Community keeps cops’ minds on job

Maori cops enjoy their jobs more than many of their colleagues.

That's the message Wally Haumaha, the national manager for Maori, Pacific and ethnic services, is taking out of the police employee engagement survey.

While the survey found many police feel disengaged from their jobs, it also found Maori and Pacific Island officers had higher levels of job satisfaction and confidence in police leadership.

He says that's because they don't work in a vacuum.

“They're very closely connected to their communities. They work for their people. They operate under a community policing philosophy. And so there’s that strong connection. And I think, in the context of where Maori officers and Pacific officers sit, they still see policing as a privilege for their people and to be able to make a difference and do the right thing for their Maori and Pacific communities,” Superintendent Haumaha says.

MAORI URGED TO CONSIDER CHARITY STATUS

Maori organisations could benefit from the new Charities Act.

Trevor Garrett, the chief executive of the Charities Commission, says organisations need to register to qualify for tax exemptions.

He says in the past many Maori organisations and trusts didn't qualify because their beneficiaries are linked by blood, but that's been changed.

“There are many Maori organisations that assist in social development, in provision of facilities, particularly marae, which do have a charitable purpose, and so it’s really important that organisations that are involved in that type of activity do register with us,” Mr Garrett says.

Maori organisations which have registered so far include a trust which supports Te Aute College, and a group which provides training in fisheries management and conservation for Te Arawa.

RUIA TAKES TRADITION FOR NEW SPIN

A leading Maori songwriter has ambitious plans for the music.

Ruia Aperahama is getting ready for next month's launch of his fifth album, called confusingly Tekaumarua or 12.

The man who hit big singing Bob Marley songs in te reo says this time he's drawn on traditional styles like pao, patere and haka to bring a fresh twist.

It's part of a trend by some of the more established Maori artists to bring the music back to its roots.

“We've got a goal to redefine Maori music, not in terms of just imitating the genres of the world and putting Maori language lyrics to it. I want to take it another step further where most of us like Whirimako, Moana, Hinewehi and others are really trying to get into and refine and redefine our own genres, innovate and imitate it so we start producing our own unique style,” Aperehama says.

The album title refers to Maori prophets and prophecies, as well as his interest in time.

TAINUI OVERHAULS GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES FOR RIVER CLAIM

Waikato-Tainui's Te Kauhanganui parliament has voted to align itself more closely to the tribe's commercial arm.

Chairperson Tukoroirangi Morgan says the major restructuring allows Te Kauhanganui to make better use of the governance and management experience built up by Tainui Group Holdings.

The parliament will be the mandated tribal authority for the Waikato River claim and other outstanding claims, and it becomes the sole shareholder of Group Holdings.

Mr Morgan says the previous system, which concentrated control in two separate executives splitting the commercial and social functions, had outlived its usefulness.

“We think that our people should be empowered, they should be in control of all of the resources, they should sit over the $600 million worth of assets and clearly the serious issues, the tribal parliament should have the final say,” Mr Morgan says.

The restructure was driven by the imminent settlement of the Waikato River claim, which will put the iwi into a co-management position with the Crown.

ENTRENCHED RACISM IN RSA DETECTED

A 25 years career soldier says institutionalised racism in returned services associations is so entrenched, they don't realise it's happening.

Des Ratima, a long time advocate for veterans and their families, says many associations are unwilling to agree to straightforward requests from Maori members, such as having the ode read out in both Maori and English

“Racism exists because it’s non-inclusive of Maori thinking. I don’t use racism in the terms that they actively go out and promote against Maori. I use racism in that they actively don’t pursue Maori inclusiveness in the things that they do,” Mr Ratima says.

He'd also like to see a Maori arm within the RSA.

BEAUTY CONTESTANT FINDS STRENGTH IN MAORI CULTURE

She is beautiful, fluent in Maori, and is working towards her graduate Diploma in Maori Development - but the runner up Miss Universe New Zealand says building confidence in young Maori girls is next on her agenda.

Rhonda Grant works as a nutritionist and health co-ordinator for the Napier branch of the Heart Foundation.

She says while she has no Maori whakapapa, she's proud of her Maori culture.

“I grew up at a bilingual primary school doing kapa haka every day and regularly going to marae, so I really wanted to help other Maori and people that have that culture to go for it because sometimes we’re whakamaa about all that sort of thing and it’s really important to represent New Zealand well and show our culture,” Ms Grant says.

After growing up in a Maori community, she found the beauty pageant experience challenging and surreal.