Mole News

Significant Health Research Council grant for Waikato researcher
The Health Research Council has awarded Dr Rawiri Keenan 2019 Career Development Awards.

Dr Keenan is looking at cultural competency and equity in primary care and has the Foxley Fellowship worth $224,727.

The research proposal says cultural competence is a skill and attitude essential to effective communication and therefore effective quality care. This is especially true in primary care/ general practice.

All GP practices and staff in them have obligations for ongoing training and education in the areas of Cultural Competence and Treaty of Waitangi training. Additionally, all practices must have a Māori health plan......
See full article HERE

Language still focus of broadcast policy
Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi says Māori radio and television along with other parts of public broadcasting have been underfunded and left to wither over the past decade.

But in the face of a challenge from Paakiwaha host Claudette Hauiti, he was unwilling to concede the crown has an obligation to fund Māori broadcasting for more than the promotion of Māori language and culture.

Māori Broadcasting Minister Nanaia Mahuta has also asked her Māori Development Ministry to review Māori broadcast needs....
See full article HERE

Budget blowout: Extra $50,000 spent on Māori-Crown relations portfolio development
Newshub can reveal the cost of developing the Māori-Crown Relations portfolio blew out by more than $50,000.

Māori-Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis told Newshub he's disappointed.

"Anything over we're disappointed with. We take every step we can to reduce costs, it's unfortunate it was slightly over."

Mr Davis attended 33 'engagement hui' across the country between March and June 2018 at a cost of $282,591 - $51,380 more than originally budgeted.....
See full article HERE

Examining Tairāwhiti voyaging philosophies
The list of recipients of the Health Research Council of New Zealand's 2019 Career Development Awards has been announced.

Among the successful recipients is Ngāhuia Mita of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Hako.

"I'm thrilled to have received this award and to be able to support Te Tairāwhiti Voyaging Trust and the wider Te Tairawhiti community," Mita says.

She will receive over $140,000 which will help go towards her research titled Tairāwhiti Waka, Tairāwhiti tangata - Examining Tairāwhiti voyaging philosophies. It will look into the whakapapa of ancient waka Māori in Te Tairāwhiti.....
See full article HERE

Room for Māori apprentices to step up
Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Auckland is looking for more than 650 rangatahi who want to join the region's booming trades industry.

The 650 scholarships include not only get free fees but one-on-one support from mentors to help them find the right job.

Applicants need to be aged 16 to 40 and of Māori or Pasifika heritage.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

21  November  2018

Māori businesses raise cultural IP concerns in Singapore
Māori business community members have raised concerns about the protection of Māori cultural intellectual property rights with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Singapore Friday.

Wakatū Incorporation board director Miriana Stephens says the government needs to step up- and fast.

“We heard the PM say today that NZ has taken a stand as a country around nuclear-free, around women’s rights, but what about customary rights?".....
See full article HERE

Treaty deal backed but counter claims remain
A 71.7 per cent vote in favour of accepting a $93 million Treaty of Waitangi settlement has been hailed as “strong support” by Ngati Kahungunu’s Settlement Trust, but the deal remains a contentious issue with two groups pushing separate claims.

A voter turnout of 33.1 per cent of registered iwi members was a good response, trust chairman Robin Potangaroa said.

“I think if you asked the Crown, they would say it is a good turnout – it is usually in the low 20s for Treaty settlements.

“People are over it . . if Maori are happy, they don’t bother. If they are angry, they will turn up.”

The Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tamaki Nui-a-Rua settlement is made up of the cash settlement and 9000ha of land......
See full article HERE

Iwi-driven solutions to keep wāhine Māori out of prison
Māori women make up 62 percent of the inmates at Auckland Women's Prison and the number is rising. Many will re-offend and now there's a call for whānau, hāpu and iwi to increase initiatives to stop the tide of Māori women being locked up.

The country’s largest women’s prison says more jobs and better education are needed to keep women out of jail. The last two years have seen a steady increase in Māori women being incarcerated at Auckland Regional Women’s Prison Facility (ARWCF).

Half of female prisoners in Aotearoa suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and despite community rehabilitation programmes, many are likely to re-offend. It’s a worrying trend that prison officials and Māori advocates say requires more whānau, hapū and iwi-driven solutions......
See full article HERE

Tūwharetoa strengthens ties with Kiingitanga
Ngāti Tūwharetoa invited iwi to strengthen ties with the Kiingitanga at Pūkawa Marae over the weekend.

Ariki Tumu Te Heuheu and his people of Ngāti Tūwharetoa hosted the Kiingitanga for two days at the marae situated to the southwest of Lake Taupō, to celebrate 160 years of the Māori King movement.

Jack Williams of Pūkawa Marae says, "The name of this event is called 'Hīnana ki uta Hīnana ki tai' which represents the bond between Ngāti Tūwharetoa and the Kiingitanga.".....
See full article HERE

Protesters gather outside Fletcher AGM, voice concerns about Ihumātao
A group of 30 people are outside the Fletcher Building annual meeting in Auckland, protesting for Māori land rights at Ihumātao.

Chanting "save our land, take a stand" and "Māori rights are under attack, fight back" the group opposes a Fletcher housing plan at Mangere.....
See full article HERE

Dearth of Māori rehab programmes in prisons questioned
Less than a third of the country's prisons provide intensive Māori-focused rehabilitation.

That's despite Māori making up more than half of the country's prison population.

Former prisoners were calling for more Māori content across the board in prison.....
See full article HERE

Push to teach about Maori women who fought for vote
A relative of Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia, a pioneering Māori woman who was instrumental in the suffrage movement, is pushing to have her work taught in New Zealand schools.

Te Tai Mangakahia, who was from the Hokianga, fought for Māori women to be given the vote and be eligible to sit in Parliament. She was also the first woman to address Parliament in 1893......
See full article HERE

Chch council supports free reo classes
The Christchurch City Council has teamed up with the popular Christchurch restaurant, Fush, to offer free te reo Māori classes at the Tūranga Central City Library.

The classes offer a supportive environment where anyone (beginner to expert) can go and learn basic te reo Māori conversational skills

Earlier this year, Fush owner Anton Mathews took matters into his own hands by starting free classes at his restaurant. He received a lot of interest and decided to to relocate to a bigger space before the classes eventually came to an end.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

18  November  2018

Document reveals iwi's wishlist in Wanganui treaty settlement negotiations
Iwi's ambition to regain ownership of Whanganui land, including around the airport and Pākaitore, has been revealed.

A document presented to the Whanganui District Council by the Office of Treaty Settlements last month has been obtained by the Whanganui Chronicle and outlines what the Whanganui Land Settlement Negotiation Trust (WLSNT) hopes to get out of negotiations with the Crown.

The trust said iwi will negotiate for ownership - by return or purchase - of land around the airport, harbour and city endowment land, as well as Pākaitore, also known as Moutoa Gardens.

It also wants to discuss co-management with the Whanganui District Council of Pukenamu/Queens Park, Kokohuia Wetlands, Gonville Domain and Horrocks Park Reserve.

Some Crown-owned land around Kai Iwi Beach is also up for negotiation but exact sites and administration arrangements are to be confirmed.

Iwi negotiators have also asked to be involved in the protection of Lake Virginia, as well as Lakes Wiritoa, Kaitoke, Pauri and Westmere (Roko Mokia) alongside the council......
See full article HERE

Hapū enters partnership with world-class cruise line
Bay of Islands hapū are entering a formal partnership with one of the world's largest cruise lines, Princess Cruises.

This comes as Northland hapū look to regain a firm grip on Māori economic activity in the region.

However, officials would not say the exact magnitude of the potential economic benefit for Bay of Islands-Taiamai hapū.

It's a partnership that could see Māori culture promoted on board numerous vessels around the world.......
See full article HERE

Bringing gangs in from the cold
Official figures released in June show that gangs have recently had a resurgence in membership, forcing the government to add 700 more officers to the Organised Crime Squad.

Now, the country's leading academic says gangs could play a vital role in creating positive change.

The country's leading academic on gang culture says New Zealand's approach is outdated and a collaborative approach should be considered.

Gilbert says gangs may have a lot to offer....

See full article HERE

Climate change consultation closed to Māori voices
Māori climate change commissioner Donna Awatere Huata says officials are failing to engage Māori on climate change.

She says Māori and other community leaders in rural New Zealand are concerned about the costs and impact of the proposed 2050 climate zero target.

"Māori will be hit first and hit hardest in climate change yet in civil defence we are nowhere there, it is just an all white shop. In regional councils that are dealing with climate change, there is no Māori voice. It just seems to be one big closed shop." Ms Awatere Huata says......
See full article HERE

Māori partners in Tamariki Ora review
The Children’s Commissioner says the review of Well Child/Tamariki Ora is a chance to make the programme one of the best things done for kiwi kids.

He applauded the Ministry’s intention to partner with Maori on the review, and to also work with the Education Ministry and sector.......
See full article HERE

Learn te reo Māori to improve your career chances
It’s well known that learning another language is good for your brain, but studying te reo Māori could also improve your chances of finding a job in a variety of industries. Upskilling online or in classes could help you find an exciting role in education, health, government, social services or, of course, the booming Māori economy.

The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment estimates the Māori economy to be worth $40-$50 billion in 2018, and that figure is growing. Most iwi businesses are in agriculture, forestry or fisheries, but you could also find your dream job in the related legal, marketing, management and science fields, or in one of the many small-to-medium Māori enterprises.

Wherever you work, being familiar with tikanga Māori (Māori customs) will give you an advantage as many Māori businesses operate on the principles of puawaitanga (best outcomes), kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and purotu (responsibility and accountability). This may mean they work in different ways than mainstream companies.

Aotearoa New Zealand is unusual compared to the rest of the world in that most people speak only one language – English. But this is changing. Nearly a third of school students now learn a second language, more than double the number in 2000. And ninety-five percent of all primary and intermediate school students now learn some te reo Māori......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

17  November  2018

Maori Council partners with Massey research hub
The New Zealand Maori Council has announced a strategic research partnership with Massey University and its Centre for Culture-Centred Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE).

The partnership will see the joint development and co-design of evaluation frameworks around key areas of social policy. It will also lead to the development of an evidence base to support the council when it comes to challenges facing Maori, whanau and communities across New Zealand.

"This waka is moving forward and we invite Massey staff with shared research interests to jump on board with us," he says......
See full article HERE

Māori housing groups to trial home-ownership initiative
Chief Executive Michelle Hippolite has announced they will work with the five rōpū to co-design home ownership trials under the $9mil Te Ara Mauwhare initiative.

“It’s critical that we try other ways of getting more Māori into home ownership," says Hippolite, "Only 43 percent of Māori own a home compared to 63 per cent of the general population.”

Among the rōpū to co-design the trials with the support of TPK capital seed grant funding are Te Tihi o Ruahine Whānau Ora Alliance in Palmerston North, and Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga in the Hawkes Bay.

Te Tihi o Ruahine Whānau Ora Alliance are trialing a rent-to-own arrangement where whānau will accumulate sufficient capital to buy their homes outright.....
See full article HERE

Iwi industrial hemp production deal could create 150 jobs
A Dannevirke-based iwi plans to go into industrial hemp production in a joint venture which could create more than 150 jobs.

After signing a deal with a Chinese processor, the iwi plans include building a processing factory in the Tararua region.

Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki nui-a-Rua Trust has just announced its partnership with international hemp food production company Jinzhou Qiaopai Biotech.....
See full article HERE

Serco prison officer's refusal to take off shoes at marae 'disrespectful'
The refusal of a Serco prison officer to take his shoes off at a marae, for the tangi of a prominent New Zealand musician, has been labelled disrespectful and rude.

"I advised them when you go in you have to take your shoes off, you're going into a marae. They just kind of nodded their heads like they understood what I was saying, then the guy that was handcuffed to Justin just decided to carry on walking in with his shoes on.

"We found that quite disrespectful and quite rude.".....
See full article HERE

Lake Wairarapa iwi votes for clean start
A majority of Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tamaki Nui a-Rua iwi members have voted in favour of a proposed $93 million settlement that gives them back the bed of Lake Wairarapa.

There was just over 71 percent support for both the settlement and for buying two Landcorp farms - Wairio Station beside the lake and Rangedale Station near Eketahuna.

"There are papakainga on those properties because it is a mixture of properties, it's not one farm, and we have in our settlement an outcome that will be called the Wairarapa Moana Statutory Board and with that we hope to give due effect to the cleaning of Lake Wairarapa and owning farmland right next to the lake will give us good skin in the game," Mr Potangaroa says.

The iwi is likely to buy the farms under a joint venture or partnership model to make its settlement funds go further...
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

16  November  2018

Iwi could become landlords - then owners - of 900 Porirua state homes
Nine hundred Porirua state houses could be managed by Ngāti Toa for at least the next 25 years.

Residents in the city's western suburbs have been told the iwi could become their landlords next year as part of the recently-announced plan to rejuvenate housing in the city.

The plan had not been confirmed but would not change tenants' rents or lease conditions and the properties would continue to house people on the housing register, a Housing NZ spokesman said.....
See full article HERE

Concerns raised about overseas teachers' cultural responsiveness
Principals are concerned overseas teachers being brought in to plug shortages won't know enough about the Māori and Pasifika cultures of many students.

The proportion of Māori and Pasifika students was growing, particularly in Auckland. "We want teachers who are going to be culturally responsive to that," Dykes told Radio New Zealand on Thursday.

New Zealand Māori Council Auckland district chair Matthew Tukaki also raised concerns about the cultural awareness of the overseas teachers.

"How is it these people are culturally competent to be in our schools and teaching our children with no context of who we are as a nation, the languages we speak, our culture and, what it is to be Maori? Other than a two week course," Tukaki said.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

15  November  2018

Māori enterprise - awakening the taniwha
Bringing Māori values into the business world seems to be a winning formula.

The Māori economy is believed to be worth up to fifty billion dollars. Six billion of that is iwi-owned post treaty settlement assets. The rest is from small to medium sized Maori businesses and a flair for entrepreneurship.

Businesses range from traditional activities such as farming, foresty and fishing to health care and new high tech initiatives.

However, the businesses often have one thing in common, Māori values at the core of their business practice......
See full article HERE

NZ govt must action UN recommendations
Academics from around the world have gathered at the eighth Ngā Pae o Te Māramatanga educational conference to discuss indigenous futures.

They say while NZ remains a beacon of hope for other native nations, more has to be done at a government level to support global indigenous communities.

Although some are of the view that New Zealand is ahead on indigenous matters, according to Sir Tipene O'Regan we're behind Canada when it comes to constitutional issues and he says we shouldn't be proud of where we're at.

“It’s not good for Māori here in New Zealand to be boastful or arrogant, there’s a lot more work to be done yet.”.....
See full article HERE

Waitangi Tribunal will hear Ngāi Te Rangi grievance
The Waitangi Tribunal has agreed to hear the Ngāi Te Rangi's claims against the Crown over the controversial Pare Hauraki Collective settlement signed in August.

Ngāi Te Rangi Settlement Trust chairman Charlie Tawhiao said the iwi received a letter on Friday confirming the tribunal would hear an urgent claim against the Crown submitted by the iwi in March 2017.....
See full article HERE

Local iwi takes blame for $160k tree planting botch-up
The local iwi have taken responsibility after about 400,000 seedlings bought by the government to plant in Northland went to waste after the land was too wild to plant on.

"What the taxpayer and the government can be assured of is that the total number of hectares over the years will be planted as planned.

"It's just that we made a little bit of a blue in 2018 in being over zealous in our planning."

Mr Tipene said it's not the end of the world because the land will still be there next year and it will be ready to be planted - albeit it later than the government hoped for.

Forestry Minister Shane Jones said the cost to the taxpayer was about $160,000....
See full article HERE

Ban put on non-iwi harvesting from Lake Taupō
With the summer fast approaching a ban has been put in place for non-Tūwharetoa people harvesting some species from Lake Taupō.

During the summer months, people of Ngati Tūwharetoa harvest smelt, kōura (freshwater crayfish) and other indigenous fish from Taupō waters – but that right is exclusively given to people of the iwi.

The season started on November 1 and Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board (TMTB) chief executive, Topia Rameka, said Ngati Tūwharetoa whanau will be active in the waterways harvesting smelt until the closure of the season on February 28, 2019.....
See full article HERE

New govt unit announced for Māori housing
Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford has announced a dedicated Māori Housing Unit will be established to focus on housing for Māori.

Twyford also announced at the National Māori Housing Conference that the unit will be headed by newly appointed Associate Minister of Housing and Urban Development (Māori Housing), Nanaia Mahuta.......
See full article HERE

Ngāti Whakaue Assets Trust achieves 'huge financial milestone' for iwi distributions
Ngāti Whakaue Assets Trust, headquartered in Rotorua, has exceeded its own financial goal and grown its asset base to $20.13 million, allowing it to distribute $500,000 to beneficiaries in the coming financial year.

Trust chairwoman Katie Paul said the goal was to exceed the $20m asset base mark, which was achieved, earning a $2m profit that will be distributed to tribal members.

"We have now proudly doubled our modest base of $9.2m in 2009 to an asset base of $20.13m.

In 2009 the trust was given a $9.2m Kaingaroa Forest settlement fund to invest for the collective benefit of Ngāti Whakaue.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

14  November  2018

Councils invest in te reo Maori classes
Councils in Canterbury are spending thousands of dollars to teach their staff and elected representatives Te Reo Maori.

Environment Canterbury leads the way with fortnightly classes running since March last year. The regional council spent $53,425 on Te Reo classes.

Currently 127 staff and councillors are currently taking part in the programme, ECan said. 203 staff and councillors have taken part since the beginning

Said an ECan spokeswoman: “Prior to 2017, the majority of staff and governance had little or no experience of Te Reo Maori, or understanding of matauranga Maori/Maori knowledge, and the value this brings to our work as kaitiaki/stewards of the environment.”.......
See full article HERE

Major funding boost for Māori community repairs
The Minister of Māori Development, Hon Nanaia Mahuta has just announced 24 community-led housing repair projects will receive funding from the Māori Housing Network, totalling $5.8 million.

The announcement was made at the National Māori Housing Conference 2018 today in the Waikato.

Amongst those to receive funding are: Korimiti Consultancy Limited $966,316 for repairs to 21 whānau homes in the South Canterbury area and assessments to 10 whānau homes for repairs, as well running home maintenance planning workshops; and Kia ora Ngātiwai Trust $350,000 to extend their current repairs programme to add 10 more whānau homes and provide whānau training in home repairs and maintenance.

Other projects include Habitat for Humanity Auckland $284,500 to assess and repair 15 whānau homes in Auckland and run six DIY workshops; and Te Hauora o Tūranganui-ā-Kiwa $300,000 to assess and repair 15 whānau homes in urban and rural Gisborne and run eight home repairs workshops covering basic carpentry, plumbing, plastering, electrical and painting......
See full article HERE

Iwitanga stronger than hapū for many Ngāpuhi
Ngāpuhi chair Sonny Tau says the people have had enough with arguing and want the
chance to move their settlement forward.

Sonny Tau says the debate over Ngāpuhi sovereignty and He Wakaputanga the 1835 Declaration Of Independence can be set aside for later, because the claim is about making the crown accountable for its breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.....
See full article HERE

Maori targeting social policy change
New Zealand Maori Council has today announced a strategic research partnership with Massey University and its Centre for Culture-Centred Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE). The partnership will see the joint development and co-design of evaluation frameworks around key areas of social policy and developing the evidence base to support Council when it comes to challenges facing Maori, Whanau and Communities across the nation.

Sir Taihakurei Durie has welcomed the partnership as a new era in Maori Council direction as it plots its course around social and economic policy leadership and development:....
See full article HERE

Bicultural perspectives and teaching tamariki te reo Māori
Waverley Kindergarten is focusing on including bicultural perspectives in their practice to better teach tamariki and whānau the taonga of te reo Māori.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

13  November  2018

Oranga Tamariki team up with Ngāi Tahu
Grant Bennett of Ngāi Tahu is the new Chief Social Worker for Oranga Tamariki.

Bennet has had more than 20 years’ experience in youth justice and child protection as well as holding a number of senior leadership roles.

Bennett had his official welcome ceremony where he was handed over to Oranga Tamariki by his iwi of Ngāi Tahu.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu will also sign their strategic partnership agreement with Oranga Tamariki.

The agreement will see partners working together to achieve enduring outcomes for Ngāi Tahu tamariki, rangatahi and whānau......
See full article HERE

Māori media: Where are our Māori print journalists?
Nanaia Mahuta, as the Minister of Māori Development, has set in motion a review of the Māori media. The review, called “Māori Media Sector Shift”, is being led by Te Puni Kokiri.

Nanaia’s move brings an opportunity to analyse the achievements and blunders over the last 30 or so years — and to come up with practical plans to see that the Māori voices in the media become much stronger, more comprehensible, more influential, and more accessible......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

12  November  2018

Law society surprised by resistance to use of te reo in court
The Māori Law Society is surprised to hear about the use of te reo Māori being questioned at the High Court.

Justice Timothy Brewer queried a crown law officer after she delivered her introduction in te reo Māori.

The Māori Law Society co-president Glenn Tootill said it was not unusual for te reo Māori to be used during introductions.

"In this particular situation she had actually given a explanation of what she had given in te reo Māori."

He understood it was a bit of different when entire submissions were given in te reo Māori.

"As with the situation here it was a brief introduction so it was a bit surprising to read some of the comments of the judge."

The Māori Language Act guarantees the right to speak te reo Māori in legal proceedings......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

11  November  2018

Te reo in court is important, says Waitangi Tribunal lawyer
A lawyer who won the right to have witnesses cross-examined in te reo Māori at the Waitangi Tribunal says she's surprised a judge queried the use of the language in the High Court.

Lawyer Karen Feint made the comments after Stuff reported High Court Justice Timothy Brewer told a lawyer she had to give three days noticebefore speaking in te reo Māori.

"It seems unusual for the judge to respond in that way," Feint said.

It was important to have te reo Māori spoken in courts, she said.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

10  November  2018

Decision allows development near sacred Māori site
Opponents of a massive housing development set to be built alongside historically significant land in Auckland say they will do whatever it takes to stop it going ahead.

The Environment Court yesterday released its decision, which declined to overturn the permission granted to Fletcher Building to put up 480 houses next to the Ihumātao and Ōtuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve in Mangere.

Pania Newton and about 15 others from the group Save Our Unique Landscape, or SOUL, have set up a fully-functioning village at the site and have been living there for the past two years - sleeping in caravans, sheds, tents and even an empty boat.

She was not deterred by the Environment Court's decision giving the green light for the housing development to be built, and said she would go to any lengths to stop it.

"We've always maintained that we are peaceful, passive and respectful but if it comes to it we are prepared to stand in front of bulldozers to prevent them from coming onto this land.....
See full article HERE

Plan to boost Maori academic staff numbers
Boosting Maori academic staff numbers at the University of Otago will be looked at with urgency in the coming months, one of the leaders of a network set up to support them says.

The university has said it supports population parity for Maori academic and professional staff.....
See full article HERE

Rotorua to benefit from proposed child equity programme
The programme, which will be led by the Rotorua Lakes Council, will work with school communities, local iwi, government agencies along with philanthropic and private sector groups to co-design a programme intended to ensure that all local tamariki have access to activities and facilities.

Māori are disproportionately affected by issues relating to poverty and, according to studies, three out of five tamariki living in poverty stay there for life.

Mayor of Rotorua Steve Chadwick says, “We want Rotorua to be a place for everyone but that’s not currently the case for all in our community and we need to address the barriers to full participation that exist for our most vulnerable.”.....
See full article HERE

Rātana Church issues stern warning to Jacinda Ardern's Government
Jacinda Ardern and her Māori MPs have been given a stern warning from followers of the politically influential Rātana Church: do not take our support for granted.

Some Rātana followers are worried Labour is taking advantage of the church's political support.

"After we've aligned to them in their good favour, they then drop us like a hot pancake," one woman told Newshub.

There was also criticism the Māori caucus isn't doing enough to justify the seven Māori seats it won at the last election.

But there's been an almost total lack of targeted funding for Māori under this Government......
See full article HERE

High Court judge asks if interpreter needed following lawyer's comments in te reo
A High Court judge asked a lawyer if she wanted an interpreter, after she introduced herself to the court in te reo Māori.

Under the Māori Language Act, lawyers, Judges and witnesses have the right to speak Māori in the country's courts.

Justice Timothy Brewer told Crown Law lawyer Zannah Johnston that she had the right to speak Māori in court but the rules required her to give three days notice.

