Waatea News Update

ART HOUSE

2011-09-27T10:45:00.002+13:00

Published Metro magazine September 2011

Suspended high up in the atrium of the reopened Auckland City Art Gallery, a sculpture of a giant bunch of flowers welcomes visitors into the expanded space.
It’s a wonderful bouquet, but has the gallery earned it? What can we expect from this leasing art institution in the months and years ahead?

Before the main gallery closed three years ago for the rebuild, the Auckland Art Gallery was struggling.
Some artists, gallery owners, former staff and other members of the arts community believed the organisation lacked a coherent strategy.
Some artists and educators said it had become irrelevant to their needs. There was a litany of missed opportunities. A Bill Hammond retrospective was declined, and so was a show by the great German conceptualist Joseph Beuys.
The main complaints were of a failure by the gallery to engage and communicate.
It’s there in the numbers. Even before the main gallery closed, the place was averaging just 190,000 visitors a year.
In contrast, over the past year 130,000 people have trekked out to the Pah Homestead in Hillsborough to see exhibitions drawn mainly from James Wallace’s collection of New Zealand art.
The two brief showings from New York hedge fund billionaire Julian Robertson’s “promised gift” of paintings by Matisse, Picasso, Dali and other masters have been the ACAG’s biggest draws. They attracted 1000 people a day during the month in 2006 when they were first on display and 1400 a day during a one-week hang of five works in 2009.
The next best draws were the Rita Angus retrospective toured from Te Papa which drew 450 people a day, and the Colin McCahon: A Question of Faith show back in 2003, which drew 400 people a day after its return from the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.
Both those shows were free, which highlights the problem that the gallery, and more particularly the New Gallery which is now closing, was saddled with for many other shows – a 1980s-style policy that people needed to be charged or they wouldn’t value the art.
Most shows have drawn fewer than 200 people a day, and the Walters Prize, which is supposed to be a biannual snapshot of the best in New Zealand contemporary art, gets a risible 70 people a day through the door.

A lot has changed since the scaffolding went up.
There is 50 percent more exhibition space, as well as workshop and storage areas, labs and administration offices that are planned out rather than shoved into any available space.
The heritage buildings on the site and the new construction have been integrated into three levels, rather than seven, which has meant floating the floor of the East Gallery a metre and a half above the original plate.
A tour of the collection can now be done as a series of loops, including a rooftop promenade and coffee kiosk, instead of dead-ending in spaces that didn’t lead anywhere.
And rather than director Chris Saines reporting to senior management of the old Auckland City Council, the gallery is now under Regional Facilities Auckland.
Sir Don McKinnon, chairman of the council-controlled organisation, acknowledges there may have been criticism of the gallery in the past but “we start with a clean sheet”.
“Let’s work on the basis the board is expecting the gallery management to be outward looking and outwardly engaged.
“We will give Chris Saines breathing space after the opening to clear his mind and then look at ways to actively engage.”
The gallery is opening with more than 800 works from the almost 15,000 in its collection, as well as a two-month run of all 15 works in Robertson’s promised gift.
That programme, which was planned to get around any scheduling difficulties that might have arisen by delays in the construction schedule, gives the public a chance to acquaint or reacquaint themselves with the gallery’s collections.
The future programme hasn’t been revealed, although McKinnon says the board has been asked to support hosting a large traveling show next year.
So what does this “world-class public art gallery” that will “transform the cultural heart of our city” – as the gallery describes it - look like.

The entry is impressive. Instead of the previous crabwise shuffle into the corner of the building, visitors now cross a generous space fronting on to Kitchener St.
At the top of the kauri-clad columns holding up the porch are new sculptures by Arnold Wilson, one of the original Maori modernists and still going strong in his 80s.
The ground floor galleries tell the story of New Zealand art history through its collection, from early 21st century works back to early colonial and even pre-European times.
Themes and references are picked out. Harsh light landscape paintings by Brent Wong, Don Binney and Robin White and a Lawrence Aberhart photograph hang together, Pat Hanly and Rob Ellis rub painterly shoulders, and works by Gordon Walters, Fred Graham and Theo Schoon, all derived from koru and kowhaiwhai patterning, stand side by side.
With Maori curator Ngahiraka Mason on board, the gallery has sought to build up a significant collection of Maori modernists.
It has bought early works from artists like Graham, Wilson and Para Matchitt, and is now showing them as part of the main current of New Zealand modernism rather than being off to the side where Maori artists, with the exception of Ralph Hotere, have tended to be placed.
The gallery has large holdings of work by several significant painters, including McCahon, Walters and Francis Hodgkins.
The original plan for the New Gallery was for there always to be McCahons on show, but this fell away after a few years. This is going to be fixed.
“We have the space now to ensure that artists like McCahon and Walters are not on occasional display but are constantly at the forefront of what the gallery shows,” says Saines.
There is also a permanent space for the Goldie and Lindauer paintings the gallery counts as a drawcard for international visitors.
The gallery is using the opening to rehang some of its benefactor collections, starting with most of the 53 works gifted in 1885 by former Governor and Premier Sir George Grey, including the Henry Fuseli painting that formed the start of the gallery’s internationally-important collection of the Swiss-British artist’s work.
Curator Mary Kissler has put together an exhibition showcasing the wealth of international material from the Mackelvie Trust, such as the Guido Reni Saint Sebastian.
So, from the collection, that’s the great Maori moderns, other New Zealand greats, international highlights and some of the collection’s themes, all getting a renewed commitment to their presentation.
But what about the contemporary art – the new stuff?

Upstairs in the new space opening onto Albert Park is what Saines describes as the only gallery space in the country that will be dedicated to changing exhibitions of international contemporary art.
While there are a couple of recently-done works in the first bay, around the corner is a set of 50-year old prints by Eduardo Paolozzi, an Ed Ruscha painting from the mid-1980s, a row of Jim Dine cast aluminium flowers - hardly contemporary.
“There are undoubtedly modern things that are part of the story of contemporary art,” says Saines.
“There are absolutely contemporary works and a few earlier works but let’s take some latitude here. Our collection is what it is, we do not have hundreds of contemporary international works.
“We are not a museum of contemporary art. That is not our exclusive remit.”
The Auckland Gallery holds collections that cover an incredibly broad cross-section of the history of art, from the 15th century t the 21st, as well as the country’s largest New Zealand collection. And therefore it faces one of the biggest questions for any public gallery or museum with a collection: how does it manage its collection so it doesn’t get trapped in the past and can move forward? This underlies other questions: what should the gallery show, for example, and what should it buy?
Saines can point to a number of works commissioned for the reopening that might suggest they have the matter in hand, yet it is hard to see how the gallery has really approached the complex and confusing world of contemporary art in a way that serves the people of Auckland.
Tim Walker, a former director of Lower Hutt’s Dowse Gallery, says while the Auckland gallery describes itself as “world class”, a better option may be to seek to be “globally relevant”.
In that light, he describes the new building as “looking like a really good Australian gallery … circa 1983”.
He means there’s a sense of catch-up around the rebuilding project, and playing catch-up isn’t a game Auckland can win.
The market for good modern and contemporary works is such that a New Zealand gallery will struggle to compete against much-better-heeled trophy hunters.
Barring pieces of luck, like endowments or a billionaire falling out with his New York neighbours, the gallery is not going to get the items it may be wanting.
The alternative would be to focus on what it can access, art of New Zealand and the Pacific.
That’s what being globally relevant means: identifying potential strengths or unique advantages and pursuing them.
What better place to showcase Auckland artists, New Zealand artists, Maori artists, Pacific artists, putting them in context and giving the public a chance to see the way the culture is evolving.
While Ngahiraka Mason is continuing with the project kicked off in the 1980s by Alexa Johnson of bringing the Maori modernists into the fold, the gallery is long overdue for a show cataloguing and contextualising the various strands of contemporary Maori practice. As for Pacific artists, they are even less visible.

Public art galleries have an important role to play in an artist’s career, serving to establish or validate their place in the wider culture through a hierarchy of opportunities – acquisitions, inclusion in themed shows, installation invitations, surveys, retrospectives, posthumous retrospectives.
There’s a high degree of subjectivity involved, and it’s never without controversy. After all, status and money are at stake. But it’s part of a gallery’s function that Auckland hasn’t been doing well in recent years.
In the past decade there have been only 10 large single-artist shows of living New Zealand artists and four of dead ones – and several of those were curated elsewhere.
Saines believes the gallery does connect with New Zealand contemporary art and artists. “Among the gallery stakeholders are contemporary artists themselves and we do work very closely with the contemporary art community,” he says.
“We are a museum that dedicates and commits itself to the acquisition and programming of contemporary New Zealand art, and we do it in the context of international practice through the agency of things like the triennial (a three-yearly survey of contemporary art), we do it through the agency of the Walters Prize, we do it through the very strong commitment we make to purchasing New Zealand art and overwhelmingly what we buy is contemporary New Zealand art.”
But artists are more than stakeholders. They’re the people who create what will be in the gallery in future, who feed off what’s on its walls, who live and breathe art, and who can be expected to have an awareness of what’s going on and what’s important.
While the Auckland Art Gallery doesn’t have as strong a record with contemporary artists as it might, it does appear to know how to look after benefactors. Galleries have been renamed, so today’s big spenders like Alan and Dame Jenny Gibbs, Trevor Farmer and Michael Friedlander get equal billing with Sir George Grey and James Tannock McKelvie.
Still, the largest contribution to the $121 million rebuild was $56.1 million from Auckland City Council ratepayers, with $30 million coming from the government.
That should give Aucklanders a sense of ownership of the new space and some high expectations.
There’s all that wall space, not to mention the loading dock and jumbo sized lift, just waiting for action.
Now we need a programme worthy of the expense.

GREAT BUILDING, SHAME ABOUT THE WALK UP

The new entrance to the Auckland City Art Gallery is impressive, but step back too far and you’ll fall down Khartoum Place.
That’s because, rather than a broad Spanish Steps-type approach rising up from Lorne St – or even through the arcade to Queen Street - the architects were barred from touching the tile mural bisecting the cramped alley.
That mural, ostensibly marking the centenary of women’s suffrage, was thrown up without consultation in 1993.
Council officers, who had been lobbied to take the project by tile maker Jan Morrison, sought to mollify the gallery and the architects designing the adjoining New Gallery by saying it was temporary.
But any attempt to remove the eyesore and create an elegant working public space integrated with the gallery access is now decried as an attack on feminism.

Waatea News archive relocates

2011-07-16T09:12:00.002+12:00

As Waatea News no longer supplies content to Radio New Zealand National, we have decided to suspend this service. The daily Waatea News bulletins can be accessed on the station's own site, waatea603am.co.nz. Thanks for looking.
Adam Gifford

Maori strategy sidelined by standards

2011-07-01T00:07:00.001+12:00

The country's school principals say the Ministry of Education is damaging the prospects of Maori students by soft-peddling the Ka Hikitia Maori education strategy for mainstream schools.

A State Services Commission review has found the ministry is failing to address under-achievement by Maori students.

Federation president Peter Simpson says that’s because the ministry’s focus is implementing national standards.

“Here’s a key resource that shows when implemented properly and understood by schools it does make a huge difference for Maori students achievement yet national standards is seen as the silver bullet and that seems to be soaking up a lot of the ministry’s resources and focus,” he says.

Mr Simpson says the ministry’s standards approach, as laid down by Education Minister Anne Tolley, is doomed to failure.

KEEN DEMAND FOR TE TAURA WHIRI RESOURCES

The Maori Language Commission is being overwhelmed by requests for resources for Maori Language Week next week.

Spokesperson Debra Jensen says this year's theme is manaakitanga or hospitality.

She says the aim is to get everyone on board to care for the language, whatever their level of fluency.

“The key message for Maori Language Week in any year is to speak the language. It’s the easiest form of language revitalisation. It may mean learning te reo Maori or using the language you have more regularly. Pronouncing words properly is a really good start,” Ms Jensen says.

RUGBY TEAMS IN FOR MARAE WELCOMES

Marae across the country are preparing to host international rugby teams for the Rugby World Cup in September.

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples says 15 marae from Northland region down to Invercargill will host teams including those from Namibia, South Africa and the USA.

Kingi Taurua from Waitangi’s Te Tii marae at Waitangi says the whanau is looking forward to talking about more than just rugby with the Canadian team and IRB match officials.

They will also be given the history and a Maori perspective of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The welcome for the All Blacks will be on Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia.

GOVERNMENT SEES PEOPLE AS DISPOSABLE SAYS SYKES

Mana Party spokesperson Annette Sykes says Aotearoa is under threat as never before from government policies.

She says the proposed shift of more than 1000 Defence jobs from uniform to civilian positions is unprecedented.

She says it will cost many Maori service people their livelihoods.

“I am really worried about where that kind of ideology is taking the nation. It‘s almost like everyone is disposable. No one is really valuable for our society,. No one has an intrinsic heart or right to be part of this society, and I think that is where Hone has appealed in this by-election,” says Ms Sykes, who is fronting Mana while leader Hone Harawira takes a break after the te Tai Tokorau by-election.

She says the party aims to reflect the anger of the nation about such changes.

WAIPUKERAU FREEZING CHAIN CLOSES

Labour Maori affairs spokesperson Parekura Horomia says Maori farmers should use their economic muscle to protect Maori jobs.

He says a large percentage of the 250 freezing workers laid off at Waipukerau yesterday were Maori.

He says farmers should send their stock elsewhere.

“It’s one simple way Maori can influence where businesses stay open and where they don’t and I’m afraid we breed the animals and them let everyone else jockey for position about where the meat goes,” Mr Horomia says.

MATARIKI ON SCREEN FOR MATARIKI FESTIVAL

Matariki is drawing to a close, so Films on Marae is showing the film Matariki on two Auckland marae.

Co-ordinator Hinurewa Te Hau says another feature, Hugh and Heke, and a number of short films will also screen at Te Mahurehure Marae in Point Chevalier and Mataatua Marae in Mangere.

She says it’s a way to bring the community together and to find new ways to make the most of marae.

Taumarunui reserved land gets catch-up

2011-06-30T08:34:00.000+12:00

The Crown has paid $250,000 to a Taumaranui land trust to compensate it for being forced to charge peppercorn rents.

Rakai Taiaroa from the Karanga Te Kere Whanua Trust says the trust was overlooked when the Maori Reserved Land Act was amended in 1997.

That means it was denied fair value for its land.

“With this added resource we are able to plan things a little better and hopefully provide a good development platform for the trust,” Mr Tairoa says.

The settlement was one his late father Sir Atawhai Taiaroa had fought for.

FREE TRADE DEAL WITH INDIA COULD LIFT ALL BOATS

Labour leader Phil Goff says Maori businesses stand to win big winners if New Zealand can negotiate a free trade agreement with India.

Prime minister John Key is in Delhi trying to nail down the agreement Mr Goff set in train as Labour’s trade minister.

He says tariff barriers are keeping New Zealand exports out of what could be a huge market.

“You’re paying a huge amount to sell your wine, to sell your dairy product, to sell your land into India and if we can negotiate an FTE to reduce those barriers that creates and tremendous opportunity including for Maori working in those sectors,” Mr Goff says.

Maori tourism ventures could also gain from any increase in Indian visitors.

TARANAKI MAORI TAKING UP BOXING

Taranaki-based boxer Sam Rapira says young Maori are flocking to the ring.

The Ngapuhi slugger is the number two amateur light heavyweight behind Reece Papuni of Ngati Porou and Nga Rauru.

He says their success is inspiring rangatahi to join his Bell Block Box Office club, and probably half its members are Maori.

Sam Rapira fights Australian number two Jake Carr in New Plymouth on Saturday.
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VOTE FOR MMP ADVANCES MAORI INTERESTS

A Victoria university politics lecturer says Maori need to vote for MMP to continue in November’s referendum.

Maria Bargh from Te Arawa says MMP has meant more Maori in parliament.

She says a return to a first past the post system could slash the political representation of Maori.

“The issue of the Maori seats isn’t on the table with this referendum but it seems to me it’s a slippery slope once you start going down options that are worse for Maori and looking at those who are against MMP suggests to me MMP definitely needs to be retained,” Dr Bargh says.

She says there is room to improve MMP without destroying its essence of giving minorities a say.

MOMENTUM FOR NOVEMBER WITH DAVIS IN NORTH

Labour leader Phil Goff is confident Kelvin Davis will topple Hone Harawira in Te Tai Tokerau in November.

He says contrary to Mr Harawira’s claims Labour spent up big trying to oust him, Mr Davis’s campaign was financially modest but high energy.

He says the 86 percent reduction in the Mana leader’s election night majority shows the momentum is with Mr Davis.

“Hone took that from being the safest Maori Party seat in the country to being the most marginal and Kelvin on the other hand lifter his vote from 29 percent of the vote to 41 percent. That is a great effort and we’ll build on that,” Mr Goff says.

ANCIENT MISTAKES AFFECTING MODERN SCHOLARSHIP

Maori academic Rawiri Taonui says students are getting Maori history wrong because they rely in early Pakeha accounts rather than Maori oral traditions.

Mr Taonui says early Pakeha writers often got what they were hearing wrong, but because they wrote it down it is now accepted uncritically as being correct.

He says a classic example is the way creation whakapapa is tought at university level.

“The usual order in pre-European whakapapa was Te Po te Kore te Ao and what happened was when some Europeans translated the terms around 1900 their translations suggested to them the order should be different so they changes it and they published it in books and when Maori started coming through the university system they were taught from those books. Mr Taounui says.

He will present his findings at a UNESCO conference on oral history in Portugal next week.

Army dumps uniforms for cheaper civvies

2011-06-29T23:58:00.000+12:00

A former army officer says today’s Defence restructure will threaten future recruitment.

The Defence Force is making more than 300 uniformed instructors, photographers, logistics and administrative staff redundant and reassigning the positions as lower-paid civilian roles.

Hector Matthews of Te Rarawa and Te Aupouri says while the Defence Force may need to reprioritise its expenditure, the loyalty of its soldiers isn’t being reciprocated.

“It's a pretty cold message for a lot of our rangatahi because I think by and large the services have served our people well, given them god qualifications and experience, but it will make them think twice so it may well harm recruitment in years to come as those who have been made redundant advise their whanau it’s not the way to go so it’s a risk for the military,” Mr Matthews says.

Personnel who choose not to apply for the newly civilianised roles or are not appointed will receive redundancy.

KAHUI BOOK SPARKS FACEBOOK OUTRAGE

A Facebook site calling for a boycott of book by Kahui twins’ mother Macsyna King has drawn 24,000 members.

Site creator Jo Hayes says she’s outraged by the book Breaking Silence, which was written in collaboration with publisher Ian Wishhart.

She says it’s not okay to profit from the killing of children.

“This is not anything to do with race. This is about two babies who were murdered in my view and no one is being held accountable,” Ms Hayes says.

She's planning a silent protest at Christchurch bookstores when the book is released next month.

RAPIRA WANTING CRACK AT TOP SPOT

Ngapuhi boxer Sam Rapira says he’s ready to take on the country’s best.

The number two light heavyweight has a repeat bout against Australian number two Jake Carr in New Plymouth at the weekend

He says he’s rather be fighting Reece Papuni of Ngati Porou and Nga Rauru, who’s the New Zealand champion.

If Rapira says if he can make the top in his grade in the world championships in Azerbaijan in September, it means automatic entry into the Olympics.

NORMAN KEEN TO WORK WITH HARAWIRA

Greens co-leader Russell Norman says he is looking forward to working with Hone Harawira where the Greens and Mana share common ground.

Dr Norman says one area will be in the creation of environmentally friendly jobs.

“Up in the north there is a lot of unemployment so I think there is common ground there. In terms of cleaning up rivers, there’s clearly, having seen what happened at Waitangi Day this year where there was so much faeces in the water you couldn’t swim in it, there’s common ground there, and the Greens have been very focused on getting children out of poverty so there is also some common ground there,” Dr Norman says.

He expects Hone Harawira will be fully occupied until the November election with making Mana a national organisation.

GOFF SEEING LIMITED ROLE FOR MANA LEADER

Labour leader Phil Goff says Mana leader Hone Harawira is politically irrelevant because he can’t be trusted.

Mr Goff says even if Labour is in a position to form a government after November’s election, Mr Harawira won’t be invited to join any coalition.

“I don’t believe he can ever be part of a formal coalition because he simply isn’t reliable as a partner. He has found it very hard to work with other groups over time, most recently the Maori Party, and if you are gong to have a coalition government it needs to be stable and it needs to be built on a relationship of trust and reliability,” he says.

Mr Goff says in the event Hone Harawira retains Te Tai Tokerau in November, he will be welcome to work with Labour in areas they can find political agreement … as they have done in the past.

MAORI NURSES ENTERING SOUTH AUCKLAND WORKFORCE

Manukau Institute of Technology's Puora Matatini Maori Workforce Initiative today celebrated the graduation of 12 more Maori nurses.

Bernard te Paa, Counties Manukau Health’s general manager of Maori health, says the scheme has made a real impact since it was launched three years ago.

He says it giving many wahine the chance of a career they may not have expected otherwise, as most of the women have come from being on a benefit.

Counties Manukau Health hopes to employ all of today's graduates as part of the overall strategy to grow the number of Maori working in the health sector.

Harawira told to stop swearing

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000+12:00

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says now he's a leader of a political party, Hone Harawira needs to stop swearing.

Mr Peters says now the Mana leader is back in parliament, he needs to mind his language.

“There are no swear qwords in the Maori language so you are selling yourself out as a Maori speaker and also as an English speaker. If your only choice of words is to swear you are letting yourself down and you are letting your people down,” Mr Peters says.

FAR NORTH BUS SERVICE UNDER THREAT

A far north bus service says without subsidies its service to many isolated Maori communities will have to end.

Manager Cliff Colquhoun says the Busabout Kaitaia service has been possible because of a recycling partnership with Te Runanga o te Rarawa which allows it to run its buses on a high percentage of biofuel created from recycled cooking fat.

But he says the service doesn't fit the Land Transport Agency's criteria for support, despite it providing a low cost alternative to private cars.

Busabout Kaitaia is looking for $40,000 ... less than 10 percent of the subsidy for Whangarei's bus system.

MARAE GETS WHANAU TO THE GYM TO COUNTER DIABETES

An Opotiki hapu is mounting its own campaign against the diabetes epidemic which has the World Health Organisation ranking New Zealand as among the worst in the world for the disease.

Waihi Leabourn from Mataatua Sports Trust says two dozen members of Ngati Patumoana are taking part in the 12-week health and fitness challenge, which includes nutritional workshops, power training and health education.

She says their attitudes to sugar, salt and saturated fat are being challenged, and they are bengtold what to do to prevent type two diabetes.

The hope is their example will inspire others connected to Waiaua marae.

MANA WORKING UP POLICY PLATFORMS

Mana steering group member Annette Sykes says the new party's big difference from the Maori Party will be policy.

Ms Sykes has been working with fellow lawyers Moana Jackson and Jane Kelsey and social justice campaigners John Minto and Mike Treen on ideas that will be put to the inaugural conference.

She says the Maori Party was always reacting to the mainstream parties rather than coming up with its own ideas.

“They had some very lovely values like kotahitanga, manaakitanga, whnaungatanga and rangatiratanga. What Mana has been very clear about is that we want to give substance to those very important principles. Doing that requires us to set in place some clear foundational principles and key policy planks,” Ms Sykes says.

Policies already released during the Te Tai Tokerau by-election included Mana's approach to treaty settlements, employment, the cost of living and its Hone Heke tax on financial transactions.

NORTHEC AND WANANGA O AOTEROA TEAM UP FOR TRADES

The chief executive of Northtec says the polytechnic's co-operation agreement with Te Wananga o Aotearoa will open up opportunities for young Maori in Northland to learn trades.

Paul Binney says two institutions will combine in August to provide a trade training at Northtec's Raumanga campus in Whangarei.

He says the rebuilding of Christchurch is set to create a national shortage of qualified tradespeople.

“A key issue for us is really getting the message out there, particularly to Maori, that if you come and study over the next year to 18 months you are going to end up with a qualification that is going to put you in a really strong position to get a good selection of jobs in a year or so’s time,” Mr Binney says.

Northtec also has a deal with Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi allowing its students to undertake post graduate studies.

WI PARATA CASE EXPLORED IN ROLLICKING DETAIL

Lawyer and historian David Williams says his new book should give people a rollicking good read about Maori and settler relationships in the late 19th century.

A Simple Nullity looks at the Wi Parata's attempt to get the Anglican Bishop of Wellington to return land at Titahi Bay that Ngati Toa had gifted for the building of a tertiary college for Maori.

Professor Williams says the 1877 case is notorious because the then-chief justice ruled the Treaty of Waitangi was irrelevant to the appellant's case - but the story is not black and white.

“Other judges said the treaty is rather more than a nullity, in fact it is a moral and political obligation of significance, and indeed some of the moral and political ideas of active protection of Maori, you can find in the Parata judgment itself. History always turns out to be a little bit more complicated if you dig into the details of it than if you just look at the nice simple sound bites so to speak,” he says.

A Simple Nullity? is published by Auckland University Press.

MP talk duo adds mana to mediation

2011-06-28T21:30:00.000+12:00

The Mana Party has called on former MPs Willie Jackson and John Tamihere to engineer a truce with the Maori Party.

Mr Jackson the Maori Party leaders are understandably angry about some of Mana leader Hone Harawira's comments after his win in Saturday's te Tai Tokerau by election.

But he says they need to get over it.

“The last thing I want to see is the Maori Party out of the game and I don’t want to see the Mana Party out of the game to be replaced by Labour Party people, a Labour Party that sold out Maori big time just six or seven years ago,” Mr Jackson says.

He says the proposal is that the two parties not stand candidates against each other in the November general election.

PAPAKURA MARAE CONSIDERS DIALYSIS UNIT

With the World Health organisation ranking New Zealand as one of the worst countries for diabetes, a south Auckland marae is looking at installing its own dialysis machine.

Chief executive Tony Kake says a dialysis unit is part of Papakura Marae's 10-year plan.

He says the area has a high rate of kidney disease, and people travel considerable distances for treatment, so community dialysis could bridge the gap between hospital and home dialysis.

Papakura marae is part of Kotahitanga, a Manukau regional collective that delivers Whanau Ora services.

ABORIGINAL DELEGATION STUDIES ROTORUA TOURISM

Rotorua Maori tourism operators are sharing tricks of the trade with an Indigenous Tourism Development Mission from Queensland.

Deputy mayor Trevor Maxwell says a genuine indigenous tourism experience is becoming a must-do for tourists on both sides of the Tasman, and Rotorua has been offering it for more than a century.

He says it was an honour to welcome the 20 Aboriginal leaders.

Trevor Maxwell says an increasing number of young Maori are gaining tourism industry experience in Australia which they are bringing back home.

TUHOE TO ENTER ‘RELATIONSHIP’ WITH CROWN

Tuhoe's chief negotiator says a relationship agreement that the tribe will sign with the Crown on Saturday should help get treaty settlement negotiations back on course.

Talks with the Bay of Plenty iwi broke down when Prime Minister John Key vetoed the return of Te Urewera National Park land which had been confiscated.

Tamati Kruger says the agreement is being treated as a separate issue.

“Even if we were not in negotiations, we would want a political compact with the Crown because we haven’t got one. Do we think we need one>? Well, so far not having one for the past 140 years has resulted in zip positive relationship with the Crown,” he says.

Mr Kruger says Tuhoe has told the Governemnt it wants to settle its claims next year ... but there can be no deal without Te Urewera land.

PETERS DOWN ON MOLLYCODDLING MAORI VOTERS

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says education about the importance of voting needs to come before mobile polling booths.

Labour MP Shane Jones raised the idea of taking booths to isolated rural Maori communities, sports events and hui in the wake of Saturday's low by-election turn-out in Te tai Tokerau.

Mr Peters says Maori need a history lesson.

“What really doing is mollycoddling people about something in the Maori world that many of their ancestors gave their life for, were prepared to die for, so it needs not greater ease to vote but reeducation on the importance of voting I think,” Mr Peters says.

He says the 59 percent of eligible voters who didn't bother to find a polling booth on Saturday can't complain about the result, which was the re-election of Hone Harawira.

PRISON SMOKING BAN COULD IMPORVE WHANAU HEALTH

An anti-smoking campaigner says the ban on smoking in prison that comes into force on Friday could help their wider whanau.

Grace Wong from Smokefree Nurses Aotearoa says her team has been helping prisoners with nicotine replacement therapy and support.

She says Maori women, who make up the bulk of the female prison population, may be able to promote a smokefree environment in their home once they are released.

Ms Wong says inmates who undergo nicotine replacement therapy have a higher chance of staying smokefree once they're released than those who try to quit cold turkey.

Harawira blamed for poverty inaction

2011-06-28T11:10:00.001+12:00

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the $600 million the party has won for Maori through its coalition with National is a fraction of what is needed.

Mrs Turia says the Te Tai Tokerau by-election highlighted the appalling conditions Maori are contending with in the north.

She says Hone Harawira, who won back the seat for his new Mana Party, could have done more for his constituents during his five years as a Maori Party MP.

“The housing situation is appalling. The impoverishment is appalling, and there’s 67 percent of young people under the age of 25 who are unemployed in the north. That is an indictment on those members of parliament who frankly should have been serving the interests of that community,” Mrs Turia says.

She says Maori communities in other regions like the Bay of Plenty are also suffering in the current economic climate.

RONGOWHAKAATA GO IT ALONE ON TREATY DEAL

A meeting house held at the national museum could soon be on its way home to the Bay of Plenty.

Rongowhakaata negotiator Willie te Aho says the iwi intends to initial the settlement of its treaty claims at Te Papa on July 8.

He says the house is a significant part of the claims.

“Te Aute Turanga is the premier whare tupuna at Te Papa. It was confiscated from Ngati Kaipoho and Rongowhakaata iwi at the time of the raupatu in the late 1860s, no question about it being confiscated.
Mr Te Aho says.

He says if Te Aute Turanga is returned to Poverty Bay, it could become part of a museum complex that also honours C Company of the 28 Maori Battallion.

The Rongowhakaata negotiations have been split from those of neighbour Te Aitanga a Maahiki, which were thrown into turmoil last month by a Supreme Court ruling that the Mangatu Incorporation could make a separate claim to land taken for erosion control in the 1960s.

TATAIAKO GOOD START FOR CHANGING TEACHER ATTITUDES

A South Auckland teacher says a proposed cultural competency programme should improve achievement in the classroom.

Associate education Minister Pita Sharples wants to roll out the Tataiako programme to help secondary teachers to communicate better with Maori students.

Sara Harrison of Nga Puhi and Ngati Maniapoto says relationships are critical.

“The kids aren't going to do anything for you unless they know that you care for them, and that is the biggest thing for Maori and Pacific. If you don’t understand that, it takes you 10 times longer get anybody to do anything for you in the classroom,” she says.

MOBILE BOOTHS ANSWER TO LOW ELECTION TURNOUT

Labour MP Shane Jones is calling for mobile voting booths to address low turnout in the Maori electorates.

Only 40 percent of eligible voters turned out in the te Tai Tokerau by-election on Saturday, compared with 63 percent in the 2008 general election ... and an overall average in 2008 of 79 percent.

Mr Jones says the Maori seats will not survive unless there is a consistently high turnout.

“It’s important that those of us who want to improve Maori turn out find innovative ways so we can take the voting facilities to where the people are, to sports fixtures and other gatherings perhaps even of a cultural nature and capture the people there so voting becomes user-friendly and we go beyond what we’ve got now. The reality is of the 32,00 people enrolled to vote, Hone has got less than 15 percent. It’s hardly a resounding mandate,” he says.

Mr Jones says there were several hundred potential voters at the dawn launch of a replica Maori village at Te Hana on Saturday morning who could have benefited from a mobile booth.

DEAL DREAM PROPOSAL FOR MAORI SEATS

Meanwhile, Mana Party interim president Matt McCarten says if the Mana and Maori parties don't co-operate, Labour could win back Maori seats.

Mr McCarten says he's disappointed with the Maori Party's promise to again contest Te Tai Tokerau, despite the collapse of its vote in Saturday's by-election.

He says Mana leader Hone Harawira will offer to work for the re-election of sitting Maori Party MPs, in exchange for a clear run at the other three Maori seats.

“If it doesn't run in the seats, then the way it will win additional seats is through the party list and if the Maori party win their four seats or keep their four seats then the list becomes surplus to them and so we have an agreement that can be reached around that where we say ‘you don’t run a list, we run a list and we will help you on the Maori seats,’” Mr McCarten says.

He says Labour's Kelvin Davis will struggle to get media attention if he runs again in November, so Hone Harawira should be considered impregnable in Te Tai Tokerau.

EVICTION PLAN SEEN AS OFFERING HOPE TO DESPERATE

National's plan to move on at least 4000 state tenants has brought hope to one South Auckland solo mother.

Housing Minister Phil Heatley says Housing New Zealand tenants who are paying full market rent should find places in the private market and make way for desperate families who need homes.

Tamalane Russell of Ngai Tuhoe and Nga Puhi says at the communal emergency housing unit where she is living with her two children, families have to wait up to six months to get a state home.

“That's not fair because we could live there in a house we can afford while they can live in another house that is a big higher for them but they can afford in their budget,” Ms Russell says.

Party rift will take more than cosmetic patch

2011-06-27T20:42:00.001+12:00

Former Cabinet Minister Sandra Lee says a deep rift between Hone Harawira and the Maori Party leadership means prospects of his new Mana Party working with his old party are slim.

The Mana Party has given the re-elected the Te Tai Tokerau MP a month to see if he can make an deal with the Maori Party not to stand candidates against each other in the Maori seats.

Mrs Lee says Mr Harawira left because of what he denounced as a move by the party to the right ... and that's unlikely to change.

“They're cabinet ministers, they’re comfortable working with National, they’re comfortable working with John Key, and they feel they are making inroads and achieving things at the table by virtue of that so I don’t see how the fundamental ideological rift is going to be mended simply for campaign purposes,” she says.

Mrs Lee says Saturday's narrow loss in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election could inspire Labour into campaigning harder to win back other Maori seats in the general election.

SHARPLES FIGHTING BACK FROM 10 PERCENT

And Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says as far as he's concerned, the party will stand a candidate against Hone Harawira come November.

He says Solomon Tipene's 1026-vote third placing was acceptable given the circumstances.

“You know it was a big ask for us, three and a half weeks to bring in someone brand new. We thought we had some infrastructure up north but of course they were all Hone’s branches so we had very little apart from some leaders asking us to stand up there. We did, we got 10 percent of the vote, and we’ve got to really get that seat back,” Dr Sharples says.

The Maori Party's election strategy will be to make Maori people aware of the gains they've made by being part of a National-led government.

DIABETES WREAKING HAVOC IN MAORI COMMUNITIES

The head of Diabetes New Zealand says the government must act against the diabetes epidemic wreaking havoc in Maori and Pacific communities.

Chris Baty says a World Heath Organisation study ranking New Zealand among the five worst developed countries for type 2 diabetes confirms the diagnosis of health professionals here.

Maori and Pacific islanders are three times as likely to have the disease than other New Zealanders.

Dr Baty says she was alarmed to hear from a kaumatua that diabetes was becoming almost normalised in his far north community, as it indicates something that is killing people younger than necessary is acceptable.

She says while Maori communities need to find their own solutions to problems like obesity, the Government can help by supporting nutrition education programmes.

TURIA READY TO FIGHT HARAWIRA TAKEOVER

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says there is no way Mana leader Hone Harawira will be allowed to take over the movement.

Mr Harawira celebrated his by-election win in Te Tai Tokerau by announcing he was prepared to work with the Maori Party ... but then criticised its leadership as "slow and stodgy".

Mrs Turia says it's clear all he's offering is a takeover.

“We have 23,000 members. I don’t think our membership is going to allow somebody who constantly speaks negatively about the leadership and about this party in the way he does, I don’t think they see him as the future leader of the Maori Party and certainly I don't,” she sayd.

Mrs Turia says as a member of its caucus Mr Harawira was unable to work within the Maori Party kaupapa.

