Welfare progress gets pass mark
Improving... but could do better.
That's the verdict on Maori in the Ministry of Social Development's Social Report for 2008.
The report pulls together information from a range of government departments and researchers to get a picture of what life in New Zealand is like... and how it's changed over time.
Don Gray, the Deputy Chief Executive for the MSD says there have been substantial gains for Maori since the 1990s... in employment, education and health.
Maori unemployment rates have dropped... far more Maori are getting educated... there are jumps in both early childhood and tertiary education... and Maori smoking and suicide rates have fallen ... which has contributed to an improvement in Maori life expectancy.
"The challenge is that we've still got disparities so even though we've got better employment rates for Maori than we had in the mid-90s, they're still lower than the general population. Similarly we've got an improvement in life expectancy for Maori, but there's still a gap between Maori and non-Maori," Mr Gray says.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER PRAISED FOR JOB WELL DONE
Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia has praised the work of embattled New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters.
Mr Horomia says that whatever the outcome of investigations into New Zealand First donations there is no denying that Winston Peters has done a good job as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
"I think he has been outstanding. I think he has done things that only Winston could have done. His skills and talents have really moved this country's partnerships forward. He's hard working and his international reputation has built up but he's certainly has to manage this issue at home and over the next couple of days hopefully all be revealed," Mr Horomia says.
He was surprised by the National Party decision that it wouldn't enter into a coalition with Winston Peters after the election commenting that people in glass houses should not throw stones.
WAKA TOI AWARDS CELEBRATE ARTISTIC RICHNESS
The cream of Maori artistic talent will be heading to Wellington this weekend for Nga Taonga Toi a Te Waka Toi.
Garry Nicholas, from Toi Maori, says the awards recognise artists from a range of creative fields.
Past winners include singer Sir Howard Morrison, weaver Diggeress Te Kanawa, carver Cliff Whiting and the late Don Selwyn.
"They bring out some some of the people that work in the communities, that just operate quietly, as well as the iconic great leaders within the arts too," Mr Nicholas says.
Two $4000 scholarships will be given to rangatahi planning to study arts at tertiary level.
LAST GOLDIE FETCHES HEFTY PRICE AT AUCTION
What is thought to be the last portrait painted by Charles Goldie has been sold at auction for more than $400,000.
A Noble Relic of a Noble Race, an oil painting of Ngati Manawa and Tuhoe rangatira Wharekauri Tahuna, was sold to an anonymous private buyer at an auction in Wellington last night.
Garry Nicholas from Toi Maori says prices like that puts many of these taonga out of the reach of their descendants.
However, through whakapapa, those tipuna continue to live on.
"Our only other consolation is that the people who purchase those do value them, not necessarily with the same value as us but they do have a value for it so it's unlikely it is going to be desecrated in any way that would diminish the value that we have for those old paintings and those tipuna," Mr Nicholas says.
Two other Goldie paintings... of Arawa chieftainess Ahinata Te Rangituatini, also known as Kapi Kapi... and Ngati Rauwaka and Arawa chief Tumai Tawhiti... are set to be sold at auction in Auckland in October.
DOUBLE HULLED WAKA TO BE LAUNCHED
World-renowned traditional navigator and waka-builder Hekenukumai Busby will launch his newest creation this weekend.
The double-hulled or 'Waka-haurua" sailing canoe with the help of the young man on his waka-building course will launch in Taipa tomorrow.
Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia says Mr Busby is a living gift to Maoridom.
"People like Hec Busby are rarities. He's an icon in his own right. He is one of the few recognised international navigators, in an elite group of about seven. He's quite a simple fellow but the knowledge that he has is enormous," Mr Horomia.
Mr Busby recently returned from the launch of a waka in Hawaii made in tribute to the late Bill Kapuni.
ANONYMOUS COMPLAINANT OFF THE MENU
Historian Paul Moon says common sense quashed a complaint to the Human Rights Commission about a book he wrote on cannabilism.
An anonymous letter complaining about the book 'This Horrid Practice' was rejected after the Commission stated they do not uphold anonymous complaints.
Dr Moon says there is a movement of academics around the world who would like to pretend cannibalism did not happen.
He says this does not change the fact cannibalism is a part of Maori history.
"Basically they said the whole book was racist because it said Maori were cannibals and they said that was a racist statement so they wanted the book banned, and I think common sense prevailed and people realise what cannibalism did take place in this country so they rejected the complaint," Dr Moon says.
He says his research shows that cannibalism was not only ceremonial but a part of everyday Maori life.
