Prompt action needed on rates
The Maori Party wants to see prompt action from councils on an independent inquiry into rating.
The inquiry said Maori land was over-valued for rating purposes, and many councils fail to adequately engage with Maori landowners when they strike problems.
Party co-leader Pita Sharples says the inquiry has put out in the open what Maori have been saying for years about the way local government works.
“It tells councils to look at a different formula, and it tells councils for the first time to negotiate positively with Maori because councils aren’t renowned for negotiating with Maori at all even although they have special committees at the end of the day they seem to call the shots and ask for Maori to support it ... rather like central government,” Dr Sharples says.
He says the government needs to take the lead role in reforming the system, and the Maori Party will try to make sure it picks up the recommendations relating to Maori land.
LONG SERVING TARARUA COUNCILOR STEPS DOWN
Tararua District councilor Koro Mullins is bowing out to go back to kura.
The Danneverke shearing contractor says he's been wanting to learn to speak te reo Maori for a long time, and that means reducing come of his commitments so he can study.
He only served a third term because no other Maori would step forward, and it's still proving hard to find any Maori willing to stand.
“We as Maori, we’re a bit frightened. We stand up and if we don’t win we all go in there and we’re going to win and that’s the crazy thing a lot about Maori people, they don’t like not winning and that’s what holds lot of people back.
Mr Mullins says.
Even if there are no Maori councilors, many of its members and key staff have strong connections to local iwi.
WOMEN’S TRUST REACHED OUT TO MENFOLK
An Auckland Maori women’s trust is turning its attention to the parenting skills of Maori men.
Mana Wahine Taumatatanga usually hosts weekend wanaga for women, but it’s responding to feedback that tane need similar opportunities.
Pio Terei, who is one of the presenters for next weekend’s hui at Hato Petera College Marae, says the needs of Maori men are often overlooked.
“I think one of the big problems for us as blokes is we get a bit whakama and we also lose perspectives of issues and things, we think ‘I’ve been hitting the bottle a bit’ or ‘the old anger thing’ but it’s also important to have the courage to open up our hearts a bit and talk about the stuff that’s going to help us contribute to our whanaus,” Mr Terei says.
He will be joined at the post-Father’s Day hui by politician Pita Shaples, Corrections Department Maori consultant Mate Webb and yoga tutor Ojasvin Davis.
Contact for Saturday's hui: Rangi Davis 09 480 2362 rangidavis@value.net.nz
TOLAGA BAY MISSION KOIWI BEING REINTERRED
Bones found at an East Coast school are being reburied in a public cemetery.
About 40 skeletons have so far been removed from a cemetery discovered during foundation work for a new art block at Tolaga Bay Area School.
Archaelogists were called in, and discovered other signs of the Anglican mission station built at the site in the 1840s.
Principal Nori Parata says many of the bones belonged to children, who probably died of introduced diseases like smallpox and influenza.
She says the find came as a complete surprise to the school's population.
“The irony is for many decades our children have been running all over this whenua, unknown to them or unknown to anyone that the urupa was underneath them. However now that we know, we’d like to think that they’re probably saying to us that they’d like to move us to a more restful place, so that what's going to happen,” Ms Parata says.
The children have been getting an impromptu history lesson based on what the archaeologists are digging up.
MAORI APATHY THREAT TO MAORI CANDIDATES
The only Maori standing for Northland Regional Council is frustrated at the failure of Maori voters to do their bit.
Mike Kake from Ngati Hine says he had to face Maori apathy last election, when he tried to get a seat on the Whangarei District Council.
He says iwi complain they have no control over what happens to their whenua and awa, but they don't make the effort to tick a box for tangata whenua who want to take on that essential kaitiaki role.
“Our people do not vote. They don’t like paperwork. I don’t know what it is, but they just do not take part in the process, and they need to, It is absolutely vital that we as Maori have a voice where these decisions are made around resource consent that affect our whenua. We’re left out of the loop in a lot of this stuff,” Mr Kake says.
NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR TENNIS CLUB
An Auckland tennis club which has been home to many Maori players is looking forward to bringing on the next generation of champions.
Mangere Central opened its renovated clubrooms and resurfaced courts on Saturday.
Club president Dick Garret, who also heads Aotearoa Maori tennis, says the facilities near Auckland International Airport will give young tennis players the chance to play alongside some of the best in the business.
He says many of the top names in Maori women’s tennis will represent the club in the Auckland senior women’s competition this year.
“We’re headed by young Lucy Barlow there from the Waikato. She’s playing at number one, and Manamea Durie from Feilding, captained by Rewa Hudson, former number one world ranked junior doubles player. Of course Shelley Stevens will be coaching them and putting them through their paces,” Mr Garrett says.