GENERATIONAL SHIFT SEEN IN BY-ELECTION RESULT

Meanwhile, former Labour cabinet minister John Tamihere says Saturday's Te Tai Tokerau by-election was a game changer for Maori politics.

The west Auckland Maori leader says the Maori Party lost so badly, getting less than 10 percent of the vote, because it's deaf to generational changes in Maori society.

He says that's likely to be played out in the battle for his old seat of Tamaki Makaurau between Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples and Labour's Shane Jones.

“There's been a generational shift in Maori politics. It’s quite clear that guys 55 or thereabouts against guys 72 of 73 or whatever are going to play a greater role, and in Maoridom there is a generational shift going anyway,” Mr Tamihere says.

The Maori Party couldn't even hold the booth at Dr Sharples' stronghold at Hoani Waititi Marae in West Auckland.

NGATI WHATUA TAMARIKI ON SHOW AT UN

A photo of a Ngati Whatua tamariki playing in the shallows at Auckland's Okahu Bay has gone on show at the United Nations in New York.

Photographer Josie McClutchie of Ngati Porou, the audio-visual production manager at Nga Pae o Te Maramatanga centre for Maori research excellence, says it was featured in an exhibition on the Right to Water and Indigenous Peoples which ran alongside the tenth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

She says the shot of 7-year-old Denzel Hakopa Timu was a way to highlight Maori concerns.

“The Marine and Coastal Area Bill was going through its second reading, so that was the political backdrop, and then I tied in the kinship this child now has with their waters, Okahu Bay,” Ms McClutchie says.

Now she wants to get back home to the East Coast to record what's happening on among Ngati Porou.

Offer of detente in Maori seats

2011-06-27T09:06:00.000+12:00

A member of the Mana's interim leadership group says there is a prospect Hone Harawira's new party won't stand candidates against sitting Maori Party MPs in November's general election.

Mana supporters gathered in Whangarei yesterday to celebrate Mr Harawira's 867-vote by-election victory over Labour's Kelvin Davis and lay the foundations for a first party conference within the next six weeks.

Annette Sykes says as well as agreeing to field candidates in the general seats, the hui gave Mr Harawira a month to hold talks with the Maori Party about the Maori seats.

“I think it is really important that Maori as a whole remain united. What has become evident over this election is that The Labour Party and the National Party and the New Zealand First Party and the ACT Party all combined together to eliminate a contest of ideas built on kaupapa Maori,” Ms Sykes says.

ELECTION LOSS SPELLS MORE WORK FOR MAORI PARTY

Maori Party president Pem Bird says the severe spanking his party got in Saturday's Te Tai Tokerau by-election means it will have to work harder and smarter in the general election in November.

Mr Bird says Hone Harawira ran a very good campaign to retain the seat he previously held for the Maori Party.

He says the Maori Party was always on the back foot because of a need to rebuild its infrastructure in the north, but by-elections can follow their own rules.

“The voters have said they want Hone, so that’s clear. So respect the issues of the voters, that’s the first thing. Having said that, 11,000 voters, last election it was 20-something thousand, so it was a very small turn-out,” Mr Bird says.

He's keen to see what comes out of talks with Hone Harawira about the parties working together.

LABOUR RELISHING NOVEMBER CONTEST

Meanwhile, Labour Party MP Shane Jones says continued bad blood between the Mana and Maori parties will open up all the Maori seats to be retaken by Labour.

The Northland-based list MP says the narrowness of Hone Harawira's win in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election indicates Labour can further consolidate its support within the electorate.

“The Maori Party looked as if it were a ghost ship in this particular election so they’ve got major issues to contend with. I do think if Hone Harawira does decide to run candidates against Te Ururoa Flavell and Dr Sharples, then the Maori seats are definitely in play,” Mr Jones says.

DAVIS LOOKS AT IMPROVED PROSPECTS AND STATUS

Defeated Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis says the by-election was a great boost to his hopes of taking the seat in November.

The Labour list MP cut Mr Harawira's majority from over 6000 to just 867.

He says the cult of personality around the Mana leader has given him a stronger platform to push the interests of Maori voters within the Labour caucus.

“His only argument was vote for Hone and you get Hone and Kelvin. It’s raised the status of list MPs. We’ve always been made to feel like second rate cousins. It’s an acknowledgement that list MPs are just as important and just as influential as electorate MPs.” Mr Davis says.

The by-election was a good test of Labour's campaign systems which should stand it in good stead come November.

CAMPAIGN LATE OUT OF STARTING BLOCKS

Former Mana Motuhake leader Sandra Lee says Labour's delay in deciding it would contest the te tai Tokerau by-election may have cost Kelvin Davis a win.

Ms Lee says the two for the price of one argument run against Mr Davis by both Hone Harawira and Maori Party candidate Solomon Tipene is hard for list MPs to counter, as she discovered herself when trying to retain Auckland Central against Labour challenger Judith Tizard.

But she says Mr Davis may have been ankle-tapped labour's leadership.

“He was very late out of the starter’s gate in my opinion. He lost a good 10 days campaigning in the early stages when Hone announced he was calling a by-election because the Labour leadership or maybe the Labour Party seemed to be vacillating about whether they wanted to run in that by election or not,” Mrs Lee says.

She says the by-election should be seen as a rejection by Maori voters of the positions the Maori Party has taken in supporting the National-led Government, such as tax cuts for the rich and its caving in on the replacement for the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

HAMMERHEAD SHARK LOOK FOR SILVER FERNS

The Silver Ferns may look more of a threat when they compete in next month's world netball championships in Singapore.

Whakatane artist Rangi Kipa has designed the team a new look match dress.

He worked with senior netballers to come up with a pattern based on the hammerhead shark, that denotes ideas around speed, strength, stealth and tenacity.

Harawira whips resentment for final push

2011-06-24T23:38:00.001+12:00

Te Tai Tokerau candidate Hone Harawira says the campaign against him is being driven by fear the underdog will get a champion in Parliament.

Mr Harawira forced tomorrow's by-election to get a mandate for himself and his new Mana Party, which merges his long-standing treaty kaupapa with the left wing rhetoric of Unite union head Matt McCarten and social justice campainger John Minto.

He says it's not what the two mainstream parties want to hear.

“They have stealing blind from the people who work and from the poor people in this country including for generations and no one has been able to highlight that and when I go back in intend to do so,” Mr Harawira says.

It's the loyalty of his support on the ground that will allow him to prevail over the better-funded campaigns against him.

EDUCATION FOR JOBS A COMPELLING MESSAGE

But Labour leader Phil Goff says his party's candidate Kelvin Davis is the true voice of the struggling Maori families in Te Tai Tokerau - which is why he should win tomorrow.

He says in the short campaign for former school principal has won the trust of the voters, and his message of building a future for Maori with jobs and education has resonated in a region where one in five people are out of work.

“People want to work, they want a chance, they want to build their lives and they know that the pathway to that is education and it’s skill training opportunities,” Mr Goff says.

The Electoral Commission says early voting is ahead of the general election, with 1028 votes recorded by Wednesday night, compared with 864 ordinary votes at the same point in 2008.

TE HANA REPLICA VILLAGE OPENS

Te Uri o Hau opens its replica 17th century Maori village at Te Hana tomorrow.

Thomas de Thierry, the chair of Te Hana Community Development Charitable Trust, says building Te Ao Marama village has transformed the small predominantly Maori community just north of Wellsford.

The marae will offer a cultural tourism experience, as well as being available for education groups.

He says the knowledge and skills of kaumatua from the 14 marae around the Kaipara went into the design, and a huge amount of voluntary labour went into the $4 million project.

The dawn opening of Te Ao Marama village starts with the blessing of the waharoa or entrance-way, followed by the opening of the whare tupuna.

GOFF CONSIDERS MERITS OF COMPULSORY VOTING

Labour leader Phil Goff says he would favour adding the issue of compulsory voting to a constitutional referendum.

Pundits are expecting the turn-out for tomorrow's by-election in Te Tai Tokerau to be low, in line with the Mana and Botany by-elections.

Mr Goff says he's coming to see the merits of the Australian system of compulsory voting.

“People should make the effort to get out and cast their vote. If they don’t like anyone, cross out every name but at least you’ve made the effort and it’s not because you couldn’t get off your bum to do it. That is a decision that should be a decision for all New Zealanders and I would be prepared to consider putting that in a constitutional referendum some time in the future,” he says.

The Electoral Office says by Thursday night it had received 1361 early voters in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, compared with 1,129 ordinary votes by the same point at the 2008 election.

The Te Tai Tokerau roll total now stands at 32,738.

MAORI BATTALION SITE PICKS UP INTERNET PRIZE

The co-ordinator of the 28 Maori Battalion website says the site is starting to pick a wider audience than just descendants of whanau.

The site won the Crown-Maori Relationships category in this year's Institute of Public Administration Gen-I awards.

Monty Soutar says many of the 6000 monthly visitors are New Zealanders travelling to Europe and North Africa who want to walk in the steps of the battalion ... and he has been able to help by uploading maps and even photos of the battle sites, such as the foxholes he was shown on Mt Olympus in Greece.

The site has so far been able to source photos of 1100 of the 3600 men who served in the battalion during World war 2.

KAUMATUA KAPA HAKA A HIT WITH AUDIENCES

The co-ordinator of this year's kaumatua kapa haka competition says audiences can't get enough of the old school style of performing.

Fourteen roopu from throughout the country are comining together at Te Papa in Wellington this weekend for the finale of the museum's Matariki celebrations.

Mere Boynton says the soft sweet sound preferred by the kaumatua is a world away from the slick, fierce competition of Te Matatini.

She says despite kaumatua saying they're not competing, they always amaze the crowd with distinctive additions to their kaakahu each year.

Rents leaving Otautahi Maori with few options

2011-06-24T09:30:00.000+12:00

Christchurch-based social commentator Rawiri Taonui says a shortage of rental accommodation will force many Maori out of the city.

Mr Taonui says yesterday's government announcements on land purchases will bring certainty to homeowners in the green zone, who can now start to rebuild, and in the red zone, who finally have an exit strategy and can sell their properties to the state.

But he says the many Maori whanau who rent in the red zone suburbs like Bexley and Avonside will have to move.

“People who are renting, thngs still remain uncertain for them in terms of whether they go from her because rental properties are a a bit of a premium now and that in particular affects Maori people and in my view many have left Christchurch and there are probably more that are going to go,” Mr Taonui says.

TE TAI TOKERAU NEEDED INVESTMENT IN JOBS

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau candidate, Kelvin Davis, says regional development needs to be seen as an investment rather than a cost.

Mr Davis is advocating a $100 million development fund for the north, modelled on the trust Labour set up for the West Coast.

He says it's something he will be able to push for harder if he makes the shift from list to electorate MP tomorrow.

“Now if you look at it as a cost, then there is no way you would give that money, but if you look at it, like the Labour Government does, as an investment, then it’s an investment in the people, an investment in future opportunities, and for crying out loud we need it. We can’t be sitting around in 10 years time in the Tai Tokerau and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy,” Mr Davis says.

MAORI DAIRY FARMERS CLEAN ENOUGH FOR GREEN

Greens leader Meteria Turei says Maori dairy farmers are leading the industry in cleaning up their act.

Ms Turei says the emergence of huge corporate farms is causing environmental problems.

But while Maori trusts have big dairying interests,they are becoming increasingly environmentally aware.

“I've seen some incredible changes in farming practice in Maori farms around how they manage waste, how they deal with cleaning up their waterways, the replanting of land back into native bush as opposed to using it for pasture,” Ms Turei says.

HARAWIRA STILL CRYING POOR ON CAMPAIGN SPENDING

It's the last day for campaigning in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, and Mana candidate Hone Harawira is crying pohara.

Mr Harawira, who gave up his parliamentary salary and travel perks when he resigned to force the by-election, says he feels up against it.

That's because he's counting on support from the young and the poor, who traditionally don't turn out to vote, and because his opponents are throwing resources into the campaign.

“Labour's pouring in tens of thousands of dollars worth of support in terms of flying MPs into the Tai Tokerau, going out and canvassing, mail dropping, a new ad campaign. Both the Labour Party and the Maori Party and now the National Party are pouring in a lot of money to try and stop me getting there,” Mr Harawira says.

He says the other parties seem to fear what will happen if he wins.

CAMPAIGN ON THE GROUND SHOWS NO SIGNS OF WANT

But senior Labour Maori MP Parekura Horomia says Hone Harawira's campaign shows no evidence the Mana candidate has lacked resources.

He says while Mr Harawira like to make out he's the underdog, he was the incumbent MP until he chose to force the by-election.

“He certainly had buses roaming around with people and a whole lot of cars in fleet so he’s getting money from somewhere and I think it’s a great ply ot play that he hasn’t got the expenses. He’s got as many billboards as we have up, he’s got people on the street so that’s why I know it’s tough go,” Mr Horomia says.

He says voters need to remember Maori unemployment in Te Tai Tokerau quadrupled under Mr Harawira's reign.

TE TAUMATA EXPLORED DEPTH OF MAORI ART

The curator of Auckland City's Te Taumata Matariki exhibition programme says this year's line-up shows the strength and depth of Maori art.

The last show in the series, an installation by Ngaahina Hohaia of Parihaka, opened last night at the Mangere Arts Centre.

Karl Chitham says Hohaia one of a number of younger Maori artists coming through the ranks, and the show works well alongside exhibitions by Maureen Lander, Rona Ngahuia Osbourne and Kura Te Waru Rewiri at other city galleries.

“You never like to forget there’s a lot of senior artists out there still making work and having shows and that’s what Te Taumata is about, celebrating those people alongside more emerging talents as well,” Mr Chitham says.

Education debate draws rant

2011-06-23T23:37:00.000+12:00

The pressures of campaigning are starting to show in Te Taitokerau, with Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell accusing Hone Harawira of nutting off over the absence of the Maori Party candidate from a debate in west Auckland.

Mr Flavell says he stood in at last night's education debate because Solomon Tipene was admitted to hospital with a recurring stomach complaint.

That led Mr Harawira to complain he was being ganged up on by two teachers - Mr Flavell and Labour's Kelvin Davis.

“Hone had arrived so when he came in he sort of nutted off abut the fact it was all set up a jack up which was way over the top in the circumstances which was we were just talking about policy lines,” Mr Flavell says.

He says Solomon Tipene should be well enough to complete the campaign.

HARAWIRA SEEING CONSPIRACY ON ABSENCE

But Mana candidate Hone Harawira is still claiming Solomon Tipene's absence from the debate was the result of underhand tactics.

Mr Harawira says Prime Minister John Key's statement last week that Kelvin Davis was the likely winner makes him think Mr Tipene is being left in the race to strengthen Labour's chances.

“The Maori Party has been instructed, probably by National, ‘let’s all act together to bury Hone because if he gets in he is going to change politics in Aotearoa and that’s something none of use want,’” Mr Harawira says.

His focus now is getting supporters registered and to the polls on Saturday.

RENTERS STILL UNCERTAIN ABOUT CHRISTCHURCH PACKAGE

Christchurch Maori academic Rawiri Taonui says today's announcement of rebuilding Christchurch is good news for many homeowners, but the government needs to come up with assistance package for low income renters.

The Government says it will buy insured houses in areas which cannot be rebuilt on, and take over any relationship with insurers and reinsurers.

Mr Taonui says the red-zoned areas like Bexley, Avonside and Darlington include large numbers of low-income Maori who rent homes which may now be set for demolition.

“In and around those areas where people own houses, there are also lots of rental properties and there’s a significant Maori population so they are going to have to move on and there is no specific package for those people so that is one downside. If 100 people in your area own homes and are gong, you probably have to go and where is the assistance for you,” he says.

DAVIS KEEN TO CARRY ELECTORATE WEIGHT

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate says a jump up from list status to electorate MP on Saturday would give him more authority to advocate for Maori within the party.

Kelvin Davis says Maori voters need to appreciate that the way to make real long term gains for Maori is within a major party.

“If I have the mandate from the people of Tai Tokerau, then my voice can be louder because I can start demanding things and they can’t say ‘Kelvin, you’re getting a bit bolshie, you’re going to be number 400 on the list next time around.’ If I’ve got the mandate from the people of Tai Tokerau I can say I’m here speaking on behalf of the people of Tai Tokerau, this is what has been told to me and this is the view that I'm pushing,” he says.

Mr Davis says there have been many robust discussions in the Labour caucus, but Maori MP's are being increasingly listened to.

HOROMIA CALLS TO WOMEN TO SPEAK

Ikaroa Rawiti MP Parekura Horomia says it's time for Maori to let their wahine speak on the paepae.

His own Ngati Porou iwi has a history of women orators, but it's unusual in other areas.

He says some aspects of Maori kawa reflect the colonial era, and they don't relate to the needs and desires of young Maori.

“I think its time for wahine to talk on the paepae. I know some people listening to this will want to knock my ears in but if you have women who have the reo and no one else has, you’ve got to confront what we’ve got now and use it,” Mr Horomia says.

He says for many young Maori, culture means getting a ta moko tattoo or taking part in kapa haka rather than joining in the life of a marae.

BILINGUAL ACTOR SPARKS FILM AUDIENCE INTEREST

Film producer Nicole Hoey says audiences at a lesbian and gay film festival in San Francisco are getting a whole new view of things Maori.

Ms Hoey attended last night's screening of Kawa, an adaptation of Nights in the Gardens of Spain, along with writer Witi ihimaera and director Katie Wolfe.

She says the audience at the Casto Theatre bombarded the trio with questions, especially about the role of a child who speaks both Maori and English in the film, leading to a discussion on bilingual education.

The screening of the film led to talks with distributors and other festivals about getting Kawa to more venues.

Maori exodus from Otautahi under the radar

2011-06-23T09:33:00.000+12:00

Christchurch-based social scientist Rawiri Taonui says more people, including more Maori, appear to be leaving Christchurch than is being officially acknowledged.

The Government will today reveal which parts of the city may not be rebuilt.

Mr Taonui says not enough has been done to support the city's Maori population, and the rolls at kura kaupapa have more than halved.

“People who have less money invested in Christchurch have less that they are attached to and where people don’t own their homes and they have whaanau in the north, a lot of them have uprooted and moved on and will continue to do so. The numbers kind of dwindle by the day,” he says.

Mr Taonui says people are questioning how they can invest in a city where it could be up to a decade before things can be expected to return to normal.

TUREI KEEN FOR MP'S KAUPAPA TO CONTINUE

The Greens aren't contesting the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, but co-leader Metiria Turei is keen to see Mana's Hone Harawira back in Parliament.

Ms Turei says the only candidates the party endorses are its own.

But she says Mr Harawira has been strong on environmental issues, including his opposition to deep sea oil drilling.

“From a kaupapa point of view I have a lot in common with Hone and his views and his campaigns and the way he goes about his campaigning so having another voice like that in parliament is critical for the kaupapa we are fighting for which is Maori and the environment and taking care of people who need us the most,” she says.

Ms Turei says the political establishment, including some iwi leaders, is frightened of Mr Harawira being an independent Maori voice in parliament.

COUNTDOWN GIVES MAORI FRONT TO TOKOROA SUPERMARKET

People are gathering about now in Tokoroa to open a new Maori-themed supermarket.

Countdown operating manager Dave Chambers says the chain likes to reflect the communities it serves ... and in the south Waikato that includes a large Maori content.

He says as well as the store's internal signage being in both Maori and English, local master carver Lionel Matenga has created a 5 metre long carving for the store entrance.

Mr Chambers says the carving has been donated to the community.

Countdown will again mark Maori language week this year with special events and publications.

ELECTION A JUDGMENT OF HARAWIRA STYLE

Former Labour MP John Tamihere says Saturday's Te Tai Tokerau by-election is about one candidate ... Hone Harawira.

He says the by-election has concentrated opposition against the veteran protest leader, with the leaders of National and New Zealand First virtually telling their members to get out and vote against him, and Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia having to apologise for ruling her candidate out.

He says it's unprecedented in New Zealand political history.

“Now does that mean Hones doing things good, or does it mean he’s so polarized people he’s doing things bad. That’s what the electors in Tai Tokerau have to come to terms with. I think it’s an amazing tribute to him that he’s brought this convergence on,” Mr Tamihere says.

He won't be endorsing Hone Harawira or anyone else in the by-election.

FRESH START FUND SMALL TRIGGER FOR INNOVATION

A Hutt Valley marae is among nine community providers who will share $730,000 set aside to find new ways to help youth offenders.

Spokesperson Henrietta Gemmell says Koraunui Marae Association has run alternative education, training and wrap-around services since the 1970s, and 90 per cent of the rangatahi it works with are Maori.

She says the Fresh Start Innovation Fund will allow the marae to reach more rangatahi with its tikanga Maori-based approach.

“Once they get a feel and a sense of belonging, because a lot of children come here without whakapapa, our children start to want to learn and they want to move on,” Mrs Gemmell says.

Offenders are getting younger, with some seen by the marae as young as 8 years old.

TR ARAWA CELEBRATE EMERGING WAHINE

Te Arawa wahine will be out in force tonight to celebrate their women artists and musicians.

Veteran musicians Ardijah and friends will headline the Matariki concert, while Maisey Rika, Ria Hall, Te Matatini star Miriama Hare will be up for awards.

Organiser Te Ringahuia Hata says the event was driven by the concept of the Matariki star constellation, which to Maori represents a mother and her six daughters.

Te Arawa mothers will present taonga to six Te Arawa daughters excelling in kapa haka, arts and the music industry.

Green warning on establishment fear

2011-06-22T23:14:00.000+12:00

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei says the political establishment is frightened of Hone Harawira and his Mana Party becoming an independent Maori voice in Parliament.

Ms Turei says while the Greens aren't endorsing any candidate in Saturday's Te Tai Tokerau by-election, she was interested to hear Prime Minister John Key picking Labour's Kelvin Davis to win.

“There is an issue here around the establishment being frightened of more independent Maori voices in parliament and political parties, independent Maori political parties representing Maori voices in parliament,” Ms Turei says.

She says Hone Harawira's positions on environmental issues and poverty have been close to those of the Greens.

HARAWIRA SUPPORTERS GET DOSE OF REALITY

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau candidate is giving Mana Party followers a lesson in what their man Hone Harawira can achieve in Parliament.

The candidates faced off in Kaitaia last night, and former schoolteacher Kelvin Davis told the crowd parliamentary politics is a numbers game.

He says Mr Harawira's talk of a Maori parliament and fixing unemployment is hollow.

“Let's be perfectly blunt. He can’t. Nobody wants to work with him. He can talk all he want about a separate Maori parliament, he can’t even organize and register his own party properly and he wants to talk about a separate Maori parliament. I think people need to get real really,” Mr Davis says.

He says under Labour, the north was starting to get on top of unemployment.

MAORI TRADE TRAINING SCHEME FOR OTAUTAHI

A Ngai Tahu educationalist says a new trade training initiative will gives Maori a greater stake in rebuilding Christchurch.

He Toki ki te Rika will place 200 Maori students into places at the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology before the end of the year.

Hana O'Regan, the dean of Christchurch Polytechnic's Maori Faculty, says it's giving people a way to focus on the future.

He Toki ki te Rika is a partnership between the polytechnic, Te Tapuae o Rehua, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, Ngai Tahu Property Company and the building industry training organisations.

GOFF COY ON TE TAI TOKERAU FUND

Labour leader Phil Goff won't guarantee a future Labour government would provide the $100 million economic development fund sought by Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate Kelvin Davis.

But he expected to hear a lot more about the idea, which is modeled on the trust Labour set up to boost development on the West Coast.

“Kelvin will be there like a fox terrier snapping on our heels saying this is why my patch needs and good on him, that is exactly what he should be doing for his own patch and we will be listening closely to him but of course financial commitments are something you have to do in the context of a budget round,” Mr Goff says.

He says given Northland has the highest unemployment in the country, there could well be a case for a special assistance package.

RONGOA EXCLUDED FROM DRUG REGULATION AGENCY

Te Tai Tonga MP Rahui Katene is welcoming the exclusion of rongoa Maori from supervision by a new trans-Tasman agency to regulate medicines and medical devices.

The new regime was announced this week by prime ministers John Key and Julia Gillard.

Mrs Katene says traditional Maori medicines and healing practices were included in the WAI 262 fauna and flora claim lodged by her father, the late John Hippolite and others, which will finally be reported on next month.

“Those things are part of our rangatiratanga and it’s something Maori must make the decision in. It’s not something that can be part of government and more importantly it’s not something that can be decided overseas,” she says.

Mrs Katene says rongoa is knowledge held by individual practitioners which comes down from their tupuna.

MAORI THEME PLANNED FOR LA MATARIKI EVENT

It still hasn't been inflated, but there's already talk of Ngati Whatua's inflatable waka making its first overseas trip.

Richard Jones of Maori business development agency Poutama Trust is in southern California for a Matariki-themed event at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday to promote New Zealand business and tourism.

He also intends to talk to city authorities about bringing the waka up next year for a larger event with a more Maori focus.

One of the firms to benefit from last year’s LAX Matariki event was Maori energy bar business Manuka Boosta.

Logisitics underpin election logic

2011-06-22T07:35:00.000+12:00

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says whoever is best organised should win Saturday's Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

Mr Peters, who stood for National in Northern Maori at the start of his political career, is picking Labour's Kelvin Davis to beat Hone Harawira by up to 1000 votes.

He says campaign rhetoric doesn't count for as much as having enough people on the ground to get supporters to the polls.

“The person who is going to win on Saturday is the person whose team has done the logistics - enrolled people, persuaded them to vote for them, and made sure they got to the polling booth during the week or Saturday,” Mr Peters says.

The vote is likely to turn on special votes, as many eligible voters were not registered before the rolls were printed.

RULES COULD MAKE LEAGUE VULNERABLE TO BUS-IN BRANCHES

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the Maori Women's Welfare League may want to review its rules to defend itself from takeover.

The 60-year-old organisation's ranks have been swelled in the past couple of years by Destiny Church members, and church pastor Hannah Tamaki is standing for president at August's annual conference.

Mrs Turia says the Maori Party wrote its rules to avoid some of the electoral tactics that other organisations struggle with.

“We only allow one vote per branch and in that way we are able to ensure people don’t bus people in or don’t sign a lot of people up to try and take a movement over. I think that’s unfair in many ways to those who have given their lives to the Maori Women's Welfare League,” she says.

Mrs Turia says she has no idea what Hannah Tamaki's credentials are to be the head of the league, which is a position of great mana within Maoridom.

MAORI BOARD PREPARES TO AUDIT COUNCIL

Auckland's Maori Statutory Board is preparing to audit how the super city council measures up to Treaty of Waitangi principles.

Chairperson David Taipari says the board has worked with consulting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers on an audit process, which will be put out to tender soon.

He says getting a qualified third party opinion could be what's needed to make the council heed the board's criticisms that Maori aren't being properly included in planning.

“There are a number of areas I have seen over the past seven months that the council could greatly do with our assistance,” Mr Taipari says.

The Maori Statutory Board has also employed Waitako University to identify areas where assistance for Maori may be needed, such as in housing, education, health and economic development.

FOX PICKING CLOSE RACE IN TE TAI TOKERAU

Maori political commentator and former Maori Party candidate Derek Fox predicts Saturday's Te Tai Tokerau by-election will come down to the wire between Labour's Kelvin Davis and Mana's Hone Harawira.

Derek Fox says the split between Mr Harawira and the Maori Party, and the subsequent antics of his mother Titewhai and sister Hinewhare, had upset many Maori in the north.

“There will be a lot of people who say ‘well, these people have demonstrated to me that they can’t work together, they’re like a three ring circus and I’m going to go back to the main ring which is where Labour is,’ and I’m quite sad about that too,” he says.

Mr Fox says the Maori Party hasn't helped the cause of its candidate Solomon Tipene.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND A WERO FOR LABOUR

Meanwhile, Hauraki-Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta says Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate Kelvin Davis has laid down a wero to his own party with his call for $100 million economic development fund for Northland.

Ms Mahuta says it's not a promise Mr Davis can implement immediately if he wins the seat on Saturday.

But it's modeled on a fund that Labour created when it stopped logging of native timber on the West Coast.

“What he's doing is signaling to Labour that will be the cost of securing this electorate, and if I am the electorate MOP, Labour better get behind on that. I support him on that,” Ms Mahuta says.

She says radical solutions are needed to tackle unemployment among young Maori in the north.

REO GIVES MAORI THEATRE AN EDGE

Playwright Albert Belz says judicious use of te reo Maori can give Maori theatre a special edge.

A revival of Belz's eight-year-old play Awhi Tapu opens in Auckland tonight.

He says Taki Rua Productions have done a great job altering and updating the tale of four friends clinging to a dying forestry town ... and he doesn't think it should be pigeon-holed as a Maori play.

“Thanks to some great genes I am Maori and I feel comfortable anyway, despite my reo being a shocker. A lot of people, including myself, have been trying to figure out where it fits. Is it a general audience piece, is it a Maori piece, is it a Pacific piece, I kind of like that. I like not being pigeon-holed too much,” Belz says.

Awhi Tapu starts at Tapac at Western Springs tonight and runs until July 2.

Harawira denies perpetual grievance tag

2011-06-21T22:41:00.000+12:00

Mana leader Hone Harawira denies he is pushing a message of grievance in his bid to retain Te Tai Tokerau.

Mr Harawira's by-election rivals have seized on his campaign themes, which include playing up his role in the 2004 foreshore and seabed hikoi and other protests, as well as highlighting the hardship faced by many in the electorate.

But he says Labour's Kelvin Davis isn't giving him the credit for some of his more positive achievements.

“He knows what I was able to do with the Far North Rugby League. He knows of my role as the CEO for the Te Aupouri Maori Trust Board. He knows how I built the kura from nothing to being the biggest in Tai Tokerau. He knows how I built Te Hiku Media from a little radio station to four ration stations and a television station. He knows all of that,” Mr Harawira says.

He says Labour's campaign is turning nasty because it's losing the race.

LATE BY-ELECTION COULD COST SEAT

Meanwhile, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says Hone Harawira may live to regret giving the Labour Party a crack at his seat.

Mr Peters says the right time to force a by-election was March, when he split from the Maori Party, rather than giving his opponents time to drum up support.

“Not in this case the Maori Party because they are going to be the massive losers in this campaign on Saturday but he has given the Labour Party a chance to organize on Saturday and he may well live to regret it,” he says.

Mr Peters says the candidate who will win on Saturday will be the one who is best able to organise to get voters out ... which means Labour candidate Kelvin Davis is in with a great chance.

AWHI TAPU GETS SECOND LIFE

Playwright Albert Belz expects a few jaws to drop when audiences see the revival of his play Awhi Tapu.

The saga of four friends clinging on to living in a dying forestry town starts a run at Western Springs College's Tapac theatre tomorrow.

Mr Belz says he's excited by what Taki Rua Productions have done to the eight-year-old play.

“Way back in 2003 there were a couple of different elements to it where one of the characters went into a fantasy world. That’s gone. A new cast and director are also handling it differently in terms of, it’s a little bit lighter in places, a little bit heavier in others when it comes to how issues in the play are being dealt with,” Mr Belz says.

TIPENE FEELS THE LOVE FROM PARTY

The Maori Party Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate, Solomon Tipene, says he feels no lack of support from the Party's hierarchy.

Co-leader Tariana Turia has apologised for televised comments about Mr Tipene's political inexperience, which were interpreted as a vote of no-confidence in him and an endorsement of Labour's Kelvin Davis.

Mr Tipene says he's grateful for the help he's got from Mrs Turia and other leaders.

“Do I feel the support of the Maori Party? Absolutely. Every one of those MPs has been up with me every day supporting me. That is an indication of their support,” he says.

Mr Tipene says as far as he is concerned, he is also the Maori Party's candidate for the general election.

LOAN SHARKS PREYING ON HIGHER LIVING COSTS

The head of a South Auckland budgeting service is welcoming the prospect of loan sharks being put under the spotlight.

In the wake of a company offering high interest loans via text message, the Government says a financial summit in August will send a message to the loan industry to be responsible.

Ripeka Taipari says up to 40 percent of Whare Mauriora Budgeting have taken out loans because low wages or benefits and high living costs means they feel they can no longer provide for their families.

“They're more wanting to be able to live the lifestyle they’re used to living which is pretty basic, so they really are on a minimum and scratching to get what they need and so they go to the shark to get the extra things they need for their children, and our staff say ‘I can’t do this anymore,’ because they keep going to the loan sharks and they don’t just have one, they have two or three of them,” Mrs Taipari says,

She wants to see tighter credit lending criteria to keep vulnerable families away from money lenders.

ENTRIES FLOODING IN FOR WAIATA MAORI AWARDS

The organiser of the Waiata Maori Music Awards says entries are flooding in as musicians come to appreciate how the annual event can generate good exposure.

Tama Huata says high profile Maori artists like Tiki Taane, Stan Walker and Smashproof are showing other what can be achieved.

He says there's a clear need for a collaborative approach to promote Maori artists not just through the Maori radio stations but to get them mainstream airplay.

Entries close at the end of July.

Compulsory voting to protect vote

2011-06-21T10:05:00.001+12:00

Hauraki - Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta says New Zealand should follow Australia's lead and make voting compulsory.

Ms Mahuta has been canvassing in support of her cousin Kelvin Davis, Labour's Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate.

She says Maori are missing out by not exercising their right to vote.

“Sadly I knocked on a household, spoke to a person who was around about 44, and they said they had never voted, and I couldn’t believe it, and we cannot have that picture going on among Maori, because people will say why do you have Maori seats, you don’t even use your vote,’” Ms Mahuta says.

She says it's looking like a low turnout on Saturday.

SURGE OF ENROLMENTS POINTS TO SPECIAL RESULT

But a close observer of politics in the north is predicting a higher than expected turnout for Saturday's by-election.

Mike Kake, the chief executive of Ngati Hine FM, says the race could come down to special votes.

He says the three major candidates ... Hone Harawira, Kelvin Davis and Solomon Tipene ... may be a lot closer than outside observers think.

“There's been a lot of activity around updating registration forms, a lot of activity driven by the campaigns themselves. Labour, Mana and the Maori Party are driving for new members, so there have been new enrolment forms coming though. So they still have an opportunity to get enrolled before Friday and cast a special vote,” Mr Kake says.

The street surveys his station has been conducting haven't come up with a clear winner.

The Electoral Commission says it has received 355 early votes, more than at the same time before the 2008 general election.

BASIC SERVICES RESTORED TO CHARRED MARAE

The whanau of Manawatu's Te Taumata o te Ra Marae has started the sad task of rebuilding after a devastating fire.

The marae at Halcombe lost its wharekai and kaumatua lounge in a suspected arson three weeks ago.

Awhina Twomey of Ngati Manomano says many in the whanau saw the devastation for the first time this weekend, but after the tears, they got stuck in to the work setting up a temporary kitchen so they can look after manuhiri.

Awhina Twomey says the marae had been trying to raised money for sprinklers before the fire, but even sprinklers my not have been able to save the old totara buildings.

MOBILE MICROLOANS INDICTMENT ON GOVERNMENT INACTIVITY

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis says the emergence of a company offering small high-interest loans at the push of a text message is an indictment of the Government's refusal to regulate loan sharking.

Budget advisers are warning that many Maori are likely to get driven into financial crisis by the loans, which Ferratum Group is pitching as a way to avoid having your eftpos card declined at the supermarket.

Kelvin Davis says the Government refused to support Labour's attempt to curb predatory lenders.

“They voted down our loan sharks bill last year and things are getting worse. If peole can just text a long and have to pay 50 percent interest over a couple of weeks, they’re just going to get hammered. The vulnerability of people is being taken advantage of and no good can come from it,” Mr Davis says.

He says the idea that people might have to take out loans to buy groceries shows the Government's policies aren't working.

STUND POLITICS COULD BE HARAWIRA’S DOWNFALL

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia believes Hone Harawira may learn to regret taking strategic advice from former Alliance president Matt McCarten.

