Waipareira riled over mental health contract

Auckland's urban Maori authorities are squaring off against the Counties Manukau District Health Board over the way it hands out contracts.

Waipareira Trust and Manukau Urban Maori Authority were knocked back last month when they tried pick up a mental health services contract which was being dropped by Guardian Trust.

Waipareira chief executive John Tamihere says the DHB made it impossible for his organisation to put in a proper bid.

“I don't mind losing tenders fairly. I do mind when you are given a matter of hours, not days, a matter of hours to put in place the paperwork when they ask questions like: ‘What right have you from West Auckland coming over here?’ How pathetic is that? We run the largest mental health contract in the Waitakere City area on behalf of the Waitemata District Health Board,” Mr Tamihere says.

Waipareira has asked for documents about the contract, and it intends to lay complaints with the Ombudsman and the Human Rights Commission.

DHB SAYS SAFETY TO THE FORE IN HEALTH CONTRACT

The Counties Manukau District Health Board's senior legal advisor, Janet Anderson-Bidois, has denied the decision to refuse Waipareira's bid has anything to do with race.

The contract to provide mental health services to 300 mainly Pacific Island clients eventually went to mainstream provider Challenge Trust.

Mrs Anderson-Bidois says Waipareira Trust was unable to provide sufficient assurances that it could provide the services.

“At the end of the day it was the safety of those people. You couldn’t take a bet they could pull it off in two days time when you are talking about 200 very high needs, very unwell people. This wasn’t a business opportunity, it was a safety issue, and at the end of the day that’s what we had to make the decision on,” Mrs Anderson-Bidois says.

HOPE HELD OUT FOR TOI IHO MARK

The chair of Te Waka Toi believes the toi iho mark of authenticity for Maori art can be saved.

Te Waka Toi's parent body Creative New Zealand has dropped funding for the mark.

Darrin Haimona says its future is now in the hands of the Transition Toi Iho Foundation, which was set up by some of the 200 artists who use the mark.

“The foundation at this stage is a transition group set up to negotiate with Creative New Zealand and it has shown some interest in being able to take over the mark and move it through," Mr Haimona says.

A hui at Victoria University's te Herenga Waka Marae on March 12 will give Maori artists a chance to say how they think Toi Iho can survive and grow.

GIANT MOKO SCULPTURE PLANNED FOR NGARUAWAHIA

Visitors to Ngaruawahia will be welcomed by a sculpture based on the moko of the second Maori king Tawhiao.

The project replaces a plan to build a giant bronze Maori warrier, which has been canned by Waikato District Council after opposition by Maori and Pakeha residents alike.

Tainiu kuia Tini Tukere, who led the fight against the statue, says King Tawhiao is a far more appropriate figure to have at the town's gateway.

“When the sun comes up in the morning it will shine through the cut out parts of the moko. You want something that’s unique and will identify the town on its own,” Mrs Tukere says.

The stainless steel sculpture was commissioned to celebrate 150 years of the kingitanga.

MAORI MOST AT RISK FROM THREE STRIKES BILL

A former corrections head says Maori will suffer most if the Government goes ahead with the three strikes sentencing bill.

Kim Workman from Ngati Kahungunu, who now heads Rethinking Crime and Punishment, says the Justice Ministry advised the bill put up by the ACT Party breaches the Bill of Rights.

He says the government is also ignoring advice Maori will be worst affected.

“A lot of those people, as the Justice Ministry pointed out, could serve a sentence 10 times longer than the sentence they would possibly have served otherwise. Now that’s clearly a breach of our international obligations under human rights legislation,” Mr Workman says.

What's even more outrageous is that when the Government got advice from the Justice Ministry on the devastating effect of the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill on Maori, it shifted prime responsibility for the bill to the Police.

PUKEKO STEW BACK ON THE MENU

News pukeko is on the menu for next month's wild food festival in Hokotika has brought back memories for some older Maori.

Kingi Ihaka, who was raised eating godwits, says pukeko is also a delicacy he would recommend.

His suggestion sparked calls to Radio Waatea including one from a woman who chose to remain anonymous, saying pukeko are a way to get through tough times and don't taste too bad.

"Just like wild duck and pheasant, they’ve got a taste of their own. I thought they were. My family thought they were too but my kids weren’t so keen on it because now and then I would forget a bone."

She says the best way to cook pukeko is stewed with carrots and onions, because they're very tough without a long cook.

Alarm bells sound in Murihiku milk investment

Bulletins December 21

The real estate firm acting for the venders of 28 Southland farms worth an estimated $150 million to Maori interests reportedly backed by Arab money remains confident the buyer is genuine.

