a renaissance.
“Cultural stuff has risen to the fore, the treatment of the Gaelic language, and you can see the same process happening in Maoridom. Those of us who come from Irish stock empathise with Maori ritual, with Maori values,” O'Reilly says.
Proceeds of Hui and Hooley will be shared between the marae and the Waiohiki Arts Cente.
Massey University associate professor Michael Belgrave says by acting outside the Waitangi Tribunal and Maori Land Court processes, the Crown took upon itself the job of deciding the nature of Maori customary interests in claim areas.
Dr Belgrave yesterday gave evidence on behalf of the Marutuahu Confederation to a Waitangi Tribunal hearing into the Tamaki Makau Rau Settlement.
He says Marutuahu is particularly concerned at the decision to grant exclusive ownership of Maungawhau-Mt Eden to Ngati Whatua o Orakei, because it was part of Marutuahu's traditions going back several hundred years.
“And our concern was really that in looking at custom the crown really hadn’t treated these traditions with the sort of respect that is required given that these are key traditions that are associated with the identities of tribes, and that’s as true for Ngati Whatua as it is for Marutuahu,” Dr Belgrave says.
He says the Crown has ignored principles of natural justice in reaching its agreement in principle with the Orakei hapu.
LEADERSHIP IN GOOD HANDS SAYS CLARK
The Prime Minister says she's seeing a new generation of Maori leaders coming through.
Tainui chairperson Tukoroirangi Morgan has expressed concern at what he sees as a gap in experience of interest in Maori aged from 30 to 55, and urged iwi to consider succession planning.
But Helen Clark says there are other forces at work, and Maori are responding
“As the treaty settlements have taken place, as significant resources have come out to iwi, as iwi become major investors in their region, increasingly they look to the generation that has had the tertiary education qualifications to come and run organisations professionally, so there’s probably a generational shift going on as we speak,” Ms Clark says.
PARENTING THE PIO WAY
Maori entertainer Pio Terei is off the the South Island next month to put his own spin on parenting.
Over the past five years Mr Terei has developed a seminar mixing humour, songs and parenting tips for a Maori audience.
He says when he has tried the programme in places like municipal halls he gets a limited response from tangata whenua, but it's a different story on marae.
“We're packing maraes out. And I’ve seen guys, gang members, sitting in the front row taking notes, and I say ‘Why are you here, because of the kids?’ and they say ‘No bro, I’ve missed the boat with the kids, but my mokos.’ And it’s pretty inspiring stuff,” Mr Terei says.
CROWN TAKING POWER TO DETERMINE CUSTOM
Historian Michael Belgrave says the only precedent he can find for the way the government intends to settle Ngati Whatua's Auckland land claims is the Waitara decision which led to the first Taranaki war of the 1860s.
Dr Belgrave, an associate professor at Massey University, gave evidence yesterday to a Waitangi Tribunal hearing into the way the government conducted direct talks with the Orakei hapu.
He says the Office of Treaty Settlements decided who had customary interests to Tamaki Makaurau.
Dr Belgrave says that's a significant change, because since 1862 issues of custom have been left to the Maori Land Court or expert commissions of inquiry like the Waitangi Tribunal.
“And the parties in that, however roughshod the process may have been at some stage, the parties were protected by natural justice – they had the right to be heard, they had the right to bring evidence, and in the end , once they’d presented their case, even if it went against them, they had a process they could understand and participate in,” Dr Belgrave says.
He says everyone needs to know the basis for Crown decisions, but the current process is not transparent or fair to other claimants.
CANTERBURY RESULTS SOME OF WORST
The head of Maori at Christchurch Polytechnic says Maori secondary students in Canterbury have some of the worst achievement rates in the country.
Hana O'Regan says Canterbury has the highest rate of suspensions and stand downs for Maori students, and only a third of Maori school leavers in 2004 had NCEA level two.
Ms O'Regan says education strategies developed in the North Island did not always work in the south, with its lower Maori population.
“The focus in the north, you might have a strategy that’s easier to come up with because you do have a high density. Those strategies don’t necessarily work in the south, and yet if we fail to address the issues in the south, then in fact what we’re saying is a Maori in the south is worth less than one in the north,” Ms O'Regan says.
She says the under-achievement should be seen as a problem to be tackled by the whole community, not just schools and whanau.
MAORI IRISH LINKS TO BE CELEBRATED
Irish and Maori in the Hawkes Bay are planning a special St Patrick's celebration this Saturday.
Hui and Hooley will celebrate the links Maori have forged with Irish immigrants to Aotearoa.
Coordinator Dennis O' Reilly says the event at Napier's Waiohiki Marae will include a multi-denominational church service, plenty of talk, an auction of art from artists with a shared Celtic and Maori heritage, and a feast befitting two proud cultures.
Mr O'Reilly says both Irish and Maori are going through a renaissance.
“Cultural stuff has risen to the fore, the treatment of the Gaelic language, and you can see the same process happening in Maoridom. Those of us who come from Irish stock empathise with Maori ritual, with Maori values,” O'Reilly says.
Proceeds of Hui and Hooley will be shared between the marae and the Waiohiki Arts Cente.
posted by Adam | 10:50 pm
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