Mrs Turia is incensed by Mr McCarten's weekend newspaper column praising Mr Harawira for seeking a mandate by forcing a by-election in Te Tai Tokerau ... and saying he gave the same advice to Mrs Turia when she walked from Labour.

She says there was no such advice.

“People need to be extremely careful about the information he puts into the public arena because it is not strictly correct and I am totally surprised that Hone has bought into Matt’s advice because calling the by-election and advising Hone to go with it is what we call stunt politics and that actually is Matt's trademark,” Mrs Turia

MAORI GOOGLE SEEKING MORE TRANSLATERS

The call has gone out for more volunteers for Maori Google.

It's almost three years since the Maori version of the internet search engine launched, but online media consultant Karaitiana Taiuru says the translation effort is struggling to keep up with the site's growth.

He says anyone with suitable language skills can pitch in.

“Any individual is able to begin translating on their own. One person was responsible for translating most of it. With community effort, it will be a small job and definitely feasible,” Mr Taiuru says.

Only about a quarter of Google's pages are translated into Maori.

One vote best strategy

2011-06-20T19:44:00.000+12:00

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis says voters in the by-election have one vote, and they need to give it to the person they want to represent them.

Rivals hone Harawira and Solomon Tipene are arguing a vote for the list MP would be wasted, because he is already in Parliament.

But Mr Davis says he's after the same mandate as Mr Harawira.

“It's about seeking the mandate. It’s about seeking the voice of the people and people need to vote for whom they can trust to represent them the best in Te Tai Tokerau. To use this vote splitting argument is defeatist if Hone is out seeking the mandate. He needs to seek it one on one and not use these side issues about splitting votes,” Mr Davis says,

He says if the people of Te Tai Tokerau still have doubts about Labour, they should still be confident about his own ability to represent them.

HARAWIRA HAPPY WITH PROPHETIC ENDORSEMENT

Meanwhile, Hone Harawira is defending the endorsement his campaign got from a maverick Ratana minister.

Keremea Pene organised a kar-koi of Mana Party supporters around Te Tai Tokerau over the weekend.

Mr Harawira says his involvement seems to have brought out the worst in Labour's Kelvin Davis.

“Kereama Pene, I didn’t know how high he was in the faith but apparently he’s a senior minister within the Ratana faith and for Kelvin to go calling him nothing but a choirboy is really an insult to the people of Ratana eh,” Mr Harawira says.

Kereama Pene also drew fire from senior Ratana elder Te Whakaotinga Ron Smith of Matamata, who said the south Auckland minister's endorsement of Mr Harawira should not be misconstrued as an official church position.

NGATI WAI KI AOTEA CLAIMANTS GET SETTLEMENT START

Treaty claimants on Aotea-Great Barrier are keen to use a $4.6 million settlement package to kick-start economic development.

An agreement in principle signed by Ngati Rehua on the weekend also includes the Crown returning Okiwi Recreation Reserve and part of Hirakimata/Mt Hobson to the Ngati Wai hapu, and the transfer and gift back to the Crown of the Mokohinau Islands Scenic and Nature Reserve.

Spokesperson Rawiri Wharemate says the deal has come together quickly since negotiations started in 2009.

Agreements still need to be reached overt mutton-birding islands and water space before the settlement can be finalised.

MOBILE MICRO-LOANS THREAT TO MAORI

The head of the Mangere Budgeting Services is warning Maori are likely to become victims of a new text messaging loan service.

Ferratum Group is offering short-term, unsecured micro-loans via a mobile phone to consumers looking for quick cash, such as when they are standing in a supermarket line without enough money in their eftpos account.

Darryl Evans says Maori are some of the heaviest users of his service, and 95 percent of them get into trouble because they can't service high interest, "easy' loans.

“Any family who’s vulnerable and any family who needs to borrow money to buy food should absolutely not be going to this type of fringe lender and paying ridiculous interest rates. It’s just obscene. If you borrow $200 over 30 days, you’ll be paying them back $312. Just at that level there’s a 56 percent interest rate,” he says.

Mr Evans says credit unions offer a far cheaper and safer option for struggling families needing short-term micro-loans.

FALSE PROPHET SKEWING BY-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Beware of false prophets is the advice Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia is giving her former colleague Hone Harawira.

Mrs Turia says she's feeling a sense of deja vu at a claim by south Auckland Ratana minister Kereama Pene that Mr Harawira is the embodoment of a prophesy from church founder T W Ratana.

She says Mr Pene has a record of such stunts in the multitude of political parties he has joined.

“What we've got is an individual who attempts to become the prophet. He interprets prophesies. It’s not supported by the movement at all, It’s one individual who actually when I went with the Maori Party prophesised me too. It’s a load of nonsense. It’s really unfair on the Ratana movement,” Mrs Turia says.

She says as in any church, Ratana followers are free to vote as individuals for any party they want.

TAINUI NEEDS TO GET HOUSE IN ORDER

Hauraki Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta says Tainui needs to get its house in order.

The tribe's executive fended off a bid to sack it by getting a high court injuntion postponing the half-yearly meeting of the tribal parliament, which was to be held on the weekend.

Ms Mahuta says the squabble with the executive means Te Kauhanganui is failing to take care of the tribe's business.

“Quite frankly, sooner or later people got to put egos aside, look at the business before the tribe, huge decisions need to be made and Te Kauhanganui and the marae must give direction or have to opportunity to give direction on some really critical issues facing us,” Ms Mahuta says.

Wisdom of Solomon on vote split

2011-06-20T09:11:00.000+12:00

Maori Party candidate Solomon Tipene is picking a Labour victory in Te Tai Tokerau ... unless he can convince people with his two for the price message.

The self-described draught horse is trailing in the polls behind Kelvin Davis and Mana Party leader Hone Harawira.

He says there's still a chance he can come through the middle on Saturday.

“Kelvin will get in, in the by-election and in the general election, and frankly that is a wasted strategic vote because he will get in anyway, he’s on the list, and it’s a pity our people can’t understand that,” Mr Tipene says.

He says a Maori Party telephone poll late last week showed him at 38 percent support.

HARAWIRA NOT TO BE TRUSTED SAYS SHARPLES

Meanwhile, Maori party co-leader Pita Sharples says Hone Harawira is the wrong person to be advocating cross-party collaboration among Maori MPs.

Dr Sharples says the Mana Party leader’s idea of a parliamentary committee where all MPs of Maori origin caucus every three months is impractical.

“A parliament implies you are going to set up a whole set of criteria that binds you together and it will cross-cut the power and the voice of each party so it will never happen and besides I was talking to some of the Labnour guys and they say they don’t trust him, and we don’t because that’s why we split up,” he says.

Dr Sharples says MPs are elected to make laws for all the people.

OPPORTUNITY FOR MAORI IN INTERNET COMPETITION

A member of the national Maori broadband working group is encouraging Maori organisations to enter their websites in this year’s Australia New Zealand Internet Awards.

Richard Orzecki of Ngati Raukawa is judging the New Zealand diversity category.

He says it’s a way of recognising sites that encourage expressions of cultural diversity or identity, or use languages other than English to serve their communities.

He says it’s a great way for Maori groups using the internet to get international coverage.

Entries close on July 1, and the award ceremony is in Melbourne in October.

POLITIC OF GRIEVANCE DRIVING CAMPAIGN

Labour’s Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate says the north needs to move beyond the politics of grievance advocated by his rivals.

Kelvin Davis says Mana Party leader Hone Harawira has made a career of victimhood and living in the past … and it’s doing Maori a disservice.

“We have to acknowledge the past. We have to address the past but we have to move into the future. Hone is all about relitigating that and he has made people think it is the major issue, and it is not. We are not the downtrodden descendants of an oppressed people, we are noble descendants of a dignified people,” he says.

Mr Davis says people are getting behind his message of successful Maori futures through education and job creation.

The by-election will be held on Saturday.

CONVENTION CENTRE BET NO CAN DO

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples says there’s nothing but bad news for Maori in the Government’s Auckland convention centre proposal.

Sky City has offered to build a $350 million mid-town centre, if the Government changes gambling laws in its favour.

Dr Sharples says the process is flawed and the Maori Party will oppose it.

“We’ve tried over the years to get the council and business houses interested in a convention, Maori culture combined centre down on the waterfront, no one has taken it up seriously. Now here is a group want to do a trade and put it up themselves, and I just say ‘You can’t do that,’” he says.

Pita Sharples says expanding Sky City’s casino operations isn’t the way to address Maori problem gambling, which is increasing.

RANGATAHI VOICE SOUGHT IN JUSTICE POLICY

The director of Rethinking Crime and Punishment wants to hear the voice of rangatahi in the law and order debate.

The prison reform group is meeting in Wellington this week to discuss the formation of a youth advisory group.

Executive director Kim Workman says too many people assume they know what's good for young people in the youth justice area.

“We think that some young people may have some ideas that may reshape the way we do justice. You know I’m 71 and all my mates are geriatrics,” he says.

Mr Workman says the youth advisory group could be a way for those views to be heard by politicians, policy makers and community leaders.

Tainui executive wins reprieve

2011-06-17T22:22:00.000+12:00

Tainui has postponed the half-yearly meeting of its tribal parliament after the tribal executive won a High Court injunction.

Te Ara Taura chair Tukoroirangi Morgan says the meeting's agenda, including a motion to sack all 10 elected members of the executive, fell outside the rules.

He says he now needs to sit down with Te Kauhanganui's chair, Tania Martin.

“The tribal parliament hui scheduled for tomorrow is not going to take place. Both myself and the chair of the parliament now have to sit down and talk about making sure that the resolutions and the business that is to be discussed has to be appropriate and fall within the rules, got to be dealt with in the proper way, so we won’t get to a tribal hui until maybe three or
four weeks time,” Mr Morgan says.

Te Ara Taura is keen for a sheduled review of Tainui's governance systems and processes to go ahead.

MAORI PARTY COMES OUT AGAINST CASINO EXPANSION

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples says the Maori Party will oppose any expansion of Sky City's casino operations.

Dr Sharples says he's told the prime minister of his strong opposition to the deal being proposed in exchange for the company building a new convention centre.

He doesn't accept John Key's argument that having more pokies and gaming areas won't worsen problem gambling.

“When we first built the casino I trained 700 people to work in there, and they couldn’t gamble, and I’ve also monitored the situation there and been with the problem gaming people through their programmes and what they do to see. It’s not nice at all, so anything that increases the possibility of problem gambling, we’ve got to oppose,” Dr Sharples says.

He's been trying for years to get a combined convention and Maori cultural centre built on Auckland's waterfront.

HARAWIRA RELISHING PROPHET MANTLE

Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate Hone Harawira is shrugging off the mantle of prophet placed on him by a Ratana minister.

Kereama Pene says the Mana Party leader fulfills a prophesy by church founder T W Ratana that a young man will rise up in the north carrying the Treaty of Waitangi to give people new hope.

Mr Harawira says he asked if they couldn't find someone else.

“I'm happy to be that person in terms of the Treaty of Waitangi because it’s in my blood, it’s in my whakapapa, but the whole prophesy thing, that’s something between the people of the Ratana faith. My focus is to be the best treaty activist that I can be and as much as possible to be the best leader that I can be,” her says.

Mr Harawira says he always respected the fact Ratana carried the bible in one hand and the treaty in the other.

TRUST PLAN TO REINVIGORATE NORTHLAND

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate is calling for a $100 million investment trust to re-tool the region's economy.

Kelvin Davis says a similar fund established when Labour stopped native logging on the West Coast means that part of the country has barely felt the latest recession.

He says the north can't be allowed to further towards third world conditions.

“Why don't we do something like that and that’s a really excellent idea, to set up a trust specifically for Te Tai Tokerau since we are deemed to be the basket case of New Zealand, that is going to invest in all the job creation and wealth creation and creation of opportunities,” Mr Davis says.

Mr Davis says instead of investing in Te Tai Tokerau, National is cutting or freezing funds for essential services like public health.

SETTLEMENT SUCCESS BRINGING GOVERNANCE CRISES

The chair of Tainui's Te Ara Taura executive says internal division is inevitable in post-settlement iwi, and they need to evolve mechanism to cope with it.

The High Court has granted an injunction preventing a meeting of the tribe's Te Kauhanganui parliament tomorrow that would have considered a motion to sack the 10 elected excutive members.

Tukoroirangi Morgan says with $700 million in assets, there will inevitably be tensions.

“You are taking tribes from a start line where in our case we were virtually landless. When you then go through transformational change as a result of the opportunities that arise through settlement, there is always going to be those who are trying to put themselves into positions where they have greater say,” Mr Morgan says.

He now needs to sit down with Te Kauhanganui chair Tania Martin to agree on an agenda for the parliament's six-monthly meeting.

MORE MAORI TEACHERS NEEDED TO AVOID BURN-OUT

The president of the Secondary Principals' Association wants incentives to attract more Maori and Pacific Island teachers.

Patrick Walsh says they're needed to lighten the workload of those already in the workforce, especially in low decile schools.

He says young Maori and Pacific teachers often suffer from burn out because of the extra responsibilities foisted on them.

“If it's a Maori teacher they say you can take kapa haka, and you can also deal with any bad behaviour of Maori students so instantly their workload is considerable and they become a magnet for other teachers to sort out a lot of issues to do with Maori students, Maori under-achievement, Maori language, Maori sensitivity,” Mr Walsh says.

Harawira counts numbers in house

2011-06-17T09:32:00.001+12:00

Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate Hone Harawira says his Maori parliament is what will give Maori a real voice in the nation's affairs.

Mr Harawira is proposing that all MPs who are Maori set aside their party lines and come together every three months at hui around the country to hear the concerns of Maori in the region.

“The more and more we develop the culture of a Maori parliament, the more and we as Maori MPs become accepting of the value of the input of our people. There’s 20 of us in Parliament. We’d be the third biggest party if we decided to stand together,” he says.

PARLIAMENT IDEA FLUFFY DISTRACTION

But Labour's senior Maori MP says the Mana Party leader's Maori parliament plan is a distraction from the real issues which need to be debated in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

Parekura Horomia says Maori MPs already do come together across party lines ... except that when he was in the Maori Party Mr Harawira was unable to get even MPs in his own party to agree with him.

“In an ideal world I think it would be not too bad but political reality is that we’re in a battle for his seat and we’re not going to be distracted by fluff in relation to what the real issues are,” he says.

Mr Horomia says Hone Harawira needs to acknowledge a wide range of organisations have the mana to represent Maori in various spheres, including runanga, iwi authorities, and national organisations like the Maori Womens Welfare League.

CHILDCARE CENTRES FREE UP PARENTS FOR WORK

A south Auckland budget advisor says more early childcare centres are needed in the region so parents can look for work.

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announce that $9.5 million will go towards building eight new centres in east and South Auckland to increase Maori and Pasifika participation.

Ripeka Taipari says eight in 10 of families seen by Whare Mauri Ora Budgeting in Otahuhu can't afford to put their kids into preschool, or the waiting lists are full.

“The hope is that we will have more centres so that our parents can get out and get more work and they can get some subsidised care in a centre,” Mrs Taipari says.

The Government investment includes a $1 million Maori bilingual centre with 50 child places in Manurewa, and a $1.4 million bilingual service in Otara.

MAORI PARTY STUCK WITH DRAUGHT HORSE

One of the unsuccessful bidders for the Maori Party's Te Tai Tokerau nomination says the party needs to stand by candidate Solomon Tipene through to the general election.

Party president Pem Bird says the party's constitution requires a new selection process be held for the November election, whether on not Mr Tipene, who is currently polling at 15 percent, wins on Saturday week.
Mere Mangu says that is not tika or right.

“That's who they chose and that’s who they’re going to live with until he changes his mind. That’s that. The tikanga is, when he put his forward and he was chase by the panel for Te Tai Tokerau he became the candidate for the by-election and he should still be the candidate for the general election,” Ms Mangu says.

SOUTH TURNS OUT FOR MANA CAMPAIGN

They can't vote for him come Saturday week, but supporters of Mana Party leader Hone Harawira are heading north today to urge Te Tai Tokerau voters to put a tick for their man.

Mr Harawira says he's buoyed by the number of volunteers turning out to help his campaign, including large numbers for South Auckland who have been door knocking in Waitakere and Raki pae Whenua, the north Shore.

“They feel really bad that they can’t vote for me even though a lot of them are from the north so they are going to run a convoy from Henderson all the way up to Kaitaia and through the north over the weekend and that’s just their way of showing support,” Mr Harawira says.

ENGINEER DEFENDS AUCKLAND TANIWHA

A senior engineering lecturer has lashed out at the way the media lampooned a warning of a taniwha under the Auckland CBD.

Kepa Morgan from Auckland University says the dangers for a rail loop under the city pointed out by Maori statutory board member Glen Wilcox of Ngati Whatua should be taken seriously.

He says engineers have learned to take such advice into account.

“Those that are enlightened do look to indigenous knowledge sources and other examples to guide decision making in complex situations. If it’s purely maths, pretty much any one can do it in any language but whne it comes to complex engineering challenges, it’s a grey area and there is no black or white answer,” Dr Morgan says.

Warnings of taniwha affected by a highway at Meremere and the prison at Ngawha provided useful inputs into those projects.

Role models to counter attacks on teachers

2011-06-17T00:36:00.001+12:00

The president of the Secondary Principals' Association, Partick Walshe, says the answer to students assaulting teachers in low decile schools is more Maori and Pasifika teachers.

A teacher was assaulted and injured by a student at decile 1 Southern Cross Campus in Mangere last week.

Mr Walsh says when he taught at neighbouring De La Salle College, he saw the respect that Maori and Pacific Island teachers automatically attain with pupils.

He says many students come from dysfunctional homes, and the presence of such teachers gives them role models.

Patrick Walsh says he'd like to see more scholarships to encourage Maori and Pacific Islanders to enter the teaching profession.

VIOLENCE PROGRAMMES COUNT COST OF BUDGET

A trust which runs anti-violence programmes for Maori and Pacific men feels short-changed by a new funding formula.

166 organisations are sharing the $13 million set aside in budget for family violence services.

Friendship House Trust director Vicky Sykes says her south Auckland-based roopu got $80,000, which is half what it got under the previous formula.

Friendship House is still waiting for clarification on what the money can be spent on.

HARAWIRA STANDS UP TO CLOBBERING MACHINE

Te Tai Tokerau candidate Hone Harawira says he's confident he can stand up against the Labour clobbering machine.

Mr Harawira is disputing a Maori Television poll putting him only a whisker ahead of Labour's candidate Kelvin Davis.

He says while Labour is trying to paint him as unreliable and untrustworthy, Maori in the north know different.

His plan for winning over the hearts and minds of voters in the final week of campaigning is to propose solutions which will help them on issues like poverty and jobs.

NATIONAL CASINO PLANS UNETHICAL SAY GREEENS

Greens' co-leader Meteria Turei says the planned Sky City convention centre deal shows that cash means more than the rule of law to National.

The Government is talking to the listed company about extending the licence on its Auckland casino and allowing more pokies if it carries the $350 million cost of the project.’

Metiria Turei says it's a rerun of the change to the labour laws to meet the demands of the American studio funding the Hobbit moves.

“The only difference between what National’s doing and all sorts of dodgy government around the world do is they are doing it oput in the open. Everyone in New Zealand knows they are selling off the law. But it’s immoral and it's unethical,” she says.

Ms Turei says the number of Maori problem gamblers has jumped sharply since the casino was opened, and its expansion will make things worse.

CHRISTCHURCH MAORI NEEDING BETTER SUPPORT

Labour Maori affairs spokesman Parekura Horomia wants to see programmes put together to help Christchurch Maori households face the future.

The Ikaroa Rawhiti MP says the greatest suffering seems to be in places like Aranui, which have high Maori populations.

He says this many have become even more demoralised by this week's earthquakes, and they need a way to get the minefield of rebuilding.

Mr Horomia says the Government is failing to provide the sort of clear and timely leadership that would help Christchurch people make decisions and get on with their lives.

HEARTFELT STORIES IN COMPETITION

A six time finalist in the Pikihuia Awards for Maori writers says a good story comes from the heart.

Ann French of Tauranga has two entries in contention this year.

Her novel extract is about solo parents whose children encounter problems with gangs and drugs, while her short story, Treading on Eggshells, is about the confrontation when a mother finds out her son is using drugs.

The Pikihuia winner will be announced August 27, with the finalists published in Huia Short Stories 9.

PM low balls gambling harm figure

2011-06-16T12:29:00.000+12:00

The Prime Minister is playing down claims by problem gambling specialists that a sweetheart deal for a new convention centre will hurt Maori and Pacific communities.

The Government is considering a change to gambling laws to allow Sky City to expand its casino operations in exchange for building the $350 million centre in Auckland.

John Key says the extra pokie machines won't be particularly harmful.

“What we know about the harm rate, those whop get addicted to gambling, is running at about 0.4 percent so to put a bit of perspective around that, drinking or alcohol is 17 percent so yes, some people do have a problem with going to a casino or pokie machines but truthfully it’s actually quite low,” he says.

Mr Key says the Sky City machines will be aimed at international visitors going to conventions, who will add $90 million a year to the New Zealand economy.

GAMBLING AFFECTING WIDER WHANAU

But Labour's infrastructure spokesperson Shane Jones says Prime Minister John Key is being deliberately misleading about the impact of increased gambling on vulnerable communities.

Mr Jones says the most recent survey of problem gambling indicates it could affect up to 1.8 percent of adults ... with Maori use of problem gambling services jumping more than 60 percent over the past decade.

He says a New Zealand Health Survey done under the previous Labour Government showed 3 percent of adults had experienced problems because of someone else's gambling in the previous 12 months.

“The difficulty is it’s not just the individuals who are gambling, it’s their kids, their nieces, their nephews and their partners and the levels of suffering we hear from those whop are competent to speak on a day to day basis about Maori gambling addiction is that it is getting worse,” Mr Jones says.

He says the convention centre deal looks like a rerun of the Government's caving in to Warners on the Hobbit movies ... although in this case it's encouraging the hobbits to go gambling.

BROWN READY TO WORK WITH ANY WINNER

Auckland mayor Len Brown says he would have no difficult working with Hone Harawira if he retains Te Tai Tokerau.

He says more than a third of voters in the electorate live and work in the super city, so good relations with the MP is important.

Mr Brown says he has worked well with Mr Harawira in the past, and while he doesn't know Labour candidate Kelvin Davis well, but he's impressed by his record of achievement.

MAORI PARLIAMENT PLAN PLAGUED WITH DOUBTS

Green's co-leader Meteria Turei has offered lukewarm support Hone Harawira's call for a Maori parliament.

Mr Harawira is telling Te Tai Tokerau by-election voters that the other 19 Maori MPs in Parliament were too scared to speak up for Maori, so he's proposing a structure within the parliament which would encourage the MPs to act in the interests of their people rather than their parties.

Ms Turei says it sounds like a twist on the Maori Party's idea of a tikanga or treaty upper house.

“I’m quite interested in the idea, particularly of a treaty house, but we need to build trust in our communities again and I think that’s a bit lacking at the moment, and make sure there are real systems to allow people to hold us to account, hold the Maori MPs or the members of that parliament to account,” she says.

Metiria Turei says the Maori Party itself failed as a Maori voice because it was not able to accommodate Mr Harawira's dissent.

KEY DENIES DESTINY CHURCH DISCRIMINATION CHARGE

Prime Minister John Key is denying the government is discriminating against the Destiny Church when it contracts for social services.

Church leaders say their social services arm is constantly being rejected, with its application to be a whanau ora provider the latest knock back.

It's alleging discrimination based on its religious beliefs, its largely-Maori membership, and the fact it's male-led.

But Mr Key says many religious organisations receive state funding.

“The decision on whether they get a contract or not is made by the officials based on the belief they can deliver the social services required. We neither favour them or discriminate against them based on whether or not they have a religious wing,” he says.

ROWLES LOOKING AT NEXT GENERATION OF BALLADEERS

Maori big ballad singer John Rowles says his "Now is the Hour" farewell tour may not be the last opportunity audiences have to hear the unique Rowles sound.

The 64-year-old's 11-city New Zealand swansong starts in Paraparaumu next week.

He says it will be up to the next generation to add the Rowles touch to songs like "If I only had Time" and "Cheryl Moana Marie", and he’s keen to tech his sons, Dane 12 and Blake 8, how to croon.

After Aotearoa the Final Bow tour heads for Australia, Hawaii, Canada and ends in Britain towards the end of 2012.

PM picks a Labour win in north

2011-06-15T21:24:00.000+12:00

The Prime Minister is picking Labour's Kelvin Davis to win the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

John Key says there is always a low turn-out in by-elections, and that could work in Mr Davis's favour come June 25.

“This might be an electorate where 10,000 people or 8000 people vote in which case 500 people you might mobilize might make all the difference and I have always thought that Labour will be much better organized than the Mana Party so on that basis they will get out and get Kelvin Davis over the line,” he says.

Mr Key says the closeness of the November general election is likely to keep voters at home.

HARAWIRA MACHINE TRAMPING INTO ACTION

But a Mana Party activist says don't write off the Hone Harawira machine.

Jevan Goulter says the canvassers aren't fazed by the Maori Television poll showing their candidate neck and neck with Labour's Kelvin Davis.
He says Mana is a movement of the people, and especially Tai Tokerau people.

“Driving throughout the north I saw the Labour machine out, I can see the signs up. You’ve got Labour with its flash offices in Kaikohe and Whangarei. And then you’ve got Hone with his down to earth office but the difference is his offices have foot traffic thorough the whole day, people walking in and out,” Mr Goulter says.

Mana also has a large online campaign happening.

TE AUTE SEEKING TO DOUBLE ROLL

The commissioner of Te Aute College says the Hawkes Bay Maori boarding school will survive despite a drop in student numbers.

Elizabeth Ellis says the school is considering taking on more day pupils as it fights a trend away from boarding and competition from mainstream schools which have upped their game with regards to Maori students.

She says many of Te Aute's pupils are sons or mokopuna of former students, and there is great respect for the school's history of producing Maori leaders.

“The 85 boys we’ve got here are without question proud to be here. We encourage parents and whanau to send their sons here. They’ll be well prepared for the future and they will be well looked after while they're here,” she says.

Mrs Ellis says after overseeing the separation of Te Aute's hostel and school operations, she will move on to a curriculum review with the aim of emphasising the school's special Maori character.

INTERNAL POLLING CONFIRMS UNDERDOG COULD HAVE DAY

Labour leader Phil Goff says his party's internal polling confirms a Baseline-Maori television survey showing candidate Kelvin Davis has drawn level with the Mana Party's Hone Harawira.

Mr Goff says while nothing is being taken for granted, it's clear the fight between Mr Harawira and the Maori Party is driving Maori voters back to Labour.

“We start from behind. We were the underdog in this race. Two to one people voted for Mr Harawira over Kelvin Davis last time but they are reassessing the situation and if we can get supporters of Kelvin out to vote on the day, Kelvin’s got a really good chance of winning,” Mr Goff says.

He says Mr Davis has been able to focus on things that matter to voters in the electorate like jobs and education, while Mana and the Maori Party fight each other over the past.

COMPULSORY MAORI TRAINING PLAN LUDICROUS

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says a plan to make to make te reo Maori lessons compulsory for all teacher trainees is ludicrous.

The proposal came out of the Maori Youth Council, and Maori Affairs and Associate Education Minister Pita Sharples says it fits with a new professional development programme he asked the ministry to develop for teachers of Maori learners.

Mr Peters says it's unworkable.

“There ain't enough Maori teachers to teach Maori to Maori, let alone teachers who can teach Maori to Europeans. So why would you hold out that promise and say it is going to be compulsory which would have (a) the effect of not being able to be carried through because you don’t have the firepower to do it and (b) raise a while lot of resentment from people who say ‘why am I being forced to do this,’” he says.

BIGGER CASINO WILL INCREASE GAMBLING PROBLEM

A problem gambling counselor says Sky City plans to exploit vulnerable communities to pay for its new convention centre.

The listed company is seeking Government approval to expand its gambling operations as part of the $350 million project.

Pesio Siitia of the Problem Gambling Foundation says the international visitors the project will attract won't be the convention crowd.

“Many of our Pacific families and our Maori families are suffering from problem gambling. A trip to the casino is seen as something very special and quite exciting. Many trips are taken there. We know that with family coming from overseas, the first place many of them want to be taken would be the casino,” she says.

Ms Siitia says the social impacts of gambling far outweigh the benefits to Maori and Pacific communities.

Stick with democracy says Peters

2011-06-15T08:51:00.001+12:00

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says there is a lesson for Maoridom in what's happened in Fiji.

The former foreign affairs minister says the government is wrong to Lieutenant Colonel Ratu Tevita Mara into the country, because he was a key leader of the 2006 coup ... even if he has now fallen out with Prime Minister (Frank) Bainimarama.

Mr Peters says those Maori who hailed past coups should now learn from our neighbour's troubled recent history.

“Stick with democracy because they’ve gone for four coups and the consequence over time in the last coup has been a massive drop in their economy, their GDP. Homelessness has gone from about 95,000 people to 145,000 people. It’s just tragic. There’s a lesson for Maori there. Whatever you think about democracy, it’s a whole lot better than anything else around the place,” he says.

Mr Peters says if Lieutenant Colonel Mara has information for the New Zealand Government, he should give it to foreign affairs officials in Tonga where he fled to from Fiji.

TANIWHA TALK IN CITY RAIL LOOP DEBATE

Auckland mayor Len Brown is promising to take Maori interests into account in the development of an underground rail loop in the central city.

Mr Brown says the concern raised by the Ngati Whatua representative on the Maori Statutory Board that the tunnel could upset the taniwha in the submerged Wai Horotiu stream was a minor hiccup, and mana whenua iwi will be part of the planning process.

“I have a pretty good understanding of Maoritanga and so I will certainly be listening to the views. At the same time we have got a major job to do down there with the inner city rail loop and we are full steam ahead with designating the route and in amongst all those processes will be any discussion relating to issues to do with Maori protocol or historical or spiritual issues,” Mr Brown says.

DIFFERENT HEART DRUG NEEDED FOR MAORI

A Wellington Hospital cardiologist says Maori should have access to a currently unfunded heart drug.

Scott Harding says a Victoria University study has more than half of Maori and Pacific Island heart attack patients don't respond to anti-platelet drugs like aspirin and clopidogrel, which are supposed to improve blood flow.

He says giving Maori the more expensive prasugrel would be a better option for the overall health budget.

“What we know from research overseas is that people who have an inadequate response to clopidogrel are at much higher risk of subsequent heart attacks. That risk is estimated between two and three fold. Our research would point to Maori and Pacific Islanders potentially having a greater benefit from this drug than others.” Dr Harding says.

Maori may be resistant to the anti-platelet drugs because of diabetes or weight issues.

DAMAGE TO MAORI PARTY HURTING HARAWIRA CHANCES

Labour MP Shane Jones says a poll showing the party's Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis on level pegging shows the electorate may be preparing to punish Hone Harawira for wrecking the Maori Party.

Mr Jones says the fact Solomon Tipene could only muster 15 percent support in the survey done for Maori Television shows not only that the Maori Party picked the wrong candidate but that its brand is damaged.

He says the fact Mr Davis has caught up with the Mr Harawira shows voters aren't buying their former MP's story he had no option but to start his own Mana Party.

“Never mind how Hone rationalises it, it’s waka jumping and he has wrecked the Maori Party. Now whether or not Te Ururoa overreacted or Hone was too whakakaki, too stubborn to say yes or no or whatever, the reality is once you pull the stunt Hone has done, you inordinately weaken the Maori Party, and I think a lot of Ngapuhis are sad about that,” Mr Jones says.

Labour is counting on a good turnout to get its candidate through.

WIDER SCOPE FOR REHABILITATION SOUGHT

A member of the Maori Youth Council says services are needed to support the families of young offenders.

Mereana Te Pere of Ngati Ranginui says the council's report delivered to Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples last week offers new ways to think about tackling Maori offending.

She says the mainstream focus is too much on the individual offender, rather than the whanau and communities they come from.

“Someone may work with the young person yet no one is supporting the parents which is not good because in the end that young person has to go home and we can work on that young personas an individual as much as possible, but if they do not have support from their whanau, they are going to fail as well,” Ms Te Pere says.

She says the youth justice system is too focused on negative behaviour.

SPARE COMMUNICATION BASIS FOR PLAY

Budding playwright Michael Rewiri-Thorsen is using the way men communicate with each other to tell a story of whanau ties.

Strong Hands starts a three-day season at the Auckland town Hall Concert Chamber tonight as part of the Tuakana-Teina Project, which pairs novices with established writers,

Mr Rewiri-Thorsen, from Ngati Kahu and Ngati Kauwhata, worked with Albert Belz to polish his tale of two brothers in a Hastings car yard workshop.

He says he’s worked on the way men talk to each other but don’t talk to each other.

Strong Hands is paired with Albert Belz's short play Te Awarua

Polling shows little interest in race

2011-06-14T23:45:00.000+12:00

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the winner of the Te Tai Tokerau by-election could struggle to claim a mandate.

A Baseline poll released during Maori Television's candidate debate shows Mana's Hone Harawira and Labour's Kelvin Davis neck and neck at 41 and 40 percent support respectively, with a 4.5 percent margin of error.

Maori Party flag bearer Solomon Tipene was way back on 15 percent.

Mrs Turia says her party's polling reveals the race has failed to galvanise voters.

“Over 50 percent of the people we have polled are not sure what we are going to do. A lot of people are saying they probably won’t vote in the by-election because they see the general election as being the important vote,” Mrs Turia says.

BROWN KEEN ON CASINO CONVENTION CENTRE

Auckland mayor Len Brown is endorsing the awarding of a convention centre project to Sky City's mid-city proposal.

The $350 million project, which is tagged to an expansion of Sky City's casino operations, beat out competitors including Ngati Whatua's plan to use railway land east of downtown.

Mr Brown says it ties in well with the council's plans to put an underground rail loop, with a station right outside Sky City Casino.

He says he's comforted by advice from Ngati Whatua that the possible existence of a taniwha in the stream running under Queen Street shouldn't derail plans for an underground rail loop.

WHANAU URGED TO FOCUS ON MEN’S HEALTH

It's Men's Health Week, and the national Maori men's health coalition wants whanau to help their men shape up.

Mana Tane o Aotearoa spokesperson Rhys Jones says men need to understand that looking after themselves means they can look after the people they care about.

He says the disproportionate number of Maori men dying early of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease is a national disgrace.

Dr Jones says Maori boys and young men also need to be made aware of how things they do today can have long term consequences for their health.

HARAWIRA REBEL APPEAL WEARING OFF

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate says latest poll results show rival Hone Harawira's appeal to voters is wearing thin.

A Baseline survey of 500 voters done last week for Maori Television shows only a point separating the two main candidates, despite Mr Harawira outpolling Kelvin Davis two to one in the 2008 general election, when he was wearing the Maori Party's colours.

Mr Davis says Mr Harawira's lack of forward-looking policy is starting to show.

“I think he's trying to come across as Johnny Rebel, the maverick that is out there saying what he wants to say and not giving a stuff what people think and I think there has to be more political substance behind the noise,” he says.

Mr Davis says the survey released during last night's televised debate shows the candidates have a lot of work to do to get the voters to the polling booth.

MWWL JOLTED OUT OF COMPLACENCY

A senior Maori Women's Welfare League member says an attempted Destiny Church takeover could be what's needed to jolt the organisation back into life.

Denise Ewe says the church has been aggressively infiltrating branches or setting up new ones, and Auckland pastor Hannah Tamaki is running as national president.

She says while the 60-year-old organisation has considerable mana and resources, in recent years it has struggled to attract younger Maori women.

“With Hannah Tamaki standing, it has awoken the league from its slumber, from its complacency. The current membership are saying how did this happen, we must get out there and do more about membership, looking after ourselves and growing the profile of the league again,” Mrs Ewe says.

The league's foundation principle that it is a non-sectarian organisation could conflict with Destiny's plans for it, whatever they may be.

