Pressure on to house people

The Minister of Building and Construction believes Maori should put the acid on their trusts and runanga to develop housing.

Shane Jones is proposing a new simplified building permit system so pre-approved designs can be fast tracked through councils' building consent processes.

He says once the red tape is removed, there should be no excuse for iwi not to move forward with initiatives such as papakainga housing, where occupation leases are given to allow building on multiply-owned land.

“Our own trust board, Te Aupouri, about 20 years ago set up a papakainga with about 20 sections where there was a joint venture between the Housing Corporation and the trust board. If they could do it up in the winterless, north, the more large tribes who have populations proximate to metropolitan New Zealand shold be able to kick a goal there in the way we did up north,” Mr Jones says.

WARDENS SPITTING AT STREET BEHAVIOUR

The head of the Wairarapa Maori wardens has had a gutsful of spitting.
Edwin Perry, who is also a Wairarapa District Councilor, is pushing for a bylaw banning the practice in Masterton's main street.

He was moved to act after seeing two young men spit in front of an old Maori woman and her pakeha friend.

“And look I'm no going to just lay the blame on use as Maori but it seems to be more of our young people doing that and of course obviously the ones I see doing it either have hoodies on their heads and no respect for anything around them,” Mr Perry says.

ART HISTORY WITHOUT MAORI LACKS CREDIBILITY

The author of a new book on Maori art in the 20th century hopes it will bring the artists the recognition they are due.

The Carver and the Artist focuses on people like Pine Taiapa and Tuti Tukaokao, who kept the traditional crafts alive, and artists like Arnold Wilson, Selwyn Muru and Para Matchitt, who developed a particularly Maori form of modernism.

Damian Skinner says because museums didn't start collecting the work of Maori modernists until the late 1970s, a lot of important work from the 1950s and 60s is little known by the art public.
He says the artists also got missed out of books on New Zealand art.

“There could be no credibility in writing a story about modernism, about the 20th century in New Zealand, without including Maori art in it, given that there’s such a strength in the people working in it and they’re doing such interesting things, but of course up to now that has been the way it has been done. You can concentrate just on Pakeha. So hopefully some of the stuff that changes with the book being there is people can see the quality of this work,” Mr Skinner says.

The Carver and the Artist will be launched at the Tairawhiti Museum this evening.

MOEREWA HOPES FOR ARSON HELP

Whanau of the Moerewa kura kaupapa are pinning their hopes on the education minister to fast track rebuilding after the weekend's arson.

Five classrooms and the administration block of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Taumarere were razed on Saturday.

Peter Tipene, an advisor to the board, says with a current roll of 49, the school may only be entitled to two classrooms.

He says when Chris Carter arrives to see the damage later today, he'll be told the kura wants to build for growth.

“We just want to make sure that the rebuild allows us to carry on with or vision for education in te reo Maori in this area. We want to make sure that the minister can assure us that that will happen,” Mr Tipene says.

There are enough buildings on the site, which is the former Otiria Primary school, to continue classes during the rebuild.

A 16-year-old girl appeared in Kaikohe Youth Court yesterday charged with arson, and a 13-year-old girl, a 13-year-old boy and a 12-year-old boy were referred to youth aid.

INDIGENOUS BROADCASTERS DRAW PARALLELS

An indigenous broadcasting conference starting in Auckland today could pave the way for greater international cooperation.

Jim Mather from Maori Television says 60 overseas delegates have registered, including a group from Welsh indigenous broadcasting pioneers S4C.

He says it's a chance to network and exchange information, and there's hope the work will continue after the conference had ended.

“What's happening in New Zealand with Maori Television is happening in many other countries. We have been working in isolation but the reality is there’s a lot of parallels and a lot of potential benefits that could arise from us getting connected and working together,” Mr Mather says.

The conference ends on Friday, when Maori Television celebrates its fourth anniversary with the launch of its new te reo digital channel.

WEEKEND EVENTS PRIZE ROUNDUP IN NETBALL, HUI ARANGA

Maori Netball came of age over Easter, as the Wellington team took home the top prize from the 21st national championships.

Ikaroa Ki Te Tonga beat Waiariki 32-28 in the final round to take the premier title, with Tamaki Makaurau coming third.

It also won the aggregate prize, with several of its younger teams winning their grades.

June Mariu, the national co-ordinator for Aoteara Maori Netball, says hosts Taitokerau made it a great celebration not just of sport but of healthy lifestyles.

Tainui will host the championships next year.

Meanwhile at Silverstream near Wellington, more than 1500 people attended the Catholic Hui Aranga for a weekend of sport, kapa haka, speech and singing competitions and prayer.

Ruapehu Maori Catholic Club took away the aggregate shield, with Waipatu from Hawkes Bay, Tauranga-based Te Puna and new Palmerston North club Waiora the runners up.