That's the verdict on Maori in the Ministry of Social Development's Social Report for 2008.
The report pulls together information from a range of government departments and researchers to get a picture of what life in New Zealand is like... and how it's changed over time.
Don Gray, the Deputy Chief Executive for the MSD says there have been substantial gains for Maori since the 1990s... in employment, education and health.
Maori unemployment rates have dropped... far more Maori are getting educated... there are jumps in both early childhood and tertiary education... and Maori smoking and suicide rates have fallen ... which has contributed to an improvement in Maori life expectancy.
"The challenge is that we've still got disparities so even though we've got better employment rates for Maori than we had in the mid-90s, they're still lower than the general population. Similarly we've got an improvement in life expectancy for Maori, but there's still a gap between Maori and non-Maori," Mr Gray says.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER PRAISED FOR JOB WELL DONE
Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia has praised the work of embattled New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters.
Mr Horomia says that whatever the outcome of investigations into New Zealand First donations there is no denying that Winston Peters has done a good job as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
"I think he has been outstanding. I think he has done things that only Winston could have done. His skills and talents have really moved this country's partnerships forward. He's hard working and his international reputation has built up but he's certainly has to manage this issue at home and over the next couple of days hopefully all be revealed," Mr Horomia says.
He was surprised by the National Party decision that it wouldn't enter into a coalition with Winston Peters after the election commenting that people in glass houses should not throw stones.
WAKA TOI AWARDS CELEBRATE ARTISTIC RICHNESS
The cream of Maori artistic talent will be heading to Wellington this weekend for Nga Taonga Toi a Te Waka Toi.
Garry Nicholas, from Toi Maori, says the awards recognise artists from a range of creative fields.
Past winners include singer Sir Howard Morrison, weaver Diggeress Te Kanawa, carver Cliff Whiting and the late Don Selwyn.
"They bring out some some of the people that work in the communities, that just operate quietly, as well as the iconic great leaders within the arts too," Mr Nicholas says.
Two $4000 scholarships will be given to rangatahi planning to study arts at tertiary level.
LAST GOLDIE FETCHES HEFTY PRICE AT AUCTION
What is thought to be the last portrait painted by Charles Goldie has been sold at auction for more than $400,000.
A Noble Relic of a Noble Race, an oil painting of Ngati Manawa and Tuhoe rangatira Wharekauri Tahuna, was sold to an anonymous private buyer at an auction in Wellington last night.
Garry Nicholas from Toi Maori says prices like that puts many of these taonga out of the reach of their descendants.
However, through whakapapa, those tipuna continue to live on.
"Our only other consolation is that the people who purchase those do value them, not necessarily with the same value as us but they do have a value for it so it's unlikely it is going to be desecrated in any way that would diminish the value that we have for those old paintings and those tipuna," Mr Nicholas says.
Two other Goldie paintings... of Arawa chieftainess Ahinata Te Rangituatini, also known as Kapi Kapi... and Ngati Rauwaka and Arawa chief Tumai Tawhiti... are set to be sold at auction in Auckland in October.
DOUBLE HULLED WAKA TO BE LAUNCHED
World-renowned traditional navigator and waka-builder Hekenukumai Busby will launch his newest creation this weekend.
The double-hulled or 'Waka-haurua" sailing canoe with the help of the young man on his waka-building course will launch in Taipa tomorrow.
Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia says Mr Busby is a living gift to Maoridom.
"People like Hec Busby are rarities. He's an icon in his own right. He is one of the few recognised international navigators, in an elite group of about seven. He's quite a simple fellow but the knowledge that he has is enormous," Mr Horomia.
Mr Busby recently returned from the launch of a waka in Hawaii made in tribute to the late Bill Kapuni.
ANONYMOUS COMPLAINANT OFF THE MENU
Historian Paul Moon says common sense quashed a complaint to the Human Rights Commission about a book he wrote on cannabilism.
An anonymous letter complaining about the book 'This Horrid Practice' was rejected after the Commission stated they do not uphold anonymous complaints.
Dr Moon says there is a movement of academics around the world who would like to pretend cannibalism did not happen.
He says this does not change the fact cannibalism is a part of Maori history.
"Basically they said the whole book was racist because it said Maori were cannibals and they said that was a racist statement so they wanted the book banned, and I think common sense prevailed and people realise what cannibalism did take place in this country so they rejected the complaint," Dr Moon says.
He says his research shows that cannibalism was not only ceremonial but a part of everyday Maori life.
posted by Adam | 12:25 am
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