TAMAKI ONLY EFFECTIVE MAORI LEADER

Meanwhile, Ngapuhi controversialist David Rankin says Destiny Church head Brian Tamaki is the only effective Maori leader.

Mr Rankin has attacked Kingitanga leader Tuheitia, saying he was at best the King of Huntly.

But he supports Brian Tamaki 100 percent.

“Born again Maoris attacking Brian Tamaki. Brian Tamaki is changing our people’s lives. He is the only Maori leader is effective. All my relatives along Panama Rd, they were all Black Power, they‘re all Destiny church now,” Mr Rankin says.

League leadership in Destiny's sights

2011-06-14T09:44:00.000+12:00

Hannah Tamaki, the wife of Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki, says she can't understand opposition within the Maori Women's Welfare league to her bid to become the 60-year-old organisation's president.

Branches set up by Destiny members walked out of a league event in Auckland last week when they were challenged about putting the religion before the non-sectarian principles of the league.

Mrs Tamaki says both organisations have a strong focus on women and families.

“There are actually more women in Destiny than there are men and very strong successful women from all walks of life and the majority Maori women so hey, I’m just another one of those wonderful wahine I suppose,” she says.

Senior league member Denise Ewe says Destiny has been aggressively recruiting its female members into the league, and reportedly signed up more than 1000 at its annual conference over Queens Birthday weekend.

TUREI DEMANDS PROOF OF TOLERANCE

Meanwhile, Greens' co-leader Meteria Turei says the Destiny Church's newly-found concern for women is unconvincing.

Ms Turei believes she was excluded from the church's forum of Maori politicians because Destiny leaders were afraid she would challenge Bishop Brian Tamaki's view that women in leadership is the devil's work.

“The fact is that his own words are being used as examples of a problem with his attitude towards women and towards the gay and lesbian community and if that is not the case, if that is not his view, then he needs to make that absolutely clear,” Ms Turei says.

She says many women in Destiny have told her they are embarrassed by some of Brian Tamaki's teachings.

NGATI WHATUA LAND OPEN FOR OPTIONS

Ngati Whatua is looking for options for its land near the old Auckland railway station.

Corporate head Tiwana Tibble says it's disappointed not to get a chance to build a convention centre, but there was no way it could match Sky City Casino's bid.

Sky City got the nod to partner with the government to build a $350 million centre in exchange for a massive expansion of its casino operations.

Mr Tibble says the Ngati Whatua land can be used as retail, residential or commercial space.

“If it's not going to be a purpose built facility like a convention centre, that particular site is in the middle of Auckland. You can’t replicate that sort of location, so over time we will be putting something pretty fantastic on it,” he says.

Mr Tibble says Ngati Whatua is pleased its bid to build a casino in the old Auckland railway station in the 1990s did not come off, because it now feels gambling is not a business Maori organisations should be part of.

MANA A CLASS PARTY CLAIMS MAORI PARTY HEAD

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says the Mana Party's kaupapa is class struggle, not Maori rights.

She says people in the north needs to understand this when they consider whether to cast a vote for Mana leader Hone Harawira in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

“It's a class party. It’s not a Maori party, They will have ot take into account all the interests of everybody else, whereas our focus has always , and we are unashamedly putting our people first and we do,” Mrs Turia says.

She says if Solomon Tipene wins the north for the Maori Party, the electorate will have a team player for the first time.

PM TURNS EYES AWAY FROM GAMBLING DAMAGE

There's a warning more Maori families will go hungry if the Government changes gambling laws in exchange for Sky City Casino building a convention centre in Auckland.

Problem gambling educator Zoe Hawke from Maori public health organisation Hapai Te Hauora says the promised $90 million a year boost to the economy from convention-goers needs to be weighed against the families impoverished because members become addicted to pokie machines.

“John Key mentioned we need to overlook more gambling machines for the need for a bigger facility for international events he’s basically saying we have to overlook the fact people are getting hurt, families are going hungry,” she says.

Ms Hawke says as part of its campaign to win the convention centre bid, Sky City Casino seems to have suddenly increased its focus on host responsibility and ensuring patrons aren't gambling too much.

EMOTIONAL HIT FROM FASHION SHOW

The winner of this year's supreme Miromoda Maori design award says women consumers are looking for an emotional connection from fashion.

Adrienne Whitewood says that's what she tried to give them with her Te Aho Tapu collection based on korowai and pre-European clothing.

The Rongowhakaata woman says the hint of nostalgia paid off.

“I think consumers, especially women, aren’t just wanting fast fashion. They want slow fashion, they’re wanting clothing that has meaning and that’s where my concept came from. I used a lot of traditional techniques such as drapery which is a traditional Maori technique,” Ms Whitewood says.

Her collection will be showcased at New Zealand Fashion Week, and she also gets a trip to Australian Fashion Week and mentoring from MiroModa co-founder Rex Turnbull.

Pastor Hannah pushing for MWWL top job

2011-06-13T23:57:00.000+12:00

The wife of Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki says she's pushing on with her bid to become the president of the Maori Women's Welfare League, despite opposition from long term members.

Hannah Tamaki was nominated for the role by three Auckland branches set up by Destiny members, and joins a field of eight women vying for the three year role at the league's national conference in August.

She says she joined the organisation about three years ago.

“I am very passionate about Maori women or all women and I have worked with women and families for over 30 years so for me this is just another step of offering the services and capabilities I have and learning from other people too so that’s why I'm doing it,” Mrs Tamaki says.

She says Destiny Church has more women than men members.

LEAGUE FIGHTING OFF DESITNY TAKE-OVER

But a senior league member says the Maori Women's Welfare League is fighting off a Destiny take-over.

Denise Ewe, (Maori PRON) a former Auckland president, says Destiny has three large Auckland branches and had been actively recruiting its members around the country to join the 60-year-old organisation.

She says a meeting to hear from the Auckland candidates for the league presidency this month was marked by a mass walk-out of Destiny members when a kuia reminded them of the league's kaupapa.

“The league's constitution says quite specifically that you must be non-sectarian so the league comes first, your religious beliefs comes second, whereas with Destiny branches, they put Destiny first, Maori Women’s Welfare League second, but they do have a huge membership,” Mrs Ewe says.

The Maori Women's Welfare League is consulted with on major policy decisions and appointments relating to Maori, and it also has the only Maori-owned lender, the Maori Women's Development Incorporation.

OTAUTAHI HIT AGAIN BY MAJOR QUAKES

Ngai Tahu is again assessing what it can do to help Maori and other residents on Christchurch in the wake of today's magnitude 6 aftershock.

Acting chief executive Mike Sang says the temporary headquarters at Wigram came through the shocks well, and there was no obvious damage or injuries.

Staff were sent home early to look after their families, but will reconvene tomorrow.

“Our systems and processes are obviously there if required. We’re hoping it’s not that bad. There’s so much uncertainty when you have these quakes. We’ll see overnight and work with the wider relief effort really,” Mr Sang says.

The quakes raise doubts about whether Ngai Tahu will want to ever move back in to its central city headquarters.

NGATU WHATUA BEATEN OUT OF CONVENTION CENTRE BUILD

The chief executive of Ngati Whatua's business arm says the Auckland iwi got out-spent in its bid to build Auckland's new convention centre.

The Government has decided to partner with Sky City Casino, whose bid was dependent on a law change allowing it to extend its licence and instal more pokie machines.

Tiwana Tibble says Ngati Whatua put its best foot forward with its plan to develop its land near the railway station, but the Government clearly wants the option at lowest cost to itself.

He says while the other tenderers were after government subsidies because convention centres are financially unsustainable Sky City can count on making money from increased gambling.

Abuse not an ethnic trait

2011-06-13T11:10:00.001+12:00

A national expert on child abuse says it is wrong to see child abuse as ethnically based.

A Research New Zealand survey last month found 50 percent of New Zealanders think child abuse is a Maori problem.

Anthea Simcock, the chief executive of lobby group Child Matters, says that over-simplifies the issue.

“This is people saying abuse happens because of your ethnicity. It’s not as simple as that. There is a whole pile of other causes and they are often situations that perhaps more Maori are finding themselves in,” she says.

Ms Simcock says things such as poor education, unemployment and poverty are more prevalent among Maori so it’s not surprising that the rate of offending among Maori is higher than non-Maori.

DAVID RANKIN NOT EVEN KING OF KAIKOHE

Maori party co-leader Tariana Turia says denigration of Maori King Tuheitia by Ngapuhi man David Rankin is unnecessary.

Last week Mr Rankin from Matarahuraha hapu said he was preparing a claim to the Waitangi Tribunal challenging the King's right to use the title Maori King because he did not represent all Maori … and King of Huntly would be more appropriate.

Mrs Turia says the Auckland plumber is behaving like a school child saying quite outrageous things to get attention.

“There is no need for him to denigrate anybody else to uplift himself in any way. The Kingitangi is something that has been accepted for a very long time. There are tribes that do accept the Kingitanga, and for (Rankin) to say he is the king of Huntly is very denigrating,” she says.

BUSH FOOD ON MENU FOR MARAE CHEF COOK-OFFS

Maori health rpovider in the north has come up with a novel way of getting the healthy eating message across..

Te Hauora a Kaikohe is holding a marae master chef competition at a different marae each fortnight.

Special projects manager Erana Kara says kuia and kaumatua are bused out to competing marae where they judge the kai in terms of its health benefits.

There needs to be a traditional dish on the menu like eels or bush food, but boil-up and fried food is out.

PRISON RESULTS TESTAMENT TO KAUPAPA MAORI APPROACH

The head of Waikeria prison's Maori focus unit is attributing one of the highest success rates in the world to taking a kaupapa Maori approach.

Errol Baker says the unit celebrated its 10th anniversary on Friday with a hangi meal.

He says three quarters of Maori who have been through the unit do not reoffend.

“The success rate we have is equal to anything happening in the world and a lot of it is because of the structure of the unit and I think the kaupapa Maori is really strong and a lot of family and whanau are starting to get heavily involved in what we are doing,” Mr Baker says.

He says the unit virtually runs itself with older prisoners setting the rules and expectations for the younger ones much as would happen in a traditional marae setting.

He says the unit is no easy street and the getting of hangi is a very rare event but the prisoners themselves should get reward for the unit’s successes.

BRASH ATTACK ON CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING

ACT leader Don Brash says his criticism of plans to make learning the Maori language compulsory for all secondary school teachers is not racist.

Dr Brash says rather associate education minister Pita Sharples is being racist and high-handed with plans to make te reo and learning tikanga compulsory.

“Once upon a time people were regarded as racist when they wanted some races to have special privileges as compared to others. Typically there were white people who wanted to have superior status to non-white people. That is what you think of as racist. I don’t want that at all, I want every New Zealanders to have the same rights and same privileges and same status before the law as Article 3 guarantees. That to me cannot be racist,” he says.

Dr Brash says one of the factors for Maori under-achievement is a lack of competency in English.

He fears resources going into teaching te reo and tikanga will be taken away from subjects like English.

MAORI MEN VULNERABLE TO CANCER

The head of the Cancer Society says Maori men are particularly vulnerable to getting cancer and need to do something about it.

Dalton Kelly says more men than women in New Zealand die prematurely from cancer and the rate for Maori men from lung cancer, diabetes and heart disease is almost twice that for non- Maori.

“Research that we've done show that Maori men like message delivered in a special way, Pacific Island men like them delivered in another manner and blokes like myself want them in another way but the real message is we just have to look after ourselves and the responsibility is with ourselves,” he says.

Dr Kelly says Maori men don’t often feel comfortable going to a doctor so the message needs to get through to them whether it be on the marae, in the pub or at work.

Cultural competency for education sector

2011-06-13T10:28:00.001+12:00

Maori party co-leader Tariana Turia is defending colleague Pita Sharples’ move to make the study of tikanga and te reo compulsory for teacher trainees.

He intends to introduce a cultural competency programme called Tataiako, with a view to making it mandatory some time in future.

Secondary Schools principals association president Pat Walsh is critical of it being compulsory while the primary teachers union the NZEI has questioned its resourcing.

However Mrs Turia says cultural competency in nursing has seen a major improvement in nurses’ ability to build relationships with Maori communities leading to big improvements in their health and well-being.

“Why shouldn't we expect that from teachers and it’s very disappointing that again we see the union come out focusing on the negative rather than focusing on what could be an opportunity,” Mrs Turia says.

She says all public servants should be required to be culturally competent.

IWI INFORMED OF MAUNGATAUTARI PROGRESS

Ngati Koroki Kahukura negotiator Willie Te Aho says the iwi has met with treaty settlements minister Chris Finlayson and relayed its support for a mediator being appointed to resolve a dispute over the Maungatautari ecological reserve in the central North Island.

A deed of settlement was due to be signed with the iwi this month but postponed in the face of opposition from some adjoining landowners who threatened to pull the reserves 47km fence down over what they saw as governance of the reserve being given to Maori.

Mr Te Aho says iwi members where brought up to date at a poukai today.

FASHION SHOW MARKS MATARIKI IN TE WHANGANUI A TARA

Some of New Zealand's top maori and pacific designers are taking the opportunity of Matariki to show off their work.

Te Papa Tongarewa kicked off their Matariki celebrations in Wellington with a Nga Kakahu fashion show featuring the work of Kohai Grace, Kiri Nathan, Shona Tawhiao and the Design and Art class of Te Wananga o Raukawa.

Organiser Suzanne Tamaki says the celebration of the Maori new year will carry through to tonight's black tie Matariki celebration.

TANIWHA JONES SNAPPING AT HEELS OF STATUTORY BOARD

Labour's Tamaki Makarau candidate says the Auckland Maori Statutory Board should be replaced.

Mr Jones says by wheeling out the prospect of a taniwha under Auckland's CBD stopping a major transport project, board member Glen Wilcox showed his focus was on obscure elements of heritage rather than the needs of ordinary Maori and working families.

He says the statutory board was a creation of the Maori Party and the National Party to buy off the tribes near Auckland.

“The tribes have no business being the exclusive representatives of the Maori of Auckland and the debacle over the taniwha Horotiu just shows that they are getting too many of their ideas addled by the fumes form the sewage line that I fear is damaging Horotiu because it is obviously damaging the Maori Statutory Board,” Mr Jones says.

POLITICAL TOLERANCE OF INTOLERANT SECT HAILED

Maori party co-leader Tariana Turia is supporting politicians who have come in for criticism for not attacking the Destiny church's views on things like homosexuality when they attended a panel discussion last weekend.

Mrs Turia says that was not the place for Pita Sharples, Hone Harawira, Shane Jones and Tau Henare to raise such issues.

“I don't like people challenging my cultural values and beliefs. I don’t believe that you have any right to do this. When you are an invited guest into their place to speak to them, then you behave in a respectful manner towards them,” Mrs Turia says.

She says people such as Auckland academic Leonie Pihama who have attacked the MPs for not taking the church to task over their attitudes towards women and homosexuality have plenty of forums where they can make their views known.

NGATI RANGITIHI MARKS TARAWERA ERUPTION ANNIVERSARY

The chair of the Ngati Rangitihi trust, Ken Raureti, says commemorating the Tarawera eruption is bringing the eight Te Arawa iwi together.

Today is the 125th anniversary of the eruption that killed more than 150 people and buried the famous Pink and White Terraces under 50 metres of water.

The anniversary was commemorated this morning with over 100 people walking the footsteps of the tupuna to Ruawhahia, Mount Tarawera's highest peak.

Mr Raureti says he hopes to one day see the part of the White Terraces which have just been discovered by scientists.

Whanau Ora story oversold

2011-06-09T22:52:00.001+12:00

Mana Party leader Hone Harawira says the Maori Party has over-sold the success of its Whanau Ora policy.

Mr Harawira says in his campaign for the Te Tai Tonga by-election, he's constantly having to explain why he left the Maori Party.

He says he got frustrated on its inability to deliver on the kaupapa it was elected on ... and it's spinning of what little it did get out of National, like the flagship social service delivery programme.

“People talk it up tara tara but all we got was the words. In terms of the budget, we got probably 0.7 percent of the social welfare budget for whanau ora, and of that, John Key insisted it be for all New Zealanders so in terms of Maori we’ve probably got 0.1 percent in terms of its direct assistance to Maori,” Mr Harawira says.

He says the Maori Party voted in favour of National's funding for private schools, but failed to win increased funding for kura kaupapa Maori.

HOROMIA GLAD BOUNCY TIMES PAST FOR HUGHES

Labour MP Parekura Horomia says former whip Darren Hughes should be given a second chance by the party.

He says the list MP showed his principles by resigning from Parliament to lay to rest the media storm surrounding a police investigation about allegations made by an 18 year old man.

The police this week said the allegations do not reach the evidential threshold required to bring charges.

Mr Horomia say Mr Hughes is a big supporter of Maori.

“He's one of the few MPs there who can talk in the reo fluently. He did a lot of time among the wananga people in Raukawa and he’s always been supportive of Maori issues and I’m really glad for Darren’s sake he got through this mess and looking forward to what the future holds for him,” he says.

Mr Horomia says everybody has bouncy bits in their past, but politicans can be more exposed to that than other people.

DAWN CEREMONY FOR MATARIKI SMOKEFREE CHALLENGE

The head of Quitline, Paula Snowden, says she's impressed with the way rangatahi are challenging their elders to give up smoking.

More than 100 young people joined Quitline kaumatua Amster Reedy of Ngati Porou at a dawn ceremony in Wellington yesterday to encourage people to start the Maori new year smoke free.

Paula Snowden says it was a great way to celebrate Matariki, with rangatahi laying the challenge down to parents and elders.

Quitline is suggesting schools use a haka composed by Raureti Mokonuia-rangi in 1883 as a warning to his people of the danger of smoking.

DESTINY INSIDER BACKING MANA PARTY

The head of Destiny Church's social services arm says the church should back the Mana party and its leader Hone Harawira.

George Ngatai from Te Oranga Ake says the church has a policy of not publicly supporting political parties.

But he says Mr Harawira is standing up against the wrongs of the current system.

“Hone is not afraid to challenge anyone and stand up for anything that benefits Maori because if it benefits Maori, if it is good for Maori, it will be good for the rest of the country, and I think we need a lot more politicians ready to challenge that sort of stand,” Mr Ngatai says.

He says the National-Maori Party government has discriminated against Destiny by turning down more than 300 applicaitons for state contr5acts over the past three years.

KIWI LEAGU LEGENDS DON OTAHUHU CENENARY STRIP

Rugby league legend Awen Guttenbiel says the Maori contribution to the game in South Auckland was celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the Otahuhu club last weekend.

Mr Guttenbiel says the club has been to the forefront of getting Maori youngsters into rugby league for generations and the turnout of superstars recognised this.

He says five former Kiwi captains who had played for the club ran out in the masters’ game, including Rueben Wiki and Hugh McGann.

MATARIKI EVENTS GROWING IN STRENGTH

The co-ordinator of Auckland's Matariki celebrations says recognition of the Maori new year is growing in strength.

Nigel Borrell is organising tomorrow night's Stars of Matariki concert at the Telstra Pacific Events Centre in Manukua, featuring Maori reggae band Nesian Mystik and singer Bella Kalolo.

Candidate on attack over waka jumping slur

2011-06-09T22:05:00.000+12:00

Mana candidate Hone Harawira has admitted his campaign team is having to explain to potential voters why he quit the Maori Party.

Labour list MP Shane Jones has reported strong sentiment in Te Tai Tokerau against waka jumpers, with people reminding canvassers the both Matiu Rata and Tau Henare lost the electorate after they quit their parties.

Mr Harawira says it's a question he's getting a lot, and his answer is the Maori Party moved on issues like education funding, the increase in GST and the best way to recognise Maori interests in the foreshore and seabed.

“In terms of our core issues, we were going backwards. I’ve got memos on these things challenging us to be stronger against National, challenging us to be more open to Labour and the Greens but my party just refused to go along with any of those things so at the end of the day I felt we were moving too far away from our kaupapa, I felt we were moving too close to National,” he says.

Early voting has opened for the by-election, with 16 booths in the electorate and election registrars around the country also accepting votes.

YOUTH COUNCIL MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS

The Maori youth council wants mainstream schools to take lessons from kura kaupapa Maori.

The council delivered its report to Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples today, including recommendations on education, youth justice, the creative arts and youth representation.

Wiremu Flavell says they adopted Sir Mason Durie's education goals for Maori to live as Maori, actively participate as cities of the world and enjoy good and a high standard of living.

He says schools mainstream schools need to strengthen relations with their community, as Maori immersion schools do.

Mr Flavell says the council has also recommended that all teachers to increase their understanding of Maori language and culture.

WAHINE SUPPORT GROUP TAKES AIM AT TAANE

A North Shore Maori women's support group is trying to help men turn their lives around.

Chair Lucy Ripia says the Mana Wahine Trust will hold eight wananga for men over the next two months.

She says it already has considerable experience supporting women in with a range of issues from drug and alcohol problems to re-entering the workforce, and it has developed similar programmes for men.

DESTINY FEELS PICKED ON OVER SERVICE CONTRACTS

The Destiny Church is crying discrimination over the failure by its social services arm to win government contracts.

Te Oranga Ake manager George Ngatai says over the past three years some 300 applications have been declined.

He says its application to become a whanau ora provider wasn't treated seriously and it never got a change to make its case.

“There's probably discrimination because of the fact we are predominantly a Maori organization and so that is certainly seen as an issue from our point of view and there is discrimination because we are predominantly a male-run organization,” Mr Ngatai says.

Destiny's involvement in Community Max actually cost Te Oranga Ake money, because the $850,000 paid by the Ministry for Social Development only covered wages, with overheads covered by the provider.

BANKS READY TO FIGHT FOR UNDERDOG

ACT's Epsom candidate says if he's returned to parliament he will fight for the Maori underdogs filling the country's jails.

John Banks says when he was MP for Whangarei in the 1990s he made sure there were work schemes for Black Power gang members in his electorate.

The former Auckland mayor told Radio Waatea host Titewhai Harawira that he won't sit back and watch young Maori wind up on the dole or in prison because they can't get trade training.

“I'm going down to Wellington and represent the underdog because if the underdog is not represented, then this country doesn’t have a future. I’m not talking about all the politically correct BS we have to put up with. I’m talking abut the jails that are full of Maori and Pacific youngsters that have drug and alcohol problems that need help,” he says.

John Banks says the current approach of releasing people from prison and expecting them to behave themselves when they can't get jobs is bankrupt.

SOBER FUN MESSAGE FROM ALAC POU ARAHI MAORI

The Alcohol Advisory Council's new Pou Arahi Maori wants whanau to learn to have fun without too much alcohol.

Matiu Julian of Nga Ruahine and Te Atihaunui-a-Paparangi comes to the job after working in Maori health and education in Taranaki.

He says binge drinking and reckless behaviour is a problem for Maori, and with the Rugby World Cup coming up it's important to make sure whanau drink responsibly and that people are okay.

ALAC is working on new messages for Maori to complement the current "ease up" campaign

Waka jumper could get punished

2011-06-09T07:39:00.001+12:00

Labour MP Shane Jones says voters in Te Tai Tokerau could be set to punish Hone Harawira for jumping out of the Maori Party waka.

Mr Jones says Labour's Kelvin Davis is starting to pick up momentum, even though Mr Harawira's is clearly the most well-known name in the race.

“I do think quite a few people on the ground, those we have spoken to over the telephone or bumped into n the street, keep reminding us that the north don’t like waka jumpers. They made Tau Henare suffer. They made Matiu Rata suffer. I think that Hone and his supporters are now starting to realise that he could end up copping most of the blame for jumping out of the Maori Party waka,” he says.

Mr Jones says Kelvin Davis's focus on housing, health and education is being welcomed by many voters as a break from the usual incendiary rhetoric coming out of the north.

GAY TESTS DESTINY HOSPITALITY

A young gay Maori who attended the Destiny Church political forum says he was made to feel welcome and his sexuality was not questioned.

Jevan Goulter attended Saturday's forum with Mana leader Hone Harawira.

He says over time the Destiny Church may drop its homophobia, as the Salvation Army has.

“They welcomed me into their house. I ate their food, I drunk their wine. I spoke to them, I interacted with them. And I made vey clear the fact I’m proud of who I am. But the question I would throw back to our community is if Bishop Tamaki were to come into our community, would be treat him the same way,” Mr Goulter says.

He says because the debate was not about sexuality, there was no reason for the politicians to raise the issue ... as academic Leonie Pihama says they should have.

ORAL HISOTRY AWARDS GIVE SENSE OF NATION

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage's senior oral historian, Alison Parr, says this years Oral History Award recipients will give New Zealanders a broader sense of themselves.

The 14 projects to be funded include a series of interviews with influential Maori and Pasifika men in contemporary New Zealand Dance, a history of taonga puora revivalist Richard Nunns, and a study of the Nga Tama Toa protest movement of the 1970s.

Ms Parr says oral history can go beyond the big movers and shakers and draw out individual stories which cast a different complexion on the past.

“You'll see in the huge diversity of the projects we’ve really covered a very wide range of New Zealand activities. They are aspects of New Zealand history the committee thought could be further explored, the interviews would be a really important legacy,” Mr Parr says.

EARLY VOTING FOR BY-ELECTION URGED

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis says voters should take up the chance to vote before the June 25 by-election.

Early voting opened yesterday, with 16 advance voting places in the main towns in the electorate, as well as at the Electoral Commission in Wellington and the offices of election registrars around the country.

Mr Davis says the remoteness of many settlements and the price of petrol means the earlier people vote the better.

“If people live out in the backblocks of Tai Tokerau and someone is going into town, say Kaitaia or Kaikohe or Kerikeri, they should put a few of their rellies in the back seat and all head in together and cast their vote for Labour,” he says.

Kelvin Davis says because there are no open voting booths outside the electorate on polling day, it's important that people wishing to cast tangata whenua votes do so early.

GREENS CONCEDING VOTE TO MAORI PARTIES

Meanwhile, Greens co-leader Meteria Turei says the emergence of the Mana Party means her party may struggle to pick up votes in the Maori electorates come November.

Ms Turei says the Greens picked up more than 10 percent of the Maori vote in 2003, but under 4 percent in the two subsequent elections.

She says Maori are understandably keen to vote for Maori based parties, despite the Greens strong support in Parliament for Maori interests.

“That may not flow into votes because there are the Maori parties to vote for and people tend to support that kaupapa but they know we are there for them and to be honest I am okay with that because as long as we are there and supporting we can get some good change for Maori in Parliament,” Ms Turei says.

NEW MAGAZINE FOR WAIATA MAORI MUSIC

The man behind the new Waiata Maori Music magazine says it aims to cover a wider range of sounds than the mainstram magazines touch on.

Takitimu Trust director Tama Huata says the free biannual magazine is tied in with the trust's annual Maori music awards.

He says the first issue, which will be distributed through radio stations and music stores over the next couple of weeks, features contemporary stars Taisha and Maisey Rika, industry icons Ardijah and Frankie Stevens, and iconic composer the late Sir Kingi Ihaka.

“It becomes a great marketing tool for all Maori performers, both traditional and contemporary. The real buzz I get is it’s the first time we can start talking about the Maori music industry,” Mr Huata says.

Tama Huata says the next issue of Waiata Maori Music will be published in October, after the Waiata Maori Music Awards and the Takitimu Festival.

Destiny date unfinished business

2011-06-08T20:59:00.000+12:00

Labour MP Shane Jones says the attendance of Maori MPs at a Destiny Church event cannot be read as a sign for some of the movement's more extreme positions.

Maori academic Leonie Pihema has slammed Mr Jones, Hone Harawira, Tau Henare and Pita Sharples for failing to challenge church leader Brian Tamaki's teachings on homosexuality and the role of women when they spoke at the Destiny's annual conference at the weekend.

Mr Jones says he regularly accepts invitations to speak to church groups ... and in the case of Destiny there is unfinished business with Labour.

“There's been a lot of bad blood historically between elements of the Labour Party and that particular group. Three and a half thousand people washed through their convention, predominantly Maori, I’m in the business of securing Maori support for Labour so I’ve got no compunction about fronting up to them,” he says.

Mr Jones says it's clear Destiny wants taxpayer funding for its social programmes, but it had created problems for itself with its extreme attacks on the previous Labour Government.

SPRECTUM TALE HIGHLIGHTS MAORI ECONOMIC PATH

A member of Te Huarahi Tika Trust (Maori Spectrum Trust) says he's keen for people to realise how much treaty claims are contributing to the New Zealand economy.

Anthony Royal is speaking at the first of three Nga Korero Tataki leadership events for Matariki being run by Auckland's Unitec.

He says the Maori spectrum claims, which led to an investment in mobile phone company Two Degrees, shows what can come out of Maori direct action.

“And now that Two Degrees is up and running and has become quite successful I think it’s time we told the story of how Maori can really contribute not just to the Maori economy but to the whole economy of New Zealand,” he says.

Antony Royal will share the Unitec stage tonight with artist Lonnie Hutchinson and Te Rarawa chair Haami Piripi.

TRUST OFFERS KAPITI SANCTUARY FOR BUDDING WRITER

The Kaitiaki o Kapiti Trust is offering a young Maori writer the chance to spend eight weeks on the island sanctuary.

Trustee John Barrett says last year's winner, Nuki Takao of Ngati Rarua, Te Ati Awa and Tuhoe, managed to complete a children's book and two short stories during her stay.

He says the trust is looking for writers at the start of their career who want to test some ideas or who is looking for space to spend a few weeks thinking and creating.

The Tau Mai e Kapiti Maori Writer's Residency comes with a $4800 stipend.

GREEN SUPPORT WOULD COME AT HIGH PRICE

Meteria Turei says National would have to drop large chunks of its agenda if it wants support from the Greens.

The Greens' annual conference voted that no options would be off the table after the election, prompting former MP Sue Bradford to claim she had quit parliament because of the party's shift to the right ... rather than being beaten by Ms Turei for the co-leadership.

Ms Turei says the bar for National would be set high.

“They would have to change a great deal of their policy platform and their approach and I think that’s a challenge for them but if they wanted to have a different kind of relationship with the Greens but we‘ll work with them constructively where we can and we’ve said that we would prefer to support a Labour-led government,” she says,

TE PUNI KOKIRI FAILS OT ACHIEVE IN SECTOR SURVEY

The ministry of Maori Development and its chief executive have scored passing grades in the latest Trans Tasman survey of the public service.

The political newsletter's 22-strong independent board of advisors says while Te Puni Kokiri chief executive Leith Comer is considered kind and well-meaning, he has failed to achieve anything of substance.

It blames constant changes in Ministerial direction and unclear strategic vision, as well as intractable and bureaucratic procurement systems.

Te Puni Kokiri improved over the course of the year on almost all the indexes measured by TransTasman, which include CEO performance, ease of doing business with the department, Budget performance and value for money.

The top CEO for the year was departing Ministry of Social Development boss Peter Hughes, with Conservation boss Al Morrison number two, after being unranked last year,

NGA TAMATOA FOR ORAL HISTORY TREATMENT

Film-maker Hineani Melbourne wants to tell the story of Nga Tamatoa.

It's one of 14 projects to receive funding from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage in this year's New Zealand Oral History Awards.

Ms Melbourne says few people now know much about the young warriors of the early 1970s who fought for causes like getting te reo Maori taught in schools.

“There's a lot of concentration on old Maori history like pre-European but I’m just aware that often our young people who are attending kura kaupapa for example, including their teachers, really don’t know the struggle that has gone to ensure to ensure they are able to attend those schools, that they are able to learn in Maori,” she says

Hineani Melbourne says oral history is cheaper to produce than film, and the project will extend her knowledge.

Teachers in youth council sights

2011-06-08T07:15:00.000+12:00

The Maori Youth Council is recommending all new teachers take compulsory lessons in Maori.

The Council, appointed by Maori affairs Minister Pita Sharples, will deliver its report to the minister today.

Member Wiremu Flavell from Nga Puhi and Ngati Maniapoto, a Maori student advisor at Massey University, says the council believes teacher attitudes are key to raising Maori student achievement.

“For new teachers the recommendation that tertiary institutions implement a te reo Maori paper alongside an additional tikanga Maori or Maori education paper as well. Our next step is for professional development to allow existing teachers to pick up te reo Maori block courses perhaps or evening classes as well,” he says.

Wiremu Flavell says the Maori Youth Council also wants to see more schools using Te Kotahitanga and He Kakano professional development programmes.

PAKEHA STANDING IN BY-ELECTION IN SHOW OF SUPPORT

Political maverick Kelvyn Alp says he's taking a message of local solutions to the voters of Te Tai Tokerau.

The Pakeha head of the Our New Zealand Party says he was raised by the Hita whanau of Nga Puhi, and he's traveled overseas on a Maori passport to highlight Maori issues.

He says a vote for him in the June 25 by-election is a vote for more money to go into tackling the region's high Maori unemployment.

“Resources and targeting needs to be spent on the local hapu, whanau areas, even via the marae, and have local problems addressed by local solutions. These people know what they need. All they need is the support to get it done and I believe they will be able to do it themselves,” Mr Alp says.

SECOND COMING OUT CREATES FILM CONTROVERSY

Filmmaker Katie Wolfe says a change in the race of the lead character has created more controversy about her adaptation of Witi Ihimaera's novel Nights in the Gardens of Spain than its gay storyline.

Kawa featured at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival over the weekend, and Ms Wolfe won the first mana wahine award for her body of work.

She says Ihimaera wrote the treatment for the film instructing the screenwriters to make the lead character Maori.

“Well he calls it a second coming out. When he first published the novels, it was hidden behind a Pakeha character, and subsequently I have spoken to people who love the novel and felt disappointed it had been changed to a Maori story, that essentially it had been colonised by Maori (laughs),” Ms Wolfe says.

She's looking forward to traveling with Ihimaera to San Francisco this month for a screening of Kawa at the Frameline Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.

DATE WITH DESTINY SCRIPT IRKS ACADEMIC

Maori academic Leonie Pihama says Maori politicians should have challenged the Destiny Church to mend its ways.

Pita Sharples, Hone Harawira, Tau Henare and Shane Jones took part in a political forum at the church's conference in Auckland over the weekend.

Dr Pihama says they failed to tackle the church's stance on homosexuality or the role of women.

“None of them challenged the position of women in that church and the way they entrench sexists views of women, given the number of particularly Maori women. None of them challenged the fact that church advocates smacking children,” she says.

Dr Pihema says despite its high Maori membership, the Destiny Church does not advocate positions in line with tikanga Maori.

TE KOTAHITANGA FNDING CUT FOR KERIKERI HIGH

The chair of Kerikeri High School says the Government has cut Te Kotahitanga funding for the school ... despite a big jump in Maori achievement.

Rick Palmer says Northland's largest secondary school earned a glowing Education Review Office report after raising NCEA pass rates past 70 percent.

He says funding has now ceased, and there is a $60,000 hole in the school's budget if it wants its continue the professional development programme.

“Here we've got a situation where we are seeing this dramatic increase in statistical results and really good comparable achievement with our Maori students. If it’s cut, we think it’s a bit of a crime really,” Mr Palmer says.

He says Te Kotahitanga is increasing the chance for Maori pupils to go on to tertiary education.

MAORI STUDENTS RESPOND TO HIP HOP DANCE CREW

In the wake of their appearances on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, the Request Dance Crew is fielding a torrent of requests to perform their mix of Maori, Polynesian and Hip Hop moves at schools around the country.

Member Parris Goebel says Request is raising funds to get back to the United States to defend its title at the World Hip Hop Championships in July.

She says their success and Polyswag style has seized the imagination of rangatahi.

“Gong to the schools, you can definitely see pride coming form those who are Polynesian and Maori because we are representing for them and because we have made such a bold statement about being Polynesian and having polyswag,” Ms Goebel says.

Request is currently doing a short tour to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Gold card great for Maori says Peters

2011-06-07T20:45:00.000+12:00

Winston Peters says the Maori Party should be speaking up for his Gold Card for superannuitants ... before it comes under threat from any future government.

The New Zealand First leader says Maori are among those who have benefited most from the scheme, introduced when he was in coalition with Labour.

He believes it's not getting Maori Party support because it wasn't their idea.

