Third sector housing plan passing the buck

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei says the government wants to avoid building more state houses by passing the buck ... but not the bucks ... to the iwi and community sectors.

She says Housing Minister Phil Heatley's "third sector" policy of getting community organisations to provide homes for the needy is just cost cutting.

While some iwi may want to provide housing, they don't have the resources to make up for more than a century of government neglect.

“Government is trying to avoid its responsibilities and to make iwi in particular and the community sector in general responsible for housing people and housing is basic infrastructure like roading, like electricity, like water,” Ms Turei says.

New Zealand needs an additional 70,000 houses, and the government must take responsibility for delivering a significant amount of that stock.

QUAKE CHANCE TO REVIVE TRADE TRAINING

Ngai Tahu leader Mark Solomon wants the reconstruction of Christchurch to be used as a gigantic trades training programme.

The Government this week launched the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, which has a five year mandate to rebuild the city.
Mr Solomon says Christchurch has historically been a centre for Maori trade training, and Ngai Tahu is keen to set up an apprenticeship hub to channel young unemployed Maori into useful occupations.

He says Ngai Tahu's property company has experience building environmentally friendly housing, and the iwi is keen to be heavily involved in the rebuilding.

DOC TRAINING FUTURE KAITIAKI

Nine young Maori this week started a Department of Conservation training course that readies them to take up kaitiaki or guardianship roles.

Barney Thomas, one of the department's pou kura taio or iwi relationship managers, says the students from around the country kicked off the second Tauira Kaitiaki Taiao conservation cadetship programme with a live-in week at Tainui's Hopuhopu facility.

He says the 21 month course will prepare them to work in the department, with local authorities, or in positions created by iwi.

After training on a marae they will work in DoC area officers.

Barney Thomas says as well as practical conservation skills, the cadets will get lessons in te reo and tikanga Maori.

TUREI KEEN ON MAORI-ENVIRONMENTALIST TEAM UP

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei says the coming together of Maori and environmentalists to protest oil exploration by Brazilian company Petrobras off the east coast is a positive development.

She says Maori have often found common ground with the environmental movement, such as in the Coromandel No mining protests.

She says it will be seen again this weekend when a flotilla arrives off Cape Runaway to support Te Whanau a Apanui and Ngati Porou.

GOFF TALKING UP LABOUR’S CHANCES IN REDNECK NORTH

Labour leader Phil Goff says the party will have a formidable team of Maori in contesting Northland seats in this year's next election.

List MP Kelvin Davis will take on the newly-independent Hone Harawira for the Tai Tokerau seat, and with Shane Jones turning his sights to the Tamaki Makaurau electorate, Lynette Stewart from Ngati Wai will take on a first time National candidate in the general Northland seat.

Labour’s Whangarei candidate is Pat Newman from Ngai Tahu.

NGATI PONEKE SEEKING MATERIAL FOR ARCHIVE

Ngati Poneke Young Maori Club is creating a digital pataka for its waiata.
The long-standing Wellington-based kapa haka is seeking copies of any recorded performances.

Project leader Teresa McGregor says older members had expressed concern about waiata being lost, whether they be CDs, tapes or records, but also written lyrics of song that may not have been recorded.

Ngati Poneke wants its digital library in place before the club's 75th anniversary next year.