Tuhoe reversal breathing spell for neighbours

The claimant for a Waikaremoana-based iwi is hailing the removal of Te Urewera from the bargaining table in Tuhoe's settlement talks.

Vern Winitana from Ngati Ruapani says Prime Minister John Key was right to stop the Crown's headlong rush into an agreement in principle with Tuhoe Establishment Trust negotiators.

He says the timetable ignores dissent both internally and with Tuhoe's neighbours, who met in Taupo recently to oppose the return of the national park to Tuhoe alone.

“Kahungunu were there, Pahauwera, Upokorehe, Whakatane, Ruapani ki Waikaremoana and also representatives from within Tuhoe. All these groups have some traditional or customary or even freehold interest within the park. For Tuhoe to claim it with very little consultation with those tribal interests was clearly wrong,” Mr Winitana says.

Meanwhile, Treaty negotiations minister Chris Finlayson has written to Tuhoe seeking a meeting in three weeks to present alternate settlement options which do not include the park land.

WAIKATO-TAINUI ADOPT CLUSTER MODEL FOR DEVELOPMENT

Waikato-Tainui has reorganised its marae to pursue economic and social development opportunities.

Tukoroirangi Morgan, the chair of the tribal executive Te Ara Taura, says the 68 marae in the rohe have been gathered into six clusters.

Each cluster will look at launching new businesses, as well as chasing government contracts to provide health, education and social services.

Mr Morgan says the tribe wants to influence how the government spends its Article Three money, the funding Maori are due as citizens rather than as tribal members.

“That's an activity that we’ve been in the main not as active as we should have been. We’re at a stage we can do both. There is the opportunity to use the design and framework of clusters to move out people in a much more meaningful and significant way,” Mr Morgan says.

He says each cluster will have its own board of directors, and seek funding for individual projects from the tribe's governing parliament.

NGARIMU SCHOLARSHIPS OFFER CHANCE TO CHANGE LIFE

Applications are open for this year's Ngarimu VC and 28th Maori Battalion Scholarships.

Minnie McKenzie from the Education Ministry's group Maori says on offer are three undergraduate scholarships of $10,000, a $15,000 master's cholarship and one giving an outstanding student $25,000 a year for three years to complete a PhD.

There's an additional one-year scholarship for enterprising, innovative and influential Maori outside the education who want to contribute to the well-being of their whanau, hapu and iwi.

The Manakura scholarship is available to those seeking to make a significant shift in their lives and community.

Applications must be able to show they have characteristics or attributes consistent with the 28 Maori Battalion soldiers.

Applications close at the end of June.

STARK CHOICE SET OUT IN BUDGET

Labour MP Shane Jones says Maori voters have been given a clear choice in Bill English's second budget.

He says despite a few trinkets handed to the Maori Party, the main thrust was to stimulate economic growth by shifting the burden of tax from the wealthy on to low and middle income earners.

He says the next election will be fought on the success or failure of that core National Party strategy.

“This budget is not going to move us one step closer to Australia. It’s not going to stop the scores of Maori families leaving each week to go to Australia. They’re not going there because of tax. They’re going there because of crappy wages. They’re going there because they know in order to implement Bill English’s model of how the country should develop, they have to eke out an existence where they will get no wage rise and unfortunately once GST rises and inflation rises as the Treasurer has said, those poor roosters are going to get even less out of this budget,” Mr Jones says.

WHAANU ORA OPPORTUNITY TO REEMPOWER MAORI FAMILIES

Maori Party co-leader and now Whanau Ora Minister Tariana Turia has dropped any pretense the new service delivery model is for anyone but Maori.

Before the Budget, the Prime Minister John Key said Whanau Ora would be an option for all New Zealanders.

But in detailing gains for Maori in last week's Budget, Mrs Turia highlighted the $134 million over four years given to the Maori Affairs Minister to fund 20 providers to implement the programme.

“That particular funding is definitely to restore to our families their rights and responsibilities to take care of their own. This is an opportunity to reempower those families to be the decision makers within their homes and to extend that to their extended families as well,” Mrs Turia says.

OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE IN MAORI GAMES

Maori rugby players are viewing next month's Maori rugby centenary games against England and Ireland as career-makers.

Commentator Ken Laban says a run against strong international opposition could be what Te Atiawa midfielder Luke McAllister needs to secure a spot in the All Black squad for next year's World Cup campaign.

He says McAllister has the goods to fill in if Daniel Carter is injured, and teamed with a strong backline in the centenary games, he has a chance to impress.

The Maori squad will be announced on Sunday, after the current All Black squad, which has first call on Maori players, has finalised its 26.