"But more importantly, forgetting about the rules, I don't speak Māori. That is my shame, but I do not speak Māori, and I cannot have counsel speaking in my court if I don't know what they are saying, the public doesn't know what they are saying and other counsel don't know what they are saying," Justice Brewer said at the hearing on Tuesday......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

9  November  2018

Researchers secure Marsden funding for Whānau Ora project
Dr Aroha Harris of the University of Auckland and Dr Melissa Williams, an independent researcher and University alumni, have won $622,000 in Marsden funding for their project that looks at Māori families and the struggle for whānau wellbeing across the twentieth century.

Drs Harris and Williams say, “National histories identify twentieth century Māori poverty, abuse, and tribal breakdown as the outcomes of colonisation.”

They also say, “Throughout the twentieth century Māori families experienced high levels of state intervention, disempowerment, and estrangement.”.....
See full article HERE

A 5G network is coming and Māori deserve a share
A 1999 Waitangi Tribunal report said Māori have rights to the radio spectrum, what we know as the 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks. The Crown disagreed. Now, 20 years on from the original claim, the government has the opportunity to right past wrongs when it makes its 5G allocation.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

8  November  2018

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces $3m investment at Rātana centenary
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has pledged about $3 million towards housing infrastructure for the Rātana Pā community.

The Rātana community is one of the largest Māori religious movements in New Zealand and Thursday marks 100 years since prophet Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana was said to have a vision that began the movement.

Thousands of followers from all over New Zealand are gathering at Rātana for the centenary celebrations.

The last time Ardern was here, during her first visit to the pā as Prime Minister, was in February when she was bestowed a range of gifts, including a name for her unborn baby.....
See full article HERE

Our racist education system
A new report has found New Zealand has one of the least equal education systems in the rich world, with Māori children lagging behind Pākehā.

Further analysis of the report found Māori students falling significantly behind on every measure of educational outcome including secondary school retention rate, school leavers achieving NCEA Level 2, and rate of youth in education, employment or training.

But those who attend Māori immersion schools do much better at reading, and achieve much higher in NCEA and at university or in employment.....
See full article HERE

UK high commissioner in New Zealand Laura Clarke to learn te reo
The British high commissioner in New Zealand is set to learn te reo Māori after witnessing the increasing integration of the language and culture.

High commissioner Laura Clarke was posted to Wellington in January after studying New Zealand's indigenous language and culture in London, the Guardian reports. She says New Zealand's increasing use of teo reo make learning it a "non-negotiable" requirement.

"I have been travelling to New Zealand for a long time now [and] over the past few years there has been a massive change in terms of the resurgence of te reo," Ms Clarke told the Guardian.....
See full article HERE

Dr Rachel Buchanan: 'The shame of Parihaka is so great it can never end'
One hundred and thirty-seven years ago, on 5 November 1881, a Māori settlement in the small Taranaki township of Parihaka was ransacked by colonial troops.

Dr Rachel Buchanan (Taranaki, Te Atiawa) has written a history of the Parihaka people woven into her own family story – Ko Taranaki te Maunga......
See full article HERE

New Zealand electrical code of practice homeowner - WorkSafe
From a Maori perspective, the term “earth” or Papatuanuku translates as Earth Mother – the source of all energy. When aligning this concept to the flow of electricity, a useful parallel can be made to the 3-pin plug.

Electricity Maori

Active (phase) Spiritual element, active, tapu

Neutral Physical element, neutral, noa

Earth Mauri or life force derived from Papatuanuku or Earth Mother

For the purposes of regulation 17(2)(n), for payment or reward also means koha.
See full article HERE

Fletcher Building takes on Māori and Pacific Island values
Fletcher Building, the biggest construction firm in New Zealand is training young employees in Māori and Pacific Island values.

Sixteen employees graduated from the company’s learning and development programme at Mataatua Marae in Tāmaki Makaurau today.

While the course is designed to support young employees of all ethnicities, it is the only corporate development programme founded in Māori and Pacific values....
See full article HERE

Māori culture a priority in new tourism strategy
The $80mil forecast to come from the international tourist tax will be split 50/50 between tourism and conservation. The announcement came at the release of a new draft government strategy to handle tourist numbers while protecting the environment.

Key priority areas include the impacts of climate change, encouraging responsible camping and supporting the development of authentic Māori visitor experiences.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

7  November  2018

Cave myth contradicted
A widely believed urban myth surrounding Maori prisoners and a Dunedin cave has been contradicted by recent research.

Toitu Otago Settlers Museum curator Sean Brosnahan has spent the past four years researching the story of Taranaki Maori prisoners being held captive in a cave in Shore St between 1869 and 1881.

No evidence was found to support the cave story and instead some evidence suggested the structure was not even built until the early 20th century, Mr Brosnahan said.

His full research was made public for the first time at a lecture at Toitu on Sunday.

"It might not be the final say on the matter but it's certainly more substantial than has been amassed in the past.''

The way the prisoners were guarded, documents from the time they spent in the Dunedin prison and information about who owned the land at the time all pointed towards the story being false, he said......
See full article HERE

Māori King and Corrections to build centre for mothers
The Māori King and the Department of Corrections will build a facility for mothers to reunite with their children who were taken by the state.

The department's general manager cultural capability Neil Campbell said the Kiingitanga will share a section of land with Corrections to build a reintegration centre in Waikato.

"The plan is that we work with the Kiingitanga to establish a reintegration centre that allows mothers that have been separated from their children, and their children are now in care, to be reunited as part of the reintegration," he said.

"Not only do we get to work with mothers and their young children, but we get to work with those children as well.".....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

6  November  2018

Māori voices needed to counter Brash bluster
Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene wants Māori to make submissions on his bill to entrench Māori seats to counteract a concerted campaign by the Hobson's Pledge lobby.

The bill would mean any changes to Māori seats would need the support of 75 percent of MPs, which is the same standard required for other constitutional changes.

It was sent to a select committee with submissions closing on December 14.

Mr Tirikatene says there has already been a flood of submissions co-ordinated by former Natioanl Party leader Don Brash's Hobson's Pledge Group, which this year blocked any local councils from creating Māori wards.

Rino Tirikatene says that's why Māori need to speak up about the need for a guaranteed Māori voice in parliament.

"It's important we present our views in a very tika and pono way. This is about Māori representation. It's about an expression of the treaty partnership, that we must have that within our house of parliament, and our Māori seats have been around for 150 years. It's important we secure them for our future generations," he says.....
See full article HERE

·Westpac NZ has also worked with Bay of Plenty iwi, Ngā Potiki,
to establish a shared equity scheme that will help 40 iwi members realise their dreams of home ownership.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

5  November  2018

Iwi say Matamata metal works extension will 'breach Treaty rights'
A metal works' company seeking consent to extend their operation onto a sacred burial site is facing opposition from local iwi.

Matamata Metal Supplies has lodged an application for six replacement, and one new resource consent, to authorise the continuation of quarry activities at their site in Okauia.

The new application asks Waikato Regional Council for consent to establish an expansion of the quarry, with Metal Supplies to obtain some additional areas for mineral extraction.

The expansion will result in the use of two new "overburden areas" - but spokespeople from the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Hinerangi Trust says doing so would "cause severe harm and detriment to sacred burial caves, maunga and Mangapiko awa".....
See full article HERE

Rupapera hopes to maintain traditional teachers for others
At Te Rangihakahaka School in Rotorua, it was the first-hand life experience they were taught in the presentation from Rupapera.

“There is nothing better than our traditional Māori knowledge of our ancestors,” she says.

In May this year, 12 sperm whales were found dead on Kaupokonui Beach in Taranaki, that’s when Rupapera began learning traditional methods of dealing with dead whales.

“I’m new in relation to these teachings but once I was exposed to the knowledge it has made be very fortunate and blessed,” she explains......
See full article HERE

Iwi signs MOU for pest-free Banks Peninsula
The iwi along with Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust, Department of Conservation, Christchurch City Council, Environment Canterbury said they’d work together to remove pests from the 115,000-hectare peninsula.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage says, “This is a significant step towards the vision of a pest-free Banks Peninsula and builds on decades of community-driven ecological restoration work.”...
See full article HERE

Māori wellbeing for all
At one level Māori seek the same outcomes as all other New Zealanders - access to adequate food, good housing, educational attainment and adequate health care, preservation of the natural environment, and connection to community and culture. However, on another more significant level, Māori wellbeing is not the same as that for non-Māori. Māori wellbeing is based on our status as tangata whenua – in order to succeed we must succeed as Māori.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

4  November  2018

Chief Crown Negotiator accused of acting in bad faith
Rick Barker is in charge of negotiating and concluding settlements on behalf of the Crown.

But one iwi - which is nearing the final stage of its Treaty settlement - has made a formal complaint against him to the Treaty Negotiations Minister, Andrew Little.

Auckland Hauraki iwi Ngāti Pāoa is frustrated at the way he has handled its settlement.

The iwi, which has interests in Auckland and around 3500 members, has initialled its individual iwi settlement with the Crown, but is concerned assets it believes should be included in the redress have been left out.

That includes a 2000 acre farm on Waiheke Island.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

3  November  2018

Campaign calls for tourists to respect Māori culture
Seven New Zealand organisations have joined forces to educate tourists on how to behave when visiting.

An initiative has been created called Te Aki - Care for New Zealand, which aims to encourage international and domestic travellers to act as guardians of Aotearoa.

Chief executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Chris Roberts, spoke to The AM Show on Friday about the new initiative....
See full article HERE

Māori children more exposed to alcohol marketing
Co-author Professor Louise Signal says the higher rates of exposure to alcohol marketing for Māori children demonstrates that the government is not meeting its obligations to Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi.

"Particularly as Māori are 1.5 times more likely to be hazardous drinkers than non-Māori."

The research involved children wearing cameras and GPS devices to examine their world.

Lead researcher Tim Chambers says the findings are a “real concern”.....
See full article HERE

Principal warns of pressure on Māori-medium teachers
As primary teachers look to take rolling strike action across the country this month, a principal of a South Auckland wharekura says the pressures experienced by Māori medium schools are 'four times' worse than their mainstream counterparts.

According to Maahia Nathan, principal and teacher at Te Wharekura o Manurewa, teaching NCEA maths is a very difficult task.

“Although mainstream primary and secondary schools are faced with huge pressures,” says Nathan, “for me, those pressures are up to four times worse for Māori-medium primary and secondary schools.”

The shortage of reo Māori teachers is a major concern.

In the last three years there has been a decline in applicants hoping to teach in Māori-medium schools, often due to huge workloads and low pay......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

2  November  2018

True partnership between iwi and Crown needed
One key focus will be the partnership between iwi and the Crown. We plan on developing a Treaty Partnership Framework to discuss with the Crown. Another key focus will be freshwater management and ownership. This will be our first formal discussion with the Crown since its announcement of the Kahui Maori Wai group in August.

Even as our asset base continues to grow, we remain conscious of the fact that money is not enough to address the negative outcomes caused by the dispossession of our lands and resources, which stripped us of the ability to care for our own.
See full article HERE

FOMA welcomes CPTPP sign-off
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has been signed off with the first round of tariff cuts due December 30.

In its early stages the then-named Trans-Pacific Partnership was mired in protest and controversy with many Māori commentators saying it failed to meet Treaty of Waitangi obligations.

Parker is confident the CPTPP protects Māori interests. The Federation of Māori Authorities (FOMA) has welcomed the reworked deal.

FOMA Chairwoman Traci Houpapa says "It immediately reduces and removes trade barriers and tariffs for Māori and all of NZ exporters. That has an immediate and direct impact on our local and regional economies and direct benefits for Aotearoa."


Despite the go-ahead, concerns remain for some businesses over whether the government's intellectual property laws could be updated in time to protect Māori intellectual property on the global stage.

Houpapa says, "It's an ongoing conversation that we have. FOMA sits at the table with the prime minister and cabinet on trade matters and we will continue these conversations."...
See full article HERE

Identifying Māori approaches to reducing violence
University of Waikato researchers are undertaking the first national survey to establish the extent of family and sexual violence for Māori.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has awarded over $2 million dollars in funding to the Waka Eke Noa. The research project is being led by Associate Professor Leonie Pihama, Director of Te Kotahi Research Institute.

A lot of the work is imported from Britain or colonial America, when we have a really different context here.....
See full article HERE

Māori scholars world leaders
University of Auckland professors Linda Waimarie Nikora and Merryn Tawhai and Angus Macfarlane from the University of Canterbury are among 20 new fellows elected to the Academy of the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Another new fellow is University of Auckland law professor David Williams, who is recognised nationally and internationally for his originality of thinking in the areas of constitutional law, colonial legal history and the Treaty of Waitangi.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

1  November  2018

Warden money swallowed into admin
The New Zealand Māori Council is challengingt the way Te Puni Kōkiri administers Māori wardens.

A report by Mr Tukaki based on answers to official Information Act requests says in the 2015-16 financial year Te Puni Kokiri got $1.6 million to manage its wardens project, and paid itself almost half the money for administration and staff costs.

The following year the budget was cut to $1 million, with almost $600,000 spent on admin and $330,000 on project staff.....
See full article HERE

Financial Authority embraces reo
The Financial Markets Authority says companies who offer investments can now publish product disclosure statements in both te reo Māori and English.

The accuracy of the translation must be confirmed to the FMA by a translator certified by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.

The authority doesn’t usually allow statements in more than one language because of prescribed length limits, General counsel Nick Kynoch says the exemption promotes the confident and informed participation of investors in financial markets who are more engaged and have a better understanding when information is provided in both te reo Māori and English......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

31  October  2018

MOE sells land without Māori consultation
Frustration is building in Whangārei over the sale of land marked for educational purposes which was sold to Housing New Zealand (HNZ).

Hapū member Mita Norris says, "No one took into consideration that it's land confiscated from Māori."

Local MP Shane Reti says, "The community has been angry right from scratch, solely because, in my opinion, this has been underhanded dealings between Housing New Zealand and the Ministry of Education."

Reti says a new HNZ project in Whangārei has denied the rights of hapū to have a say in the process.

Local hapū Te Parawhau say the land was acquired under the public works act in the 1960s.

In a statement to Te Kāea, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) said the property was exempt from a requirement to offer it back to former owners or their successors."....
See full article HERE

New research highlights benefits of waka ama
Researchers at Massey University have studied the benefits of waka ama and have proven that the fast-growing sport is a major vehicle for indigenous health promotion.

As part of new research from the College of Health, 16 members of a waka ama rōpu were interviewed about the social, cultural and health benefits of the sport.

Researchers Dr Christina Severinsen and Angelique Reweti of Ngāpuhi say, through a framework of Māori values and beliefs, waka ama improves the health of individual paddlers, their whānau and communities.

"It's unique as a sport because, as well as the physical benefits for paddlers, it also has a strong tikanga connecting paddlers to each other through whanaungatanga and manaakitanga,” says Severinsen.......
See full article HERE

Ngāi Tahu Farming replaces forestry with 14,000 cows at Eyrewell
Ngāi Tahu Farming will milk 14,000 dairy cows just north of Christchurch, once the remainder of Eyrewell Forest is felled.

However, the South Island iwi-owned business has abandoned plans to convert some of Balmoral Forest in North Canterbury to dairy, after failing to get the required nutrient and water consents, instead focusing on beef grazing and possibly orchards.

Ngāi Tahu Farming (NTF) manages more than 100,000 hectares of farm and forestry land in the South Island. Its asset value had lifted from $110 million in 2010 to $440m now as properties were developed.

Chief executive Andrew Priest said its 6757ha Te Whenua Hou dairy development, north of the Waimakariri River, would continue as trees were cleared from Eyrewell Forest......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

30  October  2018

Working to put things right: Settling Treaty of Waitangi claims
For many years, Parliament has been working with successive governments to improve Crown–Māori relations by putting Treaty of Waitangi settlements into law.

Parliament is known for its combative debates across the floor of the Debating Chamber. But when it comes to settling a Treaty of Waitangi claim, Parliament generally sets differences aside and votes unitedly to improve Crown–Māori relations.

The third reading of a Treaty settlement bill often takes place in a festive atmosphere, making it a highlight in the parliamentary calendar.

YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
At two points in the bill’s progress, there’s a chance for claimant groups, stakeholders, and interested members of the public to be involved:

** At the select committee stage the Māori Affairs Committee normally invites people to make a submission about the bill. It holds public hearings to listen to submitters’ views in person. The committee then reports back to Parliament with any recommendations for amending the legislation.

** The third reading is when Parliament officially passes the legislation. It’s an important, historic event, and members of the claimant group and the public can go to Parliament to watch this happen.

Arrangements can be made to reserve seats in Parliament’s public gallery, and to sing waiata at the end of the third reading (you’ll need to contact the Speaker’s Office).....
See full article HERE

Call for attention to "Māori positive ageing" as numbers set to climb
There is a call for attention to focus on "Māori positive ageing" as the number of older Māori is set to double over a short period with higher rates of disability and dependence than the general population.

In the next 20 years, the number of Māori aged 65-plus is expected to more than double from approximately 48,500 to 126,000 people. Māori currently make up 6 per cent of those aged 65-plus, but this is projected to increase to 10 per cent of people in this age group....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

28  October  2018

Ngai Tahu, QLDC work on hub plan
Queenstown's council will partner with Ngai Tahu to explore options for a community hub in the resort’s CBD.

In a statement, the Queenstown Lakes District Council confirmed councillors "approved entry into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ngai Tahu Property to explore development options" for a site on Stanley and Ballarat streets, during a public-excluded section of Thursday’s full council meeting.

According to the statement, Ngai Tahu Iwi has a strong interest in the cultural, commercial and creative possibilities for the site, which has been "largely underutilised" since the 1970s.....
See full article HERE

Ngāpuhi vote soon on model for biggest ever treaty settlement
Ngāpuhi people will soon vote on a new negotiation model that could finally get the largest iwi settlement in history over the line.

The new model would see the Crown negotiating cultural redress for Treaty of Waitangi breaches with six regional hapū groupings, or taiwhenua.

But the commercial redress would be negotiated by one group and held by a single post-settlement entity.

The support of 65 percent of hapū and 75 percent of Ngāpuhi voters would be needed for the model, before the iwi can move into negotiations....
See full article HERE

Paradise lost? Hicks Bay hapu opposes Ngāti Porou port plans for forestry
Hicks Bay's greatest export for many years has been its youth, heading out of the picturesque East Cape backwater to look for work.

So the rejection of a Ngāti Porou plan for a feasibility study on establishing a port to export logs is, at first glance, confounding.

The iwi has applied to the government's Provincial Growth Fund to pay for a study into the costs, benefits and opportunities of building a port at Hicks Bay....
See full article HERE

New design for kapa haka
Waimate High School is proud to embrace its cultural roots.

Earlier this month, the school held a special assembly to celebrate the gift of a Maori design which had been created for a kapa haka uniform.

“Culturally this is very important, because it is about being proud of who we are and the place we represent,” she said.

“Our links with the natural resources of our area are central to determining who we are as a people and how we interact with the land, the water, the sky.”....
See full article HERE

Māori Party vehicle for young activists
Māori Party co-vice president wahine Kaapua Smith says this weekend’s annual meeting is a milestone for the party.

The hui a tau at Auckland’s Te Puea Marae will consider proposals for organisational change developed over the past year in response to the part’s electoral defeat.

It will also look at the sort of policies and candidates it needs to take into the next election.......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

27  October  2018

Hobson's Pledge receives apology: 'We are not racist and we are not anti-Māori'
Auckland University has apologised for publishing an article that described the lobby group Hobson's Pledge as "a racist and militantly anti-Māori group".

Former National Party leader Don Brash is the spokesperson for Hobson's Pledge. He said after reading the article, he asked the university to retract the statement about the group.

"Hobson's Pledge was described as racist and militantly anti-Māori and that is an absolute nonsense. We are not racist and we are not anti-Māori. The co-spokesperson for Hobson's Pledge is herself Māori, we are in no sense anti-Māori and in no sense racist," said Dr Brash.

Dr Brash said he was satisfied with the university's apology.

He said the Hobson's Pledge group lobbies for the same political rights for everybody.....
See full article HERE

One Year On: Māori remain optimistic under coalition government
What's happening with Whānau Ora, Crown-Māori relations and Treaty Settlements?

In the past year, there has been a greater growth of Māori in paid employment than non-Māori, and Māori are taking home an extra $9 a week ... but that is still far short of the total average increase of $50 a week.

While it may not be targeted specifically at Māori, the increase in benefits through the Families Package is helping many lower to middle income whānau.

About 18,000 Māori families a year will receive the Best Start Payment for newborns, and about 138,000 Māori have received Winter Energy Payments....
See full article HERE

SPCA launches unique book in te reo Māori
The SPCA has launched its first te reo Māori animal storybook with the aim of helping children understand the value of animal welfare. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Otara was one of the first schools to receive free copies.

There are twelve different stories based on rescued animals.

Principal Marama Hune says, “When I saw the front cover I was in awe and wanted to know more about its content because the reo Māori is fantastic.”

Over 25,000 copies of the books are being distributed to schools.
See full article HERE

'Kiri' - Vodafone's new in-store virtual assistant
Vodafone has a new virtual helper coming to stores near you and she's Māori. Her name's Kiri.

In September, the company announced it will be the first global telco to launch an Intelligent Digital Human to help answer customer queries in-store.

Today, Vodafone revealed her identity and Māori name, Kiri.....
See full article HERE

Te Arawa actress takes up new role under Rotorua Lakes Council
Actor Cian Elyse White (Te Arawa, Ngāti Pikiao) is taking up a new role as Performing Arts Director at Rotorua Lakes Council.

Born and bred in Rotorua, White has spent more than a decade on the stage and screen.

White is well-known for raising awareness around social issues and promoting te reo Māori me ōna tikanga throughout her productions.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

26  October  2018

'It's theft': Government faces decade in court over Māori water rights
The Government could face a decade-long battle over Māori rights to freshwater, a conflict with potential to become as difficult as the controversial Foreshore and Seabed Act.

Some legal minds are saying Māori are entitled to ownership of water - including the right to restrict others' use, and to compensation for unpaid royalties.

Darrell Naden of Tamaki Legal told Newshub denying Māori ownership to water is akin to the confiscation of land by early Pākehā settlers.

"The taking of another set of property interests in a natural resource like freshwater shouldn't be tolerated. In terms of getting complex or even dramatic, I'd say that's on the cards," he said.....
See full article HERE

Ngāti Tūwharetoa working with state in Taupō Collective Impact Government Group
Danny Morehu, a spokesperson for Tūwharetoa's paramount chief Sir Tumu Te Heuheu, said the group delivered on the Crown's Treaty of Waitangi obligations.

"I think the days of Crown agencies imposing their goals on iwi are few and far between now.

"It's now the iwi saying, we have aspirations as well.

"If you're [an organisation] with the Crown, you have an obligation under the treaty to have a reciprocal relationship with iwi that enters into partnerships and understands about our aspirations and how to respond to them."

State agencies had a duty to ensure people of Tūwharetoa descent featured no worse off in health and employment statistics than non-Tūwharetoa people, Morehu said.....
See full article HERE

Fixing Te Mata Peak's contentious track could cost $1m
Changing a controversial track up Te Mata Peak could cost up to $1 million in consultancy and landscaping fees, Hastings District Council says.

The costs for altering the track, which was created by Craggy Range winery last year, were released to a member of the public under the Official Information Act.

They show consultants helping the council decide what to do with the walking track could be paid $500,000 in fees for "technical reports, development option reports and consultation."

"This is an unbudgeted expense," the council said.

It could cost $200,000 to remove the zig-zagging Craggy Range track - which has been described by local iwi as a "scar" - in its entirety.

A further $280,000 to $300,000 would be needed to create a new summit track as proposed by the winery and iwi, after they struck a deal earlier this year.....
See full article HERE

Tutors named for councillors’ training on cultural issues
GISBORNE District councillors will be asked to approve the appointment of Glenis Philip-Barbara and Dr Wayne Ngata for their cultural tikanga training.

Councillors meet at full council meeting tomorrow.

Mrs Philip-Barbara is general manager of Te Ha Sestercentennial Trust and Dr Ngata is chairman of the Maori Language Commission.

If the appointments are authorised, councillors will undergo a “Tairawhiti Cultural Futures” programme designed to:

* Create active awareness of race relations.

* Build a deeper understanding of how those relationships work in culturally diverse communities and their effect on decision-making.

* Provide practical tools to ensure equitable decision making.....
See full article HERE

Ngāi Tahu more cautious looking ahead as it posts strong profit
Solid trading and a $190 million Crown settlement top up have underpinned the South Island tribe's financial performance over the past year.

Excluding the top up, the tribe's fishing, property, farming and tourism divisions posted a net profit of $150m, providing a dividend of $61m for cultural, social, and economic programmes for the 61,000 registered members.