The inquiry said Maori land was over-valued for rating purposes, and many councils fail to adequately engage with Maori landowners when they strike problems.
Party co-leader Pita Sharples says the inquiry has put out in the open what Maori have been saying for years about the way local government works.
“It tells councils to look at a different formula, and it tells councils for the first time to negotiate positively with Maori because councils aren’t renowned for negotiating with Maori at all even although they have special committees at the end of the day they seem to call the shots and ask for Maori to support it ... rather like central government,” Dr Sharples says.
He says the government needs to take the lead role in reforming the system, and the Maori Party will try to make sure it picks up the recommendations relating to Maori land.
LONG SERVING TARARUA COUNCILOR STEPS DOWN
Tararua District councilor Koro Mullins is bowing out to go back to kura.
The Danneverke shearing contractor says he's been wanting to learn to speak te reo Maori for a long time, and that means reducing come of his commitments so he can study.
He only served a third term because no other Maori would step forward, and it's still proving hard to find any Maori willing to stand.
“We as Maori, we’re a bit frightened. We stand up and if we don’t win we all go in there and we’re going to win and that’s the crazy thing a lot about Maori people, they don’t like not winning and that’s what holds lot of people back.
Mr Mullins says.
Even if there are no Maori councilors, many of its members and key staff have strong connections to local iwi.
WOMEN’S TRUST REACHED OUT TO MENFOLK
An Auckland Maori women’s trust is turning its attention to the parenting skills of Maori men.
Mana Wahine Taumatatanga usually hosts weekend wanaga for women, but it’s responding to feedback that tane need similar opportunities.
Pio Terei, who is one of the presenters for next weekend’s hui at Hato Petera College Marae, says the needs of Maori men are often overlooked.
“I think one of the big problems for us as blokes is we get a bit whakama and we also lose perspectives of issues and things, we think ‘I’ve been hitting the bottle a bit’ or ‘the old anger thing’ but it’s also important to have the courage to open up our hearts a bit and talk about the stuff that’s going to help us contribute to our whanaus,” Mr Terei says.
He will be joined at the post-Father’s Day hui by politician Pita Shaples, Corrections Department Maori consultant Mate Webb and yoga tutor Ojasvin Davis.
Contact for Saturday's hui: Rangi Davis 09 480 2362 rangidavis@value.net.nz
TOLAGA BAY MISSION KOIWI BEING REINTERRED
Bones found at an East Coast school are being reburied in a public cemetery.
About 40 skeletons have so far been removed from a cemetery discovered during foundation work for a new art block at Tolaga Bay Area School.
Archaelogists were called in, and discovered other signs of the Anglican mission station built at the site in the 1840s.
Principal Nori Parata says many of the bones belonged to children, who probably died of introduced diseases like smallpox and influenza.
She says the find came as a complete surprise to the school's population.
“The irony is for many decades our children have been running all over this whenua, unknown to them or unknown to anyone that the urupa was underneath them. However now that we know, we’d like to think that they’re probably saying to us that they’d like to move us to a more restful place, so that what's going to happen,” Ms Parata says.
The children have been getting an impromptu history lesson based on what the archaeologists are digging up.
MAORI APATHY THREAT TO MAORI CANDIDATES
The only Maori standing for Northland Regional Council is frustrated at the failure of Maori voters to do their bit.
Mike Kake from Ngati Hine says he had to face Maori apathy last election, when he tried to get a seat on the Whangarei District Council.
He says iwi complain they have no control over what happens to their whenua and awa, but they don't make the effort to tick a box for tangata whenua who want to take on that essential kaitiaki role.
“Our people do not vote. They don’t like paperwork. I don’t know what it is, but they just do not take part in the process, and they need to, It is absolutely vital that we as Maori have a voice where these decisions are made around resource consent that affect our whenua. We’re left out of the loop in a lot of this stuff,” Mr Kake says.
NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR TENNIS CLUB
An Auckland tennis club which has been home to many Maori players is looking forward to bringing on the next generation of champions.
Mangere Central opened its renovated clubrooms and resurfaced courts on Saturday.
Club president Dick Garret, who also heads Aotearoa Maori tennis, says the facilities near Auckland International Airport will give young tennis players the chance to play alongside some of the best in the business.
He says many of the top names in Maori women’s tennis will represent the club in the Auckland senior women’s competition this year.
“We’re headed by young Lucy Barlow there from the Waikato. She’s playing at number one, and Manamea Durie from Feilding, captained by Rewa Hudson, former number one world ranked junior doubles player. Of course Shelley Stevens will be coaching them and putting them through their paces,” Mr Garrett says.
posted by Adam | 12:28 am
1 Comments:
Request where one can find information about this hui being held at the Hato Petera Marae, like a programme etc.?
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