When news of the potential sales broke on Friday, Federated Farmers warned its members to be cautious and called in the Serious Fraud Office when it learned that a bankrupt Australian claiming kaumatua status although he is not Maori....Shane Wenzel, aka Tane Rakau was involved.

Mr Wenzel is due to appear in the Manukau District Court on Wednesday on 36 charges brought by the SFO involving nearly $4.7 mortgage fraud.

It is understood real estate agents L J Hooker were uncomfortable dealing with Mr Wenzel however agent John Wright says they remain happy with the local hapu.

“Certainly as far as we are concerned we have cross checked from time tio time and we’ve had checks and balances in the process and we have been more than happy along the way so we were dealing with Wynn Murray, who is a local man, who we have confidence in, he is a genuine member of the hapu, and a local solicitor has been vetting all the agreements as they are being processed,” Mr Wright says.

He says to the best of their judgment the Arab backers are also genuine.

He says the unnamed backers have a record of similar food for mortgage money deals with indigenous people in other countries.

HOROMIA HOPES FOR SUPPORT FROM MAORI PARTY

A Maori leader within the Labour Party believes the Maori Party is finally coming around to seeing things in a similar way to Labour.

Parekura Horomia who was Minister of Maori affairs in the last government says at times it’s been a struggle to get the Maori Party MP's to represent Maori interests.

He says the party's decision not to support National, its partner in government, over scrapping dedicated Maori seats on polytechnic councils was a watershed.

“They voted with us so that’s OK but there’s been a half a dozen instances we have had to drive really hard to being them around and it’s good we’ve come together and stood firm on it,” Mr Horomia says.

He claims the Maori party is also starting to understand Labour's position on the Foreshore and Seabed legislation.

WAKA HELPING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

A South Auckland organisation has found a new tool to help people with mental health issues ... the waka.

James Papali’i from Blue Dove, the co-ordinator of waka ama activities, has spent the past year getting tangata whaiora out on the water with amazing results.

He says when he started many of those involved had such anxiety that they had difficulty leaving their rooms.

However their confidence has built to such an extent that they have even taken part in waka racing.

“They lifted another notch. I almost fell off the back of the waka. All through the winter we haven’t been racing, just teaching the techniques, but yesterday they jumped another level,” Mr Papali’i says.

He says other groups working with tangata whaiora are looking closely at the projects success.

SHARPLES CLAIMS SUPPORT IN CABINET FOR WHANAU ORA

The Minister of Maori Affairs Pita Sharples say the Maori Party has wide support among senior government ministers for its whanau ora plans expected to be introduced early in the new year.

Dr Sharples says funds will be given to proven Maori groups to find solutions their own way as measures to arrest the high numbers of Maori getting into difficulties have not worked.

“There are health groups, there are iwi groups doing wonderful things for their people. Let’s try this idea. There will be repercussions as people don’t like giving people responsibility as opposed to agencies. Well they are going to have to learn because this is the new way and we are going to have to make sure that it happens,” Dr Sharples says.

He expects Labour will support the measures.

TRUST OPENS NEW PREMISES TO CATER FOR THOSE AT BOTTOM

And a predominantly Maori trust which opened facilities in Wellington last week for people on the fringe of society says it is already putting the whanau ora concept into practice.

Consultancy Advocacy and Research Trust chair Denis O'Reilly says the facilities which include a gymnasium, work programmes and health services are for people such as gang members, ex prisoners and those with alcohol and drug issues who are hesitant to use mainstream services.

He says the trust's wrap around approach is similar to the what's being promoted by the Maori Party.

“It's a good example of whanau ora where communities identify for themselves what the issues are that confront them and work out their own solutions and how they are going to overcome it and so in that way it is potentially becoming what will be a more mainstream way of approaching these sorts of,” Mr O’Reilly says.

The CART building near the Basin Reserve was opened by Governor General Sir Anand Satayanand last week on the trust's 20th anniversary.

NEW MARK MOOTED TO PROVE MAORI AUTHENTICITY

The chief executive of Maori arts marketer Toi Maori says a new tohu may be needed to authenticate Maori made products.

Creative New Zealand is poised to axe the Toi Iho mark after lower than expected take-up by Maori artists they expected.

Garry Nicholas says despite the slow uptake for the brand, there is consensus among Maori artists that some official mark of authenticity is needed.

“The great artists of our living time, Paki Harrison, Digger Te Kanawa, those are the names that underpinned the mana of what was intended and that’s why for all of us, we support 100 percent the concept of a Maori made mark. The Toi Iho one, I don’t think it will get up again, but I think we need a Maori-made mark and maybe it’s a brand new one,” Mr Nicholas says.