Ngai Tahu Holdings chief executive Mike Sang said that after several years of unusual residential rebuilding in post-earthquake Christchurch he was adopting a slightly more cautious approach given indications of economic headwinds.....
See  article HERE 

Canterbury Māori Health Action Plan
​​​​​​The Canterbury DHB's Māori Health Action Plan outlines the key activities that will be undertaken across the Canterbury health system to improve Māori Health outcomes, along with associated measures and performance targets.....
See full article HERE

Local iwi place rahui on Wharemauku stream
“The positive results were picked up as part of the new kaitiaki monitoring programme by Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai,” said Mahina-a-rangi Baker, Pou Takawaenga Taiao, Environmental Manager for the iwi, “the iwi has put a rāhui on the Wharemauku Stream to prevent the public from gathering any food, or having contact with water in the Stream, in order to limit the public health risk. This is the bug that caused the serious outbreak in 2016 spread through Havelock North’s drinking water.”.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

25  October  2018

Fairfield College unveils pou commemorating NZ Wars
With song, prayer - and a few tugs on a tarpaulin - Fairfield College brought one of the country's darkest episodes into the light.

With a morning mist still clinging to the school's fields, students, staff, and guests gathered at dawn to unveil a pou commemorating those who fought in the New Zealand Wars.

Tuesday's unveiling was followed by a special school assembly at which students and guests spoke about the need to teach the New Zealand Wars in schools.....
See full article HERE

John the Baptist preaches te reo in Māngere
English baptist preacher John Catmur is on a mission to preach about the goodness of te reo.

Inspired by a 'call from God', John moved from England to Aotearoa in 2007 to minister in Māngere, South Auckland.

“It's the official language of this country, and that's the most important aspect to me.”

“It's about correcting people's perception of the Māori language,” says Peters, “That it's a valued treasure handed down by the indigenous people of this land.”.....

See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

24  October  2018

Massey University Announces six $10,000 Māori and Pacific Creative Arts Research Study Awards
The College of Creative Arts at Massey University is offering six $10,000 study awards for Māori and Pacific designers and artists to begin a postgraduate masters qualification in design, fine arts or Māori visual arts in 2019.

The College, based on the Wellington campus, is committed to supporting the academic excellence of Māori and Pacific students and creating a learning environment where their advancement is supported.

“We celebrate our place in the Pacific and honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles including te reo and tikanga Māori. We are working to provide research-led opportunities to help achieve positive outcomes for Māori and Pacific students,” says Professor Julieanna Preston, co-coordinator of the Master of Fine Arts....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

23  October  2018

Formal apology to be made over confiscated land
The Anglican Church will be in Tauranga next month to make a formal apology for giving land gifted to it by local iwi, to the crown.

On November 30 1838, local iwi transferred the land known as Te Papa to the Church Missionary Society.

After the battle of Gate Pa, the Battle of Te Ranga and the Bush campaign, the crown put pressure on the church to sell the land to the Crown for European settlement.

In a statement provided to SunLive by Priority One, it says the Anglican Synod recently agreed to make a formal apology to Tauranga Moana iwi for this situation, providing a step towards the social, spiritual and economic recovery that Tangata Whenua have waited patiently for.....
See full article HERE

Taranaki iwi claim lack of consultation from Government on oil and gas transition
A Taranaki iwi is opposing the Government's intention to halt oil and gas exploration in the region, citing a lack of consultation on the plan.

Te Ātiawa made a submission on the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Bill to the environment committee select hearing in Parliament.

In the submission, one of 2283 total submissions presented, the iwi said it supported the transition from oil and gas to renewable energy sources.

However the Government "completely failed" to consult with Te Ātiawa as a Treaty of Waitangi partner, Te Kotahitānga ō Te Ātiawa Trust chairwoman Liana Poutu said in the submission......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

22  October  2018

'By Māori, for Māori': health leaders call for revamp of Māori health system
Health leaders say the current system is failing Māori and are calling for a Māori-led agency to turn it around.

Claimants from both groups say institutionalised racism and inequity are at the heart of the disparities in outcomes, and they want Māori at the forefront of a new system based on mana motuhake, or self-determination.

Moxon, presenting on behalf of WAI 1315, lodged her claim 13 years ago, yet said the issues facing Māori remained the same.

As part of their claim, Moxon's group sought an apology, and repayment of 16 years of underfunding, estimated at $348m......
See full article HERE

'I've done my bit for my country' - Finlayson
Speaking on his time in parliament, Finlayson says his highlight was reforming the Foreshore and Seabed legislation.

"I was simply appalled that in the twenty first century, a substantial group of my fellow citizens should have the right of access to justice removed from them and if I've done nothing else in public life, to fix that up, it's something that means a lot to me."....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

21  October  2018

PM promises govt will improve Māori health
The prime minister says improving the quality of Māori health is a priority of the government. This follows the Waitangi Tribunal hearing currently underway at Ngāruawahia to address health inequalities for Māori.

Jacinda Ardern is adamant Māori healthcare needs to be better.

“We have to address inequity in health, we have to ensure that we are lifting the life expectancy of Māori and Pasifika and that's an area that the health minister has made a priority,” says Ardern....
See full article HERE

Finlayson ready to leave parliament
Former Treaty of Waitangi negotiations minister Christopher Finlayson has revealed he is preparing to leave parliament and resume his legal career.

His former press secretary, Ben Thomas, says Mr Finlayson was one of the stand out performers in the National Government in ways that surprised many onlookers.

He took the treaty portfolio, which languished during much of the term of the previous Labour Government, and settled dozens of historic claims.

"Remember this is the National Party only a couple of years after Don Brash was the leader, after the iwi (vs) kiwi billboards, so not only the idea you would have this extremely productive relationship with iwi that led to huge numbers of settlements,

He says some of Mr Finlayson’s approaches, such as the Tūhoe settlement giving Te Urewera its own legal personality, have drawn international attention.....
See full article HERE

Hapu attack 'half-baked' Treaty proposal
Resistance appears to be growing in the Far North to a new proposal to negotiate Ngāpuhi treaty claims.

The Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has been working for months to break the deadlock over settlement.

But eight hapu in the past week have publicly rejected his latest version of mandate model....
See full article HERE

Decolonising Smith wins top science tohu
A major accolade in this year’s Research Honours Aotearoa Awards for University of Waikato professor Linda Tuhīwai Smith.

Nga Pae o Te Māramtanga co-director Dr Jacinta Ruru says Professor Smith is recognised internationally for her work on decolonisation, and she has given other Māori and indigenous scholars methodologies and theories to build on.

Her acceptance speech showed why she has been an inspiration to other Māori and indigenous scholars.

"She in a beautiful speech spoke about disruption (Captain James) Cook created for our poeople 250 years ago and the work that iwi, whānau,hapū around the country have had to be on to regain the confidence in our own knowledges," Professor Ruru says.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

20  October  2018

Education Bill passed despite urgent treaty claim
With the passing of the Education Amendment Bill today the Government has ignored continuous outcry from Māori leaders and scrapped the partnership school model, National’s spokesperson for Education Nikki Kaye says.

“Yesterday Māori educators Sir Toby Curtis and Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi applied for an urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing over the closure of partnership schools.

“The Minister of Education Chris Hipkins chose to ignore the claim and today the Education Amendment Bill, which contains provisions that remove the partnership school model from legislation, passed its final reading......
See full article HERE

Iwi unite to oppose iron-sand mining in Pātea
South Taranaki iwi are united in their opposition to the iron-sand mining proposed offshore from Patea.

Earlier this month Te Kahui o Rauru, with Te Ohu Kaimoana (the Maori Fisheries Trust) joined neighbours Ngati Ruanui in lodging a cross-appeal to mining company Trans-Tasman Resources' attempt to overturn a High Court judgment that ended its ability to mine.

The company was given consent to mine in August 2017, but iwi, environmental and fishing interests appealed the consent to the High Court.

The court's Justice Peter Churchman said granting a discharge consent on insufficient information was unlawful, and sent the matter back to the Environmental Protection Authority......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

19  October  2018

Māori fight to entrench seats
Public submissions have opened on a bill to entrench Māori seats.[

The bill’s sponsor, Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikātene, says it will mean Māori seats will get the same protection as general seats, so any changes will need the support of 75 percent of MPs rather than the current simple majority.

"The Māori seats are there based on the Treaty (of Waitangi) and we are accountable to Māori. We are put there by Māori and the future of our seats must be determined by Māori," he says.

Submissions close on December 14......
See full article HERE

Kaupapa Māori PHOs set up to fail
The managing director of a Bay of Plenty Māori health provider says Māori PHOs were set up to fail.

Janice Kuka of Ngā Mataapuna Oranga told a Waitangi Tribunal health inquiry that they are under-resourced compared with their mainstream counterparts.

"This cycle of reliance on Crown funding keeps us locked into a failed racist and minor cultural system unable and unwilling to change,” says Kuka, “Meanwhile, our people continue to have poorer health outcomes and die at an earlier rate than non-Māori."

The Tauranga Māori PHO Wai 1315 claimant outlined to the Tribunal why the health system has marginalised Māori, referring to “the inadequate resources we were given as a kaupapa Māori PHO in our establishing phase as opposed to non-Māori.”

Kuka wants a Crown apology and repayment costs to all Wai 1315 claimants for under-funding from the government over the past 17 years......
See full article HERE

New arrivals experience Māori culture
Our newest students have had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Māori culture during this week’s orientation.

ICT and Facilities Manager Sonny Teio welcomed the new students with a traditional Māori introduction, or a mihi. He then invited staff to join him in a Māori song, or waiata.

Chief Executive Gagan Sachdeva encouraged the new students, who have come from 14 different countries, to greet each other with the Māori term kia ora.

Yesterday afternoon, students had the opportunity to experience a Māori Cultural Performance, before joining staff on a guided city tour.....
See full article HERE

Cultural Advisor - Maori
At Tasman District Council we are looking to improve our relationships with iwi within our rohe.

To assist us, we wish to contract a cultural advisor to provide advice to our Chief Executive and support staff in this work.

This role should interest those who understand local government responsibilities and obligations to Māori in terms of relevant legislation.

The successful contractor will have good knowledge of iwi within Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Maui as well as established networks within the rohe.

You will be proficient in te reo and tikanga Māori, and will be a role model to Council staff.

Ideally you will have good knowledge of Māori dynamics in Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Maui, and be happy to share your knowledge and assist in building the Council’s cultural competency.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

18  October  2018

Coca-cola hits sour note with te reo faux pas
It seems drink company Coca-Cola's effort to "turn up the fizz" on te reo Māori has hit a sour note, but they say no disrespect was intended.

One tweet on the company's latest marketing campaign has raised eyebrows across Aotearoa and abroad on their te reo Māori faux pas.

Riding the current wave of te reo popularity, Coca-Cola sprung to action recently adding the Māori greeting "Kia ora" to its drink vending machines. However, they also tagged the friendly Kiwi-ism "mate" onto their te reo greeting, and in te reo Māori, "mate" means "death", essentially saying, "Greetings, death".....
See full article HERE

Ngāpuhi tackles troubled taitama
Te Rūnanga-a-Iwi O Ngāpuhi has teamed up with philanthropic funder JR McKenzie Trust and Kaikohe Intermediate to change the narrative about Maori boys.

Through early intervention and positive reinforcement, it will try to bring excitement and engagement back into the education system.....
See full article HERE

Fletcher Living to build for Ngāti Whātūa o Kaipara
Ngāti Whātūa o Kaipara and Fletcher Building's Living development have teamed up to build 240 homes on former crown land at Hobsonville Point.

Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara deputy chair Margaret Kawharu says although the iwi was not able to get the former Defence site as part of its treaty settlement, it used its leverage to buy four super-lots.....
See full article HERE

Ngāti Porou soars with Air NZ partnership
From this December produce sourced from Ngāti Porou will be served on board Air New Zealand flights, one of the many results of the partnership between the national carrier and the East Coast Iwi.

But this is just the start to generate further economic and social growth with the iwi says Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon.

“We've got great relationships with iwi all across the country, but the partnership and friendship with Ngati Porou has really been quite special,” says Luxon, “we’re very committed to this place.....
See full article HERE

Urgency sought for hearing over Partnership Schools
Claimants Sir Toby Curtis, Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, Dame Tariana Turia and Pem Bird have filed for their Treaty of Waitangi claim, Wai 2770, to be heard by the Waitangi Tribunal with urgency.

Their claim, on behalf of themselves and Maori generally, takes issue with the acts and omissions of the Crown in respect of the closure of Partnership Schools | Kura Hourua....
See full article HERE

Māori leader backs co-op philosophy
Māori agribusiness leader and Fonterra director candidate Jamie Tuuta says the cooperative philosophy aligns with his own values and the Māori worldview.

“I work on the basis that as a board member of Fonterra you are the guardian of the future against the claims of the present.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

17  October  2018

Justice system needs to change: Chief judge
The Chief District Court Judge has called for an overhaul of the justice system, to avoid perpetuating the cycle of disadvantage, particularly for Maori.

Judge Doogue said the issue of Maori over-representation in crime statistics was the most pressing issue facing the justice system.

From next July, the Oranga Tamariki Act will explicitly include tikanga Maori concepts which must be at the heart of any decision made in respect of a child or young person.

The judge called for her colleagues on the bench in the criminal jurisdiction to take a similarly holistic approach......
See full article HERE

Waikato river-clean up projects receive funding
Thirty-eight projects have received funding in 2018 and Bob Penter, Authority Chief Executive, says some of the 2018 funding round is aligned with the Restoration Strategy for the Waikato and Waipā rivers as well as the strong participation of river iwi.

"In recent years there has been a clear trend for successful projects to reflect a strategic approach to restoring and protecting our rivers, streams, and wetlands. This has carried through in this funding round. The strong involvement of river iwi is also welcome," says Penter.

The Waipā Catchment Plan received $1.6 million making it the largest project to be funded this year. The funding will work towards reducing sediment levels going into the Waipā River.

$250,000 has been funded to the Te Arawa River Iwi Trust for a catchment monitoring project in the Ruahuwai Takiwa within the TARIT Upper Waikato River region.

The Waikato River Authority has allocated more than $44 million to 288 clean-up projects in the last eight years.....
See full article HERE

Tamihere says Maori are discriminated against by PHO’s
Known for not mincing his words, Te Pou Matakana CE John Tamihere says Māori are being discriminated against by Primary healthcare professionals and not being cared for as they should.

At the Wai 2687 inquiry currently underway at Tūrangawaewae Marae, Tamihere said, “There’s a nice term that the Women’s Movement uses it’s called unconscious bias. It’s just a nice way of saying they’re racist mongrels.”

Tamihere says in all discretions whether it's at the GP clinic, the nursing clinic whether it's at the hospital.

"If there's a discretion to be made in terms of service deliverables to Māori we end up on the back end of the queue."

He says, "99.8% of all money voted from NZ government, which is about $80billion a year goes to Māori, but by and through non-Māori."

More claimants are set to give evidence over this week and Tamihere is optimistic that the united voice will eventually result in Māori being able the right to self-determine their own healthcare.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

16  October  2018

Waitangi Tribunal investigates sick, racist health system that 'fails Māori'
The perilous state of Māori health has been described as a humanitarian crisis. It's now under investigation by the Waitangi Tribunal, with more than 200 claimants accusing the Crown of operating a sick, racist system that fails Māori. Carmen Parahi reports....

.... Since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, Māori have sought equality with the Crown as treaty partners.

Māori sold or donated land to the Crown for hospitals but few were ever built. Introduced diseases such as influenza wiped out thousands, and by the turn of the 20th Century, the Māori population was decimated....

....Maipi will demand a new system based on an overseas indigenous model.

Royal plans to push for either a national Māori DHB or a standalone Māori hauora or health system based on matauranga or Māori knowledge.

"Those solutions need to be Māori led, adequately resourced, supported by government," says Royal.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

14  October  2018

Māori, Pacific job candidates fast-tracked to interview stage at ADHB
All eligible Māori and Pacific job candidates are being automatically fast-tracked to the interview stage for openings at Auckland DHB.

The change has been made to try increase workforce diversity, and has already resulted in more Māori and Pacific candidates being interviewed and hired.

If job-seekers aren't hired, managers must give specific feedback to HR, so the unsuccessful candidate can be coached to improve their chances in future interviews.

A new assessment tool prompts interviewers to think about "reflecting our communities and prioritised health outcomes", along with traditional skills and experience.

The policy began at the end of June and builds on a similar approach already in place to recruit graduate nurses.....
See full article HERE

Cultural Treasure Unveiled in Central Ōtautahi
Today’s grand opening of Tūranga shows what can be achieved when local iwi play a lead role in city design.

Ngāi Tūāhuriri – the local Ngāi Tahu hapū that is mana whenua for the city – heavily influenced the design and build of Tūranga. This was led by Matapopore Charitable Trust cultural advisors alongside Christchurch City Council and resulted in a library experience that clearly reflects Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Ngāi Tahu values.

“The stories of Ngāi Tahu and Ngāi Tūāhuriri are expertly woven into Ōtautahi’s new central library, and this is something we should all be proud of,” said Lynne Te Aika, trustee of the Matapopore Charitable Trust (and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu General Manager, Te Taumatua).....
See full article HERE

Maori Crime will reduce - If Maori are in Charge
All four Iwi/Community Panel providers came together today to look at how successful their work was in dealing with Maori and other crimes within Metro Auckland. The Iwi Community Panels known as Te Pae Oranga was launched 4 years ago in partnership with the New Zealand Police. Manukau Urban Maori Authority MUMA was one of the three pilot programmes set up and included a provider in Gisborne and Wellington. Now Auckland metro has four providers delivering this successful service.

Te Pae Oranga is working for our people and if it is cut from the Police budget, then this would show how committed this and previous governments are toward reducing Maori incarceration rates.

The reason this works is that it by Maori for Maori and the rest of the community benefits as well.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

13  October  2018

Protesters leave former Catholic School
Protesters have left former Catholic school Hato Petera after an order from the High Court.

The group had occupied the Auckland school since it closed in August but on Tuesday they were told to move on.

Originally belonging to Ngāti Pāoa, the land was purchased by Governor George Grey and subsequently granted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1850 for education.

While the full dispute is yet to play out in court, the church won a High Court order late on Tuesday afternoon to put an end to the occupation.....
See full article HERE

Education stereotypes holding back Maori
Hana O’Regan was a keynote speaker at this week’s CORE Education conference in Auckland.

"We were absolutely deliberately specifically excluded from participation in further education from 1869. Laws were passed that forbid the teaching of academic subjects in native schools because we were being too successful and what happened was our people were subjected to these negative images of ourselves as learners so much that we ended up taking them on board," Ms O’Regan says.....
See full article HERE

Christchurch has a library in the heart of the city again
A new state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar library will open its doors to the public in Christchurch at 1pm this afternoon.

Tūranga took two-and-a-half years to build, cost about $93 million and is the largest library in the South Island.

Ngāi Tūāhuriri - the local Ngāi Tahu hapū - helped with the construction, design and Māori artwork.

Spokesperson Lynne Te Aika said it was important their culture was represented.....
See full article HERE

New Christchurch Library
The English language is a second class citizen in #Turanga the new @ChristchurchCC library. I'm strongly in favour of bilingual signage, and have tweeted about that before, but here the signs are designed to direct the eye to Māori, spoke by 8% (?) of the population.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

12  October  2018

Legal history made in Taranaki with admission ceremony conducted in Te Reo Māori
Taranaki legal history was made on Wednesday, with the first ever bar admission ceremony conducted in Te Reo Māori.

In front of his whānau and senior members of the Taranaki bar, Te Wehi Wright added his name to what is believed to be the oldest register of roia, or lawyers, in Aotearoa.

In charge of proceedings was Justice Christine Grice, who formally welcomed Wright into the legal profession, first in Māori, before she addressed him directly in English.....
See full article HERE

Principal Advisor, Partnering with Iwi/Māori - National Office
The Government has signalled a significant reset of relations between Māori and the Crown and the need for the Crown to extend partnerships beyond the negotiation table. For MSD, this means we need to change that way we manage our existing and future partnerships with iwi/ Māori.

The Principal Advisor Māori will provide high level strategic, technical and analytical leadership for the Partnerships and Programmes Group and across Community Partnership and Programmes Business Group in Service Delivery, to gather and share insights and advice on how to make it easier for iwi/Māori to engage and partner with the Ministry and for the Ministry to become more effective in the delivery of services for iwi/Māori.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

11  October  2018

Māori appointments to council committees 'a long time coming': Mayor
The five newly-minted Māori seats on four Hamilton City Council committees have been filled.

Council approved the appointments on Wednesday. Four of the appointments represent iwi and one is a pan-tribal/mātāwaka appointment.

Hamilton Mayor Andrew King said the appointments mark the beginning of a new era for partnership-based decision making for the city.

"We're enormously proud to be at a point where we can take these brave steps towards providing meaningful representation for Māori," King said. "It's been a long time coming and we're committed to making it work."....
See full article HERE

Court orders protesters to leave Hato Petera College site
A High Court judge has ordered Māori protesters to leave the former Hato Petera College site in Northcote within 48 hours.

Judge Pheroze Jagose has found that the Catholic Bishop of Auckland's substantive case to ownership of the disputed land "seems overwhelming", and has granted the bishop an order to the protesters to leave the land and remove their property within 48 hours.

However he declined a request by the church's lawyer Ben Upton for a further order authorising police to use force if necessary to evict the protest group, which has been occupying the site since mid-August.

The judgment means the church may have to go back to the High Court to seek an arrest order if the protesters do not comply with the order to leave......
See full article HERE

Belgian brewery apologises for any offence caused by 'Māori Tears' beer
An international brewery criticised for naming its beer "Māori Tears" has apologised to anyone it offended by the label.

The "Māori Tears" beer, owned by the Brussels Beer Project in Belgium, claims to "encapsulate those tears to capture their sacred nature".

Māori rights advocate Karaitiana Taiuru said yesterday that the beer would breach the sacredness rule in New Zealand if applying for a trademark.

He said although the company spelt the word Māori orthographically correct, they should have sought advice on the name.

Auckland University of Technology Professor Pare Keiha said whether the term Māori Tears is considered tapu is a matter of opinion......
See full article HERE

Māori Leaders in Health mount historic Waitangi Claim
Claims from two groups of Māori health leaders are being heard in the Waitangi Tribunal from 15 October next week at Tūrangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia as part of stage one of the its national kaupapa inquiry into health services and outcomes.

The two claimant groups (under claims Wai 1315 and Wai 2687) say that inequity and institutionalised racism in the health system currently exists and the situation must change. The shared position is based on national Māori health statistics and status which is evident of the Crown failure to care for Māori health and wellbeing.

They share the view that Mana Motuhake, self determination and Māori autonomy produces better health outcomes and saves lives. The claimants seek recommendations from the Tribunal for legislative reform of the system for Māori to have autonomy of their own healthcare services to organise, develop and deliver......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

10  October  2018

Ngai Tahu eyeing opportunities
South Island iwi Ngai Tahu is taking an active role in discussions surrounding Dunedin's new hospital build and wider investment opportunities in the city.

The Otakou marae yesterday hosted the Ngai Tahu property board, as well as Mayor Dave Cull, Southern Partnership Group convener Pete Hodgson and others as the iwi considers the possibilities.

The continuing dialogue follows indications earlier in the year Ngai Tahu wanted to play a significant role in the cultural and financial future of Dunedin, including spending some of its ``big purse'' on projects within the city......
See full article HERE

Māori freshwater claims stalling allocation decisions
The Government needs a strategy for resolving Māori freshwater claims before it can move forward with its planned changes to the allocation of water and nutrient discharge rights.

Lakes, rivers, and streams should be cleaner within five years as a result of major freshwater policy announcements from the Government today.

However, long-stalled decisions on the allocation of both water and nutrient discharges are still some years away because of the need for a settled process to recognise Māori freshwater claims.....
See full article HERE

Consent granted to take Hamurana Springs water for bottling
A consent allowing more than 315,000 cubic metres of water to be bottled annually from Hamurana Springs has been granted.

Te Tahuhu O Tawakeheimoa Trust applied for a consent last December to take water for bottling from Hamurana Stream.

The trust has been granted the consent, which allows it to take water at 10 litres per second through to September 2033.

Trust chairman Joseph Tuhakaraina said Hamurana Springs was an important taonga for the iwi and that was recognised in the consent.

"Our application made it clear that any surface water taken from the springs will be done in a way that ensures minimal impact to the river and the surrounding environment.....
See full article HERE

Māori lagging on climate change opportunity
The Māori climate change commissioner says Māori are sitting on a huge asset in the fight against global warming, but the government isn’t doing a good job of reaching out to them.....
See full article HERE

International beer label dubbed 'Māori Tears' deemed culturally offensive
An international beer label dubbed "Māori Tears" has been slammed for being spiritually and culturally offensive.

