Greens fear for hapu rights in seashore deal

The Green Party is warning a national settlement over the foreshore and seabed could allow large iwi to override the interests of smaller iwi, hapu and whanua groups.

Co-leader Meteria Turei says the Maori Party is to be congratulated for getting the Government to seriously consider repealing the controversial law which led to its formation.

But as an alternative is developed over the next few months, she is not confident the Maori Party can protect small who can't afford to pursue their interests through the courts.

“I am a bit worried about the idea of a nationwide settlement because there’s talk about it being like a fisheries settlement. The fisheries settlement was a disaster for the very small iwi. It benefited the few but not the majority. We don’t want to see anything like that happen again because that’s taking the mana the rangatiratanga out of the hands of the hapu,” Ms Turei says.

She says smaller groups often turn up at select committee hearings to beg the politicians to protect their rights.

TIME WILL PREVENT FUTHER MISTAKES SAY TE HEUHEU

Meanwhile, associate Maori Affairs Minister Georgina te Heuheu says while good progress is being made on replacing the Foreshore and Seabed Act, National won't be rushing any legislation.

She says under the leadership of Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson a lot of work has been done with the Maori Party, the iwi leadership group, and other interested parties.

“I think everybody will be working hard to be sure there’s not even a hint of the repetition of what happened previously and finally when something is agreed upon it has the maximum buy in, not just from iwi Maori but from the public as well,” Mrs te Heuheu says.

She says a key issues is ensuring public access to beaches.

MAUNGA AND AWA BUILT INTO RUATORIA SCHOOL

A Maori-tinged designed Ngata Memorial College's new senior school has won the attention of fellow architects.

The project which involved merging two Ruatoria schools earned Gisborne firm Nicoll-Blackburne a regional architecture award, with judges commenting on its use of the building language of the marae.

Architect James Blackburne says he tried to reflect the Ngati Porou heartland, with the roof pushing up sharply in the centre out of low sloping sides, to reflect Mt Hikurangi behind.

“From the school looking at it, it represents the maunga in that way, but looking sideways, the corridor we put in there was trying to be representative of the river, the Waiapu, and the other concept too was like an educational waka so the kids were using that, it’s their last point, and from there they’re heading out into the community,” he says.

Nicoll-Blackburne won another prize for its design for the new Gisborne Maori Land Court offices and courtroom.

UNITED MAORI PHO COMES UP TRUMPS IN HEALTH OVERHAUL

A consortium of Maori providers has been selected as one of nine super-PHOs to implement the Government's primary health care reforms.

National Maori PHO chief executive Simon Royal says the next stage will be preparing a business case for meeting the government's policy of better, sooner, more convenient healthcare.

The government wants the PHOs to develop Integrated Family Health Centres, greater use of nurse practitioners, the development of more multi-disciplinary teams and greater cooperation with hospitals.

Mr Royal says the Maori sector will develop the whanau ora kaupapa of integrating health and other social services.

“I guess their expectation for us is certainly around commissioning for improved health and social outcomes, developing whanau ora centres and developing a whanau ora business model that works inside the industry along with all the other industry players,” Mr Royal says.

Maori providers hope the changes will reduce bureaucracy and increase their effectiveness.

WHANAU FASTING WAY TO FIGHT FAT AND GAIN FITNESS

Organisers of a weight loss competition in South Auckland believe they've hit on the ideal way to help Maori slim down.

Tahuna Minhinnick from iwi consortium Mana Whenua ki Tamaki Makaurau says they've adapted the 12 week weight loss challenge concept to involve the whole whanau, rather than having individuals competing against each.

He says more than 500 Maori in 41 whanau teams are trying to see how much weight they can collectively shed.

“Maori like kappa haka, they like touch, they like netball, they like team things and the whole idea of losing weight as a team will probably appeal to a lot of the people in this challenge,” Mr Minhinnick says.

The average weight in most teams is over 100 kilograms, with the heaviest teams averaging 130 kilos.

HIGH STANDARD AT PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ KAPA HAKA

While the winner's names may be familiar, organisers of the national primary school kapa kaka finals say there were consistently high performances from all competitors.

Huntly's Rakaumangamanga took out top honours at the event which ended in Gisborne today.

Locals Manutuke came second and West Auckland's Hoani Waititi was third.

Maui Tangohau, the chair of the organising committee, says the future of kapa haka is in good hands, and based on the performances of the tamariki there should be some exciting kapa haka coming through over the next five to 10 years.

He says the Rakaumangamanga performance was precise, flowing and very clear.