Waatea News Update

News from Waatea 603 AM, Urban Maori radio, first with Maori news

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Drivers of crime given priority

December 18

The government has pledged to address the drivers of crime for Maori as a priority of its new approach to crime fighting.

This follows a ministerial hui on the Drivers of Crime in April which found far too many Maori children end up in prison after growing up in households and communities disrupted by crime and punishment.

The new approach based around government agencies working together will support Maori designed, developed and delivered initiatives.

Maori party MP Te Ururoa Flavell says the approach is heading in the right direction.

“You can either say we haven‘t got a problem and do nothing or accept you have got a problem and move around strategies to get there and that’s where we’ve come,” Mr Flavell.

MODERATION MESSAGE FOR HOLIDAY BREAK

A South Auckland community leader is warning whanau not to overextend themselves this Christmas.

Manukau City Councillor Alf Filipaina who has spent 33 years in the police says big hearted Maori want to do the best by their families at Christmas time.

But he says with the recession hitting many Maori families hard it is important to realise that love is more important than any present.

Alf Filipaina who is of Maori and Samoan decent says when alcohol is followed by domestic violence Christmas is ruined.

GREEN THEMSE FOR PARIHAKA PEACE FESTIVAL

There'll be a green theme at next month's Parihaka Peace Festival.

Director Te Miringa Hohaia says the annual gathering is a platform to acknowledge the iconic Taranaki village's tradition of passive resistance.

He says while top line musical acts are a draw card, the festival has discussion forums to talk about issues like as global warming, and how marae can lead by example with sustainable environmental management.

“Marae throughout the motu need to be placing themselves so that they are leaders in their communities. That’s how we’re using this event. We’ve gained that experience and we’re transferring it back into how we run the pa and how our families coming into the pa are responding to these urgent issues facing the whole country and the whole world,” Mr Hohaia says.

WAIKATO RIVER IWI SIGN SETTLEMENT FOR AWA MANAGEMENT

An agreement was signed yesterday between Waikato-Tainui tribal leaders and the Crown to set up a single authority to co-manage the Waikato River.

Iwi executive chair Tuku Morgan described his people as being in a state of euphoria.

Tom Roa, the head of the tribal parliament, said the joy was only tempered by the knowledge of the work that lay ahead.

He says there was a clear sense of the history of the moment from those present at the Hopuhopu ceremony.

The new Waikato River Authority, which will have equal iwi and Crown representation will draw from both tikanga Maori and tikanga Pakeha. It will have $210 million to spend on a river clean-up.

“The tikanga is the base and our history is our base. But the future is with our young people, our young scientists, our young lawyers, our young people who can work in those spheres to ensure the vitality of the river,” Mr Roa says.

There is already a substantial amount of work being done with Environment Waikato, local farmers and other iwi to improve water quality and clean up the river.

MAORI PARTY TORN OVER EASTER TRADING BILL

The Maori Party found itself in a dilemma yesterday when a private members bill to allow shops throughout the country to stay open over Easter came before parliament.

At present shops in some parts of the country can open on Easter Sunday but in others they can’t.

Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell says its a problem for tourist towns like Rotorua.

“Our people are involved in the tourist industry in Rotorua but on the other side of the coin Easter is the time Maori families in particular are generally tied up with unveilings, sports tournaments, church gatherings such as Hui Aranga and so on,” Mr Flavell says.

He says while the Maori Party was prepared to support the bill to a first reading it would have probably withdrawn its backing down the line but didn't have to make this decision when it wasn't supported by other parties.

ROBERT KENNEDY JR WELCOMED TO AOTEAROA

A member of America's royal family...or almost royal family... the Kennedy's... is sampling some tikanga Maori today

He's Robert Kennedy Jnr who, as the name suggests, is a son of Bobby Kennedy who was assassinated 1968.

This morning he'll be welcomed at Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau, the largest kaupapa Maori provider for Maori with intellectual disabilities.

Waitai Petera, from Te Aupouri and Ngati Kuri, says the Kennedy whanau has a long history of helping people in need.

He says Mr Kennedy's aunt... Eunice Kennedy Shriver... was instrumental in the foundation of the Special Olympics while their support for racial equality... at the height of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s... and more recently... will undoubtedly be mentioned in the whaikorero.

“I think the Kennedy whanau helped indigenous America to be where they are and they wrre also the whanau that endorse Barack Obama, they got in behind him, the late Ted Kennedy. That is something we will as Maori will never forget,” Mr Petera says.

Robert Kennedy Jnr came to New Zealand to speak on environmental issues at a charity dinner.

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