The "Māori Tears" beer, owned by the Brussels Beer Project in Belgium, claims to "encapsulate those tears to capture their sacred nature".

The label - complete with a Māori macron in the correct place - says the beverage is barrel aged in French oak, and contains German grape Dornfelder, a single hop from Wakatu in New Zealand, and is a single-malt pale ale.

Māori rights advocate Karaitiana Taiuru said the beer was another classic example of a brewery that is causing offence.

"The idea of drinking someone else's tears is spiritually offensive to a traditional Māori world view," he said......
See full article HERE

Correctly pronouncing Māori names 'gives you mana'
A language expert is calling on health workers to stop mispronouncing Māori patients' names.

Keri Opai said it was one simple way health workers could better engage with Māori, who had some of the worst health statistics in the country.

"If you pronounce Māori words correctly, it implies you have respect for the language. If you have respect for the language that would imply you have respect for the culture.

"If you have respect for the culture, you most probably have respect for the people.".....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

9  October  2018

Freshwater plan to explore Māori and Crown shared interests 
The Government plan announced today to improve freshwater quality acknowledges that water quality cannot be addressed without a concurrent and substantive discussion with Māori, Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Minister Kelvin Davis said.

Environment Minister David Parker and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor today released the Government’s blueprint to improve freshwater quality. It also sets out a new approach to the Māori/Crown relationship that will acknowledge Māori interests in fair access to water to develop their land.

“We acknowledge that Māori have rights and interests in freshwater, and we are committed to a substantive discussion on how to address these interests by taking practical steps to address constraints on Māori land development,” Kelvin Davis said......
See full article HERE

'No one owns freshwater'
The Government's position is that no one owns freshwater - it belongs to everyone, and we all have a guardianship role to look after it.

But the Government says it also recognises Maori have interests in water rights.

A Cabinet Paper released on Maori/Crown relations acknowledges Maori "aspirations" include governance and decision-making, recognition of iwi/hapu relationship with water bodies and the use of water for economic development.

The Government's position is that no one owns freshwater - it belongs to everyone, and we all have a guardianship role to look after it.

But the Government says it also recognises Maori have interests in water rights.

A Cabinet Paper released on Maori/Crown relations acknowledges Maori "aspirations" include governance and decision-making, recognition of iwi/hapu relationship with water bodies and the use of water for economic development.....
See full article HERE

Te Patukirikiri sign Deed of Settlement
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little has announced Te Patukirikiri signed a Deed of Settlement with the Crown in Thames.

“The Deed, settling the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Te Patukirikiri, includes a Crown apology, agreed historical account and redress for historical breaches of the Treaty and was signed yesterday,” says Andrew.

“The settlement package includes a total value of $3 million in financial and commercial redress and the return of several sites of cultural significance to Te Patukirikiri.......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

7  October  2018

Te Kawerau ā Maki to launch Treaty claim over Govt's 'failure' to combat kauri dieback
An Auckland iwi is planning to launch a new Treaty claim over the Government's "failure" to stop the spread of kauri dieback.

Te Kawerau ā Maki has been at the forefront of the battle to contain the disease over the past decade. The iwi placed a protective rāhui on the entire forested area of the Waitākere Ranges last December.

But Te Kawerau is about to begin proceedings in the Waitangi Tribunal, alleging the Crown has failed to protect taonga kauri, and by extension, the iwi.

"Waitākere Forest is very strongly linked to the well-being and identity of Te Kawerau ā Maki so if this forest goes everything about Te Kawerau goes with it," says executive manager Edward Ashby.....
See full article HERE

Māori women effectively working for free for the rest of the year
"Māori women’s work, both paid and unpaid has upheld New Zealand’s economy and society forever, but has been undervalued and ignored by Pākehā leadership and measurement systems since colonisation. The continued undervaluing of Māori women’s place in society is made visible in this massive and unfair imbalance in pay."

"It’s neither fair nor right that Māori women receive such low pay, and it is also a Te Tiriti o Waitangi issue......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

6  October  2018

Tribe keeps investors and agents out of Hamilton development
Investors and real estate agents need not apply as Waikato-Tainui builds 50 houses in Hamilton.

From next week, the iwi will take expressions of interest from tribal members looking to get a foot on the rung at its Te Kaarearea​development.

A statement from Waikato-Tainui said "no investors or agents".

Waikato-Tainui chief executive Donna Flavell said the rejuvenation of the area will open the door for tribal members to enter the real estate market.

"It's more than just a house," Flavell said. "It's about building the well-being of our tribal members consistent with our long-term strategy - Whakatupuranga 2050.....
See full article HERE

Te Rau Matatini Advocating for the Māori Voice
With Māori mental health and addiction having wide-reaching challenges, there is a high level of concern from Māori about whether the courage for the transformational changes to improve Māori wellbeing will indeed be articulated clearly in the final report.

Given the Coalition’s Government election promises of open government and transparency, Te Rau Matatini are hoping that there will be no restrictions imposed on access to the information that in its due course will influence how the report is written especially for Māori.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

5  October  2018

Māori significance first priority in new road names in New Plymouth
Tangata whenua will get the first say on new road names in New Plymouth under new council criteria.

On Tuesday an update to the Road Naming and Numbering Policy was passed at a New Plymouth District Council meeting, setting out who decides on new road names and how these would be prioritised.

First preference will be given to a site, area or name of cultural or historical significance to tangata whenua, followed by significance to local communities, both of which require evidence.....
See full article HERE

New Pro Vice-Chancellor (Māori) at University of Auckland
Professor Cindy Kiro (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine) has been appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor (Māori) at the University of Auckland. She takes over from Jim Peters who has been in the position since 2006.

“I am very excited to be taking this role and having the opportunity to influence strategy at a university of such importance, at such a critical time,” says Professor Kiro.

She will use her role to reinforce work already being done to give Māori the confidence to choose university as an option where their culture will be recognised and they can build on academic achievements......
See full article HERE

Māori over-represented in prisons due to colonisation - report
A new report reveals most Māori believe their over-representation in our prisons is a direct result of colonisation and racism - and experts agree.

More than 900 Māori people participated in a 28-question online survey as part of research conducted by ActionStation and the University of Otago.

Those results were combined with interviews with seven experts and data from previous studies. Supervisors also attended the Safe and Effective Justice Summit in August to gather data for the report.

The results are a damning indictment of the prison system and its impact on Māori......
See full article HERE

Auckland Transport called out over poster appearing to reference Treaty of Waitangi
An Auckland Transport poster accused of bringing the year the Treaty of Waitangi was signed into "disrepute" has been discontinued.

The poster campaign launched this year reinforced there was no excuse for not having a ticket or tagged-on hop card, and included messages like "yeah right" or "aliens stole my ticket".

One poster used the caption, "I'm time-travelling, my ticket is back in 1840'".

A member of the public raised concerns about the poster with the Independent Maori Statutory Board (IMSB), and chief executive Brandi Hudson sought an explanation from AT.

In a meeting this week, the IMSB said it considered AT was "bringing the year the Treaty [of Waitangi] was signed into disrepute and possibly perceived as questioning the legitimacy of settlements"......
See full article HERE

Higher rates of serious injuries for Māori
Māori had significantly higher rates of serious non-fatal injuries from motor-vehicle crashes relative to the total population in 2017. The rate of 67.8 injuries per 100,000 people for Māori is 67 percent greater than the rate for the total population.

There was an even greater difference for injuries from assaults, with a rate of 37.0 serious injuries per 100,000 people for Māori, compared with 12.6 for the total population.

In contrast, the rate of serious injuries from falls was much lower for Māori – 49.5 injuries per 100,000 people, compared with 109.2 for the total population. However, injuries from falls have been generally increasing for Māori since 2009.....
See full article HERE

Council supports East Taranaki land forming part of Ngāti Maru treaty settlement
Plans for a block of rural land to be used in an iwi Treaty settlement have won support.

Purangi Domain, Tarata Domain and the bush area of the Tarata Cemetery, not used for cemetery purposes, all remote rural areas in east Taranaki, have been offered by the Crown to form part of the Ngāti Maru treaty settlement.

At Tuesday's meeting of the New Plymouth District Council, ​deputy mayor Richard Jordan said the iwi had met with the community and there had been a positive result.

"The outcome was well understood and accepted by all."....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

3  October  2018

Iwi to partake in Kaituna River management
Taking care of the river which flows from Lake Rotoiti to Maketū is key for the Iwi group responsible for its welfare.

Chairman of Te Maru o Kaituna created the document and says, “We have been alienated from our waterways for over two centuries we need to get back in there, they were fine went we owned them out-right we are having to come back and clean them up that's the reality.”

In June, Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority which is made up of all Iwi who have connections to the river launched the Kaituna River Document which looks at protecting the river.

Bay of Plenty Māori regional councillor, Arapeta Tahana, says the document sets a precedence.....
See full article HERE

Captain Cook statue to be relocated
Local iwi in Gisborne are welcoming a decision by the Gisborne District Council to remove a statue of Captain Cook from the top of their ancestral mountain Titirangi.

Speaking on behalf of local iwi Ngāti Oneone, Barney Tupara says, “Since long ago the subtribes and tribes have disagreed with this statue being here on our mountain on Titirangi.”.....
See full article HERE

Don Brash raises concerns about Massey University's Treaty plans
As Massey University takes bold steps to become the first Treaty-led university in New Zealand, Don Brash has raised concerns any criticism of Māori may not be tolerated at the institute.

Massey's new strategy, referred to as Tiriti-led, was endorsed by the institution's leadership last year to implement Treaty of Waitangi principles, the Māori language and cultural practices into its core business.

The plan is being managed by under-fire vice-chancellor Jan Thomas alongside respected scientist and Māori community leader, Dr Charlotte Severne, assistant vice-chancellor Māori and Pasifika.......
See full article HERE

Māori ask NZ First who decides 'Kiwi values'
What are New Zealand values?

That is the question being asked by Māori who are concerned values important to Māori and other minorities could be trampled on if New Zealand First gets its way.

New Zealand First has determined those values include gender equality, freedom of religion, and respect for different races and ethnicities.

But a lecturer from the School of Māori Studies at University of Waikato, Arama Rata, says its proposed Respecting New Zealand Values bill raises a number of concerns, especially from a Māori perspective.

"As a treaty partner, Māori should be involved in defining New Zealand values yet this bill is an encroachment on our values of respecting people and of building mutually beneficial relationships."

Dr Rata said imposing values on people through law sounds a lot like what happened to Māori when they were colonised.....
See full article HERE

Chapman Tripp
To promote the use of te reo Māori greetings and sign-offs in client correspondence the firm has also updated our letter-head template to include Māori greetings and acknowledgements, with drop-down boxes of relevant translations and descriptions to assist staff when using them.

Chapman Tripp will continue to offer te reo Māori classes to our people in our three offices at beginner and intermediate level, and is also considering a formal Māori language policy that would include our 450+ staff having a fundamental knowledge of Te Reo in the near future....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

2  October  2018

University of Auckland to quit $80m Epsom campus by 2020
Māori tribes are keen to buy Auckland University's prime $80 million Epsom campus when the university's education faculty leaves the site in 2020.

The 15ha Epsom site, which has been used as a teachers' training college since 1926, is likely to be sold subject to a right of first refusal granted to the original Māori tribes of the area under a 2014 Treaty of Waitangi settlement.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust deputy chairman Ngarimu Blair said it was too early to say whether any of the tribes would buy it, but they were keen in principle.

"The University of Auckland has long been aware of Ngāti Whātua's desire to 're-acquire' as much of its former estate as possible," he said by email........
See full article HERE

Iwi-based remand scheme for young Northland offenders
A new remand service will be launched in Northland for young offenders whose crimes are serious enough for them to be locked up while awaiting trial.

The pilot service, called Mahuru, aims to keep youth out of jail by putting them into caregiver homes with wrap-around social and justice services, and a strong emphasis on tikanga Ngāpuhi.

''Where possible we want to connect young people with their cultural and tribal identity to reignite being Māori and Ngāpuhi is a positive thing.''.....
See full article HERE

New kaupapa Māori approach for high-risk youth offenders
In a new report Maiea Te Tūruapō, Fulfilling the Vision by the office, Commissioner Andrew Becroft argues for the new homes to run in partnership with iwi and Māori organisations and follow a kaupapa Māori approach.

Becroft says almost two-thirds of the 6,300 children and young people in state care identify as Māori.

"The revised Oranga Tamariki Act is very clear that these tamariki Māori have the right to access care services designed specifically for them," he says.

"Iwi and Māori organisations should be fully resourced to respond to the needs of their own children and young people, to develop what is best for them, drawing on Oranga Tamariki's advice and support when required.”.....
See full article HERE

State care of children needs Māori approach after 'colonising process' - Children's Commissioner
New Zealand's care and protection system needs a Māori world view with two-thirds of the children in state care Māori, according to Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft.

Mr Becroft told TVNZ1's Breakfast the system needed a complete turnaround as it currently had a European view with Māori add-ons despite the majority of the children in care being Māori.

"Particularly given the huge over-representation of Māori in the system it just about needs a Māori world view as its basis," he said.

"We’ve really got a European world view with Māori add-ons, we’ve got a really strong case for turning that around completely.

"I guess you could say there’s never been anywhere in the world that I know of where an indigenous community has prospered and flourished when there’s been a colonising process."

"Now that's a controversial word, colonising, but that’s what took place. It's never been good for indigenous peoples, especially indigenous children and I think what we’re seeing the care and protection system together with modern, systemic bias plays out in the over-representation."......
See full article HERE

Bay name alteration confirmed
The New Zealand Geographic Board Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa has confirmed the proposal to change the name of Poverty Bay to a dual name, Turanganui a Kiwa/Poverty Bay.

More than 600 submissions were made about the proposal between May 24 and August 24, after the board accepted the dual name proposal from Gisborne District Council.

Board acting chairman Anselm Haanen said 609 submissions were received, with a quarter clearly supporting the proposal.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

1  October  2018

Fish & Game council representatives to be elected unopposed in Rotorua
Lyons said one challenge on the horizon was the Indigenous Freshwater Fish Amendment Bill which he said posed a "clear and alarming threat to trout and angling".

The bill amends the 1987 Conservation Act to allow the Conservation Minister to review old regulations and protect native fish.

The bill is before Parliament and open for submissions at www.parliament.nz. Submissions close October 25.

It could see trout being part of Treaty of Waitangi settlements with iwi and opens the possibility of allowing the sale of trout.

It also allows trout and salmon to be removed from some rivers and lakes to protect native fish, Lyons said.

"We urge all anglers and hunters to get up to speed on this bill.".....
See full article HERE

Māori staff back uni vice-chancellor amid controversy
Māori staff at Massey University are backing their vice-chancellor who's under fire for cancelling a Don Brash speaking engagement.

Prof Jahnke said talking about free-speech from a Māori point of view, the context of colonisation needed to be taken into account.

"We can't talk about free speech without talking about white privilege, about white male privilege," she said......
See full article HERE

Treaty settlement nears completion for five iwi from Mahurangi to Bay of Plenty
Five closely related iwi who suffered loss from the Crown's failure to meet their Treaty obligations are one step closer to receiving reparation.

The group - Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngaati Whanaunga and Te Patukirikiri - forms the Marutūāhu Collective.

Together, the group totalled 15,000 members with interests extending from Mahurangi to the Bay of Plenty.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

30  September  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Muriel Newman 
Tribal control of the coast
“A spokesman from the local marae said, ‘…We have to put these rahui in place for protection of our culture…’

“But my response is since when did conforming to other people’s culture become compulsory? Why should those who don’t believe in spiritualism be forced to abide by the spiritual beliefs of others? Why it is now compulsory for those who are not Maori, or even Maori for that matter, to live by Maori culture? The whole thing is an absurdity, yet it is becoming the norm.”

It is an absurdity but under the Marine and Coastal Area Act, the absurdity is going to become a whole lot more common as tribal owners of the coast use rahui to keep the public away – claiming environmental protection, of course, as the excuse.

So what are the chances that tribal groups will end up in control of large tracts of our coastline?

To answer that question we need to look at the number of claims and the statutory tests.

Prior to the 3rd of April 2017 six-year deadline for submitting claims, around 50 or so had been lodged across the two pathways specified in the Act – the High Court, and Crown Engagement with the Minister of Treaty Negotiations.

However, just before the deadline, another 580 claims were submitted – 200 to the High Court and 380 for Crown engagement. As could be expected, the large number of claims increases that chance that significant portions of the coast will go under tribal control.

But, the key factor is the statutory test: have claimants used the area exclusively and continuously from 1840 to the present day without substantial interruption.

Only one case has been resolved in the High Court. Judge Mallon stated in her Customary Marine Title finding, “The evidence that has been presented of exclusive use and occupation of the Tītī Islands by Rakiura Māori from 1840 without substantial interruption is overwhelming.”

She also explained, “This makes it unnecessary to consider in detail what may or may not constitute exclusive use and occupation without substantial interruption for the purposes of s 58 of the Act.”

In other words, there has been no judicial determination, as yet, regarding the meaning of “exclusive use”.

If a literal interpretation is made, that the applicant group can be the only group to use and occupy the specified area of coastline – apart from those involved in fishing and navigation, who are excluded under section 59 (3) of the Act – then only remote areas of the coastline would qualify for tribal control.

But on the other hand, if a lenient interpretation is made, then it is likely that large areas of the coast would end up under tribal control.

In the only case of Crown Engagement to be resolved by the former Minister, the leniency of his approach was so extreme that an urgent review of his decision should be undertaken by the new Government, lest it becomes the standard for the hundreds of new claims in the pipeline.

In that case, the Minister offered a Customary Marine Title to Ngati Pahauwera for an area of coastline that they claimed to have held “exclusively” since 1840, when for over 100 years, it was used as the main route of travel and trade between the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne.

By taking a lenient approach and ignoring historical facts in favour of tribal “oral history”, the former Minister has set a dangerous precedent that could see most of the coastline go under tribal control.

If that was to occur, what would it mean?.......
Read Dr Muriel Newman’s full article HERE 
January 22, 2018

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

29  September  2018

Waitangi Tribunal 'a costly business' for claimants
Waitangi Tribunal claimants are concerned about the costs of challenging the Crown for breaching the Treaty.

Retired probation officer Tom Hemopo said it cost him and his iwi at least $10,000 to take the Department of Corrections to the tribunal twice.

There are also growing concerns about the different funding options for newer claims.

Historical claims are funded by Crown forestry rental money, which covers legal advice, research, administration and travel costs.

But the 'kaupapa' claims which have a national focus are funded through legal aid, which does not cover traditional research or the claimants' expenses......
See full article HERE

Rohe Pōtae Report breathes life into iwi
Kāwhia iwi Ngāti Hikairo hopes a landmark report from the Waitangi Tribunal will revive the tribe’s fortunes.

The iwi borders Ngāti Maniapoto and Waikato and became a member of the original King Country pact, Te Ohaki Tapu in the mid-1800s.

However, rūnanga secretary Tony Spelman says soon after it lost its lands and its rights on Kāwhia Harbour and the people dispersed in order to survive.

The tribunal found the Crown needs to restore the rangatiratanga of Te Rohe Pōtae claimants....
See full article HERE

Waka sculpture installation announced for Hamilton
Waka sculpture installation announced for Hamilton’s Ferrybank Reserve

The date is set for the installation of Hamilton’s newest public sculpture, Tōia Mai which tells the Matariki story and symbolises the cultural, spiritual and economic significance of the Waikato River.

Work has begun to install Tōia Mai, a 6.8m tall interactive sculpture, the result of the Matariki Interactive Waka Project led by artist and Wintec tutor Joe Citizen, before it is gifted to the people of Hamilton on 23 November 2018......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

28  September  2018

Māori business relationship taken to heart
The Central Economic Development Agency is sending all of its staff back to school to learn te reo.

The beginners' course in Māori language is one of the ways the agency is responding to stinging criticism of its lack of engagement with Māori businesses.

Entrepreneur Graeme Everton and Te Au Pakihi, the Māori Business Association for Manawatū and Palmerston North, bagged the agency in March for failing to recognise them as partners with significant potential to contribute to regional growth.

Agency chief executive Linda Stewart presented a report on progress to developing better relationships to the Palmerston North City and Manawatū District joint strategic committee on Wednesday......
See full article HERE

Otago prof calls for more Maori lecturers
The sole Maori academic at the University of Otago law school for two decades has voiced intense frustration at the lack of Maori lecturers across the university's different departments, saying it is a ``crisis'' that needs to be fixed.

Fewer than 6% of the university's academics are Maori, while at the last census Maori made up about 15% of New Zealand's population......
See full article HERE

Spreading te reo Māori like peanut butter
Pics Peanut Butter have translated the labelling of some of their product to te reo Māori and are donating two dollars to the Kōhanga Reo National Trust if consumers return four clean empty jars to their factory.

Pics Global Marketing Manager Nikki Neate says, “For me, it was an idea that came from- I grew up in 1970's New Zealand and didn't speak very much te reo and I've come back with two small children who speak an awful lot of it and have really embraced it as part of their everyday use. That was the original idea."

They have collaborated with the Kōhanga Reo National Trust and are donating two dollars to them for every four jars returned in hopes of supporting the revitalisation of the language.

The company produces more than $50mil worth of peanut, cashew and almond butter a year. So far, they've produced 100,000 jars with te reo labelling and are considering rolling it out on a global scale.......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

27  September  2018

Pare Hauraki iwi authorised to apply for fish farming
The Waikato is on track to establish the North Island’s first offshore fin fish farm which will be for a new commercial species – kingfish.

Waikato Regional Council has granted Pare Hauraki Kaimoana authority to apply for resource consents to occupy 240 hectares of fin fish farming space in the Firth of Thames following a tender process.

The space, known as the Coromandel Marine Farming Zone, is located about 10 kilometres offshore of Coromandel Town.

Pare Hauraki Kaimoana propose farming kingfish in the space and the authorisation means they now have two years to prepare and submit an application for the necessary resource consents......
See the full article HERE

Tekapo footbridge could be renamed in honour of late advocate
The final step before the bridge can be renamed the MacLaren Footbridge, is to get iwi approval, Mackenzie mayor Graham Smith said.

"It's a result that we're certainly happy with and it's good that iwi will be consulted, because Lake Tekapo is very important to iwi."....
See the full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

26  September  2018

Iwi's 'pain and anguish' at plan to rename Great Barrier Island
An iwi which has occupied Great Barrier Island since the 1700s is outraged another group of iwi will officially rename the island.

The island, which lies off Hauraki Gulf and about 100km north-east of Auckland, will be renamed Aotea - Great Barrier Island by a group of Hauraki iwi, based from North Auckland to Coromandel.

It is one of 52 geographic sites across the North Island being renamed as part of the Pare Hauraki treaty settlement...
See the full article HERE

TB in NZ 'is a disease of Māori and migrants'
Māori are eight times more likely to get tuberculosis than Pākehā.

New Zealand has low overall rates of tuberculosis, however Māori make up about 45 percent of the roughly 60 locally born cases each year.

International expert Philip Hill said that up to half of older Māori could carry the dormant TB infection without knowing it.

Professor Hill is assessing the feasibility of a nationwide study to identify Māori with a dormant TB infection.

"My gut feeling is that we will probably find an increasing amount of latent TB infection with increasing age.

"I would expect that between 10 and 50 percent of older Māori above the age of 50 may well be infected - but that is a wide range estimate."

"The disparities in TB are huge. This is not a disease of white people, it is a disease of colonisation. It is a disease of Māori and migrants."......
See the full article HERE

Government funding a huge boost for Rotorua
The Government announced the city will receive $27.4 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. It has set aside:

* $19.9m for the lakefront to match the $20m allocated by Council; and

* Up to $7.5m to go towards the Whakarewarewa Forest with the same amount confirmed from Council....
See the full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

25  September  2018

The Journey of Te Pūtea Matua: Our Tāne Mahuta
Te Pūtea Matua is the Māori name for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. This article presents a broad picture of Te Pūtea Matua’s heritage, role, and interdependencies both within the Bank and economy-wide.

“The establishment of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in 1934 meant the people and government of New Zealand were better able to manage the economy independent of foreign banks’ credit cycles. In that sense, and drawing on Māori mythology, the Reserve Bank became the Tāne Mahuta of New Zealand’s financial system.

“Te Pūtea Matua’s activities include issuing currency to the public, and maintaining price and institutional stability in New Zealand’s money exchange systems. Te Pūtea Matua’s roots are in its legislation. The money exchange systems and functions are its trunk, allowing the money – the sap – to flow throughout the system. The branches are the regulated financial institutions grafted onto the trunk, for their legitimacy and access to the Bank’s money and banking system......
See the full article HERE

Fight against 1080 goes to Te Taitokerau Māori Land Court
An urgent injunction has been lodged in the Māori Land Court Te Taitokerau to stop the Department of Conservation making 1080 drops over public or private land.