“And I think the Maori Party and others should be far more generous about that. Rather than saying Winston Peters, we won’t say a thing about it. The thing is, for tens and tens of thousands of elderly people, it has opened up their lives,” Mr Peters says.

INTERMEDIATE KIDS URGED TO FORSAKE TOBACCO

A Taranaki health educator says it's never too early to encourage Maori to be smokefree.

Jason Mathews of Te Atiawa says an Action on Smoking and Health survey showing a 29 percent drop in the number of Taranaki 14 and 15 year olds lighting up on a daily basis is a tribute to the work of the district health board and hauora groups.

As well as promoting cessation services, they targeted places with high numbers of Maori, such as sporting events, and also created a leadership programme for intermediate schools.

“That's like building the culture of resisting the uptake of smoking and building the smokefree culture with that year six and seven age group so that’s a time they start to experiment,” Mr Matthews says.

He says the DHB's anti-smoking programmes focus on schools with high Maori rolls, especially in South Taranaki.

OPERATION 8 AUCTION GOES ONLINE

Organisers of an art auction to raise money for the defence of people charged in connection with the July 2008 anti-terrorism raids plan to do it all over again ... on a global scale.

More than $6000 was raised at the auction in Wellington on the weekend, which included a screening of the Operation 8 documentary.

Ben Knight says software developed on the eve of the auction allowed people to bid over the Internet against those on the floor.

The idea will be extended for another auction within the next couple of months, with artists around the world contributing works to be auctioned online for the October 15 solidarity fund.

Mr Knight says while many of the works sold for bargain prices at the weekend, the auction had allowed people to raise more questions about the trials of the 18 defendants, which have been put off until next year.

RANGATAHI LIST PLACE WERO TO NEW MANA PARTY

A rangatahi organiser for the Mana Party says young Maori want Hone Harawira's new movement to reflect their voice.

Wiremu Flavell of Nga Puhi and Ngati Maniapoto says the Maori Party stopped listening to rangatahi years ago, and its selection of Solomon Tipene to contest the Te Tai Tokerau by-election shows how out of touch it is with a predominantly youthful electorate.

He says while Maori tend to rely on kaumatua because of their knowledge and experience, that doesn't mean the young can be ignored.

“We want to see a rangatahi Maori candidate placed in the top five for the Mana Party at the end of the year elections. The solutions to the issues that we have can only come from rangatahi themselves. In the past, we see rangatahi issues, we have older people making decisions for us,” Mr Flavell says,

If Mana doesn't listen to its growing numbers of rangatahi supporters, they might consider creating their own youth party.

KATIE WOLFE WINS FILMMAKING MANA WAHINE PRIZE

The winner of the first Wairoa Maori Film Festival mana wahine award says it was nerve-wracking to take her latest production back to the marae.

Katie Wolfe won the award for both her acting and for her filmmaking, which includes an adaptation of Witi Ihimaera's coming out novel, Nights in the Garden of Spain.

She says it was good to show Kawa in a marae setting.

“The subject of homosexuality in te ao Maori is sensitive so I get quite nervous actually but it was great. In the Wairoa Maori festival all the films just sit there, they’re all played in wharenui and the work is all in context. It’s quite relaxing in that sense,” Ms Wolfe says.

She will be taking Kawa to the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco later this month and the Outfest in Los Angeles in july.

O’KEEFE HONOURED FOR URGE TO HELP

Hawkes Bay Maori leader Henare O'Keefe ... QSM ... says he is simply intoxicated with helping people.

The Flaxmere identity was given the Queen's Service Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

He says over the years he has nominated many people for honours, but never expected to be recognised himself.

“I'm quite addicted to helping people. It’s just a great buzz. I’m pohara in the material sense but I can go anywhere in the country and have a pillow to caress my head. That is so precious to me and I want to look after that,” Mr O'Keefe says.

One of the places he is showered with offers of hospitality is Christchurch where he took his tunu tunu BBQ after the February earthquake.

Food or pre-school choice for parents

2011-06-07T09:41:00.001+12:00

Labour’s associate education spokesperson says early childhood education is becoming an issue of real concern in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

Kelvin Davis, who is seeking to wrest the seat from Hone Harawira, says Education Minister Anne Tolley’s tinkering is raising the costs to whanau.

He says that’s on top of other policies which are hitting lower income Maori households.

“Parents are having to make the choice between actually having to put food on their kids table and sending them off to early childhood education and they are compromising the future well being of Maoridom by their short sighted and short term cuts,” Mr Davis says.

He says Maori in the north fear for their jobs under current conditions.

CO-GOVERNANCE RECOMMENDED FOR ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

The Environmental Defence Society says a co-governance model would have offered more environmental protection than the new Environmental Protection Agency.

Chairperson Gary Taylor says having just two people with Maori backgrounds on the board, former Ngai Tahu chief executive Anake Goodall and Taria Tahana from Ngati Pikiao, isn’t adequate Maori representation.

“Rather than having one or two Maori, I’d prefer to see these sorts of bards established on a co-governance model with equal Maori representation, but that hasn’t happened,” Mr Taylor says.

ANTHOLOGY OFFERS POETS CHANCE TO PUBLISH

An anthology of Polynesian poetry has made the finals of the New Zealand Book Awards.

Co-editor Reina Whaitiri says Mauriola: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English features established poets like Hone Tuwhare, Albert Wendt, Roma Potiki and Tracey Tawhiao.

It also allows people to pick up on emerging voices.

“Anthologies such as this give our poets the opportunity to be published. They may not have enough work of their own to publish a whole collection, but they can get into an anthology like this. If they only have one or two poems they think are good enough to publish, they can offer them,” she says.

Reina Whaitiri and co-editor Robert Sullivan are working on another anthology of just Maori poets.

MAORI UNDER-REPRESENTED IN EPA

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei says Maori are under-represented on the new Environmental Protection Agency.

She says the agency’s eight-member board headed by former Wellington mayor Kerry Prendergast has a clear pro-development bias.

The board includes consultant Taria Tahana from Ngati Pikiao and Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu chief executive Anake Goodall.

“There’s only two Maori on the Environmental Protection Agency. I don’t think that’s enough. I don’t think that’s a properly representative board. Therefore Maori issues will be too easily sidelined by the board and I think it will be difficult for Maori to be decision-makers in this process,” Ms Turei says.

Priorities for the Maori would be for the EPA to step up monitoring of the marine environment and land-based mining.

BUDGET CUTS PUT MAORI HEALTH AT RISK

An economist for the Council of Trade Union is warning cuts to Maori health spending in the Budget will soon show up in worsening health statistics.

Bill Rosenberg says the health vote didn’t include the extra $127 million needed to keep up with rising costs and population increase.

“Maori will be affected because in every area Maori do rely on the district health boards to provide services and it’s the people on lowest incomes who are most reliant on public health services for their healthcare. If the cuts are coming from that, it is most likely to be the people on lowest incomes who will be affected,” Mr Rosenberg says.

TRADITIONAL FOODS FOR MATARIKI BOIL UP

It may be the Maori new year, but Rewi Spraggon is celebrating Matariki by cooking up some old food.

The chef and artist will be at Auckland War Memorial Museum tonight and tomorrow night demonstrating ways of preparing and preserving traditional Maori kai.

He says the foods and the stories around them offer a glimpse into the lifestyles of those who have gone before.

“Pirihawhea which is preserving fish and preserving toroi, puha and mussels and delicascies that our tupuna ate, ti kouka, all that sort of stuff, mamaku, and a lot of food our people aren’t eating these days,” Mr Spraggon says.

Maori Party cries foul over sisterly support

2011-06-03T23:05:00.002+12:00

Maori Party vice-president Ken Mair is crying foul over the Mana Party's tactics in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

He says a campaign stop in Kaitaia this week was disrupted by a group led by Hinewhare Harawira, the sister of Mana's Hone Harawira, who swore at and abused Maori Party candidate Solomon Tipene.

"If we really truly believe in our kauapa, if we really believe in the concept, the integrity of the word mana, then we need to stand up and make it loud and clear to people that go against our kaupapa, abuse our kaupapa, you mustn’t and we won’t allow you to get away with it,” Mr Mair says.

He says the incident echoed last month's Maori Party hui at Waitangi, where Hinewhare Harawira and her mother Titewhai abused participants and party leaders.

CAMPAIGN TACTICS COULD BACKFIRE

And Labour candidate Kelvin Davis warns the Harawira tactics could backfire on the Mana Party.

Mr Davis says what Maori in the electorate want to know is what the political parties are doing to ensure there are jobs for themselves and their young people, and how cuts in government services will affect them.

He says candidates should stick to the issues.

“It's pretty disappointing to see Hone’s sister going off against Solomon Tipene as he was campaigning. I think despite the fact we’re in other parties, everybody’s got to treat people with respect and I don’t think it goes down well in Maori electorate when we have the politics of abuse going on, so that’s disappointing to see,” Mr Davis says.

Hone Harawira denies the incident happened.

BRIGHT MATARIKI PROMISING PROSPEROUS YEAR

The first sightings have been made of Matariki, also known at Pleiades, the constellation that marks the Maori new year.

Chef and artist Rewi Spraggon says while it has become an excuse to celebrate Maori arts and culture, Matariki was also the time when Maori of old would remember those who had died through the year and also look forward.

He says his first sighting before sunrise yesterday from the top of the Waitakere ranges in west Auckland was of a bright cluster to the northeast at the tail of the milky way, indicating a prosperous year ahead.

One of the ways he's marking Matariki is to run a food forum at Auckland War Memorial Museum next Tuesday and Wednesday, showing people traditional Maori ways of preparing and preserving kai.

HARAWIRA DENIES KAITAIA SWEARING INCIDENT

Mana leader Hone Harawira is denying his sister swore at Maori Party candidate Solomon Tipene during a campaign stop in Kaitaia.

Maori Party vice-president Ken Mair says the incident made a mockery of Mr Harawira's use of the name Mana.

But Mr Harawira says he has video evidence showing the incident never happened ... and if Mr Mair has a genuine complaint he should take it to the police.

“But seriously Ken Mair, stick to Whanganui, and don’t come in to Tai Tokerau and bullshit your way around. We don’t appreciate that. We’ve got work to be doing. I’d like to get on in a positive way with the Maori Party candidate, whatever his name is, but we don’t need people coming from Whanganui and trying to tell us how we can act in the Tai Tokerau,” Mr Harawira says.

He says Ken Mair can't even speak Maori, let alone understand the meaning of words like mana.

GREENS WANT MORATORIUM ON DRILLING CONSENTS

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei is calling for a moratorium on granting more oil exploration or mining consents until new protections are in place.

The Government has promised a new regulatory regime to be administered by the new Environment Protection Agency.

Ms Turei says Maori have been at the forefront of protests against oil exploration, and they're concerned that even Environment Minister Nick Smith admits current guidelines are unenforceable.

“Having a moratorium for any new permits or any kind of exploration for mining in the marine environment would be very good idea. The delay in implementing the EPA in the new environmental legislation is too long,” Ms Turei says.

She says there is a clear pro-development bias evident in Dr Smith's appointments to the 8-member Environment Protection Agency board.

SINGER’S STORY SPARKS SKERRETT FAMILY QUEST

Christchurch woman Angela Skerrett-Tainui wants to see the life of her great aunt turned into a film.

Evaline Jane Skerrett from Ngai Tahu and Ngati Mamoe became internationally famous in the early decades of the 20th century as an opera singer called Princess Iwa.

Ms Skerrett-Tainui has produced a tribute CD featuring many of the songs in the contralto's repertoire, with narration provided by Tim Shadbolt and Sam Neill, who wanted to celebrate a southern success story.

“I just think this would make a stunning move. It’s got all the ingredients – the adventure, it’s got singing, travel, performance, she was friends with Charlie Chaplin and really ultimately she did so much to promote her Maori culture which she was so proud of,” she says.

She has set up a Princess Iwa Facebook page to find out more information about her tupuna.

Broadband group sets priorities

2011-06-03T08:56:00.000+12:00

A member of the new national Maori broadband group Nga Pu Waea says an initial meeting with Telecom and Vodafone has given members a glimpse of the scale of the challenge.

Antony Royal says the group appointed by Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples wants to make sure as many Maori as possible are connected to the urban ultra fast broadband or the rural broadband, at an affordable price.

“The third area we want to talk about is jobs and training and skills development, and the fourth area is starting to talk about once we get the infrastructure, what are we going to be doing. What are the opportunities that then allow us to use that infrastructure for health or education or any other type of activities,” Mr Royal says.

Nga Pu Waea will meet regularly with the companies rolling out broadband to ensure Maori concerned are heard.

MAORI A PRIORITY IN INEQUITY CAMPAIGN

The Council of Christian Social Services is making Maori a priority in its new Closer Together Whakatata Mai campaign against income inequality.

Executive officer Trevor McGlinchey says inequality is changing the country for the worse, but it's not inevitable.

He says Maori are often the first to feel the effects of wage distortions and closing down of opportunity.

“We're very concerned with the impacts of inequality on Maori and so we had Bishop Muru Walters start our Whatatata Mai project with karakia and we’ve had ongoing engagement with our Christian Maori communities to support this project and help roll it out into their communities,” Mr McGlinchey says.

Whakatata Mai will encoruage people to write or send postcards to MPs and political candidates challenging them to take action on inequality.

EBOOKS COULD GET MAORI TITLES INTO READERS’ HANDS

The convener of judges for the New Zealand Post Book Awards says e-books could be the future of Maori language publishing.

Paul Diamond says he was concerned there were no books published in Maori for adults in either 2009 or 2010.

He's like to see material commissioned by the Education Ministry, such as a translation of the Patricia Grace novel Potiki, made available to a wider audience.

“One argument would be ‘it’s so difficult to get things written.’ If we could say here’s a body of work we can make available for people to read, with all these e-book readers and pads and digital publishing, perhaps there is potential for people to read these things on the bus or trains. We want reading in Maori to become part of our lives,” Mr Diamond says.

He's impressed with how many of the book award finalists incorporate Maori subjects and material in a confident way.

BOOT CAMP BEHAVIOURALISM UNSCIENTIFIC NONSENSE

Rethinking Crime and Punishment director Kim Workman is welcoming a report from the Government's science advisor questioning the effectiveness of wilderness training and boot camps for young offenders.

Mr Workman says many young Maori get pushed into such camps, rather than being offered more culturally responsive programmes.

He says Sir Peter Gluckman's report should allow policy makers to look at the science rather than make decisions based on gut feeling and anecdote.

“People go to the graduation ceremonies and they’re blown away by these kids who really look smart, they’re all shiny and all dressed up and eager to make a difference in their lives and then they’re released back into their communities who are totally dysfunctional and the belief you can change someone’s behaviour in three months when that behaviour has been formed over 16 years is a nonsense,” Mr Workman says.

BURMAN WHO CHANGED GANGS MOURNED

Maori have been given a chance to farewell a former Burmese judge who dedicated much of his life to helping gang members reintegrate into society.

Bill Maung died this week in his late 90s.

Gang liaison worker Denis O'Reilly says Mr Maung held that the world's problems could be solved by education ... but quit the teaching job he got when he migrated to New Zealand because he said he wanted to be an educator.

“He was instrumental in the Black Power’s move against rape. Along with Ray Harris, he started up the Whanganui a Tara Maori Committee utilising systems and structures that were available. He mixed it with people like Muldoon and co. So at one end he was a high level thinker and operator and at the other end he would work with people right on the ground,” Mr O'Reilly says.

Bill Maung will be taken on to Pipitea Marae tomorrow morming before returning to his home in Stokes Valley for a private service.

WAIROA FILM FESTIVAL SPARKING LOCAL FILMMAKING

It's Queen's Birthday Weekend, so the annual Wairoa Maori Film Festival is in full swing.

Organiser Leo Koziol says three quarters of the films being shown on marae in Wairoa and Nuhaka are made by Maori, and more than 40 filmmakers have come together to share ideas and pass on tips to aspiring writers and directors.

He says he's thrilled the festival is encouraging people from the region to try their hand, such as Kararaina Rangihau whose short film on Tuhoe composer Mihi-ki-te-kapua is a festival highlight.

“We really want to build on that example and make more local stories on screen here in Nuhaka and here in Wairoa,” Mr Koziol says.

Tomorrow night's awards ceremony will include a new Mana Wahine award to acknowledge the contributions of Maori women in film and television.

Funding cuts halt anti-smoking progress

2011-06-02T22:37:00.001+12:00

The anti-smoking group Te Reo Marama is questioning government cuts in funding for programmes which are helping Maori quit the habit.

Director Shane Bradbrook says smoking among Maori girls dropped from 36 percent in 1999 to 23 percent now.

But a new survey by ASH has found progress has stalled, and one in five 15-year-old Maori girls smoke every day.

He says it's not time to take the foot off the accelerator ... but that's what a $12 million cut in government funding has meant.

“We’ve had a Maori affairs select committee inquiry into the tobacco industry, and quite clearly the recommendation said we need to do a lot more in terms of supporting the ability for Maori to quit and yet we’ve seem Maori funding being lost consistently through the Ministry of Health, so their policy needs to be called into question,” Mr Bradbrook says.

MORE MONEY FOR COMPUTERS IN HOMES

The Maori Party has made the digital divide a feature of its Te Tai Tokerau by-election campaign.

Launching the extension of the Computers In Homes programme to Te Kura Kaupapa o Taumarere in Moerewa, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Tariana Turia said another $3.3 million over three years is going for community-based initiatives to increase digital literacy among lower income whanau.

Di Das from Computers In Homes says the additional funding on top of the $8 million in last year's Budget means more families can get connected.

“We work through low decile schools and the schools choose the families on the basis of greatest need. Certainly in the rural areas around East Coast, Far North, King Country, places like that, there is a very high proportion of Maori families. We work with kura and Maori immersion schools quite a lot,” Ms Das says once parents learn to overcome their fear of technology, they are able to support their children with schoolwork.

MAORI CONTENT IN BOOK AWARD FINALISTS

The convenor of judges for this year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards says he's pleased at the easy integration of Maori content throughout the list of finalists.

Paul Diamond says as well as overtly Maori material like Damian Skinner's study of kowhaiwhai artist John Hovell and the book on Pounamu co-written by Ngai Tahu elder Maika Mason, books like Chris Bourke's history of New Zealand popular music, Blue Smoke, tapped into Maori stories.

“Chris went to a lot of trouble to do oral history interviews with Maori, because Maori are a big part of that story. Ian Mune’s autobiography has got stuff about working with Billy T James. The No Fretful Sleeper, a biography of Bill Pearson by Paul Miller has got the amazing story about how with academic English lecturer helped finance Peter Sharples’ education at Auckland University,” Mr Diamond says.

Online and postal voting for the People’s Choice Awards has opened, with the winners to be announced on July 27.

THREE STRIKES POLICY NAMED AND SHAMED

Rethinking Crime and Punishment says rival lobby the Sensible Sentencing Trust is offering failed monocultural solutions.

Director Kim Workman says the trust's three strikes policy is packed with bad and unworkable ideas, like naming and shaming young offenders.

He says Maori and Pacific communities have ways of using shame to show offenders how their actions harm the mana of the family, and then reintegrate them into the community.

“It's not about putting people out there and humiliating them. It’s about saying to them we care about you, you’re part of who we are but by your action you are letting us down and you are letting us down in the eyes of the community. That sort of thing doesn’t occur to Sensible Sentencing because it is totally monocultural in its approach,” Mr Workman says.

He says there is also no evidence that the boot camps championed by the Sensible Sentencing trust are effective for any offenders, let alone Maori.

ENVIRONMENT LAW CHANGE OFFERS OFFSHORE HOPE

The group leading protests against oil prospecting off East Cape is welcoming proposed new environment protection laws.

Ani Pahuru - Huriwai from Ahi Ka Action says Environment Minister Nick Smith's plan to give the new Environmental Protection Agency monitoring and enforcement powers out to the edge of the 200-mile exclusive economic zone is positive.

She says the test will be how strong the law is and how committed the government is to make it work, once the election is over.

She says no further exploration licenses should be issued until the new protection regime is in place.

BAYE RIDDELL GIVEN CRAFT FELLOWSHIP

Ceramic artist Bay Riddell from Ngati Porou has been awarded a $65,000 Creative New Zealand Craft Fellowship to research new firing techniques.

Mr Riddell, who was one of the founders of Maori clay artists' group Nga Kaihanga Uku, says as an educator he was concerned that many young artists don't have the money for expensive kilns.

He says many low-fire processes are only suitable for smaller work, and he wants to scale up.

“They are often defined as quite primitive findings, indigenous-type firings, but they actually take a lot of skill to master, more so than pressing buttons on a high tech kiln, and I want to explore, in the raku process, firing of larger pieces,” Mr Riddell says.

He sees the award as a win for all Maori ceramic artists.

Jobs starting for Christchurch rebuild

2011-06-02T10:32:00.000+12:00

A Maori woman living in the hard-hit Christchurch suburb of Aranaui says residents are welcoming the jobs that are starting to come through.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says while the number of Cantabrians on the unemployment benefit swelled by 750 after February's earthquake, last week 255 came off the dole queue.

Te Rina Anderson says most of her friends and whanau now have work, much of it to with rebuilding the city.

“There's building, concrete laying. There’s a lot of spots opened up fro painters and anything to do with house renovations,” she says.

She's still looking for a job that offers more than the minimum wage.

CALL FOR QUALIFIED TEACHERS WELCOMED

The union which looks after Early Childhood Teachers is welcoming the recommendations of a taskforce which have got to Education Minister Anne Tolley.

However, NZEI spokesperson Hayley Whittaker says the minister is unlikely to appreciate the call for all staff in early childhood centres to qualified.

She says that was a policy of the previous Labour Government which was axed by National, with the justification that some resources would be redirected to increase participation by Maori and Pasifika children.

She says centres are now passing on the budget cut to whanau.

MANGERE BAND TAKES MUSIC TO THE MOTU

A South Auckland music group wants to encourage to rangatahi around the country to follow their passion for music.

The Hypnotics is visiting schools and alternative education institutions to engage with students who are thinking about a future career in the arts.

Tour manager Noma Sio says the self-funded kaupapa is getting a lot of support from iwi stations and organisations around the country.
The Hypnotics tour starts next week in Palmerston North.

WARNING ON STATE OF KOHANGA REO

A ministerial taskforce on Early Childhood Education has sounded a warning about the state of kohanga reo.

Taskforce chair Michael Mintrom, an associate professor of political studies at Auckland University, says the government needs to spend more on Maori because Maori children are missing out.

But he says there appears to be something wrong with the way many Maori immersion pre-schools are operating.

“The education review office does supplementary reviews on services that are not perceived to be performing at appropriate levels of quality and looking at the statistics over time, kohanga reo show up much higher as a percentage of groups getting supplementary reviews than any other ETS service out there,” Dr Mintrom says.

He says Maori communities should be encouraged to come up with their own ways of providing early childhood education ... which could include alternatives to kohanga.

NINETY MILE BEACH CLAIM OUT OF ORDER

The chair of Te Hiku Forum, Haami Piripi, says the other four iwi in the far north don't appreciate Ngati Kahu trying to muscle in on Te Oneroa a Tohe, Ninety Mile Beach.

The government has rejected a proposed settlement submitted by Te Runanga o Ngati Kahu negotiator Margaret Mutu which included parts of the beach and the Aupouri forest, but it is continuing to work towards a settlement with the other iwi.

Mr Piripi says Ngati Kahu was traditionally understood to occupy the eastern side of the region.

“There are so many layers of occupation anyone can claim anywhere really. It comes down to individual choices of which iwi you give prominence in your identity. So there is no doubt people of Ngati Kahu descent have ancestry and a relationship with Te Oneroa a Tohe but from the perspective of my iwi in Te Rarawa, we wouldn’t see that translating into a mana whenua interest,” he says.

Mr Piripi says Ngati Kahu has so far not shared its revised claim with Te Hiku Forum, which it quit earlier this year.

WHAIKORERO COLLECTION WINS BEST FIRST BOOK AWARD

The winner of the best first book award for non-fiction in the NZ Book Awards says the honour belongs to all those represented in the work.

Poia Rewi says when he first started collecting recordings of speakers on marae, he was not thinking of writing a book.

He says he's humbled by the acclaim for Whaikorero: the World of Maori Oratory

Dr Rewi says that a book on Maori oratory can win such an award shows traditional Maori culture is appreciated by more than just Maori.

Mana Party misses election funding

2011-06-01T21:18:00.001+12:00

Leader Hone Harawira says the Mana Party will be formally appealing the electoral commission's decision not to allocate them any money or time for political broadcasts for the November general election because the party wasn't formed in time.

Mr Harawira says however he doesn't expect the appeal to be successful.

“If we can’t get that money from an appeal, we’ll just have to rely on the support we have always had from people for a party that stands for the rights of those who have nothing anyway,” Mr Harawira says.

BROADCAST TIME CUT FOR MAORI PARTY

The Maori Party is looking at what it can do about what it sees as a scandalous cut in the time and money it has been allocated for its political broadcasts in this year's general election.

President Pem Bird says he's shocked that the Electoral Commission has slashed the amount the party got in 2008 by $90,000 from $248,889 to $160,00 and from 11 to 9 minutes.

“This is the tangata whenua voice, that’s our core constituency, and if you look in the Treaty of Waitangi framework I think we’ve for a fair enough case,” he says.

Mr Bird says it is scandalous to compare the Maori Party which targets seven diverse and spread out electorates with ACT and will be looking at all avenues of redress.

TASKFORCE CALLS FOR POLICY REVERSE

The head of the taskforce on Early Childhood Education which today reported to Education Minister Anne Tolley says its recommendations are good news for Maori.

Taskforce chairman Michael Mintrom says they told the minister that investment in early childhood education is of great value and funding must be directed at Maori communities which are missing out.

He says the communities themselves should then be given the ability to decide how they spend the money.

“Now we are not suggesting that this means doing more of what currently is being done in other parts of the sector. It actually means getting in there and working closely with Maori communities and asking them, what are their needs,” Dr Mintrom says

He says kohanga reo isn't working effectively and it needs far great scrutiny with alternatives for Maori be quite appropriate.

GORDON KEPT PAOA ON STRAIGHT AND NARROW

Ngati Paoa has come together to farewell the woman who put the iwi back on the map.

The funeral from Hariata Gordon was held today at Waiti Marae north of Morrinsville.

George Kahi, the chair of the Ngati Paoa Trust Board, says Mrs Gordon's occupation of a Maori Affairs-run farm on Waiheke in 1984 won the iwi back not only land but recognition.

He says she encouraged the people to learn about their identity and history in the greater Auckland, and to stand up for the tribe's interests to local and central government.

“And if we wanted to maintain that particular stance and that quality, we just needed to do what she did which was maintain the blueprint of Ngati Paoa. If you tended to wander either side of it you end up talking about yourself and not the tribe so her message, she was replicating previous conversations of other ancestors and she kept it straight and narrow,” Mr Kahi says.

TRADITIONAL TIPS FOR INDULGENT MAORI PARENTING

Child welfare advocacy group Te Kahui Mana Ririki hopes its revival of traditional Maori ways of parenting will bring down rates of child abuse.

Director Anton Blank says the trust and Plunket are about to launch a pilot programme in Hamilton, based on research that will be published by the Children's Commission tomorrow.

He says whanau will be shown how to appreciate and react to their children in a non-violent way.

“What we've found was that parenting was quite indulgent and kind and that hitting and insulting children was banned so we’ve taken that knowledge and we’ve adapted it to contemporary settings so we’re connecting whanau back to traditional values but we are making it very relevant for today,” Mr Blank says.

Simple techniques include ignoring behaviour that isn't hurting anyone and distracting children when they're upset to encourage positive behaviour.

COMPANY APOLOGISES FOR HEITIKI FORMULA

The company that used Maori imagery to sell infant formula into China has apologised for what it calls cultural misunderstanding.

Associate health Minister Tariana Turia called for an investigation into the Kia New Zealand International's Heitiki brand, because she said it could be seen as encouraging Maori women to substitute breast milk with infant formula.

Kia advisor John McCaulay says the company will repackage the Heitiki formula, which was all bound for export, so there is no reference to Maori concepts.

“They were looking to take the positive aspects of Maori culture and use it on their product, it really is just a cultural misunderstanding and the issue is they were trying to highlight the positive aspects of Maori,” he says.

Mr McCaulay says the product meets all New Zealand export regulations and is manufactured by a subsidiary of New Zealand listed company New Image.

Race commissioner steps up council push

2011-06-01T08:21:00.001+12:00

Race Relations commisioner Joris de Bres says if local authorities continue to reject his call to establish Maori seats, he will recommend it be done as part of the constitutional reform process.

Mr de Bres says Bay of Plenty Regional Council has demonstrated how Maori wards are an effective way of getting Maori involved in the decisions that affect them.

He's concerned at the offhand way councils like Rotorua and New Plymouth have treated the issue.

“If councils overall reject the option that is available to them, then I think we’ll fed that into the constitutional debate because it may be at that point that we say look, the real flaw in this provision is that Maori as a minority are totally dependent on the goodwill of the majority and shouldn’t councils be obliged to introduce this into their electoral system if Maori want it,” Mr de Bres says.

He hopes other councils which are still debating the issue will respond positively.

MAORI IN THE NORTH BELOW POVERTY LINE

Former Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira says cuts recommended by the government's welfare working group will be disastrous for Maori in the north.

Mr Harawira, who is trying to win back the seat for his new Mana Party, says the Maori Party will struggle to defend the welfare reforms its coalition partner is planning.

He says people in the north are starving now, and further cuts will make it worse.

“There’s 50 percent of children in the north living below the poverty line and probably about 70 percent of Maori children below the poverty line so when the Maori Party says it is going to support benefit cuts in 2011, I’m glad to be free of those guys, I’m glad to be in a position where I can fight against it and do my best to make changes,” Mr Harawira says.

STRONG INTERNATIONAL DEMAND FOR MATARIKI STAMPS

New Zealand Post expects strong demand from collectors around the world for this year's Matariki stamps.

The six stamps on the theme of hei matau or fish hooks were developed in collaboration with Maori designers and artists.

Marketing manager Simon Allison says previous issues marking the Maori new year have been popular overseas, as seen from web orders and the response at stamp expos round the world.

The matariki series is available from today.

UREWERA 15 ON MARGINS LONG ENOUGH

The Council of Trade Unions says it's time for the solicitor general to withdraw charges laid after the so called terror raids in Te Urewera in 2007.

The trial of the 15 defendants was due to start this week, but it has been delayed until early next year because of Supreme Court appeals about some of the evidence.

Maori vice president Syd Keepa says after more than four years, it was unfair to persist.

“These people have been out on the margins waiting for what is going to happen to them. Some of those people can’t get jobs, some of them have to give up their jobs because they don’t know what the hell is going to happen to them and now they have come up with the situation it is going to be another year before those charges can be heard,” he says.

Mr Keepa says the stress of the case continues to affect the Maori community at Ruatoki, which was locked down by armed police during the raids.

WELFARE CUTS SHOW NO PLAN FOR GROWTH

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate, Kelvin Davis, says the government's plan for welfare reform shows it has no plan to create jobs and economic growth.

Prime Minister John Key has asked his ministers to turn the Welfare Working Group's February report into policies that will cut the number of beneficiaries.

Mr Davis says National's punitive approach to welfare is doomed to fail.

“This is classic behaviour from a National Government is to blame and bash the people who are their most desperate and I can’t see anything the government is doing or proposing that is going to help people on low and middle incomes,” he says.

Mr Davis says Government ministers have no understanding of the conditions faced by beneficiaries in Te Tai Tokerau, where Maori unemployment is near record levels.

NGATI PAOA TANIWHA HARIATA GORDON LAID TO REST

Ngati Paoa today lays to rest Hariata Gordon, who reestablished the iwi as a force to be reckoned with in Auckland and Hauraki affairs.

Mrs Gordon led a 1984 protest and subsequent Waitangi Tribunal claim over the leasing of a Maori affairs farm on Waihere Island, which led to a finding that the Crown had breached the treaty by leaving the tribe landless.

Pita Turei from the Ngati Paoa Whanau Trust says she will be missed by many in the tribe.

“She was a kuia. She was a wahine toa. She was a taniwha. She made a lot of people angry along the way but she achieved something in her time. When we think about Bastion Point, we think of the forgotten occupation over there on Waiheke where through the actions of Hariata and others, Ngati Paoa was able to elevate itself from being a landless people on Waiheke,” Mr Turei says.

The funeral for Hariata Gordon is at 11 this morning at Waiti Marae in Tahuna.

Welfare cuts a threat to whanau life

2011-05-31T21:57:00.000+12:00

Greens co-leader Metiria Turei says the Government's plans for welfare are an attack on Maori and family life.

The Primer Minister John Key has announced a ministerial group to develop policy around the recommendations of the Welfare Working Group ... except the one requiring mothers on the domestic purposes benefit to seek work 14 weeks after the birth of their second child.

Ms Turei says the Welfare Working Group report is not a credible basis for reform

“The report is anti-Maori, it’s anti working people, because many middle class working people are finding themselves in need of a benefit and are going to be treated very badly by this government with these reforms. I think the report is very and-child and at a time of the highest levels of child poverty when many families are in need, it is not a time to attack those families,” she says.

Ms Turei says the proposed measures will create more poverty traps for beneficiaries.

MAORI SOCCESS RATE ON SMOKING ENCOURAGING

To mark World Smokefree Day, Quitline has launched online tools to help people give up tobacco.

Chief executive Paula Snowden says Quit Coach helps people to understand their addiction in order to conquer it.

She says one in four of Quitline's clients are Maori.

“It's one of those non-negative statistics. There are too many Maori smoking but the success rate for Maori is the same as non-Maori, so when we decide to quit as a people, the success rate is the same.
Ms Snowden says.

The main reasons former smokers relapse is stress and alcohol.

PAINTING THE COUNTRY AIM OF WORLD CUP ARTIST

A Te Arawa artist hopes to paint the country with colour as part of the welcome promotion for the Rugby World Cup.

Rangi Williams is one of five finalists for the ANZ Welcome the World promotion, with the winner chosen by public vote.

The graphic design teacher says his Paint the Town plan is to get communities to create murals and banners.

The paintings will be made into large banners to be taken around the country, and all brought together for the final at Eden Park.

WALKER WELCOMES BACK DOWN ON WHAKATOHEA DEAL

Whakatohea elder Ranganui Walker has welcomed news the Opotiki-based tribe's claims could be back on the table.

Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson yesterday said that to say a claimant was at the bottom of the queue, as his predecessor Sir Douglas Graham did when Whakatohea rejected a 1996 settlement offer, was petty and punitive.

Dr Walker says the $40 million settlement offer was unacceptable, which is why he led the move to vote it down.

“A chief negotiator assumed powers over and above the job the raupatu committee was mandated to do and he did it all unilaterally and got it wrong and when the raupatu committee demonstrated some measure of standing up on their hind legs and fighting back, Doug Graham shut it down,” he says.

Dr Walker says the failed settlement created deep divisions among Whakatohea for many years, but it is now ready to resume negotiations.

TIPENE JOINS CREST ENERGY BASHING

The Maori Party's Te Tai Tokerau candidate is backing a rahui aimed at preventing Crest Energy building a tidal power station in the Kaipara Harbour.

Solomon Tipene has joined rivals Kelvin Davis and Hone Harawira in supporting Te Uri o Hau's stand.

He says Environment Minister Kate Wilkinson was wrong to approve 200 turbines going into the harbour.

“It's a technology that’s never been tested before in the world and I give credit to my whanaunga at Te Uri o Hau for standing their ground,” Mr Tipene says.

Crest Energy director Anthony Hopkins says the rahui will not stop the company developing what is well-understood technology, and it is now conducting baseline environmental monitoring in preparation for installing the first turbines.

SMOKING DRIVING HIGH RATES OF ASTHMA IN YOUNG

Asthma Foundation medical director Bob Hancox says young Maori are still missing out on the smoke-free message.

It's World Smokefree Day, and Dr Hancox says smoking is the primary cause of asthma symptoms in tamariki ... and chronic lung disease in older adults.