Teachers invited to be disobedient

Labour list MP Kelvin Davis says Education Minister Anne Tolley is inviting civil disobedience with her threats to enforce national standards.

The minister says she will sack boards of trustees who allow staff to boycott the new assessment regime.

Mr Davis, a former intermediate school principal, says teachers and principals throughout Taitokerau have indicated they're not prepared to experiment with children's education ... and they will stand up to the minister.

“If 80 boards of trustees allow their teachers to not implement the national standards, I think the minister will struggle to sack 80 boards and appoint 80 commissioners, especially 80 commissioners that are going to reflect the Maori nature of the Tai Tokerau so I think she’s got to be careful she doesn’t back herself into a corner and then doesn’t have the means to back up her threats,” Mr Davis says.

He says Mrs Tolley should listen to her educational professionals, rather than imposing a regime which is not backed by evidence.

ANTI-SMOKING MESSAGE NOT REACHING RURAL MAORI VILLAGES

A Northland iwi health worker says rural Maori communities are missing out on help because of their isolation.

Clint Edmonds, the co-ordinator of Ngati Wai's smoking cessation programme, says he's seeing the number of young smokers in the north growing, even as the habit is losing ground elsewhere.

That's because young people see their elders smoking, but programmes to help them quit are just not getting through.

“More than half the families I meet have a youth or someone of that age who is smoking. It’s just a habit we’ve got to change the face of,” Mr Edmonds says.

Smoking is a human disaster as communities lose their old people.

NEW BUILDING NEEDED FOR WAITANGI TREATY TAONGA

The Waitangi National Trust is looking at building a museum on the treaty grounds.

New chairperson Pita Paraone says it has just completed re-roofing the Treaty House, restoring the waka taua Ngatokimatawhaorua and building extensions to the visitors' centre.

He says the trust is concerned about other taonga, and is looking at a “museum-type building” to house artifacts associated with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, which are stores in conditions it does not consider sufficient.

Mr Paraone says any extra money needed would come from new sources, rather than by re-introducing entry fees.

PROTEST FLAG BECOMES ONE FOR ALL AND 80% FOR ONE

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira is happy his protest flag has won national acceptance.

Critics says the red and black and white flag which will fly on the Auckland Harbour Bridge and other government sites on Waitangi Day is too closely associated with the Maori Party and the Kawariki protest movement.

But the Tai Tokerau MP says it's the design that was endorsed by 80 percent of those who came to party's consultation hui around the country.

“That flag was born as the Maori flag in 1990. I know that because we launched the competition for a Maori flag and that’s the one that won. It became known as the tino rangatiratanga flag and because there wasn’t a national Maori flag most active Maoris picked it up and so it’s become known as a flag for activists and a flag for protest but it’s always been a Maori flag,” Mr Harawira says.

He says Te Kawariki and the flag's surviving designer are discussing what to do with revenue from increased flag sales.

POLYECH COUNCIL DECISION SIGN OF TRUE FEELING

Meanwhile, Labour list MP Kelvin Davis says the Government's overhaul of polytechnic councils says more about its attitudes to Maori than allowing a Maori flag to fly on the Auckland harbour bridge.

Parliament yesterday debated a bill that would cut polytech councils to eight members, four of them appointed by the Education Minister.

Dedicated seats for Maori, staff, students, employers and other community interests in the region served by the polytech will be scrapped.

“They've done away with the dedicated Maori seats on the Auckland super city. They’re doing away with guaranteed representation on polytechnics. I think it’s time Maori wok up to the fact this government doesn’t really care about the needs and issues for Maori,” Mr Davis says.

He says the changes will make it harder for polytechs to cater for the needs of young Maori, who are more likely to end up there than at universities.

ARTISTS SEEKING OWNERSHIP OF TOI IHO BRAND

Maori artists are squaring off with Creative New Zealand over control of the Toi Iho Maori-made brand.

The arts funding body has cancelled its support of the trademark and demanded artists stop using it.

But Nga Puna Waihanga spokesperson Ata Te Kanawa says there were fireworks this week when CNZ chief executive Stephen Wainwright and staff from Te Waka Toi staff met a delegation led by potter Manos Nathan and furniture designer Carin Wilson.

“Carin announced he refuses to give the mark back. Manos suggested that he would encourage Toi Iho holders to continue to use the mark despite the letter from creative New Zealand saying that it would be illegal if they were to continue to use it,” Ms Te Kanawa says.

The artists want to run the Toi Iho mark themselves and even open it up to a wider range of creative arts.