The injunction was accepted at the Te Taitokerau land court in Whangārei on Thursday afternoon on the grounds of the urgency of the case, said a spokesman for the applicants.

DoC has called off all planned drops until the outcome of the injunction is known, she said. DoC could not comment further while the matter was in that process.

The injunction did not specify the Northland drops but applied to the use of 1080 anywhere over Māori land in New Zealand, Ngatoki said.....
See the full article HERE

Ngāpuhi in Australia want to be a part of Treaty settlement
Māori of Ngāpuhi descent living in Australia have told Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little they do not want another generation to miss out on a Treaty settlement.

About 25,000 Ngāpuhi live in Australia and Mr Little met with some during hui in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth at the weekend.

Mr Little went with leaders from Tuhoronuku and Te Kōtahitanga - the two groups negotiating with the Crown - to lay out a proposed settlement for the country's largest iwi.

Mr Little said those he met with did not want to miss out on a settlement because they lived overseas and feared their connection with Ngāpuhi would be lost if they were not part of the redress.....
See the full article HERE

Wanganui iwi gifted forestry land by new Japanese owners
The new owners of former council forests have gifted a slice of the blocks to Whanganui iwi.

The sale of 1000ha of land and forest by Whanganui District Council to Summit Forests NZ, a subsidiary of the Japanese multinational Sumitomo Corporation, was announced this month.

The nearly $13 million deal was signed in December 2016, but had to await Overseas Investment Office approval.

Part of the deal is an announcement Summit Forests will hand over 148ha "for nil consideration once Summit has identified the appropriate iwi to receive the offer"......
See the full article HERE

Rāhui placed on Mt Ruapehu
On Saturday 22 September a hiker fell into a crater lake on Mt Ruapehu, Te Wai ā-moe, in a fatal accident.

Local iwi from the region, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangi and Uenuku, have placed a temporary rāhui on the area to acknowledge the death, show sympathy to those in mourning and to allow time for the tapu to be lifted following the death of the hiker.....
See the full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

24  September  2018

Trout Are Now in Eugenie’s Crosshairs
The NZ Outdoors Party is strongly encouraging all freshwater anglers to submit to the Environment Select Committee on the Indigenous Freshwater Fish Amendment Bill. With absolutely no consultation with Fish & Game, the Minister of Conservation has crafted a bill which could legalise the destruction of our freshwater sports fishery.

David Haynes, Co-Leader of the NZ Outdoors Party, said “This bill, as it stands enables DoC to remove our trout and salmon from particular rivers, will enable trout to be part of any future Waitangi Treaty settlements and gives DoC’s freshwater management supremacy over Fish & Game’s sports fishery management plans. All in all it’s a bloody train wreck from a Minister who seems to be more eco-fundamentalist each passing day.”

The Select Committee needs to hear from all freshwater anglers if our angling heritage and culture is to continue. Trout bashing and cultural appropriation of our freshwater sports fish is deeply offensive to the 120,000 anglers of New Zealand......
See the full article HERE

Funding boost for Māori mentors
Māori mentoring and social development organisation Te Whare Hukahuka has won a grant of $75,000 from the Community Leadership Fund - Hāpori Whakatipu to support its core operations for the next year.....
See the full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

23  September  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Muriel Newman
Tribal control of New Zealand’s coast
If anyone was hoping the election would deliver some form of reprieve from the hundreds of overlapping claims for the foreshore and seabed, resulting from National’s disastrous Marine and Coastal Area Act, they will be sorely disappointed.

The only politician to campaign for a law change was Hone Harawira, leader of the Mana Party, and he wanted Maori control of the entire coastline: “I want people to know that a vote for me is to return the foreshore and seabed into Maori hands”.

The new head of the ruling Labour Party’s Maori caucus, Willie Jackson, claims the country has moved on from the foreshore and seabed debacle: “This waffle about foreshore and seabed is exactly that. I think most of our people don’t care – that’s why they voted against the Maori Party. What’s done is done, what’s gone is gone. We will never, ever do that foreshore and seabed stuff again.”

Hone Harawira’s response to these comments was derisory: “Now you’re a dirty low down skunk. You need a kick in the @r$e for saying that our people don’t care about the foreshore and seabed being stolen. We did then, we do now and we always will”.

Between them, tribal groups have lodged almost 600 claims under the Marine and Coastal Area Act, covering every square inch of New Zealand’s coastal marine area. That’s the distance between the average spring high tide waterline and the 12 nautical mile territorial limit. Included is the airspace above the area, the water, and the subsoil, bedrock and mineral wealth below.

Altogether, almost 10 million hectares of the country’s most precious natural resources is now under claim. That’s equivalent to more than a third of the land area of New Zealand.......
Continue reading Dr Muriel Newman’s alarming NZCPR newsletter HERE
October 29, 2017

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

22  September  2018

Whitebaiters take aim at Conservation Bill
Whitebaiters from around New Zealand are joining forces with the West Coast Whitebaiters Association in a bid to have the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill thrown out of Parliament.

West Coast Whitebaiters Association president Cheryl Riley said it seemed the legislation was being "sneaked" through Parliament.

Support had rolled in from whitebaiters around the country saying the bill was flawed, with little or no consultation, and included a "racial element".

"Whitebaiters, farmers and rural communities are deeply suspicious that the bill is being sneaked through Parliament without anyone noticing," Mrs Riley, of Hokitika, said.

Commercial eel industry, flounder and mullet fishermen were also opposed, and expressed doubts about how iwi exemptions could be implemented.

Bill Chisholm, representing freshwater fishermen, said the proposed exemption for Maori under treaty settlement rights could prompt accusations of race-based legislation.....
See the full article HERE

Māori boost vital across government for prosperous Aotearoa
A former Māori Minister says the Government’s blueprint needs to acknowledge the need to tackle Māori disadvantage.

In the Prime Minister’s speech on Sunday outlining the plan for a modern and prosperous New Zealand, the only mention of Māori was a pledge to build closer partnerships in the transition to a post-settlement environment.

Sandra Lee, who was minister of conservation and associate Māori affairs in Helen Clark’s Labour Alliance Government, says the persistence of negative statistics about Māori shows that is not enough.

She says PM Jacinda Ardern should ensure all her ministers understand with every piece of policy they put through that Māori are starting from behind.

"Our people, from the time of colonisation, have been put in a place where we are disadvantaged such that we are always behind the eight ball and prime ministers have to make it very clear as they govern to their fellow ministers one size does not fit all when it comes to Māori, and every minister in her Government does something about it quickly," Ms Lee says.

The Government also needs to monitor whether the benefits of treaty settlements are reaching the people the claims are based on, rather than merely creating a new tribal corporate elite.....
See the full article HERE

Māori tax rate to stay
Tax rates on Māori authorities are likely to remain the same following a review.

The interim report of the Tax Working Group led by former finance minister Sir Michael Cullen says the 17.5 percent rate reflects the most common marginal tax rate of the economic owners of Māori authorities....
See the full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

21  September  2018

Landmark Case Will Reshape Dealings With Iwi Interests
Monday’s Supreme Court decision will reshape expectations on central Government, local Government and the Waitangi Tribunal on their approach to dealing with iwi interests, Chapman Tripp says.

The decision allows Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei to continue to argue their legal rights as mana whenua in the Tāmaki isthmus and continues to establish the place of tikanga in the common law of New Zealand, Chapman Tripp’s Hoa Rangapū Whakarae (chief executive partner) Nick Wells said.

“There are three key outcomes of this decision – first, the setting of the precedent that Crown conduct in negotiating Treaty settlements is judicially reviewable. Secondly, this case paves the way for it be easier to challenge ministers’ decisions. Thirdly, the rights of iwi should be considered when central or local Government deal with them. This third outcome becomes more interesting as the place of tikanga in the law continues to develop.”.....
See the full article HERE

Court finds jail term discount for deprivation, Māori background was fair
The High Court has upheld a judge's decision to discount an offender's jail sentence by a third because of her Māori cultural background and deprivation, despite opposition from the Solicitor-General.

The discount was given to Rachael Heta by Judge Soana Moala after she pleaded guilty to two charges of causing grievous bodily harm and one of common assault earlier this year.....
See the full article HERE

New Zealand's school-taught colonial history is racist and needs changing, say teachers
Underlying racism is dictating how New Zealand's history is being taught in schools, members of the Māori Affairs Select Committee have heard.

It's up to schools how much colonial history is taught but teachers have called on the Government to change the way the country's children are taught our histories to better represent Māori.....
See the full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

20  September  2018

Jackson calls for 'fundamental mind-shift' on Treaty consultation
Maōri intellectual property expert Moana Jackson has reservations whether Māori can have faith in the process.

This follows on the back off a delegate’s conference comment that the Māori experience of consultation can sometimes resemble “consult, insult, assault.”

“The Treaty relationship doesn’t talk about consultation. Treaty parties don’t consult- they negotiate, they reach agreement and as long as the Crown is wedded to the idea ‘oh, we’re fulling our Treaty obligations if we consult with Māori' then they’re beginning again from the wrong place.”

“One doesn’t go to the other and say ‘this is what we’re going to do, what do you think?’ and then, as often happens in the consultation process, then ignores what our people say anyways,” he says.

Jackson believes a complete reset of approach is required.

"So, that’s one of those fundamental mind-shifts that has to happen and I’m not sure that the government has got there yet. It still believes it has that superior right to make the final decision.".....
See full article HERE

New Māori unit 'more focused' - Kelvin Davis
Crown Maori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis is adamant a new unit being set up to oversee the public services' work with Māori doesn't duplicate what the existing ministry is doing.

The National Party yesterday described the mandate for the newly-announced Office for Māori-Crown Relations as "vague and unnecessary".

The new agency, Te Arawhiti, announced yesterday, was created to ensure the government met its Treaty of Waitangi obligations.

Mr Davis said the agency was the next step in the Treaty relationship, moving beyond the settlement of Treaty grievances into "what it means to work together in partnerships"......
See full article HERE

Tribunal hearing to address Māori health inequity
An Alaskan model of healthcare that gives patients more say in their treatment could be an answer to poor Moari health, says a Kaumatua who will present his case at a major Waitangi Tribunal hearing in Ngāruawāhia next month.

More than 170 groups are set to converge at Tūrangawaewae Marae for the three-week long hearing.

Claimants, including Huntly kaumātua Taitimu Maipi, contend that the Crown's failure to address Māori health inequity is a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi.......
See full article HERE

Kāpiti and Porirua mayors keen for Transmission Gully gateway project
Māori carvings or a feature gateway could be built on Transmission Gully if the Porirua and Kāpiti mayors get their way.

As work continues on the $630 million expressway, a prime spot for artwork marking the border of Porirua City and the Kāpiti Coast is being decided on.

The Wainui Saddle on the hill above Paekākāriki has been identified as a possible location for the project, Kāpiti Coast mayor K Gurunathan said......
See full article HERE

Group reviving Māori games scoops top community award
A Northland group with a worldwide reach working to promote traditional Māori games has won this year's Trustpower Far North Community Awards.

KaiMatariki Trust, founded by PE teacher turned Māori games exponent Harko Brown, scooped the supreme award in last night's awards at the Copthorne Hotel in Waitangi.....
See full article HERE

Fusing contemporary Māori cuisine with the richness of te reo
Wāina flowed and waiata were sung, but kai was the show-stopper at an Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) event celebrating te reo and Māori cuisine.

On the menu were tītī (muttonbird), kōura (fresh water crayfish) and dishes infused with kawakawa.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

19  September  2018

Government announces new Māori Crown relations agency - Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti
The Government has announced the creation of new Māori Crown relations agency after New Zealand First objected to the first proposal for one.

The new unit, the Office for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti [the bridge,] does not have the word partnership in its title.

It is understood that New Zealand First objected to "partnership" being in the title of the agency and the portfolio of the relevant minister, Kelvin Davis, as was originally proposed.

But the new agency puts "Māori" first in the title ahead of "Crown" in both the name of the agency and in the title of the portfolio. He was previously the Minister for Crown Māori Relations......
See full article HERE

Board congratulates Aucklanders on Te Reo Māori success
The Independent Māori Statutory Board is congratulating Aucklanders for getting behind Te Wiki o Te Reo (Māori Language Week) and showing their support for te reo Māori.

Through its efforts to make city signage bi-lingual, many Aucklanders are feeling great pride in their city’s unique point of difference which the Māori language and culture highlight.”

Mr Taipari said he looks forward to the day when te reo is not just a weekly event once a year but an alternative language used every day by everyone.

“As each year passes, as a city we are a little further ahead with te reo in terms of its active and visible use but we need to keep the momentum going as the opportunities for the use of te reo is limitless. Including te reo announcements on buses, trains, and ferries, reinstating customary names and Māori names for new roads, railway stations, and bilingual wayfinding are easy examples of how te reo can be normalised.” David Taipari said.....
See full article HERE

Doctoral theses in Māori: Advice for universities
Standard university policies in Aotearoa-New Zealand allow for any essay or dissertation to be submitted in te reo Māori as an official language, given suitable assessment arrangements are made. Alongside other equity developments in tertiary education for Māori, such as university marae, Wānanga, and immersion-Māori teaching degree programmes, this language policy aims to support national aspirations for our first language as well as Māori aspirations for higher education and research.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

18  September  2018

Maori Climate Commissioner Announced
The Chairman on the Māori Carbon Foundation, Sir Mark Solomon, has announced the establishment of an Office of the Māori Climate Commissioner (OMCC) to provide independent Māori-focused research and advice that will contribute to Aotearoa meeting its obligations under the 2015 Paris Agreement on greenhouse-gas-emissions (to reduce emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030).

The Commissioner would provide research and advice based on a Māori world view, and be available to Māori, to politicians, government agencies, media, other New Zealanders, and to the global community.

Sir Mark said he was proud to announce that the inaugural Maori Climate Commissioner would be Donna Awatere Huata, of Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Porou, Ngati Hine and Nga Puhi descent.....
See full article HERE

Plant variety rights consultation starts
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi today announced the start of public consultation on New Zealand’s plant variety rights law, which regulates intellectual property protection over new plant varieties.

“At the same time, I want to ensure our plant variety rights regime strikes the right balance between the interests of rights holders, Māori, farmers and growers, consumers and our wider economy so New Zealand gains maximum benefit from the regime while meeting our international and Treaty of Waitangi obligations.”

“Ensuring the plant variety rights regime includes adequate protection and recognition of Māori interests in the regime will be an important outcome of this review.”....
See full article HERE

New Wellington social housing site completed
Te Mara apartments - 104 new social housing units built by Wellington City Council - were blessed in a dawn ceremony today (Monday 17 September).

The units - ranging between one and four bedrooms - occupy part of the former Arlington Apartments site in Mount Cook, the Council’s largest social housing site.

Mayor Justin Lester joined representatives of local iwi, Taranaki Whanui ki te Upoko o te Ika, in a blessing of the site.

The iwi gifted the name Te Mara to the site, meaning the food gardens.....
See full article HERE

Māori killed and charged in police pursuits more than any other group
Police figures show Māori make up more than half of people warned or charged following police pursuits.

And as more Māori die as a result, police pursuits are being called 'Māori death chases'.

In less than four years, police have chased more than 10,000 fleeing cars on our roads.

But when it comes to punishing them - Māori make up 54 percent of those who are warned or charged.

That's despite making up just 15 percent of the population.....
See full article HERE

Māori intellectual property hui welcomed
Whakatū marae welcomed close to 200 Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho delegates at a pōwhiri in Nelson yesterday afternoon, opening a conference that's an important 'wellness' check on Māori intellectual, cultural and property rights.

The 'Our Past, Our Future, Our Legacy' conference comes 26 years after WAI-262 was lodged in the Waitangi Tribunal and 7 years since the Tribunal released its ’Ko Aotearoa Tēnei’ report on this indigenous flora and fauna claim.....
See full article HERE

Winston Peters renews his push for referendum on future of Māori seats
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has reiterated his intent to push for a referendum on the future of the Māori seats in Parliament.

Mr Peters told SKY News Australia New Zealand does not need separate Māori seats, and never has.

"The principle reason why I'm for a single franchise is that Māori don't need the molly coddling of this paternalistic attitude which, unfortunately, Māori have now adopted," Mr Peters said.....
See full article HERE

E Ihowā Atua only to be sung at Tall Blacks match tonight
The New Zealand national anthem will be solely sung in Te Reo Māori at the Tall Blacks top of the table clash with Lebanon in Rotorua tonight.

FIBA rules allow only one minute for a teams pre-game ritual, with most teams meeting that requirement with their anthem. New Zealand is the only nation in the FIBA competition to be granted an additional minute for their haka, Tū Kaha O Pango Te Kahikatea. Yet the additional time is not enough for the Tall Blacks to complete both versions of the anthem and their haka, with proceedings running overtime and into the three minute countdown to tip-off.....
See full article HERE

Catholic church applies for court order to trespass protesters from Hato Pētera College
The Catholic Diocese has gone to court to evict a group occupying the grounds of Auckland's Hato Pētera College.

The college, Auckland's last Māori Catholic boarding school, closed in August after its roll dwindled to just one student.

Descendants of the original landowners erected flags and signage at the site in August, calling for the diocese to return the land, and have been living at the marae on the grounds.....
See full article HERE

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Welcomes Landmark Supreme Court Ruling
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust has today welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling that Crown decisions regarding the transfer of land as part of proposed Treaty of Waitangi settlements can be judicially reviewed.

The case, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust v Attorney-General, Ngāti Paoa Iwi Trust and Marutūāhu Rōpū Ltd, was heard by the Supreme Court on 14 and 15 May in Wellington.

Today the Court released its decision in favour of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

17  September  2018

New campaign to attract te reo Māori teachers
A new te reo Māori advertisement on TV this week aims to grow the number of additional teachers New Zealand needs, with real stories about what motivates teachers and gives meaning to their work.

In what is a fitting tribute to Te Wiki o te Reo Māori | Māori Language Week, this commercial is one of the first to be aired on mainstream TV entirely in te reo Māori, without subtitles.

Ministry of Education Associate Deputy Secretary Pauline Cleaver says the Ministry has taken this approach to underline the importance of our Māori language......
See full article HERE

Wellington's te reo Maori waterfront lagoon name highlighted
Confusion about the name of Wellington’s waterfront lagoon will be no more, with Whairepo Lagoon now etched into the landscape.

The man-made landmark by Frank Kitts Park was officially named Whairepo Lagoon in 2015, but the name is not widely known.

Deputy Mayor Jill Day is excited to see the name permanently recognised. "Our new te reo Maori policy, Te Tauihu, is not just about new ideas, events and names, but about acknowledging the past and the existing Maori contributions in our city.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

16  September  2018

Auckland University normalises te reo through new policy
Auckland University has launched a new policy ensuring that competent staff are available to assess students in te reo Māori.

New Zealand's top university is making a stand to protect and encourage the use of te reo Māori.

Dr. Tauwehe Tāmati says the University is committed to ensuring that competent staff are available to assess work submitted either fully or partially in te reo Māori. 

Co-President of Auckland University's Ngā Tauira Māori, Mamaeroa Merito says, "There are going to be procedures put in place so that when we submit assignments, essays or examinations in Māori that there will be competent staff to deal with that."

The new policy aims to promote and encourage tikanga Māori and recognise te reo as a valued skill. Tāmati says that it gives everyone the opportunity to speak Māori....
See full article HERE 

Kerikeri Kindergarten kids embrace Te Wiki o te Reo Māori To mark Te Wiki o te Reo Māori some of Northland's youngest language learners took to the main street of Kerikeri to show off their kapa haka skills on Thursday.

The children, aged 3 and 4, performed two 15-minute brackets featuring classic action songs such as Tutira Mai Ngā Iwi as well as kid-friendly songs like Tutu the Taniwha....
See full article HERE

Waipā discovery centre likely to be named Te Ara Wai, The Path of Memories
The long discussed Waipā discovery centre in Te Awamutu will be known as Te Ara Wai, The Path of Memories.

That was agreed upon by the governance committee in a meeting at Waipā District Council on September 11.

It was Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, so there was a lot of te reo spoken around the table, particularly in the case of Ngāti Raukawa's Paraone Gloyne.

He spoke exclusively in te reo via translator Jillian Tipene.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

15  September  2018

Govt plans elite mātauranga Māori school for youth
An elite Māori language school to be piloted in 2020 will invest in youth excelling in te ao Māori.

Te Kawa Matakura will develop a qualification for students to formally recognise distinction in te reo and tikanga.

Associate Minister of Māori Education Kelvin Davis says the school will focus on tikanga, reo and Māori leadership skills. It is estimated 20 students will be selected for the $2.8mil pilot through an application process or nomination by iwi and kura.

"This will support a new level of education within Maōri culture that will help create a new elite who will fill the roles on our paepae."....
See full article HERE

Wellington eyes flock of te reo reserve names
Wellington City Council is embracing Te Wiki o te reo Māori by proposing to name several new reserves after native birds.

The City Strategy Committee will be asked to approve the names of 17 reserves in Churton Park, Newlands, Tawa and Aro Valley when it next meets on September 20.

Four of the names are of European origin, recognising local identities, and the remaining 13 are Māori.

“The communities involved have embraced te reo Māori for their reserves,” says Wellington Mayor Justin Lester. “Where there are areas of significance to iwi we have adopted the suggested name, and for most of the names in Stebbings Valley native birds have shone through.....
See full article HERE

Hauraki District Council embraces Te Wiki o te Reo Maori
“To celebrate and acknowledge Te Wiki o te Reo Maori we’ve set a goal to encourage and grow our te reo skills, not just during Maori Language week, but on an ongoing basis,” says Chief Executive Langley Cavers.

From this week, public toilet sings at Ohinemuri Park, Karangahake Reserve, Ngatea Main Street and Waihi’s Victoria Park, will sport bilingual headings.

Over time this will be extended to other Council signs throughout the district. Email signatures will also be changed to include te reo job titles, and staff will be encouraged and supported to practice speaking te reo with each other and with customers where they can.....
See full article HERE

Chapman Tripp supports Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)
“Chapman Tripp has long been an advocate of cultivating Māori culture and keeping the language strong. We offer Te Reo classes in all three of our offices, all of which are fully subscribed, and our Te Waka Ture (Māori legal) group work closely with our people across the firm to promote the use of Te Reo.

“Chapman Tripp is also currently considering a formal Te Reo Māori policy – with the intent that a fundamental level of Te Reo should be able to be used by everyone across the firm in dealing with our clients and staff....
See full article HERE

Kaupapa approach used to curb forestry deaths
A kaupapa approach to a health and safety programme for forestry workers in Tairawhiti has helped people speak up about dangers at work.

A blessing now takes place before trees are felled, and visitors are greeted with a formal Maori welcome as a result of the programme......
See full article HERE

Ngāpuhi iwi living in Australia to have their say on treaty negotiations
Members of a Māori iwi living in Australia will be able to have their say on a major negotiation between their people and the New Zealand Crown.

Senior Government Minister Andrew Little will travel across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth next week as part of the Government's talks with members of Northland's Ngāpuhi.

He's been travelling New Zealand to speak with Ngāpuhi members as part of historical redress settlement talks - which may be worth as much as $300 million.....
See full article HERE

Study to examine why Māori are more likely to die from heart disease
A new health research project will look at why Māori are twice as likely to die from heart disease than non-Māori.

Dr Anna Rolleston from the Tauranga Centre of Health has been awarded a $150,000 research grant by the Heart Foundation.

She will be joined on the project by Erina Korohina of Toi Tangata - an agency which helps to develop kaupapa Māori-based approaches to health.....
See full article HERE

Whanau Ora challenges financial stranglehold
A west Auckland community leader says if five percent of state spending was channelled through Whanau Ora, Maori could fix their problems in a decade.

The former Labour MP says Governments of both left and right have taken a mean-spirited approach to funding Maori and anger will inevitably build......
See full article HERE

Bilingual signs will become more commonplace around Porirua soon.
A commitment has been made to put up signs in both Māori and English around the city, with the approach part of Porirua City Council’s partnership with Ngati Toa, and celebrating the city’s diversity and culture.

Ngāti Toa kaumatua Taku Parai says seeing signage around Porirua in Māori will be incredibly pleasing and recent increase in the use Te Reo in everyday life – not just Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori – shows a shift in attitude to becoming bilingual......
See full article HERE

McDonald's employee told off for speaking Māori vindicated as it changes policy
"They're allowing me and all Māori-speaking employees to speak Māori to staff and customers. I'm absolutely stoked."

Since then McDonald's New Zealand has reviewed its policy to allow all employees to speak all three official languages of New Zealand including Māori, English and Sign Language.