He says with 45 percent of Maori smoking, the message needs to get through to the younger generation that they are not invincible.

Maori Party put on spot over Kaipara power

2011-05-31T10:18:00.000+12:00

Kaipara Maori say the Maori Party needs to tell its National coalition partner in government to drop its support for a tidal power station at the harbour's entrance.

Te Uri o Hau says it will declare an akutai or no go zone over the snapper fishing beds where Crest Energy intends to site its experimental turbines.

Spokesperson Mikaera Miru says the Maori Party said it would take its lead on oil exploration off East Cape from iwi, and it should do the same for Kaipara.

“If there's any equity in what they’re doing, then I would expect if they could do this for Ngati Porou, they should be saying exactly the same thing for Ngati Whatua from the Kaipara,” he says.

Mr Miru says the iwi is pleased Labour's Kelvin Davis and Hone Harawira from Mana have backed the protest.

TIPENE PARTY HOARDINGS LATE RISING IN TE TAI TOKERAU

Meanwhile, the first hoardings go up today for the Maori Party's Te tai Tokerau by-election candidate.

Solomon Tipene says he's starting behind the Mana Party's Hone Harawira and Labour's Kelvin Davis, but the party's machinery is coming back together, and there will be signs of his existence from Auckland to Kaitaia.

The four Maori Party MPs are joining him for a three day election roadshow, starting with a hui with Ngai Hine at Motatau Marae this afternoon.

“It's my home people. They want to throw in their support and launch my political career at home. They also have some other issues they want to raise with the minister in terms of taking care of Ngati Hine issues, taking care of me,” Mr Tipene says.

One person he hopes to see at this afternoon's hui is Ngati Hine chairperson Waihoroi Shortland, who he beat for the nomination.

FEILDING KAUMATUA TAKE TO THE MIC

It's never too late to start an entertainment career.

That's the message from the organiser of the country's first Kaumatua Idol awards.

Gina Cribb says the Feilding event was open to Maori Gold card holders ... and the fact that a few of the 14 contestants forgot the odd line didn't deter them.

The 250 people who attended pleaded with her to make it an annual event.

MINISTER KEEN TO MOVE WHAKATOHEA FROM BACK OF QUEUE

Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson says he's keen to reopen treaty settlements with Whakatohea.

His predecessor, Sir Douglas Graham, told the Opotiki-based iwi it was at the back of the queue after it rejected a 1996 settlement offer worth $40 million.

Mr Finlayson says he sees Whakatohea as unfinished business.

“I'm very conscious that they just about had a settlement in 1996 but for various internal reasons as I understand it didn’t take place. I remain very keen to talk to them. They are the one iwi I have never really sat down with in Opotiki, although I have driven past their trust board premises enough,” he says.

On the weekend Mr Finlayson told far north iwi Ngati Kahu that he was rejecting its proposal for a partial claim settlement ... but he said it would be petty and punitive to put any iwi at the back of the queue just because a negotiation had failed to reach the desired outcome.

SCATTERING OF MAORI ACROSS GREENS’ LIST

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei says Maori are well-represented on the party's list.

The line-up released at the weekend includes herself in the top spot, MP David Clendon at 8, and Waiheke local board member Denise Roche at 11 ... who gets into Parliament if the Greens can capture 9 percent of the party vote.

“Maori can look at the Green Party list and feel confident that we both represent Maori issues in Parliament and respect the experience of Maori in the political realm,” Ms Turei says.

Further down the list is Dora Langsbury at 22, Mikaere Curtis at 26, and 18-year-old Te Tai Hauauru candidate Jack Mc Donald at number 30.

CAVE ENTRANCE HINAKI WINS ARCHITECTURE PRIZE

The winner of the country's top architectural award says his clients at Waitomo Caves immediately recognised how their new $13 million visitor centre was based on a hinaki or eel trap.

Chris Kelly from Wellington's Architectural Workshop says he used laminated pine and clear plastic to create a cover for the walkway to the caves.

He says his concern was to mirror the course of the stream, which is home to eels, and to create a light structure in contrast to the dark caves below.

“Department of Conservation was suggesting it should have more Maori motifs and we said ‘let’s see,’ and the hapu said ‘No, we’re pretty happy with how it is, we can see it is a hinaki just in the way you have crossed the timber,’” Mr Kelly says.

The centre is designed to cope with a steadily increasing number of visitors, and replaces one that burned down in 2005.

Ngati Kahu settlement deed rejected

2011-05-30T22:10:00.000+12:00

The Minister of Treaty Negotiations says there is no way he will sign a settlement with Ngati Kahu that is not full and final.

Chris Finlayson travelled to the far north on Saturday to tell the iwi the deed written by negotiator Margaret Mutu was unrealistic.

“I was quite hppy for them to have a go. Why should the Crown dictate the terms of drafting in every respect. But when I got to the end of the 770 pages it was the claim that this was now going to be a partial rather than a full and final settlement that cause me to go up to a little marae by Taipa on Saturday just to have a little chat with the team,” Mr Finlayson says.

He will continue to work on a settlement with Ngati Kahu, and he is also well down the track on finalising settlements with the four other Muriwhenua Iwi in the Te Hiku Forum.

TRADITIONAL MAORI PARENTING RESEARCH DEFENDED

The director of Te Kahui Mana Ririki Trust Anton Blank, is denying research on traditional Maori parenting practices is a romanticised view of history.

AUT history lecturer Paul Moon has questioned the researchers' reliance on oral histories and lullabies, and he rejects the idea violence against children came with the missionaries.

Mr Blank says the trust does not deny there was some ill-treatment and infanticide, but its brief from the Children's Commission was to identify the prevailing model of Maori parenting before European settlement.

“We found more accounts of positive, indulgent parenting by Maori whanau and in fact the early missionaries commented our children were confident and far more advanced than the children of Europe,” Mr Blank says.

The trust is using the Traditional Maori Parenting report to develop new parenting programmes.

NO GO ZONE DECLARED OVER KAIPARA

Kaipara iwi are putting their hopes on an aukati or no-go zone to stop Chest Energy building a power station at the entrance of the harbour.

A hui at Waiaretu marae on the Pouto peninsula yesterday decided on the rahui or ban.

Mikaera Miru from Te Uri o Hau land trust spokesperson says the tapu only applies to crest Energy or its contractors.

“The aukati is only for a particular group and that’s what makes this type of rahui unique. It’s only for Crest Energy. It’s not going to prevent people from coming out there and fishing in the graveyard area because that’s the last fishing ground in the Kaipara where you can catch big fish,” he says.

Mr Miru says flotilla will be formed to chase away any Crest Energy boats.

CREST ENERGY CLAIMING DE FACTO HARBOUR PROPERTY RIGHT

A former chair of te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust believes the Kaipara iwi is going down the wrong course by pushing for a rahui or traditional ban to prevent the building of a tidal power station in harbour.

A hui at Pouto yesterday decided to impose an aukati or no-go zone which would only apply to Crest Energy and its contractors.

Russell Kemp, who fished the harbour commercially for 20 years, says a claim under the Marine and Coastal Area Act for the turbine area would give the iwi a stronger base to object from.

“Right out there where they are going to put those turbines, it’s the greatest place for snapper fishing that I know of consistently because the majority of that floor is mussel beds. If they trial all right with one or two, they are going to take up the rest of that area and then no one else will be able to go there so what they are asking for is a property right for the term of their licence and I’m not happy with that because the customary rights have not been determined,” Mr Kemp says.

Te Uri o Hau is developing wind farms with Meridian Energy on land it owns or bought back with its treaty settlement.

DOOR OPEN FOR NEGOTIATIONS TO RESTART

Treaty negotiations minister Chris Finlayson says the door is still open for a settlement with far north iwi Ngati Kahu, despite his rejection of a proposed deed submitted by the tribe's negotiator.

Mr Finlayson says the 770-page document was unacceptable because it insisted on a partial settlement, with Ngati Kahu able to come back for further redress in the future.

He says that won't be the end of the matter.

“This is a point I made on Saturday. I regard it petty and punitive to say to any iwi as a treaty partner ‘oh well, you’re going to the bottom of the queue,’ because I don’t think that the way treaty partners should talk to each other and I’m going to continue to work with Ngati Kahu and we parted on very good terms,” Mr Finlayson says.

He's pushing ahead with negotiations with the other four Muriwhenua iwi, which will include protection for Ngati Kahu interests in any joint assets,

EXPERT MOON IN THE DARK OVER CHILD REARING HISTORY

An expert in New Zealand childhood says AUT historian Paul Moon is wrong in his contention that pre-European Maori were child beaters.

Professor Moon is disputing a suggestion in a report done for the Children's Commission that corporal punishment came with European missionaries.

Waikato University emeritus professor Jane Ritchie, whose book on Children Rearing Patterns has had a major influence on social psychology in New Zealand since the 1960s, says the researchers were right to highlight the observations of early explorers that they did not see Maori hitting their kids, as it was clearly picked up from missionaries.

Professor Ritchie says the Te Kahui Mana Ririki report on traditional Maoiri Parenting will be welcomed by people who are looking for ways to tackle the abuse affecting Maori children today.

Concern at iwi fishing charters

2011-05-30T08:57:00.000+12:00

Maori affairs minister Pita Sharples says he has asked his staff to look into the use of foreign vessels to catch Maori quota.

Dr Sharples says he wants to know why iwi aren’t catching their own allocation, when there are 60,000 young New Zealanders out of work.

“There’s a number of reasons that the fishermen have told me, not the least of which is many Maori find it hard to be our for long periods of time away from their whanau and stuff like this, so I suppose you’ve got to want to be a fisherman to go out and do it,” he says.

Dr Sharples says he is also concerned at allegations foreign crews on the boats are being ill-treated.

URUWERA COMPARISON AS LAND DEAL NIXED

The negotiator for a central Waikato hapu is accusing the Government of breaching good faith negotiations.

Ngati Koroki Kahukura had been lined up to signed a settlement today that would have returned more than 2000 hectares of Crown land at Maungatautari as well as cash to help maintain it as a pest-free ecological island.

But Cabinet put the deal on hold last week in response to a campaign by a small group of neighbouring landowners upset by the governance arrangements for the reserve.

Willie Te Aho says it’s almost a rerun of the Government’s veto of the return of Urewera National Park land to Ngai Tuhoe.

“We feel like we have been Tuhoed where we had the land on the table and it’s been removed. No respect to our Tuhoe relations but it’s becoming the saying that when you get things through officials and the minister and you think you’ve got your land back and then at the last minute Cabinet pulls it off the table, so we’re certainly upset,” Mr Te Aho says.

He hopes the appointment of retired High Court Judge Sir David Thompkins QC as a facilitator will help move the settlement process forward.

GREENS COUNTING ON MAORI ELECTORATE PARTY VOTE

The Green Party is sitting out the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, but co-leader Meteria Turei says the Maori seats are an important part of the Greens’ November election strategy.

Ms Turei says the party is looking for Maori to carry the Green message, like 18 year old Jack McDonald in Te Tai Hauauru.

She says it’s all about rounding up the party vote.

“Maori voters in Maori electorates have a real genuine choice about how they exercise both their votes in a way that gets them the best representation. They vote for the person who represents them most. They vote for the party that will represent Maori issues in parliament,” Mr Turei says.

The Greens will remind voters of what she believes is an excellent record on Maori issues.

MAORI HEALTH WORKERS STRUCTURALLY UNDERPAID

The Minister in charge of whanau ora, Tariana Turia, says Maori health workers aren’t being paid what they are worth.

The Maori Party co-leader says without adequate funding, Maori providers will struggle to retain staff.

“There’s a huge disparity of something like $20,000 between the pay scales so Maori providers who invest a lot of money training their nurses, they can’t afford to pay them at the same rate as the DHB because the DHB are the funder as well as the provider themselves, so then it means the DHB can offer those staff better money and they leave,” Mrs Turia says.

It’s a long-standing problem, so she’s not impressed with Labour’s sudden enthusiasm for putting up the minimum wage.

HE KAWAI TAUMATU UNDER THREAT OF SWORD

The dumping of Ngati Kahungunu leader Ngahiwi Tomoana as chair of Te Ohu Kaimoana is continuing to cause concern.

Prominent iwi negotiator Willie Te Aho says it appears members of the electoral college, He Kawai Taumata, were influenced by a leaked letter from Aotearoa Fisheries to the Maori fisheries settlement trust about Mr Tomoana’s chairmanship.

He says He Kawai Taumata members should explain why his relative was not given a chance to respond.

“You either follow tikanga and kanohi ki te kanoki and work things through or attempt to work things through. The alternative is live by the sword, die by the sword, and he’s the one who’s had his knees cut off underneath him but tomorrow it will be those who held the sword who will be put to the sword,” Mr Te Aho says.

HARAWIRA KEEN TO KEEP EDGE DESPITE PRESSURES OF STATE

Mana Party leader Hone Harawira says he's struggling with the transition from activist to statesman.

He says now he's leader of a political party, the pressure is coming on for a change of style.

But he says he's used to instinctively acting on the principles he knows to be right.

“I just hope for myself and our people too that I never really lose that edge because I think that edge is important to a portrayal of the kind of strength and commitment and fearlessness I think our people deserve in their political leadership and they just don’t have the moment,” Mr Harawira says.

Iwi plea for chance to buy assets

2011-05-27T21:47:00.000+12:00

Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan has made a direct appeal to the Prime Minister for iwi to get a chance to buy state assets.

John Key was invited by the tribe to open the new $65 million Novotel Auckland Airport hotel, which is 70 percent owned by Tainui Group Holdings.

Mr Morgan said he looked forward to talking with Mr Key after the election about National's policy of selling down state assets like the power generators and Air New Zealand.

“Alongside other iwi we will participate in what is a magnificent opportunity to secure shareholdings in some of this country’s high performing companies. Enduring relationships is what matters to this tribe. Governments come and go, corporates do have a finite life, but iwi are forever,” he says.

John Key said later that National still had work to do to convinced the public of the merits of asset sales, but Kiwi mums and dads would be the front of the queue, and there would be no special mechanism for iwi buyers.

ASSET SALES ANAETHEMA TO LABOUR CANDIDATE

Labour list MP Kelvin Davis says iwi should not be trying to help the government sell a privatisation plan that is unacceptable to the bulk of Maori.

Mr Davis, who lines up against his Te Tai Tokerau by-election rivals at Tau Henare marae in Pipiwai near Whangarei tonight, says selling power company and airline shares isn't going to help the struggling families in the electorate.

“We know as soon as assets are flogged off to supposed kiwi mums and dads, before you know it we will have overseas interests come in and snap them up and before we know it we will be paying our power bills in Beijing,” Mr Davis says.

GOVERNMENT PUTS NGATI KOROKI SETTLEMENT ON HOLD

Opposition from neighbouring landowners backed by cashed-up Trademe investor Gareth Morgan has led the Government to pull the plug on a settlement which would have returned the bulk of the Maungatautari ecological reserve to a Waikato hapu.

Ngati Koroki Kahukura negotiator Willie te Ahu says the deal was supposed to be signed on Monday.

But he says Treaty Negotiations minister Chris Finlayson called the hapu in this week to say he had asked retired High Court judge Sir David Thompkins QC to look into the landowners' concerns and their threats to cut the pest-proof fence.

“We were somewhat upset because we think it’s a minority of four farmers and a millionaire behind them with Gareth Morgan that’s actually going contrary to not only the iwi but the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust and the bulk of the community that are in favour of both the ecological island and the treaty settlement,” Mr Te Aho says.

Ngati Koroki Kahukura is still committed to getting legislation that will protect the special character of the bush-clad mountain.

MEDIATOR CALLED IN AT MAUNGATAUTARI

The Government has appointed a retired High Court judge to look into the escalating row between a Waikato hapu and landowners around the Maungatautari ecological reserve.

A spokesperson for Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson confirmed Sir David Thompkins QC was called in after cabinet postponed a proposed settlement with Ngati Koroki Kahukura which was due to be signed on Monday.

Negotiator Willie te Aho says the hapu hopes Sir David will get to the bottom of the dispute which has led to some landowners threatening to cut the 45 kilometre long pest-proof fence around the central Waikato mountain.

“There's 24 landowners and only four of them with minor interests have been able to do the media thing and capture the attention of some politicians but I think we will get the in the long run,” Mr Te Aho says.

MAORI PARTY CANDIDATE AN ELECTORATE CHOICE

There's recriminations in the Maori Party about the selection of a political unknown to contest the high-profile Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

Co-leader Pita Sharples says the Maori Party's constitution gives the power to the electorate committees, so the leadership had no say in the selection of Solomon Tipene over actor and Ngati Hine leader Waihoroi Shorrtland and lawyer Mere Mangu.

But he says he's looking forward to getting behind Mr Tipene ... and he has a message for the north.

“We haven't turned our back on you, don’t you turn your back on us. We are the only independent Maori Party in Parliament in the history of Government in this New Zealand and if you kill us off now, I don’t think there will ever be another Maori Party that will gain the position that we have at this time,” Dr Sharples says.

He will campaign with Mr Tipene in the electorate next week.

TE URI O HAU CONSIDER KAIPARA RAHUI AT TURBINE SITE

Te Uri o Hau will decide on Sunday whether to place a rahui or ban over Kaipara harbour to protest against Crest Energy's proposed tidal power plant.

Spokesperson Mikaera Miru says Kaipara residents have shown overhelming opposition to the plans, which have been cleared by the Environment Court.

He says Sunday's hui at Pouto's Waiaretu Marae will decide whether a more traditional protest is called for.

“When the law fails, as an iwi we have no choice but to move to our own tribal tikanga or tribal customs to impose a rahui to do in effect what the statutory obligations should have fulfilled in the first place,” Mr Miru says.

The rahui would make tapu the area where the turbines are supposed to be placed, so Crest Energy staff or contractors could not enter.

Tainui hotel a taste of the best

2011-05-27T05:10:00.000+12:00

The country's newest hotel is opening about now with a distinct Maori flavour.

King Tuheitia and prime minister John Key are doing the honours at the 260-room Novotel Auckland Airport, a joint venture between Tainui, the airport company and French hotel operator Accor.

Tainui Group Holdings chief executive Mike Pohio says the hotel not only includes sound reducing technologies so guests are not disturbed by aircraft noise, but it is designed with high quality local materials to give it a distinct Tainui flavour.

“This hotel has been developed specifically for its location. That includes all of the technical aspects like noise but it’s also being developed to give a presence for the entry and exit to New Zealand,” Mr Pohio says.

The downturn in the construction market means Tainui was able to complete the project under its $65 million budget.

TARANAKI COUNCIL IGNORES DEBT TO PARIHAKA

Ikaroa Rawhiti MP Parekura Horomia says he finds it shameful that New Plymouth District Council still refuses to create dedicated seats for Maori.

Mr Horomia says this week's council decision shows the history of dispossession in the province continues, more than 150 years after settlers first provoked the war in Waitara.

He says the council is ignoring the lessons of Parihaka, where Maori used non-violent strategies to counter land confiscation.

“Te Whiti and Tohu said when their land was plundered and the British chased them, they said ‘they will take the land but only have the shadow because it is still within our soul,’ and the soul of Taranaki is still strong and people need to respect that,” Mr Horomia says.

He says Maori seats are a way for councils to acknowledge history and move on.

CANDIDATE LOOKS AT WHANAUNGATANGA LINKS

The Maori Party's Te Tai Tokorau by-election candidate says don't expect any mud-slinging in the campaign.

Solomon Tipene says he's looking forward to contesting the seat held by his great uncle Tau Henare from 1914 to 1948.

The 64-year-old says there are also family connections to his rivals, Labour's Kelvin Davis and Hone Harawira from the Mana party.

“Both Hone and Kelvin are my whanaunga. Long after politics comes and goes I have to work and live with these folk and the Maori Party is very clear that we will work with whichever party is in the house and if they want to focus on Maori issues, we will work with them,” Mr Tipene says.

HOUSING CUTS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei says the government's housing budget is a national disgrace and will hurt Maori.

Ms Turei says the country is suffering a major housing crisis, with substandard and overcrowded living conditions leading to health and social problems.

She says this year's budget allocates just $9 million to Housing new Zealand, compared with the $80 to $90 million a year in extra spending under the previous government.

“There's a huge amount of poverty that our country faces, Maori in particular, that’s a direct result of miserable housing and so for government to say ‘we’re just not interested in it any more’ is a total disgrace,” Ms Turei says.

She says poor housing leads to both family upheaval and childhood illnesses which contributes to lower educational achievement among Maori.

TUPUNA TITLE MODEL TO KEEP OUT FOREIGN LAND BUYERS

Te Tai Tokerau candidate Hone Harawira says his model for resolving the foreshore and seabed issue could be used to protect the country being bought up by foreign owners.

Mr Harawira's idea, rejected by his then-Maori Party colleagues and their coalition partner, was for the coast to be put into a tupuna title and held for Maori.

He says if significant public assets were put in such a title, it would ensure they would be there for all time for all new Zealanders.

“I think we should be initiating principles to ensure that godzone remains in the hands of god’s children. That’s us. No offence to everyone else in the rest of the world but this is a beautiful land and it’s our duty and our responsibility to protect it for our children and our grandchildren, and one way to do that is legislate it so it never gets lost again,” Mr Harawira says.

DISSENT SURFACES ON FAST TRACK RAUKAWA SETTLEMENT

A reconciliation day between Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson and Ngati Raukawa Settlement Trust has revealed divisions in the south Waikato iwi about the claim process.

The Raukawa Settlement Trust says Wednesday's hui at Papa-o-Te-Aroha Marae in Tokoroa was modeled on South Africa's truth and reconciliation commission, and gave iwi members a chance to tell Crown officials of their pain.

But claimant Sharon Clair says that should have been done through the Waitangi Tribunal process ... which the trust has by-passed in its rush to instigate direct negotiations.

“Because of the direct negotiation process, it’s all happened too fast and too rushed and the communication isn’t flowing easy and there is a break down in relation ships and a convoluted mess really of concerns,” she says.

Ms Clair says she intends to ask the tribunal to separate out her claims so she and her hapu can pursue a separate settlement.

Fundraising focus for early part of campaign

2011-05-26T22:35:00.000+12:00

Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate Hone Harawira is waking up to the realities of campaigning without a parliamentary salary or travel perks.

Mr Harawira quit parliament last week to seek a mandate for his new Mana Party.

He says having thrown himself on the mercy of the voters, he's humbled at the response.

“I am seriously embarrassed and humbled by the support I am getting both financially and just in terms of the tautoko on the streets. It’s really awesome. Old people coming up to you squeezing money into your hand and you know it’s a lot of money, you can feel it’s a lot of money, and they say ‘keep on going son.’ I don’t even know some of them,” he says.

Mr Harawira will be roasted tonight by comedian Mike King in a fundraiser at a Karangahape Rd bar in central Auckland ... out of the electorate.

STATUTORY BOARD PASSES FIRST QUARTERLY TEST

The chair of Auckland's Maori statutory board says it isn't a substitute for the council forming relationships with Maori in the super city.

David Taipari says this week's first formal quarterly meeting between the board and council set the tone for the relationship, and future meetings will deal with specific issues that come up in the course of council business.

He says the council needs to consider the Maori dimension in everything it does.

“Truly the partnership must be with the Maori themselves. The board is but a facilitator of that partnership, to encourage and to direct council of the best ways forward to engage with Maori, That’s where the true partnership is, so the establishment of the board is just a vehicle to create the opportunity for all Maori in the region,” Mr Taipari says.

He says the awkwardness over the board's funding is now over, and the parties are negotiating next year's budget.

NGATI RAUKAWA STAGES RECONCILIATION HUI WITH CROWN

Ngati Raukawa has put the Crown on the spot, summoning Ministers and officials to Papa-o-Te-Aroha Marae in Tokoroa for what it billed as a reconciliation day.

Chris McKenzie, the Raukawa Settlement Trust's chair and chief negotiator, says the south Waikato iwi is still a few months away from completing its settlement agreement.
He says because it has gone for direct negotiation, tribe members didn't have a chance to air their grievances before a forum like the Waitangi Tribunal.

“What we find is with direct negotiations, the conversation revolves around money and land and not about the actual mamae of the claimants so the claimants never have an opportunity to speak to those in power abut the hurt and frustration they feel about being claimants,” Mr McKenzie says.

He says the reconciliation days was inspired by South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who instigated the truth and reconciliation commission to bring the perpetrators and victims of Apartheid together.

TAINUI OPENS AIRPORT NOVATEL

Tainui's new hotel at Auckland Airport has been completed on time and under budget.

The 260-room hotel by the entrance to the international terminal will be opened at dawn tomorrow by King Tuheitia and the prime minister, and it will be open for guests later in the morning.

Mike Pohio, the chief executive of Tainui Group Holdings, says the tribe is thrilled with the building, and the fact the project came in comfortably under its $65 million budget.

“We built it at a time that, with the down turn in the economy, we had some very sharp pricing and some keenness from the construction company and the consultant. We were fortunate in our timing,” Mr Pohio says.

Tainui owns 70 percent of the hotel, with the balance held by Auckland International Airport and hotel operator Accor

FOREIGN BOATS KEEP MAORI QUOTA PRODUCING

The chief executive of Te Ohu Kaimoana says foreign-owned vessels are an inevitable part of the Maori fishing industry.

Peter Douglas says criticism of the practice at this week's Maori fisheries conference by Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley and Maori Party MP Rahui Katene was unwarranted, as the practice is widespread throughout the marine industry.

He says the Maori fisheries settlement allocation process left iwi with mixed packages of inshore and deepwater quota which give them little incentive to invest in their own boats.

“Sometimes the only way you can get the best return on those assets is to use the vessels that are of a size that they can catch the quota, the species of a range of tribal assets. Unfortunately those vessels aren’t New Zealand vessels. Those are big vessels that are foreign owned and operated. They are able to make the best use of assets that tribes own,” Mr Douglas says.

Te Ohu Kaimoana's fishing subsidiaries comply with industry codes of practice when they contract with foreign vessels.

LADY TILLY REEDY’S CONTRIBUTION RECOGNISED

While the spotlight has been on Ngati Porou's newest knight, Sir Tamati Reedy, Ikaroa Rawhiti MP Parekura Horomia says people on the coast are noting the contribution of his wife, Te Koingo Tilly Reedy.

The leading Maori educationalist was dubbed yesterday at his home marae at Hiruharama Pa south of Ruatoria.

Mr Horomia says the Reedys are known as a formidable team, with Lady Reedy as committed to the kaupapa of language revival as her husband.

MPs attack on Maori fishing ignored facts

2011-05-26T09:36:00.001+12:00

The chief executive of Te Ohu Kaimoana says criticism of Maori fishing practices is unwarranted and based on flawed advice.

At this week's Maui fisheries conference in Nelson, both Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley and Maori Party MP Rahui Katene raised the issue of use of foreign crews to catch Maori quota.

Peter Douglas says the practice is widespread throughout the industry, and the Maori fisheries trust's commercial subsidiaries comply with an industry code of practice aimed at ensuring crews aren't mistreated.

“Sealord has three vessels which are foreign-owned and foreign-crewed. They’ve had these arrangements for close to 20 years. The crews are all paid in New Zealand before they go home, they’ve got a relationship with those operators and the people who run and work on those ships that is long standing and is mutually beneficial to both sides,” Mr Douglas says.

While some iwi may want to own fishing vessels, few have large enough parcels of quota to make them economic.

NEW PLYMOUTH COUNCIL REJECTS MAORI SEAT PLEA

New Plymouth district councillor Howie Tamati says Taranaki Maori are upset at the council's refusal to create separate Maori seats.

About 60 Maori attended the council's meeting to discuss advice from Race Relations commissioner Joris de Bres that such seats were justified ... and walked out in disgust when the motion was rejected.

Mr Tamati says the council is falling down in its attempts to create a partnership with the region's iwi.

“They're happy for us to conduct the ceremonial part of things, powhiri, say karakia at the beginning of the huis and also mihimihi and they allow kaumatua in at special times to represent New Plymouth but they don’t allow them to vote, so is that tokenism?” he says.

Mr Tamati says Maori were keen for the council to make a decision, rather than put it as a referendum question in the 2013 local government election.

TAONGA RETURNED TO TE ARAWA HANDS

Te Arawa has welcomed a trove of long-lost taonga to their turangawaewae.

Greg Mcmanus, the director of the Rotorua Museum, says the items include a model war canoe and a greenstone adze which have been in the British museum for more than a century, as well as gateways and carvings from museums around New Zealand which are on five-year loan.

He says emotions ran high at the meeting house Tama te kapua as the artifacts were brought in.

The taonga will go on display at the museum's new Don Stafford wing in August.

PARTY BRAND STRONG FOR TE TAI TOKERAU CANDIDATE

The Maori Party's Te Tai Tokerau candidate says the best thing he's got going for him is the party's brand.

Solomon Tipene, the party's Whangarei co-chair, says with 40 years of public and private sector experience, he offers voters the stability they haven't had with Hone Harawira.

He says people assume that as the incumbent Mr Harawira has an advantage in the June 25 by-election, but they should remember he win the seat under the banner of the Maori party, not his new Mana party.

“One of the things that attracts the voters is the Maori Party. Maori Party has a proven track record, Maori Party is in the house, and that’s one of the things people warm to. Maori Party is still in the house, Maori Party is still in coalition and Maori Party is still supporting those issues that have an impact on our people up in the north here,” Mr Tipene says.

COMEDY FUNDRAISER OUT OF ELECTORATE TO START HARAWIRA RUN

Meanwhile, Hone Harawira's campaign team is treating its first major Auckland event as a bit of a joke.

It's holding a fundraiser in a Maori-owned bar on Karangahape Rd, headlined by comedian Mike king.

Organiser Helen Te Hira says the team will be working hard in the weeks ahead, so it wanted to start with something different.

“Kicking off you know let’s start off with a good laugh and raise some money. People want to help out and they can’t all be at huis. They’ve got to go to work or whatever. Starting off with a good laugh on a Thursday night in Auckland is a good way to do that,” Ms Te Hira says.

MAORI TRUSTEE PASSES BATON TO JAMIE TUUTA

Outgoing Maori Trustee John Paki says his successor will play an important role in developing the Maori economy.

The job of managing 2000 properties on behalf of 130,000 beneficial owners has gone to lawyer Jamie Tuuta of Ngati Mutunga, who currently chairs several Maori land trusts including Taranki's giant Paraninihi ki Waitotara Incorporation.

Mr Paki says after managing the Maori trust office's transition to being a stand-alone entity outside the Crown, he's pleased to see it in such good hands.

“It's developing business to business relationships with Maori asset-holding entities and iwi organisations who are seeking to develop shared working relationships with the Maori trustee and I think we are succeeding with that and moving the organization forward which is a different approach from previously when the Maori Trustee was under the guidance of government,” Mr Paki says.

Solomon Tipene chosen for Te Tai Tokerau run

2011-05-25T22:51:00.000+12:00

Maori Party president Pem Bird says that while the party's Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate is not a national figure, he is well-known and respected in the electorate.

He says Solomon Tipene, the co-chair of the party's Whangarei branch, was the selection panel's unanimous choice ahead of Ngati Hine leader Waihoroi Shortland and lawyer Mere Mangu.

“He's well grounded in the ways of his old people, he’s had huge experience in the public service and local government also but he is a very dignified person, comes across as a humble person,” Mr Bird says.

He is confident Mr Tipene will win back the electorate for the Maori Party on June 25 against immediate past MP Hone Harawira and Labour's Kelvin Davis.

FISHING CONFERENCE ENCOURAGES COLLABORATION

Ngai Tahu chairman Mark Solomon says Maori fishing businesses will have got a boost out of this week's Maui national fisheries hui in Nelson.

More than 200 delegates from iwi and fishing businesses heard from industry leaders and government representatives.

Mr Solomon says such hui are not just about sharing knowledge, but they help cement the relationships that will allow iwi to grow their wealth.

“The biggest advantage we have is the economies of scale if we do work together, and those sort of dialogues ore going on all over the country at the moment, looking at it as a concept,” Mr Solomon says.

SIR TAMATI REEDY KNIGHT OF TE REO

Today's investiture of Sir Tamati Reedy in the shadow of Mount Hikurangi turned into a celebration of te reo Maori.

Broadcaster Whai Ngata says iwi from around the country joined Ngati Porou at Hiruharama Pa south of Ruatoria to witness governor general Sir Anand Satyanand bestow the title of knight companion of the New Zealand Order of merit on the tribal leader and educator.

He says the contributions of pupils from the areas schools bore witness to the work Sir Tamati has done reviving and strengthening the language.

CANDIDATE KEEN TO STABILISE ELECTORATE

The Maori Party's candidate for the Te Tai Tokerau by-election says he wants to restore stability to Maori politics of the north.

Solomon Tipene, the iwi relationships manager for the Whangarei District Council, was selected ahead of Ngati Hine chairperson Waihoroi Shortland and lawyer Mere Mangu.

He says unlike Hone Harawira, who forced the by-election to seek a mandate for his new Mana Party, he's not a waka jumper.

“We need some stability, we need to build confidence, we need to bring all of those things together and give our people some choices up here. I’m convinced by my own analysis that all our original Maori Party supporters are looking for that and may the best person win,” Mr Tipene says.

NGAI TAHU SETTLED IN TO WIGRAM BASE

The Ngai Tahu runanga is in no hurry to get back into its central Christchurch headquarters, despite news its unstable neighbour is to be demolished.

Earthquake recovery minister Gerry Brownlee today announced that Fletcher Building had been given a contract to pull down the Grand Chancellor hotel, which has been on a lean since the February earthquake.

It could take up to a year to deconstruct the 26-storey, but Ngai Tahu chair Mark Solomon says the runanga is taking care of business from its temporary premises on former defence force land at Wigram.

While its tourism businesses are suffering from a 15 percent drop in visitor numbers, the other businesses are doing business as usual.

Mark Solomon says Ngai Tahu expects to be based at Wigram for at least the next two years.

AWARDS TURN AROUND NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES

South Auckland Maori health provider Hapai te Hauora believes its first youth awards have gone some way to turning around the negative stereotypes associated with the region's rangatahi.

Organiser Thomas Strickland says last night's awards came out of a series of hui looking at the region's problems.

He says they garnered a large number of entries, with some amazing stories of the work rangatahi have done in their communities around issues like bullying and drug use.

Comments sought on Mana Party name

2011-05-25T09:12:00.001+12:00

Mana Party president Matt McCarten says Hone Harawira will be standing under the party's banner in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election, even if the party is not formally registered in time.

The Electoral Commission today opened a two-week period for comment on the name, after which the application will be considered by the commission.

Mr McCarten says he's hopes the process can be completed by the June 25 polling date.

“Even if the party is not registered, Hone can stand as a Mana candidate on the basis of the application has been received,” he says.

Mr McCarten says as the leader of a registered party, if he is reelected Hone Harawira would get a front bench seat in parliament and the right to speak on all topics.

Meanwhile, the Maori Party interviewed its three prospective Te Tai tokerau candidates last night, and will announce its choice today.

TRADE TRAINING A PRIORITY FOR LABOUR

Hauraki - Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta says trade training will be a top priority for the next Labour government.

Ms Mahuta says young Maori make up a disproportionate number of the jobless.

She says many need training to get on the employment ladder, but they don't have the means.

“Labour will lead opportunities that ensure businesses provide openings for our kids to earn while they learn and that goes beyond Auckland, it goes into communities like Hamilton, Te Kuiti, Thames, those smaller towns that if that if we actively partner with those businesses, our kids don’t need to leave home while they earn while they learn,” Ms Mahuta says.

She says if rangatahi get job training where they live, they are more likely to stay in the area and eventually become the owners of the businesses.

PLACES OPEN IN BROWN INK WORKSHOPS

Playmarket is calling for scripts for its Brown Ink clinic, which give Maori and Pasifika playwrights the chance to get their stories onto the stage.

Advisor Jenni Heka says the selected writers will get advice on their script from established playwrights, and then have a full day clinic with a script advisor, director and actors.

