Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Monday, August 16, 2010

Sharples takes aim at sports violence

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples wants a crack down on fighting on the sports field.

Dr Sharples says a ban on the haka by organisers of a primary schools’ rugby tournament because or the threat of disorder was misdirected, and administrators should focus on what happens on the paddock.

He says it wouldn’t have been tolerated when he was at school.

“It was so important to our school principal when I was at Te Aute College that if you did anything foul you were automatically stood down from the next game no matter how important it was to the college’s record and so we just never did it, we never did it, and you can teach that,” Dr Sharples says.

He says young players see their seniors taking cheap shots virtually every day on television.

TOBACCO BAN ARGUMENT STRENGTHENED

The director of anti smoking lobby group Te Ao Marama, Shane Bradbrook, says research in the latest New Zealand Medical Journal adds weight his organisation’s call for the total elimination of tobacco sales.

University of Otago researchers reported if tobacco sales were phased out by 2020, Maori life expectancy would increase by five years by 2040 and overall life expectancy by three years.

Mr Bradbrook hopes it will lead to a strong recommendation when the Maori Affairs select committee reports on its inquiry into the tobacco industry.

“Anything that is of positive benefit for Maori should be looked at seriously. I’m sure that sort of report has gone into both the associate minister of health, Tariana Turia, who heads up that tobacco portfolio as well as the Maori Affairs select committee which has held an inquiry into the tobacco industry, so very positive,” Mr Bradbrook says.

ORCHESTRA ADDS WAIATA TO PROGRAMME FOR HUNTLY OUTING

Waiata, pop tunes and classical pieces will feature in a special schools’ concert at Huntly College tomorrow night.

Organiser Ann Beex says the programme reflects the high number of Maori at schools in the northern Waikato.

The concert recognises the sponsorship of the orchestra by Solid Energy, which is a big employer in the region.

Five children from each school in the area have been chosen to play with the orchestra.

Tonight the orchestra plays a free concert for the public at Huntly College.

TAURANGA MOVING TOWARDS JOINT SETTLEMENT COMPANY

Taurangamoana iwi have agreed to a joint ownership structure for any commercial assets received in their treaty settlements.

Negotiating team member Willie Te Aho says a challenge in resolving the region’s raupatu claims stemming from the land confiscations of the 1860s has been balancing the overlapping interests of the three iwi.

He says the iwi presented their own solution to the Crown last week.

“Crown properties that we are able to secure as commercial redress, they will go to one company of the three iwi with agreed percentages between Ngati Pukenga, Ngaiterangi and Ngati Ranginui, so it’s quite a first in terms of a treaty settlement that we have been able to resolve our cross claims, reach a collective viewpoint and confirm the distribution so to speak in a wholesome way,” Mr Te Aho says.

Taurangamoana iwi are also seeking a co-management agreement over the Tauranga harbour similar to that put in place for the clean-up of the Waikato River.

JOB BOOST HOPE FROM CHINA TRIP

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples hopes a delegation of Maori business leaders he is taking to China will create job opportunities for Maori in this country.

The group will include iwi representatives, Maori investors in mobile phone company 2 Degrees, and Ian Taylor from Animation Research, who has revolutionized the graphics used in televising sports events.

Dr Sharples says the delegation will show the depths of the Maori economy.

“We've got fishing, we’ve got forestry, agriculture experts, we’ve got small business people, we’ve got bankers who are Maori entrepreneurs, who are going over, and they will be creating opportunities which ultimately will put us in a good position,” he says.

During the trip Dr Sharples will unveil a 10 metre waharoa or gateways for the new Baoshan Museum in Shanghai, which has been made by carvers from Te Puia Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua working at the Shanghai World Tade Expo.

STONE WAVE SCULPTURE WINS ENGINEERING AWARD

A collaboration between master carver Te Warihi Hetaraka and sculptor Chris Booth has won an award from the Association of Consulting Engineers.

Judges said the sculpture at the entrance to Whangarei harbour of a wave breaking over a waka, made out of stones connected with steel pins, was pioneering in its conception and clever engineering.

Mr Hetaraka says took a long time to complete, but was worth the wait.

He says the waka represents the culture and the waves indicate that whatever adversity is thrown at it, the culture will survive

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