McDonald's Hamilton stores are planning to offer a bilingual menu to customers......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

14  September  2018

New council sub-committee to engage with Te Ao Māori
A Te Ao Māori sub-committee is to be established at the Marlborough District Council to help with iwi representation.

The council first flagged the need for Te Ao Māori representation as part of this year's long-term plan, which was approved on June 28.

It originally planned to engage a Te Ao Māori cultural advisor to assist the council with their interactions with Te Ao Māori, or the Māori world......
See full article HERE

Gisborne port authorities disappointed in iwi appeal
The port authorities in Gisborne have expressed disappointment over an appeal planned against expanded facilities for the export of logs.

They said they needed to rebuild 60-year-old wharves and reshape a derelict 1920s-era slipway to cope with a wall of wood coming from nearby forests.

But resource consent granted to allow this to happen looks set to be challenged in the Environment Court.

Port managers won resource consent for the work, but an iwi collective has said it planned to appeal the case to the Environment Court.

The iwi objectors could not be reached for comment......
See full article HERE

Māori academics 'isolated' and lacking in numbers
Māori academics are few and far between with the latest figures showing Māori make up less than 5 percent of all university academics in New Zealand.

The latest figures from the Ministry of Education show there were 495 Māori academics compared with more than 10,000 non-Māori last year.

Indigenous studies expert, Dr Joanna Kidman, from Victoria University, said for Māori academics, universities could be very isolating places.

"Often when academics are wanting to raise issues about Māori concerns or bringing mātauranga Māori into courses at the universities, sometimes we're kind of met with blank stares."

She said racism was a common experience too......
See full article HERE

Māori tourism leaders added to industry body
Two leaders in the Māori tourism sector have been appointed to the board of Tourism New Zealand.

Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis says he as was looking for people with commercial tourism experience, particularly in the regions, a connection to Māori tourism operators, and strong financial acumen.

He also reappointed John Thorburn, Jamie Tuuta, and Jan Hunt for various terms, and extended the term of chair Kerry Prendergast to next March while future changes are considered.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

13  September  2018

Descendants of original landowners demand Hato Pētera College be returned
The school's future is now uncertain, but the church is exploring education options for the now-defunct Northcote school, including a student hostel at the site.

But Kotahitanga Movement Aotearoa spokesman Reti Hohaia Netana Boynton said the school site should be returned to them.

Boynton said the land was gifted to The Catholic Diocese of Auckland in 1850 to be used to educate Māori children under a 90-year lease.

"So because they've broken the agreement, we want our land back," he said, referring to the Ministry of Education's decision to close the school last week......
See full article HERE

National challenges new Broadcast Minister to be inclusive of Māori
National's Māori Development spokesman Nuk Korako says former Minister Clare Curran failed to include Māori on her public media advisory panel and that Faafoi should step up and put this right.

Faafoi wants a thriving media sector- so what is expected for Māori?

"It's pretty early days so getting my head around where the dynamics of where the Māori media are at is one of my priorities working alongside the likes of Nanaia Mahuta," he says......
See full article HERE

Baby grabbing a colonial abuse
The growing numbers of wāhine Māori in prisons is likely to be one of the main topics for discussion at a Māori criminal justice summit in November.

It will also challenge a system that continues to affect Maori from birth, such as the way Oranga Tamariki preemptively take babies because they consider the mothers to be a risk.

"Mums are imprisoned while they are pregnant. Some give birth in prison and keep their babies until a certain age when they are taken away from them because they are 'bad mums' in prison, and I think that is a gross abuse of colonising power," Mr Jackson says.......
See full article HERE

Victoria University sponsors Te Matatini
Victoria University of Wellington has announced that they will be one of the sponsors for Te Matatini next February.

Te Matatini is a world-class event where forty-five kapa haka teams will vie for the title of the best kapa haka in the world......
See full article HERE

ANZ bank kicks off te reo classes
ANZ has kicked off their free te reo Māori classes this week in celebration of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori.

More than 100 people attended the class on Monday at the ANZ Centre hosted by Precious Clark from Te Kaa, a Māori cultural competency programme.

Clark says she wants people to have the opportunity to experience the “magic” of te reo Māori......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

12  September  2018

Māori succeeding in Parliament just fine without need to entrench seats
Already most of us Māori in the House today are here not through the Māori seats, but through general electorate seats and because our parties back us to be here as of merit.

And our representation in the House today did not require the entrenchment of the Māori seats.

And our continuing representation in the House will not require the entrenchment of the Māori seats......
See full article HERE

High School with compulsory te reo Māori classes welcomes PM
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern kicked off Māori Language week by visiting Wellington High School, which has already made te reo Māori a compulsory subject.

The initiative starts at enrolment for Year 9 students.

When asked whether making te reo Māori a core subject was the same as compulsory, Ardern says “Well, we are trying to integrate the language into primary and intermediate and early childhood education so that will be by default part of that curriculum that is already being learnt and will continue to be learnt.".....
See full article HERE

BNZ launches digital banking in Te Reo Māori with a twist
BNZ customers can now switch their mobile and on-line banking to Te Reo. In a new initiative aimed at helping budding Te Reo speakers, BNZ has added a twist to the website’s Te Reo function by adding a “learning mode” where both English and Te Reo translations sit side-by-side.....
See full article HERE

Bilingual bins ensure no words wasted
Yesterday Waste Management NZ Limited launched the country’s first bilingual (Te Reo Māori/ English) waste bin labels in Gisborne.

Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon welcomed the launch by joining the Waste Management NZ team at a special assembly at Kaiti School where principal Billie-Jean Potaka Ayton had worked on the translations of 10 different types of waste bins into te reo.

Waste Management Manager Lower North Island, David Howie says, “The mayor's attendance at today's launch is greatly appreciated and we are delighted he backs this initiative."

The launch of the labels coincides with Māori Language Week and they are available to Waste Management NZ residential and commercial bins in Gisborne.....
See full article HERE

More Auckland parks and places to get Māori names
More Auckland parks will get Māori names after councillors today passed support for a programme of telling the stories of Tāmaki and increasing the visibility of te reo and Māori culture and history.

The decision to endorse Te Kete Rukuruku includes the Māori naming of parks and places and in principle the inclusion of regional parks and cemeteries.

It is expected that, in most cases, Māori naming will be dual naming, meaning a Māori name is added to the existing name to enrich the stories about that place, while not taking away from a current name......
See full article HERE

Report: Government failing te reo in schools
“New funding of over $13 million in Budget 2018 was made available for a package of initiatives to better deliver te reo Māori education.

The main focus of the spending is improving the capability of school teachers to speak and teach te reo Māori, which will be directly mostly at English-medium school teachers.

"The best learning occurs when there is a mutually supportive relationship between the learner's whanau and the teachers."

A further $20m was allocated in the Budget to increase the supply of teachers, including Māori medium and te reo Māori teachers”.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

11  September  2018

Jacinda Ardern announces plans for Crown-Māori Partnership Office
The Government has outlined plans for a Crown-Māori Partnership portfolio and agreed to the establishment of a new agency to support the Crown to be a better Treaty partner, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Crown-Māori Partnership Minister Kelvin Davis have announced today.

The portfolio would be renamed from Crown-Māori Relations to Crown-Maori Partnership to better reflect the purpose and importance of the portfolio, Ardern said.

"Earlier this year at Waitangi I said as we needed to start thinking as a nation about what our relationship looks like beyond the Treaty negotiating table.

"Settlements are not the end of our relationship or the Crown's responsibility, but the beginning of a new relationship freed from grievance," said Jacinda Ardern......
See full article HERE

After voting against Māori wards, Waipā seeks other avenues for representation
Less than a year after Waipā District Council chose not to include Māori wards in the next local body election, council staff are now trying to find other ways of giving representation to iwi.

A workshop was presented in the council chamber in August, laying out various ideas for representation, given that 13.8 per cent of residents in Waipā as of the 2013 census identify as Māori.

These included such measures as special positions for iwi members on council committees, with voting rights afforded to them.....
See full article HERE

Wanganui residents have mixed emotions after local newspaper adopts Māori spelling
Wanganui residents have mixed emotions over their local newspaper adopting the Māori spelling of the city in its front page banner.

After 162 years, the Wanganui Chronicle has from today added an 'h' to the name becoming the Whanganui Chronicle, to mark Māori Language Week.

Some locals say they do not like it, while iwi and community leaders are calling it the right move, and one that is long overdue.....
See full article HERE

Māori a 'core subject' by 2025 - but still not compulsory
The Minister for Māori Development says te reo will be a "core subject" in primary and intermediate schools by 2025.

But Nanaia Mahuta admits there is a "huge challenge ahead" to reach that goal, with the nation in the midst of a teacher shortage - let alone teachers that can speak Māori.....
See full article HERE

Te reo Maori much more than just an official language at Parliament
Te reo Maori is an essential part of Parliament, to be supported, respected and celebrated.

Kaiwhakamaori Maika Te Amo offers interpretation for anyone who wants to speak te reo to the Maori Affairs select committee, at Parliament, in Maui Tikitiki-a-Taranga the Maori Affairs select committee room, or when the committee travels to hearings around the country.

He says helping people feel comfortable when they are speaking to the select committee is vital.....
See full article HERE

Waitangi Tribunal finds serious Treaty breaches in report on Te Rohe Pōtae claims
The Crown’s significant breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi caused serious damage to the mana and autonomy of the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe Pōtae (the King Country), the Waitangi Tribunal has found.

The Tribunal today released the first 11 chapters of Te Mana Whatu Ahuru: Report on Te Rohe Pōtae Claims. The report addresses 277 claims concerning Crown actions in Te Rohe Pōtae after the Treaty was signed on 6 February 1840......
See full article HERE

A welcome sign for a bilingual Rotorua
Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick says, “We hope over time you're going to see a lot more of the reo incorporated into road signage.”

In April the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) told the council the sign must be written in English, but both groups then came to an agreement to tweak the sign so both languages can appear......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

10  September  2018

Spark jumps on the waka, asking staff to bring 'their real selves' to work
But now Spark is embracing Māori culture, with its own waiata (song) and an app providing a Māori interpretation of its corporate values.

Spark Agile coach Te Arepa Morehu wrote the waiata for Spark that concludes with the words: "Through collaboration we will all stand with purpose to hear the language from within".

Mihi – Māori welcomes – are incorporated into all significant staff meetings and Spark's annual meetings are now opened and closed in te reo Māori.

General manager of human resources and diversity Rhonda Koroheke says Spark is encouraging staff to embrace their Māori identity as part of a wider bid to persuade employees to "bring their real selves to work".

"For the most part people will start learning about Māori principles and values and the 'gold' is where they start connecting what is important to them inherently to something that is common within the Māori world," Paraku says.....
See full article HERE

New Zealand Fire Service to overhaul firetrucks with te reo Maori
New Zealand's fire trucks are to be emblazoned with te reo Māori, with one of the first trucks marked 'AHI' rolling out of Wellington Central.

The te reo Māori word will sit alongside its English equivalent, 'FIRE', on about 2000 ​New Zealand Fire and Emergency vehicles as they're repaired and replaced in the coming years.

A truck with the the new markings will take part in a hīkoi through Wellington on Monday to mark the start of Te Wiki o te reo Māori (Māori language week)......
See full article HERE

Economy Hub: Te Pūia Tāpapa fund targets local infrastructure
New Māori investment fund Te Pūia Tāpapa could end up investing in major infrastructure projects like Auckland light rail, says chairman Paul Majurey.

The $115 million fund is modelling itself on the NZ Super Fund and will hopefully further advance the progress iwi are making towards economic sovereignty, Majurey says.

It pulls together capital from 26 iwi and Māori entities located in the lower North Island, Taranaki, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hauraki, Northland, Auckland, Te Tau Ihu (Nelson-Marlborough) and Wharekauri (Chatham Islands)

"This investment reflects the way we see the world – so that has important ethics like manaakitanga [respects and kindness] and kaitiakitanga [stewardship] in terms of how we see people and resources," he said. "The outlook is very long-term and intergenerational."......
See full article HERE

Academic tells Sam Neill Māori not exploited in early European encounters
Māori were certainly not exploited or victims in their early encounters with Europeans, believes a Waikato University academic.

Speaking on the latest episode of Uncharted with Sam Neill airing on Sunday night, the School of Māori and Pacific Development's professor of research Ngahuia Te Awekotuku told the actor how "we were friends and we were equals" when tribes first met the crew of Captain Cook's Endeavour in the late 1860s.

"We tend to romanticise how Māori were and sometimes I get annoyed by that. We're so often portrayed as being stolen from or exploited.

"Māori were conscious of what they were doing and even though new we have taken the more righteous view of them being the preyed upon, we were the predators too.".....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

9  September  2018

Five-year reo strategy to normalise language
A major new te reo Māori strategy is hoping to strengthen the use of the Māori language in everyday life.

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi will unveil its five-year strategy Ngā Parirau o te reo Māori in Whakatāne on September 12.

The strategy has been developed over two years with input from strategic partners, te reo Māori experts and iwi and it describes the Māori language aspirations of the indigenous tertiary institution while also focusing on fresh approaches over the next five years.

The strategy will set in motion a series of initiatives including a bilingual community focus and a live-in immersion programme......
See full article HERE

Call for broadcasters to be censured if they butcher Māori words
Staff at the University of Waikato are calling for broadcasters who don't pronounce Māori words correctly during Māori language week to be censured.

Members from the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies want the Broadcasting Standards Authority to take a tougher line with journalists and on-air hosts.

They are suggesting any mis-pronunciations next week be treated as a professional foul.

For 51 weeks of the year, Māori tolerate the mispronunciation of their language in broadcasting, Professor Pou Temara said.

"My view is that the Māori language cannot be the responsibility only of the Māori people, there's less [sic] than 500,000 of us. It's the language of a country, and the greater New Zealand population has a responsibility."....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

8  September  2018

Bill to entrench the Māori seats passes first hurdle with support from opponent
A bill entrenching the Māori seats into New Zealand electoral law – requiring a 75 per cent majority of Parliament to get rid of them - has passed its first reading in Parliament because it was supported by New Zealand First, which opposes the Māori seats.

New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball said the party believed the issue of the Māori seats should be put to a binding public referendum and the bill was an opportunity to do that.

He said later that the referendum would be on entrenching the seats or abolishing the seats. If the party could not get that amendment passed it would not support the bill.

Tirikatene said it was a small but significant bill.

"It cuts to the heart of the representation and the status of the Māori seats in this House."

He said the general seats could be abolished only by a 75 per cent majority but the Māori seats could be abolished by a simple majority.

"There is an imbalance there and my bill seeks to raise us to an equal standard with the general seats."....
See full article HERE

Iwi Challenged to Create Jobs
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones wants iwi to do more to help create jobs in the regions.

"Iwi leadership needs to step up and deliver practicable initiatives and stop all this airy fairy flights of fancy they are going to own the water or something. Just come down to earth and work with us with our young people, because that is the real test of our leadership, whether the generation we leave behind to carry on the seeds of our identity, our culture, out language, have we adequately prepared for that task," he says......
See full article HERE

Coromandel maunga too tapu to trash
A Hauraki iwi is looking at the closure of Uluru in central Australia as a precedent for what they might like to happen with their sacred maunga.

She says the maunga is privately owned, and like the traditional owners of the landmark formerly known as Ayers Rock, they are concerned at the lack of respect shown by many visitors.

Ngati Huarere has had support for its rahui from local agencies and local government.....
See full article HERE

Māori health: 'We have to be talking about racism'
Health experts are calling for frank and fearless discussions about racism and white privilege to improve Māori health.

Co-author Dr Bryn Jones said people needed to have more open discussions about structural racism, white privilege and colonialism.

"We have to be talking about racism," he said.

"But we particularly have to be talking about racism in terms of who it privileges. Those are very important discussions to have and they don't happen as often as they need to."....
See full article HERE

Vodafone commits to Mahi Tahi partnership with Māori Language Commission
Vodafone New Zealand and the Māori Language Commission have joined forces in a Mahi Tahi agreement to promote and revitalise the Māori language.

Vodafone NZ is the first international company to have a strategic partnership of this kind with the commission.

“This is a big win for te reo Māori because here we have a company telling more than three million of their customers there’s a special place for the language in everyday life and in big business New Zealand......
See full article HERE

Green Party calls for plaque in Parliament for New Zealand wars
Parliament's debating chamber currently features 33 memorial plaques and wreaths on its walls commemorating famous battles or wars New Zealanders have died in, including Gallipoli, Passchendaele, and Afghanistan.

None commemorate the New Zealand Wars, a series of armed conflicts during the mid-nineteenth century between Māori and the New Zealand settler government.....
See full article HERE

Bill passed for Wairoa settlement
What’s the sixth-largest treaty settlement to date has now been concluded, with parliament yesterday hearing the third reading of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa legislation.

Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little says the $100 million in financial and commercial redress will open up new opportunities for the iwi and hapu and the Wairoa region.

The settlement also includes relationship agreements with government agencies and councils which provide opportunities for iwi and hapu to contribute to and influence decision-making on issues that are significant to them......
See full article HERE

Chronicle puts the 'H' in Whanganui
New Zealand's oldest newspaper is having a change of name.

NZME announced today the spelling of their titles Wanganui Chronicle, Wanganui Midweekand Wanganui Chronicle Weekend Edition are all changing to include an 'h' as in Whanganui.
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

7  September  2018

Te Ohu Kaimoana committed to represent Māori interests at UN
Te Ohu Kaimoana committed to protecting and representing Māori interests at the United Nations

Te Ohu Kaimoana Chairman Jamie Tuuta travelled to New York on Monday (3 September 2018) as a member of the New Zealand delegation that will participate in discussions on a new international agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).

The international community is discussing ways in which marine biodiversity in international waters should be managed in the future. Te Ohu Kaimoana considers that mātauranga Māori and ensuring that Māori rights are protected will form a fundamental part of that kōrero.....
See full article HERE

Iwi group to appeal port ruling appeal
An iwi collective is to appeal to the Environment Court against the decision of independent commissioners to grant resource consent for the demolition of wharves six and seven and the slipway at Eastland Port.

Spokesman for the collective, Ian Ruru, said it would take the development to the Environment Court if mediation failed.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

6  September  2018

Indigenous courts, the way of the future?
An advocate for an improved justice system for Maori, Dr Valmaine Toki has researched and visited indigenous courts in comparative jurisdictions and is now calling for the establishment of indigenous courts in New Zealand.

The University of Waikato associate professor considers if Maori were to have their cases heard in courts where ‘tikanga Maori’ and ‘therapeutic jurisprudence’ are practised, then there would be far fewer Maori in New Zealand prisons and far fewer cases of recidivism.

She proposes two ways that indigenous courts could be introduced, either by building on the marae-based justice system that has been introduced for rangatahi (youth) and matariki (for adults), or expanding the jurisdiction of the Maori Land Court to include criminal and civil matters for Maori.....
See full article HERE

New Māori obstacle endurance event coming to AKL
A new Māori endurance event centred around the elements of the Māori Gods is set to take place in Auckland in November.

He says the event was designed to allow people to feel the vibrations and the energy of the land.

“We want Māori and non-Māori to experience the life force within us which we call mauri and where we raise a frequency so high it just matches the ability to be able to live a prosperous life with purpose and potential.”.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

5  September  2018

Wellington hapū place rāhui on land to halt development plans
A Wellington hapū has placed a rāhui on their land in Wainuiomata after alleging their plots are being targeted for sale by iwi land managers, Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust.

The trust is planning to use iwi redress land, what was the former grounds for Old Wainuiomata Intermediate and Wainuiomata College, for development.

They have approached Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Crown Māori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis for help......
See full article HERE

Kereru are a protected species but some iwi want to hunt the birds for cultural reasons
Wood pigeons or kereru have been a protected species since 1922, but some Māori are now calling for the Department of Conservation to allow hunting of the birds for cultural practices.

The bird’s considered sacred to Maori and believed to have healing powers.

Some Māori are continuing to hunt and eat kereru or kukupa, as the bird's called in Northland.

Hinerangi believes Māori should be able to go onto their own land and hunt kereru for cultural occasions......
See full article HERE

Long-overdue state sector reform needs to deliver
Reform of the State Sector Act is long overdue and the public of Aotearoa needs to take this chance to develop a future-focused public service, the PSA says.

Mr Barclay says the relationship between the Crown and Māori is moving into a new era, and the public service needs legislation which can give effect to that......
See full article HERE

Hapū voices making mark on Auckland mainstream boardrooms
The next generation of Māori leaders is looking to shape the future of Auckland - and they do not want to rely only on their iwi to have their voices heard.

The central Auckland hapū has grown its assets and resources through commercial real estate and now has assets valued at more than $1 billion.

Māori business was booming and for non-Māori it was an unknown and perceived threat on colonised systems that they felt safe in, Ms Blair said.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

4  September  2018

DOC postpones Far North 1080 aerial drop following outrage from iwi
The Department of Conservation has postponed a controversial 1080 aerial drop in the Far North following outrage from iwi who say they weren't consulted.

"In fact, the opposite was true and some had actually spoken out against 1080 at DOC's hui," Anderson said. "This is a serious breach of trust, and included misrepresentation of a local trust and Treaty partner."

However, DOC said consultation with iwi and hapū did take place, including discussion around a combination of ground and aerial pest control methods. "At those meetings iwi reps did not say they opposed the use of 1080 in parts of the forest", a spokesperson said....
See full article HERE

Waitemata DHB doubles Maori workforce 
The Waitemata District Health Board has doubled its Māori nurses in three years, and is set to double its entire Māori workforce.

Since 2015, the number of Māori staff members at the DHB has gone from 276 to 483.

"There is a major recruitment drive happening,"

"Fifty positions have become available to Māori nurses at all levels.

"We are committed to eliminating inequities wherever they exist, particularly in relation to Māori."....
See full article HERE

Prayers remain commonplace for opening council business around New Zealand
Across New Zealand, regional, district and city councils start their meetings with some sort of blessing: 13 pray, 26 say a karakia, 19 use a mix of both or another blessing, and 18 don't use anything.

Local Government New Zealand president Dave Cull said councils were free to open meetings as they chose.

"While karakia, blessings or prayers should never be compulsory, some public institutions have introduced elements of tikanga Māori as part of their acknowledgement of biculturalism under the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, or say a prayer as a continuation of long-held traditions."....
See full article HERE

Mark Richardson's passionate push for compulsory te reo Māori stuns co-hosts
Mark Richardson says it's vital the Māori language is "forced down" Kiwis' throats, or it will die.

"The language is an endangered species," the AM Show sportsreader told viewers on Monday morning. "When you get an endangered species, certain things happen that are mandatory - I think it needs to happen with this language."....
See full article HERE

Kids not fodder for te reo experiment
"Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s suggestion that te reo Māori should be made compulsory in schools is divisive, exploitative, and doomed to fail", says ACT Leader David Seymour.

"The Minister must categorically rule out making te reo Māori compulsory in our education system."......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

3  September  2018

Govt invests in raising awareness of NZ wars
Te Pūtake o Te Riri-Wars and Conflicts in Aotearoa-New Zealand Fund will support whānau, hapū and iwi to bring to life the stories of the past.

The Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta said the fund would focus on increasing awareness about local history, significant landmarks and people.

"Our history is bursting with notable rangatira whose prowess in war, strategic and tactical feats are compelling and continue to impact on how communities have settled and relate to their own story.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

2  September  2018

Cross-examining the '$170 million
Compensation for the claimed Treaty of Waitangi breaches by the Crown against Te Aitanga a Mahaki was the main topic of discussion at the Waitangi Tribunal hearing of the Mangatu remedies claim yesterday.

Economist for Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Dr Richard Meade has estimated that the monetary value of the overall compensation for the Mangatu claim would be $170 million plus the return of the Crown forest-licensed land.

Dr Meade was questioned for most of the day about how he came to that figure, especially regarding the methodolgy he used towards reaching his estimate.

Dr Meade said he came to his estimations using a process called ‘counter-factual’.

“We look at what we know actually happened and then we ask, ‘what would the world be like had the Treaty of Waitangi breaches to Te Aitanga a Mahaki not happened?” he said.

“If we don’t have a counter-factual, I don’t have anything to work with.

“I have a factual (historical wrong-doings by the Crown).

“I have to estimate what would have happened if the breach had not happened.”......
See full article HERE

High Court appeal lodged against Waiheke marina
The battle to stop a controversial marina on Waiheke Island has fired up again, with opponents telling the High Court the wrong iwi group was consulted about the consents.

In May the Environment Court granted resource consent to develop the 186-berth marina, which would feature a floating car park.

But Save Kennedy Point spokesperson Sebastian Cassie said the wrong iwi group was consulted during the consenting process.

"The mandated authority for Ngāti Paoa is completely against the marina and a large part of the case for the applicant was that it had the support of tangata whenua."