She says it's about building relationships and the playwright's confidence.

Applications for the Brown Ink clinic close in July.

NGA PU WAEA ON LOOKOUT FOR DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES

A member of the new National Maori Broadband Working Group says one of its main tasks will be ensuring Maori don't fall through the cracks of the digital divide.

Nga Pu Waea was set up to provide Maori input into the rural broadband initiative, and its mandate was extended yesterday to cover the delivery of ultra fast broadband to urban areas.

Antony Royal of Ngati Raukawa says as expected Telecom got the lion's share of the UFB contract, so it's important Nga Pu Waea develops a good relationship with the company in the months and years ahead so Maori can benefit from the technology.

“Step one is we need to be able to make sure the access is affordable. Step two is then to start to look at ideas and ways in which people use this and help people create jobs, create opportunities, create all the kinds of things that connectivity will allow us to do,” Mr Royal says.

He's pleased Enable Networks got the contract to deliver ultra-fast broadband to Christchruch, because that will allow a comparison on whether community-based providers can perform better than the commercial supplier.

KNIGHTHOOD BESTOWED ON EDUCATIONALIST TAMATI REEDY

Under the shadow of Hikurangi, more than 500 people from iwi around the motu are gathering at Hiruharama Pa south of Ruatoria this morning to witness the investiture of Sir Tamati Muturangi Reedy.

The Ngati Porou leader and educationalist was made a knight companion of the New Zealand Order of merit in the New Year's Honours list.

After an extensive career in secondary schooling, Sir Tamati served as head of the Department of Maori Affairs from 1983 to 1989, before moving into tertiary education as Waikato University's foundation professor of Maori and Pacific development.

The ceremony will be performed by Governor general Sir Anand Satyanand at noon.

WELLS WINS KING FELLOWSHIP FOR LAND WARS TALE

Fresh from finishing a book called The Hungy Heart about missionary William Colenso, writer Peter Wells is taking on the story of a man who ate eyeballs.

The Hawkes Bay resident has been awarded the $100,000 Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers’ Fellowship to research and write a book about the 1871 trial in Napier of Kereopa Te Rau, who was hanged for the murder of missionary Carl Volkner in Opotiki in 1865.

He says the only Pakeha to speak up for Te Rau during the trial were Colenso and Sister Mary Aubert.

“It was a very inflammatory situation where Kereopa Te Rau had swallowed the eyes of Volkner and he became a kind of Osama Bin Laden figure for Pakeha people,” Mr Wells says.

The book, to be called Sparrow on a Rooftop, will be written as a mix of non-fiction, fiction and memoir as a portrait of a formative period of New Zealand history.

Bigger grants trial for community development

2011-05-24T09:59:00.001+12:00

A scheme which has been a valuable sources of funds for Maori development is being restructured.

Tariana Turia, the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector says she's pulling $1.5 million a year out of the Community Organisations Grant Scheme.

She's keen for communities to take a different approach to their development with longer term investments, rather than the money being spent on a multitude of small projects.

“Groups will get about $200,000 each, we’ll have five communities that will receive that money and the reason why we’ve done it is because the majority of community groups get between $3500 and $5000 per community organisation grant, not a lot of money, certainly not enough to do anything of real value with,” Mrs Turia says.

The grants will go to communities in Northland, Auckland, Wellington, and the lower South Island.

FARMER BEAR BRUNT OF LABOUR FIGHT-BACK

Labour MP Shane Jones says the policy mix released at the party's weekend congress should make National a one term government.

He says Labour has reiterated its commitment to winning back the Maori seats, and it's pushing things like trade training that will get young Maori into jobs.

He says people are getting sick of a Government that favours wealthy farmers over ordinary taxpayers.

“If they don’t like the notion of having to meet their obligations under the emissions trading scheme, why the hell should the taxpayers have to do it. They’re more than capable of meeting that burden. And that’s why we’ve said they need to meet it come 2013 rather than it being put off into the never never land. I mean the Government’s about to spend half a billion subsidizing water and irrigation development for the farming sector so they can give something,” Mr Jones says.

He says all Labour needs to do is pick up another 2000 votes in each electorate to be in a position to form a coalition government.

NGAI TAHU ENDORSES WATER POLICY STATEMENT

Ngai Tahu leader Mark Solomon is the Government's national policy statement of fresh water looks good from his iwi's perspective.

The statement has come under fire from the Maori Council, which says it doesn't give local authorities the clear direction and enforcement powers they need to clean up the country's lakes and rivers.

But Mr Solomon says it will meet the South Island tribe's commercial and environmental needs.

“We think what they’ve come out with does lead towards kaitiakitanga. It does put timeframes. It does put responsibility on the territorial local authorities to introduce process so it looks good on paper,” he says.

Mr Solomon says a national discussion still needs to be held on what the rights and ownership iwi hold water.

HEART DRUG INEFFECTIVE FOR MAORI

Otago University researchers are warning doctors not to give Maori and Pacific Islanders a standard medication for acute heart disease.

Dr Garry Nixon from the department of general practice and rural health says an Australian study found a high chance that streptokinase did not work on Aboriginal people from communities with high rates of the same streptococcal infection that leads to rheumatic fever.

He says a matching study of 180 patients from the Hokianga, Thames and Central Otago admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack came to similar conclusions.

“One of the problems is just about all the big drug trials are done on populations which are almost solely Caucasian. We always assume that we can translate those results to other ethnic groups but on the odd occasion it’s not correct and it’s probably not correct in this situation,” Dr Nixon says.

The research justifies a move to a new class of more expensive drugs ... but the areas they are most needed have been the last to adopt them.

MAORI FISHERIES HUI LOOKS AT WORLD COLLABORATION

Collaboration has been at the top of the agenda of this week's National Maori Fisheries Conference.

Organiser Maria Pera from the Treaty Tribes Coalition says more than 200 people are in Nelson to hear from iwi, government and fishing industry leaders.

She says as iwi manage their own fisheries assets, rather than just lease quota each year from Te Ohu Kaimoana, they are learning they need to work together to crack export markets.

“Maori have great opportunity here to be world price setters and leaders in this industry and I guess it’s around how we do that, how we collaborate, how our scale comes together, and how we push that onto the global market,” Ms Pera says.

A big absence at the conference is former Te Ohu Kaimoana chair Ngahiwi Tomoana of Ngati Kahungunu, who was dropped from the fisheries settlement trust this month by He Kawai Taumata electoral college.

LABOUR ENDORSES WHANAU ORA THRUST

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis is welcoming his party's endorsement of Whanau Ora.

In her speech to the party's congress at the weekend, deputy leader Annette King said the Maori Party-instigated model for integrating services for the most vulnerable families is something that had to happen.

Mr Davis says he's keen for whanau ora to succeed.

“I've had enough of Maori being at the bottom of all the socioeconomic indicators and I sincerely hope it’s successful. I think Labour was doing a lot of what Whanau Ora is saying it will do so I’m glad to hear Annette King say that,” he says.

Poverty no excuse for child abuse

2011-05-23T22:41:00.001+12:00

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says Maori must stop blaming poverty for child abuse.

The Associate Social Development Minister this month launched a new hohourongo (family violence) whanau intervention programme for the Auckland District Health Board area.

She says her generation finds it hard to understand how children are treated.

“All of us grew up in very poor households. This is about our behaviour, not our income, and we’ve got to stop this in its tracks and all; of us, every single one of us in our communities are gong to have to step forward and make sure we are making everybody in our street our business,” Mrs Turia says.

Abuse of alcohol and drugs seems to be the major contributing factor to child abuse.

DAVIS HUMBLED BY BACKING FOR BY-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate says he's humbled by the backing the party is giving him.

The by-election was a major talking point at the party's election year congress over the weekend, with new president Moira Coatsworth emphasising the party's commitment to the Maori seats,

Kelvin Davis says the commitment he got from all levels of the organisation indicated Labour's determination to do well.

“There was just unanimous support for the fact we are contesting Te Tai Tokerau. That’s members of the party everyone who was there, knows the Maori seats are important to use as Labour and we are keen to win those seats back,” he says.

A good showing in Te Taitokerau will help with the campaign for the other Maori seats in November's general election.

MAORI TELEVISION RAKES IN $2.5 MILLION FROM TELETHON

Maori Televison chief executive Jim Mather says the weekend's telethon shows the value of being a state broadcaster.

The 12-hour Rise Up Christchurch telethon raised more than $2.5 million for earthquake relief.

Mr Mather says the channel brought together private sponsors such as Fontera and state funders including te Mangai Pahu and te Puni Kokori competition between channel personalities was able to be put aside.

DEDICATED MAORI FUNDS SIGN OF ELECTION YEAR COURAGE

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says National has been courageous in providing dedicated money to Maori initiatives in an election year.

She says the Maori Party was able to secure $213 million of spending in the Budget when virtually every other area of spending got cut back.
Mrs Turia contrasted it with Labour's approach in Government.

“When Don Brash was in before (as National’s leader), when he started speaking anti-Maori, Labour really got speed wobbles and they tried to mainstream absolutely everything and they wouldn’t give any dedicated money to Maori at that time so we’re really pleased because it is unusual for a Government to do this,” she says.

Mrs Turia says in the two and a half years the Maori Party has been in coalition with National it has secured more than $600 million for Maori initiatives.

MAORI PARTY MATHS DON’T ADD UP

But Labour MP Shane Jones is questioning the Maori Party's maths.

He says Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia must hope their supporters can't read a budget, and can't tell the difference between new spending and existing funds which have been renamed.

“I did get Pita (Sharples) statement, I think it was $623 million, I’ve got three university qualifications, I couldn’t make it add up, so maybe these kura kaupapas that he’s strengthening, maybe he needs to go back there and get an abacus and work out how to add,” Mr Jones says.

His best estimate of new spending won by the Maori Party is $25 million.

WARDENS KEEN TO START PRISON REHABILITATION

Auckland Maori wardens are keen to get a rehabilitation programme developed by the Church of Scientology into the country's prisons.

Criminon, which was developed in New Zealand 40 years ago and is now used in 35 countries, offers courses in drug detoxification, ethical behavior, literacy, anger management and parenting skills.

Jack Taumaunu, the chair of the Waitemata Maori Wardens Trust, says it offers a way forward for the large number of Maori in prison, and could give prisoners skills to teach others alternatives to crime when they get out.

He says the wardens have a license to run the programme from ABLE (Association for Better Living and Education) International, which runs courses in Israel, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Mangatu land loss part of soul

2011-05-23T08:48:00.001+12:00

The Mangatu Incorporation keen to back before the Waitangi Tribunal so it can seek a binding order for 3400 hectares of forest land taken from it in 1961.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the tribunal was wrong to deny the 120-year-old incorporation a hearing on its challenge to the proposed settlement with Te Aitanga a Mahaaki, which includes the land.

Chairperson Alan Haronga says the Crown’s policy of dealing with large natural groupings of iwi ignored the legal rights of the incorporation’s 5000 shareholders, who have a special relationship to the land.

“The value in economic terms is not great. There’s probably a range from probably negative to $3-4 million but it’s the principle. It’s like a part of your soul that was there that then went and they were in breach and we want it back,” he says.

Mr Haronga from the land was highly productive when the Crown forced Mangatu Incorporation to sell it, and the sale price reflected only a few season’s earnings.

HAUITI CANDIDATE TO SWEEP UP LIST VOTE

National Party leader John Key says the party’s Mangere candidate is an example of the caliber of Maori being attracted to the cause.

Mr Key says no one expects television producer and former presenter Claudette Hauiti to win the safe Labour seat, but she should raise the party’s profile in the area.

“It’s obviously a difficult seat from our perspective. We’re really searching for the party vote there. No one’s expecting Claudette to win but equally I think she can put up a really strong showing. She a great candidate. We’re trying to bring in more Maori candidates to parliament. From National’s perspective, we’ve got quite a good grouping now,” Mr Key says.

WOOD AND PLASTIC WAKA HIGHLIGHT OF MUSEUM REBUILD

Artist George Nuku says a restored waka will be a highlight of the National Museum of Scotland when it reopens in July after a two-year refurbishment.

Mr Nuku has been working on the waka, believed to be the largest held outside New Zealand.

In as acquired as a souvenir in the 1820s by Lord Thomas Brisbane, then governor of New South Wales, and has been in the museum’s collection since the 1850s.

Mr Nuku says it was in a sorry state, but it has been rebuilt with Perspex replacing the middle elements, and it will be the centerpiece of the Maori and Pacific gallery.

He has also been working on the fitting out of the Maori and Pacific court at a new museum in Antwerp, Belgium.

NGATI MAHUHIRI SIGNS OFF ON HAUTURU SETTLEMENT

Ngati Manuhiri says the return of a 1.2 hectare block on Hauturu-Little Barrier Island will allow it to give symbolic recognition of its ancestors.

The iwi, which holds the mana from Whangaparaoa Peninsula to Mangawhai north of Auckland, signed a $9 million deed of settlement on Saturday.

Chief negotiator Laly Haddon says while the Crown will continue to administer the island sanctuary, the iwi will always remember the removal of its tupuna in 1894.

“Rahui te Kiri and Tenetahi were taken off there by soldiers and they were the last to leave. They never took any money. That was their homeland and we are now going to make sure that our footprint is protected there forever,” Mr Haddon says.

Ngati Manuhiri’s use of its land will be in keeping with DOC's conservation activities on the rest of the island.

SCHOOLS’ BREAKFAST PROGAMME NEEDS GOVRNMENT LIFELINE

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau by-election candidate says the Government should pick up funding for the Red Cross schools’ breakfast programme.

Supermarket chain Countdown has pulled its sponsorship of the scheme, which services 61 low decile schools.

Kelvin Davis says in his previous career as principal of Kaitaia Intermediate he saw how hungry kids can’t learn, and the problem of children coming to school without breakfast is getting worse because of the Government’s policies.

“Kids going to school without breakfast is just a symptom of wider problems within New Zealand society and I think the government needs to not just put out fifes here there and everywhere but they need to work on the wider problem and they don’t seem to have a plan,” Mr Davis says.

Meanwhile, the Maori Party has shortlist of three wanting to become its candidate in the June 25 by-election forced by the resignation of Hone Harawira.

It will decide by Wednesday between lawyer Mere Mangu, Ngati Hine chairperson Waihoroi Shortland and Solomon Tipene, the chair of its Whangarei branch.

TIME RUNNING OUT FOR KAPA HAKA SUPER 12 ENTRIES

Roopu have until the end of this week to get entries in for the Auckland Matariki Festival Kapa Haka Super 12s.

Festival director Lisa Davis says the stripped down format gives performers a lot of room for innovation.

The 12-member teams will be judged on originality, execution and entertainment factor as they pack waiata-a-ringa, haka and poi into a 12 minutes performance.

The Two Degrees Kapa Haka Super 12s will be at the Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber on June 18.

Budget offers no incentive for value add industry

2011-05-21T09:08:00.001+12:00

The CTU's Maori vice president says the budget has just made life a lot harder for Maori workers.

Syd Keepa says a lot of workers will take a contribution holiday from their KiwiSaver accounts because they can't make ends meet.

He says there is no stimulus for industries which employ a lot of Maori ... like forestry ... to invest in the value added processes which will allow them to earn more from exports.

“They're just of the opinion that it’s best to export our logs without having tem processed here and in the meantime a lot of those workers in that industry are losing their jobs,” Mr Keepa says.

He says Finance Minister Bill English's projections of a return to strong growth and job creation don't square with what he's seeing out on the worksites.

TELETHON WILL BOOST CHRISTCHURCH RELIEF COFFERS

Ngai Tahu chairman Mark Solomon says he's looking forward to this weekend's Rise Up Christchurch telethon on Maori Television.

He says help from Maori around the country has been much appreciated as the city struggles to rebuild after the November and February earthquakes.

City leaders are always aware of donor fatigue, and Sunday's 12-hour event will help refurbish the relief fund coffers.

“We've had support as far as people down here helping right since about day two and they’re still out there but there really is whatever people have n their hearts to give, please do. There’s a lot of need out there,” Mr Solomon says.

PERSPEX WHARE HIGHLIGHTS TAONGA IN BELGIAN MUSEUM

A major Belgian collection of Maori and Pacific treasures has a new home.

Artist George Nuku has been helping to install the collection at the new $100 million MAS Museum by the river in Antwerp.

He says the works gathered from a number of Belgian museums takes up the entire fourth floor of the six-storey building, and he was asked to provide suitable surroundings.

“There's a beautiful waka taua, a model canoe, and hei tiki and waka huia, old things, stunningly beautiful, and I’ve carved a Perspex wharenui. The poupou in the wharenui are basically holding all these taonga,” Mr Nuku says.

The taonga Maori was of particular interest to the King and Queen of Belgium at this week's opening.

MANGATU WINS RIGHT TO GET WAITANGI TRIBUNAL FINDING

The Mangatu Incorporation in poverty Bay of Plenty is celebrating a win in the Supreme Court which has thrown the treaty settlement process into turmoil.

The court has ruled that the Waitangi Tribunal must hear the incorporation's claim that land forcibly acquired by the Crown for forestry in 1961 should go back to it, rather than to Aitanga Mahaaki, the iwi that most of the owners belong to.

Chairperson Alan Haronga says the incorporation instigated and funded the claim in the early 1990s, and it was upset to be first cut out of the proposed iwi settlement and then sidelined by the Waitangi Tribunal, which refused to grant it a resumption hearing.

“All the courts in the land apart from the Supreme Court were happy to flow with the government policy of the day which in some respects disappointed us and why we held very closely our principles on the matter and pursued it all the way,” Mr Haronga says.

Treaty lawyers say the decision opens the door for individual claimants who are unhappy with settlements under the Crown's large natural groupings policy to go back to the tribunal and get binding orders over particular forestry blocks.

WAKA REPLACEMENT ON ITS WAY FROM TAIL TO HEAD

As the stand-off continues between the Wellington City Council and Wellington iwi over the ownership of the waka Te Raukura, a replacement is taking shape at the tail of the fish.

The council is threatening to take Te Runanga o Taranaki Whanui to the court if it doesn't pay $150,000 to settle the ownership dispute, while the runanga is demanding a signed agreement so both sides are clear what they are getting for the money.

Meanwhile, waka builder Hekenukumai Busby says work is going well in the far north on a 14 metre kauri-hulled waka the Wharewaka o Poneke Charitable Trust has commissioned to display in its waterfront headquarters.

The fishing waka can be powered by a mixed crew of 14 to 16 paddlers.

It will be in Wellington in August in time to be used for Rugby World Cup promotions.

KEY DUBIOUS ON PARIHAKA DAY ADOPTION

The Prime Minister is sceptical the call by Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia for November 5 to be changed from Guy Fawkes to Parihaka Day will win wide acceptance.

John Key says there certainly will be some people who wish to remember the 1881 invasion of the non-violent Taranaki community by 1500 militia and armed constabulary.

“It's one of those things where people will want to learn their history and acknowledge it but I think it will struggle to change and as we’ve seen before when there was a move to change Waitangi Day to New Zealand Day, over time it never survived,” Mr Key says.

New Zealand Day was changed back to Waitangi Day in 1975 as one of the first acts of the incoming Muldoon government.

Constitutional review funding a sham

2011-05-20T09:18:00.001+12:00

Labour MP Shane Jones says the $2 million in the budget for Maori to participate in the constitutional review is a farce.

He says the spending has nothing to do with what the people in Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples's Tamaki Makaurau electorate need on a daily basis, and shows the Maori Party has its priorities wrong.

Mr Jones says Don Brash's takeover of the ACT Party and the deal he cut to retain its cabinet positions is a truer reflection of the current state of the constitution.

“That's how shoddy the constitution has turned into under the current government. This notion you can have a Maori constitutional input without actually taking a very long time and opening it up so it has complete support across the House is a sham,” Mr Jones says.

MORE MONEY FOR RHEUMATIC FEVER SWABS

Northland's medical officer of health is welcoming a $12 million budget infection to fight rheumatic fever.

Clare Mills says the disease is at alarming levels in Tai Tokerau, with Maori and Pacific kids more than 20 times more likely than non-Maori to develop the disease, which can lead to heart problems in later life.

She says while the money is desperately needed to fund community programmes aimed at swabbing kids with sore throats so the disease is picked up early, it doesn't address the underlying causes.

“It is very much a disease associated with people living in poorer conditions and on lower incomes and there is a lot more that needs to be done to address some of those bigger factors,” Dr Mills says.

KOTAHITANGA MARKS MAJOR PHILOSOPHY SHIFT

The developer of Te Kotahitanga says the professional development programme to help teachers relate to Maori students is starting to have an influence throughout the education sector.

Russell Bishop says he's surprised and delighted by an extra $17 million in the budget to extend the programme to another 20 schools.

He says even though it's currently only in mainstream secondary schools with high Maori rolls, the ideas underlying Te Kotahitanga are now well understood in the Education Ministry.

“Ten, 12 years ago they were saying the biggest influence on Maori kids’ achievement was their home life. Now they’re clearly saying the biggest influence is the relationships that take place within the schools and particularly in the classrooms, so there’s been a major shift in the theorizing of the ministry and amongst the wider sector,” Professor Bishop says.

DAVIS UPBEAT ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE

Labour's candidate in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election says yesterday's budget won't harm his chances.

Kelvin Davis says while on the surface the Maori Party is crowing that it secured $100 million for educational initiatives, the devil is in the detail, and it’s hard to tell how many extra schools or classroom places will e created in the funding.

He says while the budget includes $12 million to fight rheumatic fever, which will address a real problem in the north, it does nothing to address the underlying reasons the disease is so prevalent in Maori communities, such as over-crowded housing.

APPRENTICESHIPS AVAILABLE FOR CHRISTCHURCH REBUILD

Ngai Tahu chair Mark Solomon says the $42 million in the budget for trade training in Christchurch will allow young Maori to start apprenticeships.

He says rebuilding the city will take more skilled labour than the country has available, so it's important to start training now.

He says decisions on when, where, how and even whether the city gets rebuilt can't be made until geotechnical reports are available towards the end of the month.

“The rebuild itself is not going to happen any time soon but for apprentices to get them ready, we need to get the training started. We’ve got a problem in front of us to see if we can address it It is possible we have to shift,” Mr Solomon says.

Ngai Tahu has a number of blocks of land on the outskirts of the city which may be suitable to future development.

NEW FANFARE FOR BLUES GAME

The crowd at Eden Park tonight might pick up some fresh Maori and Pacific flavours when the Blues run onto the field to take on the Stormers.

Their new fanfare played by the Auckland Philharmonia was composed by 16 year old Auckland Grammar student Alex McFarlane.

His 90-second competition-winning piece is called Wheturangi Kahurangi , or blue star, and it uses log drums to maintain a Maori and Pacific feel.

Skills training boost for battered city

2011-05-19T22:24:00.000+12:00

Ngai Tahu leader Mark Solomon says the $42 million in the budget for skills training in Canterbury should lead to job opportunities for young Maori.

The package was one of the few bits of new spending in a budget marked by austerity and the Government's desire to reduce its deficit.

Mr Solomon says the iwi is working closely with Christchurch Polytechnic on a bid for some of the trade training money needed to rebuild the earthquake-ravaged city.

“With the full recovery of Christchurch, I doubt there are enough tradesmen in the whole of New Zealand. We do have a skill shortage. We do have an opportunity here to bring another generation through and create employment at the same time. We’d be fools not to take it up,” he says.

Ngai Tahu is waiting for a geotechnical report on which areas of Christchurch are suitable for rebuilding so it can see whether any of its landholdings on the outskirts of the city can be developed.

MAORI NEEDS OVERLOOKED

Labour MP Shane Jones says the money going into trade training in Christchurch just highlights the inadequacy of provision for Maori elsewhere.

He says it's a budgie budget where Maori get the crumbs, and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples moves his allocation round like deckchairs on a sinking ship.

He says the Government is not facing up to the inordinately high levels of unemployment among young Maori men.

“This zest that the current minister of police aide by the associate minister of corrections, Dr Sharples, have for jails show they have a rather bleak view. Rather than spend money on these young men and keep them out of jail, unfortunately we are going to see more of them swelling into jail because they don’t have the numeracy, the literacy or adequate work readiness skills, and sorry, a couple of million bucks on numeracy and literacy is not going to cut it,” Mr Jones says.

He says Dr Sharples has trumpeted the reallocation of some funding for Maori language support, but failed to resolve funding problems in kohanga reo, which is necessary if the language is to be picked up by the next generation.

SUPER HAKA URGES CHRISTCHURCH TO RISE UP
The organiser of today's super haka for Christchurch says the response was sensational.

Super Shuttle director Peter King says up to 4000 people turned out in the four main centres at noon to perform a Ngai Tahu haka, which urges people to rise up and be strong and resolute.

Ngai Tahu chair Mark Solomon and Christchurch mayor Bob Parker were quick to offer their thanks.

THIN BUDGET FOR MAORI FAMILIES

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei says today's budget provides little for Maori.

Ms Turei says while there is some extra spending Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples’ favourite issue, te reo Maori, the Maori Party has failed to deliver on lowering the cost of living, job creation and income support.

“The issue here is that our people don’t have jobs, they don’t have homes, they can’t get access to higher levels of education, we have vast numbers of our young people on the dole and nothing in this budget is solving any of that,” Ms Turei says.

She says the budget cuts housing and health spending in real terms and can be seen as generally hostile to Maori.

BOOST FOR TE KOTAHITANGI

Meanwhile, Waikato University education professor Russell Bishop is delighted with the extra $17 million in the budget to roll out Te Kotahitanga to another 20 schools.

The professional development programme offers teachers better ways of working with and assessing Maori students.

Professor Bishop says the money, spread over four year, will help the programme gain critical mass.

“What we are looking for of course is enough schools to reform the education they are providing for Maori children so that you can change the statistics of disparity that exist in New Zealand today and then the second thing is the qualitative change where the caring and learning relationships are developed through the whole schools and you start seeing changes that support Maori kids learning and everyone else as well,” Professor Bishop says.

Research is showing that Maori students in Te Kotahitanga schools are performing better in external examinations than those at other schools.

COMMUNITY DRIVE KEY TO RHEUMATIC FEVER CAMPAIGN

Maori communities are being urged to take responsibility for tackling the rheumatic fever that is blighting the lives of many tamariki.

Dr Rawiri Jansen from Ngati Raukawa says Maori-instigated programmes in Northland are starting to clear up high rates of infection among Maori children in places like Kaeo and Kaitaia.

He says other places with disproportionate statistics, such as parts of South Auckland, the Bay of Plenty and Waiariki, need to get on board.

“What I understand from the international literature is when a community says we want to deal with this, that’s very powerfuland when a community makes that decision they say right health clinics get on board, doctors get on board, we want nurses or clinics at the schools swabbing our kids throats," Dr Jansen says.

He welcomes the extra $12 million in the budget to fight the disease.

Maori Party goes it alone on broadband deal

2011-05-19T09:15:00.000+12:00

The chair of Te Huarahi Tika Maori Spectrum Trust, Mavis Mullins, says the Maori Party's deal with the Government on ultra fast broadband overlooks issues of real significance to Maori.

National is relying on the Maori Party's support to get its Telecommunications Amendment Bill passed now that the Don Brash-led ACT Party has decided it doesn't support the government's $1.5 million fibre roll-out.

Mrs Mullins says the Maori Party didn't consult spectrum claimants before negotiating with Telecommunications Minister Steven Joyce, and it made no attempt to fix flaws with the current spectrum allocation.

“If there was any common sense in the world people would be just talking together and coming to the right conclusions about this stuff but it’s just a game, it’s a political game play at the moment and I suppose getting close to elections everyone is about point scoring and it's not helpful,” Ms Mullins says.

The Ultra fast Broadband comes hard on the heels of the Rural Broadband Initiative, where a Maori-backed consortium was sidelined in favour of a $300 million subsidy for the country's two largest phone companies.

KEY PAINTS BUDGET AS INEVITABLE

Prime Minister John Key is denying today's budget will accelerate the number of Maori joining whanau in Australia.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has claimed people are Maoridom's number one export, and the more will leave when they see what the National Government has in store for them.

But Mr Key says the government needs to maintain confidence in the New Zealand economy.

“If the government doesn’t balance its books, doesn’t pay for Christchurch, doesn’t get us back into surplus quicker, inevitably where you end up is wiuth countries like Ireland, Greece, Portugal, Spain, where eventually someone comes along and says I’m not lending you as much money, interests rates go up, everyone pays more for their mortgages, homes become more unaffordable and more out of touch particularly for low to middle income people,” he says.

John Key says while today's changes to Kiwisaver will cost families more, low and middle income earners will get more out of Working for Families.

BY-ELECTION PLAYBOOK GIVING ISSUES TO DAVIS

Labour leader Phil Goff is giving the party's candidate riding instructions for the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

Mr Goff says Kelvin Davis has shown he's passionate about improving education and employment opportunities for Maori.

He's not expecting much substance from Hone Harawira, whose departure from parliament tomorrow precipitates the by-election, and whoever stands for the Maori Party.

“The Maori Party and its breakaway group, the Harawira party, will be fighting amongst themselves about what they’ve done and and whether they’ve sold out or not. All of that bickering is fine but it’s not what is needed to improve real conditions, real standards of living, real job opportunities for the people of Te tai Tokerau,” Mr Goff says.

The by-election may also be seen as a referendum on asset sales.

WELLINGTON COUNCIL WAVING BIG STICK OVER WAKA

Wellington City Council is threatening to head to the High Court if it Waiwhetu Maori don't pay $150,000 for the waka Te Raukura by tomorrow (Friday).

The chair of te Runanganui o Taranaki Whanui, Neville Baker, says the money is sitting in a lawyer's trust account until the council has signed an agreement spelling out how the payment settles the dispute over the waka's ownership.

Richard McLean, the council's communications manager, says councillors have already agreed on the course of action they would take if the deadline was not met.

“They voted on that stance on the understanding if the deal fell through or we didn’t get the money we would return to the High Court and continue action against them,” Mr McLean says.

The dispute which is hanging over preparations for the council's activities during the Rugby World Cup, so it needs to be settled as quickly as possible.

KEY UNHAPPY WITH PROTESTING CHILDREN

Prime Minister John Key is questioning whether Kawerau Intermediate pupils who made a hikoi to Parliament this week to challenge the closure of their school really understood the issues.

Mr Key was not among the large group of MPs who went out to greet the hikoi.

He says the Education Ministry's need amalgamate schools can lead to passionate feelings.

“Everyone resists change irrespective of what age they are. Personally I slightly prefer it when the argument is held at an adult level. I feel queasy sometimes when young people are dragged into a political debate but I accept that it does happen,” Mr Key says.

Education Minister Anne Tolley gave the school a chance to make further submissions before she makes her decision at the end of June.

MAORI ON BUDGET WATCH AS EDUCATION OPTIONS CLOSE

Greens co-leader Meteria Turei has identified funding for Whanau Ora and education cuts as things Maori need to watch out for in today's Budget.

Ms Turei says the fear among many social service providers is their money will be shifted to whanau ora providers.

She says many Maori have missed out on getting into university courses because of changes in enrolment standards, and now older students will be penalised because they can't get loans.

“As older people lose jobs they want to go back and retrain but there are signals that student allowances and things won’t be as accessible for those people once they reach 55. Cutting off educational access at both ends of the spectrum is a real problem and a big problem for our people,” Ms Turei says.

She says the budget is likely to encourage more Maori to jump the ditch to Australia.

Hikoi a great educational experience

2011-05-18T23:55:00.001+12:00

Labour list MP and Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis says yesterday's hikoi by Kawerau Intermediate pupils and their whanau was a great educational experience.

The former Kaitaia Intermediate principal was among a number of MPs from several parties who welcomed the 250-strong group on the steps of Parliament yesterday.

He says the Education Ministry's plan to close the school at the end of the year will affect their lives and the shape of their community.

“Protesting or being on top of an issue like those children seem to be to me is just part of education. It’s about being involved in what’s going on in your community and they’re actually part of society and this political decision impacts on them, why shouldn’t them be informed and make decisions about where they want to go,” Mr Davis says.

He says intermediate closures are an easy option for the ministry, but they don't address the wider questions of why children are failing in schools.

KEY KEEN ON EMERGING MAOIR MIDDLE CLASS TO VOTE NAT

Prime Minister John Key is picking the rapid growth of Maori business to translate into an increase in Maori National supporters.

He says Maori firms face the same issues of any business, and will look favourably on National policies like lower taxes.

“Equally you're seeing a lot of Maori voters starting to move up the socioeconomic grouping. You’ve got a lot more middle managers and professionals in Maoridom and I suspect those people have the same hopes and aspirations as any middle to higher income New Zealanders,” Mr Key says

He says
historically National has not been good at showing why Maori, who are predominantly low and middle income earners, should vote for it.

BIDDLE SOWS SEED FOR SPEAKING WIN

The winner of this year's New Zealand Toastmasters' competition is crediting his use of te reo Maori for the prize.

Te Arawa FM broadcaster Kingi Biddle won the speechmaking competition with "Mihi Atu, Mihi Mai", a speech about the value of hello to passing strangers.
Unbeknown to him his speech echoed the motto adopted by the Toastmasters this year, Ruia Mai He Kakano Kia Tipu Ai.

“In my speech I said ‘ruia he kakano,’ sow that seed, say hello to everyone, and then ‘hauhakatia e whangai i te katoa,’ harvest it so all may benefit, so it was very much an English speaking competition but I drew on my Maoritanga to create most of the content of my speech,” he says.

Mr Kingi Biddle is off to Las Vegas in August for the World Toastmasters' Championship.

TARANAKI WHANAUI WANTING PROPER RECEIPT FOR $150,000

Waiwhetu Maori say they're not yet ready to pay the $150,000 the Wellington City Council is demanding for the waka Te Raukura.

The council had wanted Te Raukura to be housed in the harbourside wharewaka beside Ta Papa museum, but agreed to give up its ownership claim in exchange for the payment.

Neville Baker, the chair of Te Runanganui o Taranaki Whanui, says the money has been set aside in a trust account, and won't be paid until there is a signed agreement with the council setting out the terms of settlement.

“We want to finalise a situation where goodwill is established on both sides and we recognise that the waka is still important to everyone around Whanganui-a-Tara and not just property that we expressly have sole use of so we’re still in a sharing position and that’s the way we’d like to go forward on this,” Mr Baker says.

He says the council also needs to pay for storing the waka at Waiwhetu for the past five years.

LITTLE LIKELY FOR MAORI IN BUDGET

Labour leader Phil Goff says Maori can expect little from tomorrow's Budget.
He says many Maori families will be struggling to stretch their own budgets to maintain KiwiSaver contributions and make up for expected cuts in services.

Meanwhile the deficit is expected to hit $16 billion because of National's tax cuts and economic management.

“You can't wish away a debt and you can’ keep borrowing $380 million a week but what you can do is you can invest sensibly in things that will grow your economy because that’s how you get your deficit down , get growth in the economy, growth in wages, growth in employment, then you will get growth in revenue, but that doesn’t seem to be part of the Government’s equation,” Mr Goff says.

He'd like to see things like skills training packages for the building industry which would help unemployed Maori get back into work.

RUGBY LEAGUE MAORI YOUTH DEVELOPMENT POPULAR

Rugby League's development officer says NRL scouts are increasingly looking to the age level Maori teams for new talent.

John Devonshire says at least 14 teams will compete in the 10th National Maori Rugby League Youth Tournament at Rotorua over Queen's Birthday Weekend.

He says rangatahi are keen to get in, as they realise it opens up opportunities.

The youth tournament was split from the seniors so rangatahi could have their own alcohol-free event.

Mere Mangu keen on Te Tai Tokerau run

2011-05-18T09:48:00.000+12:00

Moerewa-based lawyer Mere Mangu says she wants to make a third attempt to be come MP for Te Tai Tokerau ... this time as the official Maori Party candidate.

Ms Mangu says she was approached by a number of people who wanted her to contest the by-election triggered by the resignation of Hone Harawira, who is standing under the Mana banner.

She says even though she stood as an independent in the past two elections, she supported the Maori Party's aims.