The High Court appeal claims the Ngāti Paoa Trust Board, rather than the separate Ngāti Paoa Iwi Trust, is the legitimate Māori authority for the island.

Board spokesperson Dave Roebeck said the trust did not become the Māori authority until Treaty settlements were ratified.

"There hasn't been consultation with the right entity and that's because the [Auckland] Council are recognising a non-mandated entity."....
See full article HERE

Education minister Chris Hipkins announces $10m for Rotorua school Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai
A $10m Government investment in a Ngāti Rongomai kura is a dream come true for an iwi that was, not long ago, at risk of extinction.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai would receive $10 million to build a new school.

The school has been a satellite of Te Wharekura o Te Kaokaoroa o Pātetere since it opened in July 2008 after whānau of Ngāti Rongomai expressed a desire to form their own kura for Ngāti Rongomai descendants....
See full article HERE

Tea's the key to access $50b Māori economy
Gardiner said the Māori economy was exploding in the wake of what he described as the "dormant" years between 1850 and 1990.

He said the $50 billion economy represented an "explosion of wealth generation on an unprecedented scale".

"We are rediscovering ancient skills embedded in our DNA. We're not learning new things, we're rediscovering things we already had."

One example was the Raukura Inland Port in Hamilton.

In 50 years, he said, it would cover a space larger than the Auckland CBD and by 2041 would see a million six-metre containers coming through each year.

"The skies the limit on this project."....
See full article HERE

Sadness follows closure of Māori boarding school
The fight to keep a Māori Catholic boarding school open has come to an end - with Minister of Education Chris Hipkins announcing its doors will close.

It was costing more than $200,000 to keep the school running for one student - and the school's grounds and facilities had fallen into disrepair.

With the school currently sitting empty, Mr Hipkins said the process of closing the school should be quick.

In a statement, Auckland's Catholic Bishop Patrick Dunn said today's decision was in the best interests of students......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

1  September  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Muriel Newman
Tribal Control of New Zealand’s Coast
The cost of National’s new gravy train is expected to reach hundreds of millions of dollars and tie up the Courts for decades.

An $8.45 million appropriation in May’s Budget, from the $50 million Vote Treaty Negotiations, was specifically earmarked for financial assistance to claimant groups.

Claimants who have lodged claims through the direct Crown engagement pathway can apply for taxpayer assistance ranging from $162,000 for simple claims to $412,000 for complex claims, while High Court applicants can apply for assistance ranging from $156,750 to $316,750.

According to the Ministry of Justice, as at the 18th of July, a total of 18 of the 200 claims lodged with the High Court had been approved for the upper funding limits, with a further 57 waiting for approval. There will no doubt be many more in the pipeline. No details are available regarding the Crown Engagement pathway.

While generous taxpayer funding is available for claimants, the deck has been stacked against those wanting to defend public ownership of the coast. Not only is no assistance available for anyone wishing to contest these opportunistic claims, but concerned parties must file a ‘Notice of Appearance’ and pay a $110 fee for each High Court claim they plan to oppose.

That means any group wanting to oppose all of the claims – in the public interest – will incur over $20,000 in High Court registration fees alone. This, on top of the significant legal costs and other expenses that will be incurred, is a major deterrent.

In spite of the generosity of claimant funding, some Maori groups are complaining it is not enough.

Late last year, a dozen tribal groups lodged applications for an urgent Waitangi Tribunal inquiry into the Marine and Coastal Area Act, asserting that the funding for claimants was inadequate, and that the Act breached the principles of the Treaty. Some called for compensation for the loss of their customary rights.

While the Waitangi Tribunal’s Chief Judge Isaac decided against an urgent inquiry, a “priority” inquiry was granted to determine whether the Act is in breach of the Treaty, and whether claimant funding is adequate. Hearings are expected to commence in April next year, with the final report expected in early 2019.

With Annette Sykes and other counsel for the claimants advising that they will call for a halt in the whole claims resolution process, while the Waitangi Tribunal’s investigation is being undertaken, the Inquiry has the potential to substantially delay settlement procedures.

Since Waitangi Tribunal reports are not binding on the Crown, it will be interesting to see how Labour responds to this , new inquiry. The last time the Tribunal issued a report on the foreshore and seabed it was 2004, and then Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen attacked them for producing an inaccurate report, that rejected the principle of parliamentary sovereignty.

The new Minister for Treaty Negotiations, Andrew Little, has a key role to play in the whole coastal claims process. It can be said that he has inherited a ‘hospital pass’ from his predecessor Christopher Finlayson – not only in the form of almost 400 claims to the coast that need to be resolved through direct negotiation, but also in the Crown’s failure to represent the public interest in agreements determined by direct negotiation.

So what are the chances of Maori gaining customary rights to the foreshore and seabed?......
Read the full article HERE
October 29, 2017

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

31  August  2018

Maori medical students: 'It was just blatant racism'
Māori students studying medicine at the University of Otago say they are fed up with the ignorance they face over the way they are selected into their second year of study.

There are limited spaces in the second-year programme and everyone in their first year has to reach a grade threshold.

But in a push to improve the diversity of the health work force, all Māori students who meet the minimum grade requirement, can identify their Māori heritage through whakapapa, and complete an essay showing their commitment to giving back to Māori communities, make it through.

It's known as the Māori Entry Pathway.

Once Māori students who have used the pathway make it into their second year of study, they are required to sit the same exams and reach the same standards to qualify as doctors like all other students.

Other students, who apply in the general pathway, compete for limited spaces and grades can become competitive.

Third-year medicine student Tiana Mihaere has been told on many occasions the Māori Entry Pathway is wrong and unfair.

"I remember being in the dining hall one time and some girl was having a moan about how unfair the pathway was and it was just real blatant, dumb-@r$e racism.

"But it is a big problem. Every Māori student that does Health Science will have experienced some form of racism during that year."

She said its a lack of understanding about the state of Māori health, and the need for Māori in the health work force that leads to attitudes like this.

Figures from the New Zealand Medical Council show Māori make up just 3.4% of all doctors in New Zealand.

Third year medicine student Nadine Houia-Ashwell said the Māori entry pathway existed to lift that....
See full article HERE

Stats reveal Māori students over-represented in suspensions, expulsions
Latest statistics reveal that almost 41 out of every 1,000 Māori school students were expelled or excluded from school in 2017.

The vice-president of the NZ Māori Principals Association says the results are "reflective" of society.

The stats also show that Māori students are more likely to be stood-down, suspended or expelled for schools- well above the national average.

However, the president of the NZ Māori Principals Association says that the onus should not necessarily rest upon the student alone.

"We know that Māori students tend to be kicked out a lot quicker and a lot earlier then non-Māori, we have a real issue with that," says principal of Ōtāngarei School, Myles Ferris.

"There is this bias and racism that happens in our schools and what we want is for schools to take a good look at themselves and say 'we need to do more before we kick them out'.".....
See full article HERE

Munro to put Māori face on regional council
Hawke’s Bay Regional hopes the appointment of a Māori partnerships manager will help staff and councillors engage more effectively with tangata whenua.

He's former Wellington district police commander Pieri Munro, who is currently national Māori advisor for Workplace New Zealand.....
See full article HERE

Planned closures of charter schools prompt debate about Māori self-determination
The New Zealand government’s move to close charter schools as part of its education reform has prompted strong Māori criticism.

Māori educators Sir Toby Curtis and Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi have filed a Waitangi Tribunal claim, arguing that the failure to involve Māori, and consider Māori interests, breaches the Crown’s obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. They say that the school closures would disproportionately affect Māori. Six of the 11 charter schools have predominantly Māori rolls.

The debate is bigger than public versus private education, which is how the government sees it.

It is more a matter of the meaning of Māori citizenship, and whether citizenship has evolved from the subjecthood Māori were granted under the treaty in 1840.

Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions … in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

30  August  2018

Cape Kidnappers has a new name: Te Kauwae-a-Māui
The new name is one of 11 bestowed on geographic features across Hawke's Bay.

Other features to get new names are Mount Erin, a 490m hill 8.5km southwest of Havelock North, which will now be known as Kōhinurākau or Kohinurākau. Lake Hatuma, 3km southwest of Waipukurau, which will now be known as Lake Whatumā.

Puhokio Stream at Waimarama is now Pouhōkio Stream.

Motuokura, an island 2km off the east coast, about 22km southwest of Cape Kidnappers is now Te-Motu-o-Kura/Bare Island.

The other locations to get new names are:

- Capstan Rock, a rock between the mainland and Te Motu-o-Kura/Bare Island, will now be Muhuaka/Capstan Rock.

- Flat Rock, a 400m long rock adjoining the mainland 1.7km southwest of Cape Kidnappers, is now Puapua.

- Hakakino, an historic pā site 21km southeast of Havelock North, is now Hakikino.

- Kuku Reef/Rocks, a 75m reef extending from Waimarama beach, is now Paparewa.

- Nga Puhake-o-te-ora, a shallow spring on the southeast of Te Motu-o-Kura/Bare Island, is now Ngā Puha-ake-o-te-ora.

- Waihakura, an historic pa 15km southeast of Havelock North is now Te Wai-a-kura......
See full article HERE

Hastings grant supports Maori education programme
A grant from the Hastings District Council’s contestable grants fund is a big boost to Inspire in Education’s aims to help young Māori learners achieve success, says the charitable trust’s founder and general manager Conrad Waitoa.

This includes supporting the delivery of Māori language culture and identity in the classroom among communities of learning,

Ultimately, he says the goal is to expand the programme further across Hawke’s Bay.......
See full article HERE

Taranaki iwi wins seabed mining appeal
South Taranaki iwi Ngāti Ruanui has won a landmark High Court decision to quash Seabed Mining off the coast of Patea.

Overnight, the High Court at Wellington announced it will not allow Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) to mine iron sand off the South Taranaki bight.

Te Runanga o Ngāti Ruanui Trust kaiarataki Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says this win for the iwi and the community of Patea proves that voices and actions count.

"We have fought this battle twice and won each time, she says.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

29  August  2018

'Foreshore belongs to us' - tribe's lore revealed after surf shooting hits headlines
A handful of holiday baches sit quietly at the beachfront. A small swell bends around Honipaka, or Albatross Point, to the ill-famed beach where surfers say they were shot at.

Police visited village elders as part of their investigation and visited this scene. This coast is isolated and notorious. Outsiders are typically allowed to surf 'by invitation', according to Raglan's Daniel Kereopa.

The stance infuriated many, including members of parliament, who believe the sea is free for everyone to use

Ngāti Mahuta own massive tracts of farm and forest here as well as the ironsand mining operation over the hill at Taharoa.

And they own the sea, too, tribal matriarch Connie Hepi says.

"We claim the foreshore right around and we are only protecting it. The worry is, for the kaitiaki of the moana, is [others] can come in by boat or jet ski now......
See full article HERE

Ngāti Porou welcomes Baby Neve and $200k govt funds
Ngāti Porou has received $200,000 from the government for a business case to improve health services in the region.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met today with Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou (TRONPNui), she says the region has some of the country's worst health outcomes.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

28  August  2018

Iwi push for Hawkes Bay ngāhere
Wairoa to Wairarapa iwi Ngāti Kahungunu has teamed up with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council on a plan to plant millions of trees on 250,000 ha of erosion-prone land.

The Kāhutia Accord signed on Friday is a formal partnership to assist the region to become New Zealand’s first carbon neutral province by 2040.

Ngati Kahungunu has applied to the Provincial Growth Fund to fund the plan......
See full article HERE

New Zealand Māori Council to act on suicide
The latest suicide data is a telling story of the impact of suicide on Māori and the New Zealand Māori Council want to do something about it.

The Māori suicide statistics totalled 142 deaths across the country, the highest since the provisional statistics were first recorded for the 2007/08 year.

"When it comes Māori we need to have a single national approach driven by Māori for Māori – where Māori have a say in what services they want and need – including how they should be delivered. These are times for the most honest of conversations."

"There are lots of lost souls out there and I would support the approach of the New Zealand Māori Council."

He said there were generations of Māori who had lost their identity.

"They've lost touch with traditional Māori values......
See full article HERE

Extra help needed for Māori suicide risk
A Māori health advocate wants to see more resources going into Māori suicide prevention programmes.

Te Rau Matatini chief executive Maria Baker says the trauma from colonialism and dispossession is a factor.

So too are standard risk factors affecting disproportionate numbers of Maori like poor housing, lack of access to good education, good jobs and income . . . which also gives pointers to what needs to be done.
See full article HERE

Torbay School Pilots Student-Led Te Reo Māori
Torbay School on Auckland’s North Shore is running a pilot to get students leading te Reo Māori in the school.

Two days a week teams of year 4-6 students lead year 3 classes in a waiata and a simple lesson on that waiata. They show the class how they can incorporate what they have learned into their daily class routine. The classroom teacher learns with the class and makes sure everything runs smoothly......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

27  August  2018

Mangatu claim before Tribunal
The return of the Mangatu forest to local iwi will be on the table at a Waitangi Tribunal hearing in Gisborne next week.

The Mangatu remedies claim will be heard from Monday to Friday at the Poverty Bay Golf Club.

The Waitangi Tribunal reported in 2004 that the Mangatu Crown Forest should be returned to local iwi Te Aitanga a Mahaki......
See full article HERE

Lake Horowhenua activist Philip Taueki to shut public road access to lake
Public road access to Lake Horowhenua will be shut by activist Philip Taueki after boy racers tore up turf at the park.

The threat of closure is the latest in a years-long dispute over the heavily polluted lake, which has pitted Taueki against the Horowhenua Lake Domain Board, local councils and the trust representing Muaūpoko iwi interests.

Taueki, a direct descendant of a Muaūpoko chief who signed the Treaty of Waitangi, says authorities have failed to protect the lake and its shoreline from damage.

A "bunch of local red necks" have broken through a gate shut at night, skidded over grass and hurled abuse at Taueki this week. ....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

26  August  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Muriel Newman
The Water Debate
Before looking into the politics, let’s review the legal situation.

Since fresh water falls naturally as rain and snow and is essential for life on earth, it is regarded at law as a public good resource that must be available to all.

Accordingly, under common law and statute, all New Zealand’s fresh water is vested in the Crown and cannot be privately owned. That means that while landowners may have rights to the beds and banks of the rivers, streams and lakes that lie on their properties, they don’t own the water.

Water users can be charged for permits to take water, and councils can charge households and businesses for providing water – either through rates or by volume – with a fee that covers the cost of filtering, pumping, piping and treating the water supplies.

Retired Judge and former Law Lecturer Anthony Willy, explains the situation in this way: “New Zealand is a country which is governed by the rule of law. We should therefore begin with how water was treated by the common law – ‘common’ because it applies to all without regard to privilege or special interest pleading by minority groups.

“At common law land including the land underneath water was regarded as a commodity like any other that could be owned and transacted. Water was never regarded by the common law as a commodity in that sense. In the cases of Mason v Hill decided in 1833 and Ballard v Tomlinson decided in 1885 the Courts held that a land owner had no right to the ownership of water which either flows through, or percolates within that land.

“In this way the courts recognised that water like air is not only vital to the survival of all species on the planet but is something in which humanity has no hand in creating. It therefore, like air, occupies a unique status in the eyes of the common law – it cannot be owned by anybody.”

David Round, lecturer in law at the University of Canterbury, concurs: “At common law there was no ownership of water; a landowner had the right to use the water that flowed over his land, but he was obliged to pass it on to landowners further downstream undiminished in quality or quantity. In 1967 Parliament made the Water and Soil Conservation Act, which declared that except in certain pretty limited situations no-one could use any ‘natural water’ – which is all water, frozen, liquid or steam, not in a pipe, tank or cistern – without a permission – a ‘water right’ as it was called.”

While the statutory responsibility for allocating and controlling fresh water rests with the Crown, that duty was passed on to Regional Councils and Unitary Authorities through the 1991 Resource Management Act.

The reality is that the present water debate is politically motivated. New Zealanders are being manipulated by activist groups running well-orchestrated mass hysteria campaigns to introduce a tax on the commercial use of water – a move that suits Maori interests, since any charge on water will open the door to new taxpayer-funded Treaty settlements and water royalties in perpetuity.......
Read the full article HERE
August 13, 2017

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

25  August  2018

Māori Radio launches Treaty claim against Crown
Te Ūpoko o Te Ika was under threat of closure following tension over it's frequency but the station will not be silenced, at least for the next twelve months.

Chairman Piripi Walker says, “We're very happy that the iwi of this region have been able to come to an agreement about our treasured radio station.”

Frequency licence holders Te Ātiawa and Ngāti Toa Rangatira met with and iwi members as well as the station yesterday. They voted unanimously to keep the station open.

“Following the meeting, they went to Te Māngai Pāho and they are continuing to fund us for another year, we are grateful,” adds Walker.

The situation has sparked a claim to the Waitangi Tribunal about alleged underfunding and mistreatment of Māori radio stations by the Crown.

Walker says, “They're really against what the Crown's done, the rules surrounding Māori broadcasting, and that is why a group has decided to bring the issue to the attention of the Waitangi Tribunal.”.....
See full article HERE

Poor financial health sees Government stump up with cash for Whitireia, Unitec
The dire state of its books has prompted the Government to dish out $15 million to Porirua-based tertiary educator Whitireia and signal it may be forced to intervene in the way the institution is run.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced the decision on Thursday, while also confirming Auckland's Unitec would receive a loan of $50m to help sure up its long-term financial stability....
See full article HERE

Kahutia Accord sets path to reforest Hawke’s Bay
Today’s signing of the Kahutia Accord MOU between Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi incorporated and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council aims to plant millions of trees on the 250,000 ha of erosion-prone land across Hawke’s Bay.

The Kahutia Accord is a formal partnership to assist the region to become New Zealand’s first carbon neutral province by 2040, a target highlighted in the Council’s Strategic Plan.

“Not only will we be healing the people but we’ll be healing the land, that’s significant in terms of our sustainability and prosperity” says Mr Tomoana......
See full article HERE

Larger projects proposed in river clean-up
The Waikato River Authority’s eighth funding round has closed with a number of larger projects proposed for river clean-up.

More than $8 million has been applied for from 45 project applications. Two applications are over $1 million and two others for more than $500,000.

The Authority has this year allocated up to $6 million for clean-up projects.

Among the areas the Authority has signaled it will be giving increased priority to this year include:

* Partnerships: A greater level of support for applications that involve strong partnerships and that have the ability to deliver significant outcomes from larger projects.

* Iwi Engagement: There will be an increased focus on bigger projects that incorporate iwi in the project delivery.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

24  August  2018

Former MP Dover Samuels said Ngāpuhi leadership 'mana munching'
Former Māori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels is urging those leading the Ngāpuhi Treaty claim to "just get on with it".

The call comes after Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little recently concluded eight hui in Northland and Auckland to discuss an evolved structure for negotiations.

Tipene said the settlement could be anything up to $300million and should not go through a single entity.

Sonny Tau and Hone Sadler confirmed they would not stand aside.

Sadler said "Ngāpuhi doesn't want quitters to lead them" and hopes to have a settlement reached by 2020......
See full article HERE

Govt to implement changes in criminal rehabilitation
The government is looking to implement changes to rehabilitation and transitions within the justice system within the next year two years.

This comes following the conclusion of the Justice Summit in Porirua.

The government says there will be more investment and changes in rehabilitation and transitions.

Justice Minister Andrew Little says, "The summit is the start of the process of getting the conversation going. We've had many years of just talking about locking more people up and we don’t have a talk about what happens after that.”

The government hopes to increase the housing supply, including 7 places for people on bail, 31 places for those on home detention and 47 places for people on parole, by next year.

11 community rehabilitation centres will also be set up for women and 34 iwi navigators will also provide more support for Māori.....
See full article HERE

Wellington welcomes Māori wardens
Rongotai MP Paul Eagle is welcoming plans to reintroduce Māori wardens to the streets of Wellington.

He says the revival of the wardens a decade ago bypassed the capital, so it's good it is finally catching up.....
See full article HERE

'Restore mana' - Andrew Little calls for Māori representation in prison reforms
Justice Minister Andrew Little wants Māori to have more of a say in addressing their "appalling" over-representation in prisons.

Māori make up 16 percent of the overall population, but represent 51 percent of prisoners - and for women that increases to two-thirds of prisoners.

"They've got some amazing ideas ...I want it to come from them so that we are showing real partnership, State and Māori, to actually make a difference in that system."....
See full article HERE

Local iwi fight for Māori catholic school to stay open
Supporters of a Māori catholic school in Auckland will make a last-ditch effort to save it from closure at a meeting with the Education Minister today.

Mr Boynton was determined to bring the school back to life.

"Once we get this back into our rightful hands, we will actually get this kura back up and running. To actually acknowledge what our tūpuna wanted it to be for the education of Māori, to educate Māori."....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

23  August  2018

Far North council aims to recoup $20m unpaid rates from Māori land owners
Far North District Council has set up a dedicated unit to work with Māori freehold landowners in a bid to recoup more than $20 million unpaid rates.

The total rates debt on Māori freehold land from 2013 to 2018 is $20.9m owed by 2060 accounts.

Because much of the land is of poor quality, unoccupied and landlocked, along with the issue of collective ownership, the council is working with Māori to develop their land to generate income to repay the debt.

Treaty lawyer Season-Mary Downs, from Tukau Law and Consultancy, said addressing rating issues would be difficult as there were "a lot of historical issues" that must be taken into account.

Only 5 per cent of land in New Zealand is Māori land, and there needed to be "careful consideration about if and how it is rated", she said.

"It's not just a rating issue, it's a Treaty and a partnership issue," Downs said.

"Any regime created must consider Treaty issues as well as the Treaty partnership......
See full article HERE

Minister reappoints members to Waitangi Tribunal
Māori Development Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta has reappointed four members of the Waitangi Tribunal to maintain the continuity and security of its decision making.

Sir Sidney (Hirini) Moko Mead, Professor Rawinia Higgins and Dr Grant Phillipson have all been reappointed along with Chief Judge Isaac (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu) who has been reappointed for a further five-year term as the Chairperson..

“Chief Judge Isaac possesses the key attributes needed to fulfil this important role, He also has extensive experience from his time as a Chief Judge and Deputy Chief Judge.

“The four Tribunal members collectively bring 33 years of invaluable skill and experience to the Tribunal and they all bring an enormous wealth of knowledge.

“These appointments ensure that the Waitangi Tribunal can continue its crucial role in the Māori world,“ said Nanaia Mahuta.......
See full article HERE

Surf wars: Car club member says visiting Taharoa was frightening and intimidating
A classic car club stopped to take in the sights of Taharoa were chased out of the remote Waikato town by local Māori threatening to shoot them and bash their cars if they didn't leave.

A club member, who did not want to be named, said about 10 classic cars and their owners were parked on the public road leading to the Taharoa Ironsands mine on April 7, reading a sign with the history of the town when two men approached and started swearing at them. The site is opposite the lookout.

"The next thing these Māori fellas come out with the guns and say 'you better piss off, we will shoot the lot of you and wreck your cars'.".....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

22  August  2018

Treaty process 'dirty deals, done dirt cheap'
Iwi negotiators have been left traumatised and feel bullied and let down by Crown Treaty settlement processes according to research by academic Margaret Mutu.

Ngai Te Rangi iwi leader, Charlie Tawhiao, describes the process as 'dirty deals, done dirt cheap'.

The Ngai Te Rangi Runanga chairman’s views are backed by research from Auckland University Māori Studies professor, Margaret Mutu, who interviewed iwi negotiators nationwide.

“That came across very clearly, that we were being bullied often into having to accept things that we knew were wrong, that we knew were unjust,” says Mutu.......
See full article HERE

Ngāti Paoa group 'repossesses' Northcote's Hato Petera College
Two Māori families whose ancestors lived around the site of Northcote's Hato Petera College 170 years ago have "repossessed" the land.

The issue is politically delicate given the large Māori caucuses in the governing Labour and NZ First Parties, although Boynton said his Peters family was not related to Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters.

Thompson, a former Hato Petera house parent, has told Hipkins and the Catholic Church that the iwi wants to be involved in any decision about the school, but said he had not heard from Hipkins.......
See full article HERE

Drinkable water first priority for marae
A lawyer who has been involved in discussions with the previous Government over water says there are urgent issues which can’t wait for the high level talks over water ownership.

The Iwi Leaders Group and some iwi have refused to participate in the Government’s new Māori freshwater forum, Te Kāhui Wai Maori, with Ngāi Tahu saying that as the treaty partner in most of the South Island it insists on direct talks......
See full article HERE

Maori sidelined in whitebait debate
The chair of Te Wai Māori, the Māori freshwater fisheries trust, says iwi need to urgently get involved in the debate about the state of the whitebait catch.