“I have always had the Maori Party kaupapa in mind but more so is the fact that they’re in government and we need to celebrate the achievements they have made including what Hone has achieved. I think he needs to be commended for what he carried out whilst he was representing Tai Tokerau,” Ms Mangu says.

She faces competition for the nomination from Ngai Hine chairperson Waihoroi Shortland, who hails from the same Matawaia Marae.

BUDGET TO ACCELERATE EXODUS TO AUSTRALIA

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters predicts tomorrow's budget will result in more Maori joining their whanau across the Tasman.

The former treasurer says government ministers have already foeshadowed a budget which will hit middle and low income earners.

He says as it is Maoridom's greatest export is talented skilled young people going to Australia.

“For a lot of families it means w future where to visit their families they’ve got to go offshore of the family has got to come back to New Zealand but they will not be living in New Zealand unless we can turn this around and fast,” Mr Peters says.

He says rather than cuts to services the government should put in place incentives to give young people a reason to stay in New Zealand.

HOSPICE UPGRADED TO ACCOMMODATE WHANAU

A Manukau hospice will become the first in the country to include a whanau room where family can come and stay with dying patients.

South Auckland Hospice chief executive Gary Sturgess says it's part of a $5 million expansion of Totara House aimed at a new emphasis on culturally sensitive palliative care.

He says in the past Hospice has been accused of catering for white middle class patients, but that will change, as patients in their last days of life can come into the hospice with their whole family accompanying them.

URBAN AUTHORITY PRESSES FOR CREDIT UNION SAY

Police were called to a protest in Otara yesterday, where representatives of the Manukau Urban Maori Authority were picketing a branch of the Aotearoa Credit Union.

There were no arrests and the protest ended peacefully.

Wyn Osborne, who represented MUMA on the Aotearoa board until he lost his seat last December, says the credit union is using procedural tricks to ignore a petition for a special general meeting to discuss discrepancies in the election.

He says MUMA is also concerned the board has lost control of management.

“We think that puts the organisation at risk and that’s another issue that needs to be put in front of membership. Look, if we convened the SGM and the membership all said ‘get over it,’ we’d accept that. However we want an opportunity to have it out in a forum of members, they are what we think are the issues, and let’s have a vote on it,” Mr Osborne says.

Aotearoa chair John Walters says he doesn't accept there was any problem with the election, and MUMA has so far failed to get 100 valid signatures from enough of the Credit Union's 16,000 members to generate a special general meeting.

POLLUTION PUTS PAID TO PENNY DIVERS

Pollution has put paid to a Maori tourism institution.

The Whakarewa penny divers have been told they can no longer dive for gold coins in the Puarenga Stream because of high levels of e-coli bacteria and PCP poisoning.

Tuhourangi spokesperson Wally Lee says local Maori have been complaining about the state of the river for years.

He is pleased that Environment Bay of Plenty has agreed to test the river and investigate where the source of the poluttion may be coming from.

AOTEAROA TEAM PROVES WORTH IN DEVELOPING WOMEN’S RUGBY

The coach of the Maori women's rugby team says separatism has paid off for the sport as a whole.

Peter Joseph says the Aotearoa Maori Women's Sevens team was formed a decade ago because there were hardly any brown faces in the New Zealand team, despite the number of Maori players in the game.

He says Maori players now have a much better chance of making the Black Ferns, with nine of the New Zealand players in the 2009 Women’s Rugby World Cup being Maori, most developed through the Aotearoa team.

Mr Joseph says the Aotearoa team is off to Rome at the end of the month to defend its world title against the top European teams and an invitational team including Black Ferns.

MP defends mother’s right to let her heart speak

2011-05-18T00:44:00.000+12:00

Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira says he understands the frustration that led to his mother Titewhai verbally berating Maori Party leaders at Waitangi.

Ngati Kawa elders are considering banning Mrs Harawira from te Tii Marae because of her sustained outburst at a hui last week.

Mr Harawira says the Maori Party leadership had refused invitations to come to the north for two years, but turns up with a by-election looming.

“They came after they’d stabbed me in the back and then they came up here looking to replace me so I’m not surprised they copped that. I’m certainly not going to deny my mother the opportunity to say what’s been in her heart.” He says.

Mr Harawira says like most other guys he can't tell his mum to be quiet even if he wanted to.

DIVERSE MAORI PRESENCE GROWS IN NATIONAL PARTY

National's Mangere candidate says she wants to remind people in the south Auckland electorate there are Maori in the party.

Television producer Claudette Hauiti of Ngati Porou and Nga Puhi says she's up for the challenge of taking the seat from Labour's Su'a William Sio.

She says the modern National Party has shown it is open to Maori voices.

Paula Bennett, Tau Henare, Joanne Hayes who has jest been selected for Dunedin South, there’s myself, there’s Hekia (Parata), there’s Jami Lee Ross in Botany, there’s Paul Quinn, there’s quite a few of us. It shows we are not one homogenous lot. We have many and varied viewpoints,” Ms Hauiti says.

She's starting her campaign with weekly cottage hui in the electorate.

FLAXMERE TRUST WINS CHUNK OF HOUSING INNOVATION FUND

Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga has secured almost $2 million for kaumatua housing from the government's Housing Innovation Fund.

Housing Minister Phil Heatley says the dollar for dollar subsidy is designed to help organisations providing homes for people on low to moderate incomes or with special housing needs.

He says the Flaxmere-based trust has come up with a solution which addresses a range of social issues.

“What they'll do is they’ll build the house, there will be 11 kaumatua living here, there will be shared laundry and cooking facilities and what that means is there will not only be a roof for the people living there but they will have other health and education services around them,” Mr Heatley says.

Money from the fund is also going to Ngati Mutunga o Wharekauri in the Chatham Islands to build three 3-bedroom houses and two 1-bedroom rental units for kaumatua.

HIKOI GIVES KAWERAU KIDS LOOK AT OTHER NEW ZEALAND

The principal of Kawerau Intermediate says a hikoi to Wellington has strengthened his sense there are two New Zealands.
About 250 students and whanau descended on Parliament today to protest the imminent closure of the 150-pupil school, which has a 95 percent Maori roll.
Daryl Aim says while they were being welcomed by Maori Party MPs, he saw in the background a group of students from a nearby girls' college walking past in their blazers and ties.

“They looked sensational. We’re living in a New Zealand where there’s a split, two New Zealands. There were those kids and then we’ve got the flip side, the Kawerau kids. We subsidise the uniforms, we support the families and the community, we feed the kids at school and here we are about to close a school that does so much for its kids and the wider community,” Mr Aim says.

Mrl Aim says Education Minister Anne Tolley gave the delegation until June 1 to make the case why the school should not close ... and even if today's hikoi is unsuccessful, the trip to the big city was a great educational experience for the tamariki.

NEW IDEAS FOR TACKLING RHEUMATIC FEVER EPIDEMIC

Northland's medical officer of health says public health authorities need to partner with Maori communities if they want to rid the country of rheumatic fever.

Jonathan Jarman says the disease isn't being given a high enough priority because it's mainly seen in Maori and Pacific island communities.

Of the 16 cases in Northland last year, virtually all were Maori school aged children.

“We have this striking health inequality and we’re using Pakeha methods to try to solve it. But it doesn’t work and I believe that we actually have to engage more with communities is an partnership and work with people and empower them and this is hopefully, along with the Pakeha method, going to make a bigger difference,” Dr Jarman says.

New Zealand still has high levels of the disease which has been almost eradicated in most developed countries.

PUSH FOR GUY FAWKES TO GIVE WAY TO PARIHAKA DAY

Maori party co-leader Tariana Turia says she has is getting a lot of support for her push to mark November 5 as Parihaka Day rather than Guy Fawkes.

That's the day in 1881 when colonial troops invaded the Taranaki settlement to suppress a non-violent movement that was resisting land confiscation.

Mrs Turia says the idea put up by Parihaka elders seems to have struck a chord.

“Here is something that happened in our own country. It was a dreadful situation that happened at Parihaka. But the focus has been on the peaceful resistance to what happened at that time and so Parihaka is synonymous with peace,” she says.

Mrs Turia says the day is instead marked by the celebration of a 400-year-old act of violence in Britain by a man who tried to blow up the British parliament.

Turia takes on Newman over fringe racism

2011-05-17T10:39:00.001+12:00

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia and former parliamentary colleague Muriel Newman are going head to head about who is running a racist organisation.

Mrs Turia says the former ACT MP's Coastal Coalition, which is leading opposition to the Marine and Coastal Area Takutai Moana Act, is a fringe organisation on par with the Right Wing Resistance Movement, which is attacking Asian immigration.

She says Mrs Newman wants to rip up the Treaty of Waitangi.

“This is the founding document of our country and we should behave honourably towards one another, be respectful towards one another, and putting out billboards with iwi versus kiwi on them and all the other negative things they were doing is simply outrageous because that’s what breeds anger, that’s what breeds resentment,” Mrs Turia says.

She says people like Muriel Newman and ACT's new leader Don Brash need to get their heads around the fact one in two children born in New Zealand is brown.

TAI TOKERAU ELECTORS WARNED TO CHECK ROLLS

Te Tai Tokerau electors are being urged to make sure they're enrolled in time to vote in the June 25 by-election.

Stephen Hansen, the Registrar of Electors, says people need to be enrolled at their current address by the time the writs close on May 25 to be on the printed roll.

People who sign up after that date would need to cast a special declaration vote on election day.

All eligible electors enrolled by May 25 will receive a voting information pack in the mail a week before the June 25 by-election.

Turn-out in the electorate in the 2008 general election was 63 percent.

WATER POLICY STATEMENT TOOTHLESS AND UNENFORCEABLE

A Massey University ecology lecturer says the Government's national policy statement on fresh water won't help local authorities clean up rivers and lakes.

The Maori Council has attacked the statement for failing to recognise the right of Maori to assist in water management.

Dr Mike Joy agrees, and says the lack of teeth in the statement is like having road rules without enforcement.

“So we'll have these laws but we won’t have any way to police them. We’ve seen what happens with the road toll. It would be really high if we didn’t have an police out there and people were being fined and having their licences taken off them and all that kind of thing. If you don’t have tough rules, if you don’t have any way of enforcing the rules, then nothing will change,” Dr Joy says.

At the same time as releasing the national policy statement the government announced it was putting million of dollars into irrigation schemes, which will mean extra cows polluting the rivers and the air.

POTENTIAL CANDIDATE CONFIDENT VOTES ARE STILL THERE

The front-runner to represent the Maori Party in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election says people are under-estimating the support the party still has in the electorate.

Veteran broadcaster and language expert Waihoroi Shortland, who chairs the Ngati Hine runanga, says his nomination is going in today.

He says incumbent Hone Harawira alienated many Maori Party members with his actions even before quitting the party in February, and there's more than enough support to make a credible showing.

“When I hear people say to me it’s winnable, when I hear that there is a much larger silent majority in the north than people give it credit for, when I consider that the people you’re hearing a lot of are people who see to draw attention to their cause, I think people forget, not everybody are soapbox preachers,” Mr Shortland says.

HORIZON POLL RESULT NOT RELEVANT TO MAORI PARTY AIMS

Meanwhile, Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia is dismissing a Horizon Research poll putting her roopu behind Hone Harawira's new Mana Party.

The survey of 1845 people ranked support for Mana at 2.3 percent compared with 2.1 percent for the Maori Party, with a 2.3 percent margin of error.

Mrs Turia says the poll covers all voters nationwide, rather than just those in the seven Maori electorates.

“It's taken right across so those who are on the general roll, those who are on the Maori roll, the questions are asked of them so whether that is valid for the Maori Party given that the only vote that counts for us is those on the Maori roll, probably not,” she says.

ARDIJAH SPECIAL FOR ARAWA MATARIKI CELEBRATION

Ardijah singer Betty-Ann Monga is looking forward to celebrating Matariki with the women of Te Arawa.

A tribute to the long-lasting poly-funk-soul band is the centrepiece of a midwinter event in Rotorua next month which aims to honour the contributions te Arawa wahine are making locally and nationally.

Monga says the band has always got a great reception in the region, and she’s looking forwards to celebrating the gifts of Te Arawa women.

The gala event at the Distinction hotel will include one-off performances by Ardijah & Te Arawa friends, including singer Maisey Rika, kapa haka experts and singers Ria Hall and Miriama Hare, artist Regan Balzer, poet Chanz Mikaere & hip hop group Unit-Y.

Shortland putting hand up for Te Tai Tokerau

2011-05-16T22:27:00.001+12:00

Ngai Hine chairperson Waihoroi Shortland intends to put his name in the ring to become the Maori Party's candidate in the Te Tai Tonga by-election.

His entry raises the prospect of a strong three-way race for the seat, where Hone Harawira is seeking a fresh mandate.

The veteran broadcaster and former Maori language commissioner says it's been a long time since Mr Harawira has represented the Maori Party's interests in the north.

“I've proffered myself simply because I think Te Tai Tokerau deserves better, and it deserves choice because I don’t think it has been well served. I don’t think even if Hone manages to get back in that Te Tai Tokerau will be well served. When you look at it from those perspectives you either offer something or you give support,” Mr Shortland says.

Nominations for the Maori Party nomination close on Friday, and the party intends to announce its candidate by writ day on May 25.

SUCCESSFUL MAORI FUTURES THEME FOR CAMPAIGN

Meanwhile, Labour's Te Tai Tonga candidate says he's keen to offer some positive solutions for Maori rather than the diet of negativity served up by Hone Harawira over the past six years.

Kelvin Davis says his experience as principal of Kaitaia Intermediate gave him first hand experience of how education can change the lives of young maori in the electorate.

He says most Maori voters want to move beyond the rhetoric of protest.

“We can get sidetracked by wanting to relitigate the issues of the past. We’ve got every reason to be angry about what put us in the position we are at the moment as Maori but does that mean we should be Maori? Let’s look at what the future holds and how we can best create successful Maori futures for our kids, for our whanau, and that's what I'm about,” Mr Davis says.

He says voters in Te Tai Tokerau will look for the candidate who can best represent their aspirations, rather than vote blindly on party lines.

MAORI SUICIDE RATE STILL TOO HIGH

Mental Health Foundation chief executive Judi Clements is picking unemployment as a likely factor in the disproportionately high Maori suicide rate.

One in five of those who took their own lives in 2007, the latest year for which data is available, were Maori.

Ms Clements says while employment status was not part of the study, joblessness could be a factor, as people in work feel better about themselves and have lower risk of depression.

BENNETT BUDGETING PLAN GETS THUMBS UP FROM TURIA

Associate Social Development Minister Tariana Turia is supporting a call from Minister Paula Bennett that the finances of single mothers of at-risk children should be managed.

Ms Bennett floated the plan in a weekend newspaper column as part of a list of what she called radical ideas to address child abuse, particularly among Maori.

The column drew fire from Maori community workers, but Mrs Turia says she has never heard the minister talk negatively about teen parents.

“It's not only about teen parents in terms of financial management She’s talking about anybody who is know to be neglecting their tamariki, who may well be spending their money in a negative way,” she says.

Tariana Turia says Waipareira Trust chief executive John Tamihere has been advocating similar hard-nosed interventions for years, and the ideas need to be considered seriously.

DESTINY CLEARS SPACE FOR POLITICAL SLUG FEST

The Destiny Church hopes to bring Maori politicians together.

Leader Brian Tamati says that's why he's invited Maori from each of the main political parties to speak to the church's annual conference next month, including Georgina Te Heuheu from National, Pita Sharples from the Maori Party, Shane Jones from Labour, and independent Hone Harawira.

“Really there's power in unity and I think most Maori when we get down to it would rather see one unified party representing our causes and what we believe we need to have politically in Parliament and what we can get out of that and we need to see that with seven Maori seats it’s a huge advantage in parliament and in New Zealand and so I think we all need to sit back and look at this very carefully,” Bishop Tamaki says.

He says the church's 5000-plus mainly Maori members tend to take political direction from their religious leaders and so have the potential to vote as a block.

KAWERAU INTERMEDIATE FIGHTS FOR ITS LIFE

About 250 students and whanau from Kawerau Intermediate are on their way to Wellington to protest against closure.

95 percent of the decile one school's 150 students are Maori, but the Ministry of Education says falling rolls across the region mean its doors will shut at the end of the year.

Principal Daryl Aim says the ministry isn't listening to the community, and kids in the region will lose valuable opportunities, such as being part of a region-wide sports league.

The school hikoi will be welcomed on Parliament steps tomorrow morning by Maori Party members before meeting with Labour's education spokesperson Sue Moroney.

Mana tops Maori Party in early poll

2011-05-16T09:13:00.002+12:00

Mana leader Hone Harawira says he's stunned by a Horizon poll showing his party is more popular than the Maori Party.

Last week’s nationwide survey of 1845 people found 2.3 percent support for Mana compared with 2.1 percent for the Maori Party.

The poll has a margin of error of 2.3 percent.

Mr Harawira says sensed strong support in Te Tai Tokerau as he starts his by-election campaign, but the Horizon poll result is better than even he could have anticipated.

“What it probably says though is there is quite a general spread of support for Mana as opposed to the Maori Party who are probably just locked into the old loyal members they once had. I suspect also that a lot of m support is coming from disillusions Maori Party voters,” he says.

Mr Harawira says he may also be picking up support from Pakeha working people who don’t see the Phil Goff-led Labour Party as representing their interests.

MAORI PARTY COLLECTING POSITIVE AUDIT ON POLICIES

Meanwhile, Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says it’s time for the party to speak out about what it’s done for Maori.

He says an accounting of the benefits that have flowed from the party’s participation in the Government will be a key weapon in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

“We’ve done an analysis on how much millions the Maori Party has extracted for Maori people and the projects. We’re going to publish this soon. It‘s quite stunning when you add up all the projects. And this has been dampened by slander we’re doping nothing. It’s our own fault. We’ve got to get this stuff out there,” Dr Sharples says,

He’s confident the party will win the by-election with the backing on iwi leaders in the north.

STUGMA KEEPING HIV AFFECTED FROM NECESSARY AID

A Maori woman who has lived with HIV for 18 years says social stigma can mean many of those infected may be put off getting the help they need.

Marama Pala, the executive director of the Maori, Indigenous and South Pacific HIV/AIDS Foundation, says rate of HIV among Maori women is at its highest in 20 years.

She says because many wahine only get tested when they start showing symptoms of AIDs, which lowers their chances of survival.

Ms Pala says it’s hard enough living with the disease without having to face unnecessary discrimination.

“It’s offices like WINZ and hospitals it can pop up in and it’s just lack of knowledge so one of the jobs we do in our organization is go round and educate people so they’re not afraid of it any more. I think the hardest thing for us is getting people the see it is in New Zealand it is in Aotearoa and our community and the Maori community,” she says.

Marama Pala is one of seven global community representatives to the 19th international AIDS Conference in Washington DC in July.

TE OHU KAIMOANA CHAIR OUSTED BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE

The head of the electoral college which appoints directors to Te Ohu Kaimoana says members were shocked to find they had dumped chair Ngahiwi Tomoana.

Naida Glavish says the 11 members of Te Kawai Taumata used a secret voting process to pick four directors from seven nominations.

She says Mr Tomoana, who leads the Hawles Bay Ngati Kahungunu iwi, had made a significant contribution in his four years on the Maori fisheries settlement trust.

“It’s unfortunate that he hasn’t been returned by a process that is very transparent and above board. It left us all in shock actually,” Ms Glavish says.

The four selected were Rikirangi Gage of Te Whanau a Apanui, who was up for reselection, Hinerangi Raumati from Ngati Mutunga and Waikato, Matiu Rei of Ngati Toa, and Jamie Tuuta of Ngati Mutunga.

MINISTER’S RANT VICTIMISING YOUNG MOTHERS

A west Auckland anti-violence worker says Social Development minister Paula Bennett's prescription for fighting child abuse amount to re-victimizing young Maori mothers.

In a weekend newspaper column Ms Bennett put forward what she called radical ideas including managing the money of at risk teen parents, making benefits dependent on having well child checks, and mandatory reporting of child abuse.

Ngaroimata Reid from Tu Wahine disagrees.

“She’s re-victimising these young mothers instead of providing the support and the resources that they need to improve their well being and to improve their way of life,” she says.

Ms Bennett claims it isn't a race or class issue, but that half the 4552 babies born to teenagers last year were Maori and half the children abused are Maori.

MINTO CONSIDERING RUN ON THE BANKS

Political activist John Minto is considering a run as a Mana Party candidate in Epsom at the general election.

The Unite Union organiser, who Mana leader Hone Harawira describes as a great New Zealander, says after a lifetime of working outside the party system he would be delighted to be a Mana list candidate.

He would also joust for Epsom if ACT selects former mayor and National MP John Banks as its candidate,

“I'd make an appeal to the voters of Epsom not to be so bloody selfish. Why should the whole country be subjected to the policies and practices of ACT just because we have a very selfish electorate in the middle of Auckland,” Mr Minto says.

Shaples confident of Te Tai Tokerau win

2011-05-15T17:10:00.000+12:00

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples is picking a win for his party in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

The party is scrambling to rebuild the branch structure lost when Hone Harawira left the party in February.

Dr Sharples says some very good people are lining up for the chance to run against Mr Harawira and Labour's Kelvin Davis on June 25.

“The Maori Party will win the seat. We’ve done a little bit of homework and we’ve got quite a following up there. We’ve got the leadership of the north behind us as well, so we’re hoping that in the month or so that’s to go we’ll get the messages out,” Dr Sharples says.

He says the by-election campaign will give the Maori Party a chance to spell out in dollar terms what it has delivered to Maori by being in government.

WARDENS JOIN POLICE IN ANT-BOOZING PUSH

Maori Wardens are joining police and public health organisations this weekend in a campaign aimed at reducing binge drinking.

Wally Haumaha, the manager of the police’s Maori and ethnic division, says Operation Unite is a transTasman initiative aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm in local communities.

He says the blitz runs from 6pm to 6am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Superintendant Haumaha is particularly concerned at a recent rise in alcohol-fuelled crime by Maori.

BILLY TK RETURNS FOR PSYCHEDELIC OUTING

Fans of American stoner rock band Kyuss are in for a rare treat this weekend, with the guitarist dubbed the Maori Jimi Hendrix playing support.

Billy TK senior will be joined by Doug Jerebine, who wrote many of the songs on the first two Human Instinct albums.

Billy TK or Te Kahika is now based in Karamea at the top of the West Coast, and he says he's getting busier as he moves into his 60s.

“I've got a house by the beach and I just write and work on movement there. I find I’m being pushed into a lot of genres. I’m seem to playing a lot of psychedelic music, blues, and I’m playing a lot of acoustic gigs as well, so I’m being pushed across the board,” he says.

Billy TK and Doug Jerebine are also playing the Luca Lounge in Newmarket after Saturday's Powerstation gig.

WATER POLICY A WIN FOR MAORI- SHARPLES

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples is counting this week's national policy statement on fresh water as a win for Maori.

The guidance statement for local and regional authorities has come under fire from the Maori Council, which says it was developed without proper consultation and leaves Maori with only a token role in decision-making.

But Dr Sharples says he can't understand the criticism.

“We've had a win. We’ve put that treaty clause back in that statement. We’ve got someone appointed in there as well on that actual group that are going to do it so it’s actually a win for Maori,” he says.

Dr Sharples says the Maori Party had to fight to include consultation with Maori in the policy statement.

WAHINE MAORI HIV INFECTION RATES TOO HIGH

A Maori AIDs worker says women need to get tested earlier if they think they could have been exposed to HIV.

Marama Pala, the executive director of the Maori, Indigenous and South Pacific HIV/AIDS Foundation, has been picked as one of seven global community representatives to the 19th international AIDS Conference in Washington DC in July.

Ms Pala, who has been living with HIV for 18 years, says she's concerned the rate of HIV among Maori women is at its highest in 20 years.

“Because it's such a low prevalence among wahine they are testing rather late because HIV progresses into the AIDs stage which is the end of the road and a lot of them are getting symptoms at that stage and getting tested very late and some aren’t surviving and some are hospitalised quite quickly so that seems to be the issue for Maori at the moment,” Ms Pala says.

She's still battling the stigma against HIV, which can mean people are wary of getting tested.

MANA RANGATANE PARTY MOOTED BY JUNIOR PROTESTER

A supporter of Hone Harawira's Mana Party says students are looking to create a rangatahi branch of the movement.

Wikatana Popata, who led occupations of land around Taipa in the far north over summer, is now a student in Auckland.

He says last night's speech by Mr Harawira at Auckland University's Waipapa Marae, which replaced a cancelled appearance at the law school, left many of the 70 students asking how they could contribute.

“From here we hope us Maori students at these universities here can strengthen their bond. There’s talk that students from universities throughout the country want to start their own Mana Rangatahi party,” Mr Popata says.

He says rangatahi are more likely to vote if there were candidates they could relate to.

Maori Party scrambling to fire up electorate machine

2011-05-15T00:08:00.001+12:00

The Maori Party has set itself a deadline of three weeks at the latest to rebuild its election machine in Te Tai Tokerau.

President Pem Bird says incumbent Hone Harawira's resignation and forcing of a June 25 by-election is a breach of the agreement made when he left the Maori Party, so it has no option but to stand a candidate.

He says branches need to be reestablished and a candidate chosen as soon as possible.

“We're at a little bit of a disadvantage here because everyone knows about Hone, Kelvin is already there. The important thing is we have a process we are going through. It will take more than a day or two to get people in place, the infrastructure in place,” Mr Bird says.

The last day for nominations is May 31.

PROTESTS BLOCK HARAWIRA LAW SCHOOL SPEECH

Meanwhile, Hone Harawira says he's disappointed opposition from Young Nationals led to the cancellation of a speech he was due to give today to Auckland University Maori law students.

Mr Harawira says it brings back memories of He Taua, when he was part of a group which put an end to the engineering student's annual practice of holding a racially offensive haka party.

“Thirty years ago the rednecks were trying to put us down and we sorted them out quick smart. I can’t believe that in 2011 Maori students are caving in again. That whole thing about how the media beat up, putting my photo up there alongside Osama Bin Laden and all tat bullshit, is really having an impact eh on a lot of those pakeha rednecks,” he says.

HOME INSULATION SCHEME REACHES 100,000 HOUSES

Otago University's He Kainga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme is giving a cautious thumbs up to the Warm Up New Zealand home insulation programme.

Hekia Parata, the acting Energy and Resources Minister, says 100,000 houses have now been insulated.

He Kainga Oranga director Phillippa Howden-Chapman says the unit is still collating data on hospitalisations for respiratory illness, power costs and job creation, but initial indications are the scheme is a good example of New Zealanders working together for the community.

She says the scheme has a sound scientific basis, and public health organisations have made the effort to refer a lot of low income Maori and Pacific households to the scheme.

The report on the Warm Up scheme should be out by the end of the year.

LOCAL AND NATIONAL ISSUES IN BY-ELECTION MIX

Labour list MP Kelvin Davis is expecting a mix of local and national issues to dominate the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

Mr Davis intends to wrest the seat from Hone Harawira on June 25, with the Maori party yet to pick its candidate,

He says in an electorate that stretches from west Auckland to North Cape, there is huge range of local issues.

“Around Kaeo there’s the flooding. Dargaville there’s the whole Kaipara turbines issue. There’s the drilling off the west coast of the North Island. There’s the rail link from Whangarei to Auckland. There’s a whole lot of local issues people are talking about but the main thing is people are just really struggling with the rising cost of living and having trouble finding work,” Mr Davis says.

BACK TO SCHOOL ADVICE FROM RIVAL

But Hone Harawira says Kelvin Davis should go back to school teaching because he is not leadership material.

Mr Harawira who beat Mr Davis by more than two votes to one in the 2008 general election, and he's counting on keeping enough of that vote to keep out the Labour and Maori party challengers.

He says the younger man hasn't featured in any poll held in the electorate.

“Kelvin's a good man and a hard worker but he’s never been recognised as a leader in Tai Tokerau or as a person who is going to take Tai Tokerau issues to any level. He was an excellent principal before he came into politics and I would dearly like to see him go back to that because if we need people anywhere it’s in schools. I think Kelvin would be great back out in the schools,” Mr Harawira says.

CROWDS TURN OUT FOR MAORI EXPO

Auckland University of Technology is rating its 14th Maori Expo another triumph.
Vice chancellor Derek McCormack says more than 20,000 rangatahi packed out Vector Arena to find out what universities, polytechnics and wananga, as well as major employers could offer them.

He says the Expos were started out of concern young people don't get enough exposure to Maori success and achievement.

“Building on that was the notion of an encouragement for young Maori to go on and develop their capabilities and build their futures and their careers by getting into tertiary and higher education,” Mr McCormack says.

The students were particularly keen about the TV New Zealand booth, which allowed them to try out their skills as a television present.

Maori Party determined to put up strong challenge

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Maori Party president Pem Bird says the party will be fighting fit to contest the Te Tai Tokerau by-election on June 25.

It's scrambling to rebuild the infrastructure lost when MP Hone Harawira quit the party in February, and to find a candidate to stand against the new mana party head.

Mr Bird says the party has capacity to make a strong showing.

“We've come through a turbulent time since the beginning of the year and in fact it’s strengthened our resolve, it’s made us a hell of a lot more determined and we’ve picked up a hell of a lot of support,” Mr Bird says.

Nominations for the te tai Tokerau by-election close on May 31

DRIVE TO GET NUMBERS FOR SUPER HAKA

An Auckland transport company owner is hoping to hear the words "Otautahi, maraka, maraka" ringing out wherever he goes next week.

Peter King from Super Shuttle is organising the Super Haka, a simultaneous event in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin next Thursday lunchtime.

With the backing of the Ngai tahu Runanga, he wants people to get together to perform the Ngai Tahu haka as a show of support for the people of earth-quake-hit Christchurch.

Anyone interested should go to the superhaka.com website to get the words of the haka and see what they need to do.

WORDS SOUGHT FOR ONLINE JOURNAL

A Maori poet says polytechs are proving a good source of new writing talent.

Hinemoana Baker is putting together an online literary journal for Porirua-based Whitireria Polytechnic, where she teaches at the School of Creative Writing.

She's excited by the submissions so far from current students as well as graduates and staff.

Hinemoana Baker says she's always keen to see more young Maori trying their hand at poetry.

HARAWIRA WEIGHING RESOURCE GAP IN ELECTION

Hone Harawira is rating himself the underdog in the te Tai Tokerau by-election ... but he's confident of winning.

The independent MP resigns on May 20, and hopes his new Mana party will be registered in time for the June 25 poll so he can come back into Parliament as a part leader.

He says Labour candidate Kelvin Davis will retain his parliamentary salary and have one of the largest political machines in the country behind him, and the Maori party candidate can also draw on the help of four MPs.

“It is going to be tough because I go back on the dole. All I am going to have is my commitment to the kaupapa and my demonstrated commitment to the people to Tai Tokerau not just for the last five years as an MP but for the last 25 years since I have been living back home, so I will put my record up against I don’t care who the opposition is and let the people make the choice,” Mr Harawira says.

LAWYER TAKES MAORI ISSUES TO SEATTLE WOMEN’S FORUM

While Hone Harawira is moving into his campaign to retain Te Tai Tokerau, the other high profile member of the Mana Party is thousands of kilomtres away.

Rotorua lawyer Annette Sykes of Ngati Pikiao is in Seattle to speak at the university of Washington on the issues facing Maori women and communities.

She says the conference on indigenous wellness has attracted top flight women academics from many of North America's top universities.

“For all of us to be in the same room together, brining multiple issues facing and confronting indigenous women, indigenous communities, and the historical trauma that continues to disenfranchise us, it’s the best rongoa given all the things that are happening to us at home at the moment,” Ms Sykes says.

Her visit could lead to her raising Maori issues in more international forums.

SEARCH ON FOR MORE MAORI MUSIC MANAGERS

Sports awards recognise coaches, and now music manager are getting their due.

The Music Managers Forum has drawn up its finalists for the annual managers award, including those who look after the careers of Kora, Anika Moa, Maisey Rika and Batucada Sound Machine.

Forum member Wairere Iti says most managers do the work it for the love of the music rather than for money.

He says more Maori managers are needed to cope with the Maori talent available, and that may mean some creative types moving over to the business side.

The awards are part of the Music Month Summit, which has the theme of how to make money in music.

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Kelvin Davis in campaign mode

Labour list MP Kelvin Davis says he's looking forward to being in campaign mode for the rest of the year.

Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira has submitted his letter of resignation to the speaker effective from May 20, two days before the deadline after which there would be no need for a by-election.

Mr Davis says over the past two years he has built up Labour's membership in the seat, which stretches from west Auckland to North Cape, and he's confident he can trounce both Mr Harawira and whoever the Maori Party puts up.

“Everyone in the Tai Tokerau is looking forward to going out and fighting a good clean fight and taking the electorate of Te Tai Tokerau or bringing it back to Labour,” Mr Davis says.

He says while there are some local issues, people's main concerns are the rising cost of living and the high rate of unemployment among Maori whanau in the north.

FRESH WATER POLICY LEAVES OUT MAORI

Green co-leader Meteria Turei says the government's national policy statement on fresh water does little for Maori aspirations to help manage the country's waterways.

She says the statement also doesn't help those councils who want to check the intensification of farming, which is leading to increased pollution of lakes and rivers.

“For Maori this just means even less control over protecting our waterways, it means they’re not engaged in the process, there’s no involvement of Maori. It’s a typical, very weak approach to protecting our freshwater resources by National,” Ms Turei says.

RANKIN UPLIFTS ALLEGED HEKE BONES

Ngapuhi kaumatua Ron Wihongi says there is outrage in the north at the removal of bones alleged to those of Hone Heke being removed from a cave on the outskirts of Pakaraka.

Auckland plumber David Rankin says he uplifted the bones to protect them from development and took them to a temporary location in Kaikohe.

Hone Heke was the first northern chief to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, but went to war with the Crown five years later because it did not produce the outcomes he expected.

Mr Wihongi says Mr Rankin has no authority to interfere with burial caves.

“He hasn't the authority and he hasn’t the right people to do those sorts of things. There should be a tohunga and there are very few Maori tohunga around, not just an ordinary minister, but a tohunga that is able to do those things, to exhume bones and things,” Mr Wihongi says.

He says if similar action had happened with a European leader the person who did it would be jailed.

GOFF SAYS HARAWIRA TOO ISOLATED TO DO JOB

Labour's Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis wants the forthcoming by-election to be about issues, but for his leader it's about personality.

Phil Goff has fired his first shots of the campaign by attacking incumbent Hone Harawira, who tendered his resignation to the speaker yesterday.

He says despite forming a new Mana Party, Mr Harawira is looking increasingly isolated.

“He's burnt off the Maori Party. The Green Party don’t want to work with him. I don’t want to work with him. National doesn’t want to work with him. To have effective representation in the north you’ve got to have a member of Parliament that can work with a group and use collective strength to do the things that need to happen for the north and the Maori people of Te Tai Tokerau,” Mr Goff says.

Kelvin Davis is likely to come through the middle if the Maori Party splits off some of Mr Harawira's vote.

AUT HOLDS 14TH MAOIR EXPO

Auckland University of Technology chancellor Sir Paul Reeves says AUT's 14th annual Maori expo will present the positive face of young Maori.

Up to 20,000 rangatahi are expected at Auckland Vector arena today.

Sir Paul says they will be exposed to the best of Maori fashion, political debates of the highest order and demonstrations of the full range of young Maori talent.

Sir Paul says the expo celebrates Maori success and aims to encourage young Maori to enter tertiary education.

ONE MAN PRETEST GETS SOUVENIRS OFF SHELVES

An Auckland man is thanking police and the city council for helping make his one-man protest against the sale of offensive souvenirs a success.

John Kairau, who offers tourists the chance to have their photo taken with a live Maori, says he approached all the souvenir shops in the Queen Street area and asked them to stop selling images of Maori ancestors.

He says there was one defiant outlet, which caved as he was about to mount a round-the-clock vigil outside the store when the police advised them to take the pictures off display.