"Māori, iwi are a central part of whitebait as regard to native fisheries and let's get on with it. I'm worried that once again we as iwi are being sidelined from this debate when we are a critical part of this discussion around whitebait," Mr Mair says......
See full article HERE

Puketāpapa Local Board and Ngāti Tamaoho formalise their relationship
Puketāpapa Local Board and Ngāti Tamaoho have signed an agreement to formalise their working relationship.

“Ngāti Tamaoho has an enduring relationship with the Puketāpapa area," said Harry Doig, chair of the Puketāpapa Local Board.

“This agreement will enable Ngāti Tamaoho to contribute to council decision making and service delivery, and provide opportunities for Ngāti Tamaoho to improve or expand its own community services,” said Mr Doig.....
See full article HERE

Eco-Sanctuary Proposal Goes Out to Community
The proposal for an iwi-led Eco-Sanctuary at Pōkākā in the Ruapehu district was put before the community on Monday in Raetihi at the first of a number of planned stakeholder hui.

In an effort to revitalise and restore part of the ancestral estate, Uenuku Charitable Trust has developed the concept for a major conservation and restoration project at a site adjacent to the Makatote viaduct. A feasibility study into the proposal has begun.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

21  August  2018

Kelvin Davis: 'Ngāpuhi 'most incarcerated tribe in the world' 
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says his Ngāpuhi iwi is probably the most incarcerated tribe in the world and he has a goal to change that.

Mr Davis said Māori make up over 50 percent of the prison population, and he wants that number reduced.

"Of that 50 , half again, are from Ngāpuhi, my own tribe, so this is personal.

"My tribe of Ngāpuhi is probably the most incarcerated tribe in the world, per head of population, so we really have to look at what we're going to do differently as a country, to turn these figures around.".....
See full article HERE 

Funding for Ngāpuhi hapū hui
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little has announced funding support for Ngāpuhi hapū to consider their Treaty settlement progress.

Andrew says that the funding is to enable hapū to hold hui to consider the evolved mandate negotiation structure and provide feedback to my office.......
See full article HERE

Canadian indigenous business delegation comes to NZ
Delegations from more than 25 countries and representatives of more than 500 Indigenous businesses, as well as many leaders from across a growing global Indigenous business economy, are expected to attend the Forum, from 9 to 11 October.

“The goal of the Forum is to develop Indigenous-to-Indigenous domestic and foreign trade business opportunities, which in New Zealand is represented by our burgeoning Māori-led business,” says Jefferies.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

20  August  2018

Kupe Scholarships encourage Māori and Pacific students into teaching
Thirty highly-accomplished Māori and Pasifika student teachers have been awarded prestigious Kupe Scholarships.

The Scholarships aim to attract Māori and Pasifika high achievers to the teaching profession and support them to become inspiring teachers and role models in early childhood, primary and secondary education.

“It’s fantastic to see the Kupe Scholarship being utilised to encourage Māori and Pacific peoples into a teaching career,” said Davis.

“These scholarships reflect the Government’s commitment to raising the quality of education and education outcomes for Māori and Pacific students.

Kupe scholarship recipients will have their course fees paid; receive a $15,000 study allowance, professional mentoring and assistance with finding a job. Each scholarship is worth over $25,000.....
See full article HERE

Tira Hou Marae gets makeover
The Auckland Council has allocated $150,000 to Auckland's oldest marae, Te Tira Hou. Marae spokesperson Kiri Maaka says the funding has been used to renovate its facilities and to build a new Papakāinga housing development.

Te Tira Hou Marae received the funding as part of the council's community development and cultural initiatives fund.......
See full article HERE

Blessing of Raleigh St Reserve carvings brings 'good omen' for park's future
Even the rain seemed to pause in respect for the blessing of the new carvings at the gateway of the renewed Raleigh St Reserve in Palmerston North.

Rodney Wong of Awapuni Rotary said two traditionally carved gate posts, or pou, representing the Awapuni community's mana and history, were installed at the park entrance ahead of Adams' visit......
See full article HERE

Our Whanau
In recognising the unique position of the Maori culture, Kimihia School will take all reasonable steps to provide instruction in tikanga and te reo Maori.

Kimihia School will regularly engage and consult with the Maori community and work together in partnership to raise Maori achievement.

A Maori culturally responsive education environment is one that meets the needs of Maori students and the school's Maori community, delivers engaging education and strong student outcomes, and enhances Maori students' identity, language and culture through access to high quality teaching (Hautu)......
See full article HERE

Winston Peters is continuing his push to abolish Maori seats in Parliament
The Deputy Prime Minister says Maori can and should be equal in every area, and don't need separate electoral representation.

All seven Maori electorates are currently held by the Labour Party.

Peters told Sky News, academics and what he calls do-gooders continue to insist a separate roll is good for Maori.

But he says Maori don't need a paternalistic, mollycoddling attitude - and showed that with their vote.

Winston Peters says Parliament will have the option to vote for a referendum - his long-held position.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

19  August  2018

Minister for Crown/Māori Relations still without job description
Ten months after the government named Kelvin Davis the Minister for Crown/Māori Relations, it is still unclear what his job is.

The government is heading to Ngaruawahia this weekend to attend celebrations for the Māori King but the prime minister will not be there. Questions are being raised about how stable the relationship between the Crown and Māori really is.

Mr Davis' job was dreamed up without a description - he was supposed to fill in the blanks by last month.

But after a series of hui around the country, there is no update.

Mr Davis said he would take a paper to Cabinet in the next couple of months and he was not bothered by the delay......
See full article HERE

Media banned from Māori King's koroneihana celebrations
Media have been banned from the grounds of Tūrangawaewae Marae at Ngaruawahia for the anniversary celebration of Māori King's koroneihana or coronation this weekend.

Tūrangawaewae Marae spokesperson Moko Templeton said it was the first time such a ban had been imposed.

Media would still have access to the event through a live stream, and Ms Templeton stuck by the decision not to allow media at Tūrangawaewae.

Ms Templeton said the marae was concerned that the media would not focus on the kaupapa of the koroneihana anniversary - the 12th such celebration for Kingi Tūheitia.

"Has there been a media ban in the past from coronation? No, there hasn't," she said.....
See full article HERE

National Māori genetics research centre unveiled in Kaitāia
Māori genetics is at the forefront at the countrys newest Māori medical research centre officially opened today in the Far North.

The partnership between The Moko Foundation and a national alliance of world-renowned scientists and medical clinicians will look to develop tailored responses to Māori through understanding of our genetic makeup.

"Having a better idea and a clearer view on patients genetic profile is going to allow us to identify problems early and then make sure they get the right treament - not the treatment that may work but the treatment that will work" says chair and founder of The Moko Foundation, Dr. Lance O'Sullivan.

The project recently secured $500,000 of funding as part of a nationwide research program co-ordinated by Maurice Wilkins Centre.

"The genetics of Pākehā and Asian people is being studied intensively overseas, but the genetics related to Māori health is very unique to New Zealand and so we should really be putting alot of our resources in to these issues specific to us here.".......
See full article HERE

$20mil to build new school for Manukura
A Māori school which fosters academic and sporting excellence for youth will operate from a new location.

Manukura, which has some of the top pass rates in the country, has been based at Massey University for the last 14 years.

Manukura has now received government support to have its own location.

Minister Kelvin Davis says, "The government have given $20mil so that the school may accomplish what they have been working on for the last 14 years and that is to have their own site and buildings.".....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

18  August  2018

Iwi boycott of alternative water group is followed by demand for talks by Ngai Tahu
Fallout from the Government's decision to set up an alternative Maori group with which to consult on freshwater issues continues, with Ngai Tahu now demanding direct engagement immediately with the Crown over water issues relating to most of the South Island.

And it is throwing into question what "partnership" means in terms of the Crown's engagement with Maori.

The former Government consulted closely with an iwi leaders group within the Iwi Chairs Forum on issues relating to Maori rights and interests in freshwater.

But the Coalition Government wants to set up a new wider group to represent Maori interests, Kahui Wai Maori.

The Government also wants to have a final say on who is on the group.

The Iwi Chairs Forum has decided to boycott that group saying there was no consultation over the change and that the terms and membership of the group "does not reflect a relationship of partnership under Te Tiriti o Waitangi."

And Ngai Tahu, one of the most influential iwi with a rohe covering about 80 per cent of the South Island, now says it will be seeking direct engagement with the Crown.

It has also hinted that court action is an option......
See full article HERE

Māori radio station battles iwi to stay open
Wellington iwi are blocking the oldest Māori radio station from getting funding, and the station is on the brink of closure.

Documents leaked to RNZ show Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Toa are pushing for broadcaster Te Ūpoko o Te Ika to be merged with their own radio station, or shut down.

Te Ūpoko o Te Ika has been broadcasting from Wellington city since 1985.

But under new Crown licensing changes in 2011, the station needs local iwi permission before it can get funding....
See full article HERE

Iwi gets behind $200m roading project despite ongoing internal division
A Taranaki iwi has given its support to a $200 million roading upgrade, but not all its members are happy.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Tama was once neutral about its view of New Zealand Transport Agency's (NZTA) plans to upgrade State Highway 3 at Mt Messenger, but its had a change of heart and given the project the green light.

The proposed bypass cuts through land known as Parininihi, which is owned by Ngāti Tama. The whenua (land) had been confiscated by the Crown but later returned as part of its 2003 Treaty of Waitangi settlement.

But the "fractured" relationships within the north Taranaki iwi were once again laid bare at a resource consent hearing connected to the proposal on Thursday.

Members of Te Korowai Tiaki o te Hauāuru provided evidence to independent commissioner Stephen Daysh, which voiced their opposition to the work along with their concern about being left out of the consultation process.......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

17  August  2018

Plan to scrap Māori and Indigenous faculty labelled 'white-streaming'
Students and staff at the University of Waikato are disappointed with a proposal to scrap the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, with one professor calling it a "white-streaming" of Māori issues.

More than 80 people gathered in a peaceful protest today over a re-structure which will see the faculty lose its status and fall under one of four new "super-divisions".

Outside of the Vice Chancellor's office, protesters were determined to let him know the Māori Faculty wasn't going anywhere without a fight.....
See full article HERE

Iwi leaders reject govt freshwater initiative
Environment Minister David Parker announced the Kāhui Wai Māori proposal at the National Iwi Chairs Forum hui earlier this month.

Chair of the Pou Taiao Iwi Leaders Group Herewini Parata rejected the offer because he says there was no prior engagement on the initiative.

“Its terms and membership are to be determined by the Crown. That does not reflect a relationship of partnership under Te Tiriti o Waitangi."

He says the Iwi Chairs Forum was disappointed about the approach......
See full article HERE

DOC failed to consult iwi regarding cow burial on Motutapu Island – Conservation Minister
Heritage New Zealand has met with the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Ngai Tai ki Tāmaki about the burial of 49 dead cows by a farmer on Doc land on Motutapu Island in December.

The iwi says it was not consulted and that the burial damaged a midden site.

Ngai Tai ki Tāmaki wants all parties responsible for the burial on Motutapu to be prosecuted.....
See full article HERE

Now a significant time in history of Treaty settlements
At the end of August, Waitangi Tribunal hearings will open in Gisborne for the latest Mangatu remedies claims, in which the tribunal is under immense pressure from the courts to issue binding recommendations. But how did we get here? And what does this mean for our relatively politically stable Treaty settlement process?......

.....It is unclear exactly what the repercussions of these decisions will be for the Treaty settlement process. Only time will tell but it is clear we are in the middle of a very significant moment in the history of the modern Treaty settlement process......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

15  August  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Muriel Newman
Democracy under attack
With there now being a critical shortage of teachers in New Zealand, one can’t help but wonder whether compulsory cultural competency requirements, that requires all teachers to not only swear an allegiance to the Maori sovereignty agenda, but to indoctrinate the children as well, is the straw that is breaking the camel’s back.

It’s all emerging as Professor Rata warned. The bicultural movement was captured by radical Maori separatists who will not stop until Maori control all governance processes – they want to return the country to Maori. “The bicultural movement in New Zealand has been a mistake – it is subverting democracy, erecting ethnic boundaries between Maori and non-Maori, and promoting a cultural elite within Maoridom.”

But she has also warned that there are two sides to biculturalism – the small elite group that are promoting it and the much larger group that is allowing it to happen.

And that’s where our fragile flower of democracy stands today.

So, what of the future and the possibility of a new government come 23 September?

The National Party has already said that if it wins sufficient support it would prefer to enter into another coalition agreement with the Maori Party after the election.

This news will have no doubt caused many former National voters to despair.

Anyone in doubt about the merits of National’s liaison with the Maori Party needs only reflect on the mess that National’s concession to the Maori Party over the foreshore and seabed has caused, whereby hundreds of Maori groups, gifted with millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money to fund their opportunistic grab for New Zealand’s coastline, have lodged claims covering every square inch of our coast, many times over, forcing citizens to have to fight to protect our public rights.

Labour, it appears, would be no better as their leader Andrew Little has already said he supports Maori sovereignty. So too does the Green Party, which also wants a new constitution based on the Treaty of Waitangi.

That’s also one of the goals of Gareth Morgan’s Opportunities Party – to increase Maori rights and put the Treaty at the heart of all Government affairs.

At this stage the only dissenting voice is that of Winston Peters with his call for a binding referendum of all voters on the future of the Maori seats – which, of course, are the power base of the bicultural movement and their Maori sovereignty agenda.

As the election jostling continues, one can only hope that more political parties will come to recognise the crucial importance of the Rule of Law and Democracy to New Zealanders – and realise that overwhelmingly, Kiwis want to live in a country where all citizens are treated equally............
Read full article HERE
July 23, 2017

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

14  August  2018

Fishing rāhui placed on beach where whales died
Northland's Te Roroa iwi has placed a rāhui or ban on the collection of shellfish and fishing on the beach where two humpback whales died this week.

The rāhui stretches from Baylys Beach to Mahuta Gap, and is supported by the Department of Conservation (DOC).

DOC said the ban would last for at least the next few days as the carcasses deteriorated and was disposed of.

Tangata whenua are working at the site under the supervision of Ngāti Wai, to salvage culturally-valuable materials from the whales......
See full article HERE

Removing Māori seats too divisive, Bridges says
Removing the Māori seats - part of an ACT policy to get the number of seats in Parliament down to 100 - would be too divisive, says National Party leader Simon Bridges.

ACT leader David Seymour announced the policy, which is in a new private member's bill, at his party's annual conference in Auckland on Sunday.

Bridges said on Monday that in principle National's policy was that the Māori seats should go over time, but the party had made no moves in recent years to do that.

"Let's be honest, it would be incredibly divisive. I think we'd see protests like we've never seen before. So you've got to say, would it be worth it?" Bridges told The AM Show.....
See full article HERE

Results of the 2018 Māori electoral option
The 2018 Māori Electoral Option has closed, with more than 23,300 Māori choosing to change roll types or enrol to vote.

The Option ran from 3 April to 2 August and gave all enrolled voters of Māori descent the opportunity to be on the Māori roll or general roll.

At the end of the Option, 52.4% of Māori voters were on the Māori roll and 47.6% were on the general roll, compared with 52.8% and 47.2% at the start of the Option period. There have been net increases of 1,200 on the Māori roll and 4,015 on the general roll.....

“About 95% of Māori voters chose to stay on the roll they were already on and there was a small change in the proportion of voters on each roll,” says Mandy Bohté, National Manager for Enrolment and Community Engagement.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

13  August  2018

ACT leader David Seymour wants to slash number of MPs to 100, scrap Māori seats
ACT has unveiled a plan to slash the number of MPs to 100 - and erase the Māori seats.

Leader David Seymour has today unveiled a "Smaller Government Bill" which proposes to cap the number of MPs at 100, restrict the size of Cabinet's executive to 20 and scrap the seven Māori seats.

Seymour also proposed doing away with the seven Māori electorates.

"New Zealand is a modern, diverse democracy. There is simply no longer a place for one group of people to be treated differently under the law," he said......
See full article HERE

Taranaki iwi leader critical of changes to region's coronial services
A Taranaki iwi leader has heavily criticised upcoming changes to the region's coronial services, citing the negative impact it could have on Māori tikanga connected to the dead.

A new set of contracts, which are in the process of being finalised by Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and come into effect on September 1, will see Taranaki people in need of post-mortems being taken to Hamilton or Palmerston North for autopsy.

Prior to this, pathologists were directly contracted by MOJ to do the work in the region.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, kaiarataki of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui, said the changes had been made without any consultation with the Taranaki community or iwi.

"This is a blatant disregard for tikanga Māori and whānau throughout Taranaki," she said....
See full article HERE

Māori nurses claim on pay disparity gets Tribunal hearing
NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerry Nuku says the crown has breached its obligations to Māori in the health system under the Treaty of Waitangi.

Kerri Nuku says it's a huge victory - Māori nurses will finally have their say.

“What we want to do is have conversations with the Ministry of Health around how Māori models of care can be delivered in a different way,” said Nuku, “funded in a different way that sees the autonomy and funding sit within Māori Iwi Provider groups or other Primary Healthcare sectors to determine what's best for their communities.”....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

12  August  2018

First wave of marae get funding boost
Māori Development Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta has today announced an investment of $725,000 in the late Koro Wētere’s whānau marae near Kawhia.

Three other marae in Northland have also been granted funds totalling $2.9 million for rebuilds.

“The Oranga Marae programme was launched in May and is a combination of Marae Ora Funding from Vote Māori Development ($10m over four years) and Lottery Grants Board funding, jointly managed by Te Puni Kōkiri and Te Tari Taiwhenua (Department of Internal Affairs on behalf of the Lottery Grants Board), “ says Nanaia Mahuta.

In 2018/19 the programme has a combined fund of approximately $17.5 million ($2.3m from Crown and $15.2m from the Lottery Grants Board) to support marae by ensuring that cultural taonga and traditions are preserved for future generations and our national identity is sustained.

In particular it assists to build, repair and restore whare while also encouraging marae to plan for the revitalisation of tikanga and te reo Māori and the transmission of mātauranga.....
See full article HERE

First Mana Whakahono a Rohe
In April 2017 the National Government released a suite of changes to the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). Among those changes was a significant provision to enhance the participation of Maori in council decision-making enshrined in the legislation as Mana Whakahono a Rohe (MWR) or Iwi Participation Agreements. Completion of these arrangements is mandatory should a local authority or regional council receive an invitation from an iwi authority.

The purpose of a Mana Whakahono a Rohe is (section 58M):

* to provide a mechanism for iwi authorities and local authorities to discuss, agree and record ways in which tangata whenua may, through their iwi authorities, participate in resource management and decision-making processes under this Act; and

* to assist local authorities to comply with their statutory duties under this Act, including through the implementation of sections 6(e), 7(a) and 8.

The test will come when the specific details pertaining to participation have been identified: in particular those matters that are not mandatory which include (section 58R (4)):

* How a local authority is to consult or notify iwi on resource consent matters;

* Circumstances in which an iwi authority may be given limited notification as an affected party;

* Any arrangement relating to other functions, duties, or powers under [the RMA];

* If there are two or more iwi authorities, how they will work collectively together to participate with local authorities; and

* Whether an iwi authority has delegated to a group or person a role to participate in particular processes under the RMA......
See full article HERE

Raukawa Iwi chair Vanessa Eparaima resigns from Waikato River Authority after Roger Pikia appointment
The Waikato River Authority, which oversees millions of dollars in grants, is in uproar after two unexpected resignations.

The chairwoman of Raukawa Settlement Trust resigned from the authority's board after objecting to the appointment of Roger Pikia as co-chair.

Backed by Ngāti Raukawa, Vanessa Eparaima resigned on Friday, following the appointment of Pikia, who is currently at the centre of a Serious Fraud Office investigation into the finances of two Te Arawa iwi trusts which he chairs.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

11  August  2018

Greens co-leader Marama Davidson on new fresh water forum
The Green Party has welcomed the establishment of the new Crown-Māori partnership on fresh water, Te Kāhui Wai Māori, and will continue to push strongly for Māori rights over water to be upheld, says party co-Leader Marama Davidson.

Thompson put it to Davidson that some would say water belongs to everybody.

Davidson said there was clear disagreement and discomfort with the line that water belongs to everybody: "It denies a treaty principle for Māori to be able to maintain kaitiakitanga and tino rangatiratanga over water rights."

"Our longstanding position is we reject the bottom line of everybody owns water."

Davidson says the conversation so far hasn't included hydro plant water usage, focusing more on land allocation and land use of water.

"I haven't seen in the discussion so far a reference to changing what we've got in terms of hydro. But I have to say in the Treaty settlements that have gone through, and are going through, hydro plants governance and management does come through some of those Treaty settlements."....
See full article HERE

Ngāti Rangi settlement bill passes first reading
The Ngāti Rangi Settlement Bill passed its first reading in parliament yesterday, marking the beginning of a new relationship between the iwi and the Crown, says the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little.

But Little says no settlement can compensate Ngāti Rangi for the suffrage the Crown has brought them.

“No settlement could ever compensate Ngāti Rangi for the prejudice they have suffered by the Crown's acts.”....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

10  August  2018

Government sets goal to have a million Kiwis speaking basic Te Reo Māori by 2040
The Government's goal to have one million New Zealanders able to speak basic Te Reo Māori by 2040 is achievable, a Māori Language teacher says.

That is despite there being only 125,000 speakers of te reo in the country according to census 2013.

The Government not only wants an increase in te reo speakers, it also wants 150,000 Māori to speak it as a primary language, and the country as a whole to value te reo as a central part of national identity.....
See full article HERE

Auckland iwi Ngāi Tai to argue in Supreme Court for exclusive rights to Rangitoto, Motutapu
An Auckland iwi is taking its bid for exclusive rights to commercial operations on two Hauraki Gulf islands to the highest court in the country.

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Tribal Trust has claimed rangatiratanga, exclusive rights, to conduct commercial tours on the Rangitoto and Motutapu motu (island) in the Hauraki Gulf for at least five years.

The iwi lost challenges in both the High Court and then the Court of Appeal over the Department of Conservation's issuing of five-year tourism concessions to Fullers and the Motutapu Island Restoration Trust on Rangitoto and Motutapu Islands.

Now the iwi has been granted leave to appeal to the Supreme Court on August 14 and 15.....
See full article HERE

Govt raising Māori expectations on water
Environment Minister David Parker’s establishment of Kahui Wai Māori is just another attempt by this Labour-led Government to mislead Māori on freshwater issues, National’s Māori Development spokesperson Nuk Korako says.

“National’s policy is that nobody owns the water. Nor is a national settlement like that achieved on fisheries appropriate. Freshwater issues, such as nutrients, sediment, E.coli and allocation vary so significantly around the country that solutions have to be worked out on a catchment by catchment basis.....
See full article HERE

Court action could be on the cards as tensions boil over between Ngāphui leaders
Insiders say talks are stalling between opposing Ngāpuhi leadership groups, Tuhoronoku and Te Kōtahitanga after a series of "failed meetings" with the new Treaty Negotiations Minister.

Te Kōtahitanga co-chair Pita Tipene says the seven closed meetings have left him feeling frustrated, angry and betrayed.
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

9  August  2018

Iwi leaders say they will go to court over Māori freshwater rights
Iwi leaders have told the government they'll see them in court over Māori rights to freshwater.

The leaders met Cabinet ministers in Ngāruawhāhia on Friday, where the politicians made it clear those rights were not up for debate.

Now the iwi leaders say they have no choice but to go to court, given the government's unwillingness to negotiate with Māori on freshwater rights.

The Waitangi Tribunal and the Supreme Court have both acknowledged Māori have first rights to freshwater, but that has not been backed up by government policy.

Ownership rights are at the heart of the debate about water allocation and management, but successive governments have failed to reach a position that satisfies Māori......
See full article HERE

Who has rights to freshwater?
A spokesperson for Rongowhakaata, Jody Wyllie says, "The crux of the matter issue for all Māori right around NZ is the ownership of water and it's coming. The fact that we're starting this conversation around allocation, and we're yet to have the conversation with the council and with the Crown about who owns water in this country.".....
See full article HERE

Broad Māori voice needed in water talks
Crown Māori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis says the Government needs to hear from more than just iwi leaders if it is to resolve conflict over fresh water.

He says iwi chairs made no progress in their talks on water with the previous Government.

Mr Davis says iwi activity makes up only a small part of the Māori economy, and water is critical to the wider land development strategy.
See full article HERE

A teacher's fight to prove her English is good enough to meet Education Council's 'absurd' requirement
"The rule is the same for everyone: teachers need to demonstrate that they have the required proficiency in English or Māori ... [they] need to demonstrate they have met the required level.".....
See full article HERE

Rooftop gardens, urban food forests and swimmable waterways part of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei's plans
Rooftop gardens, urban food forests and swimmable city waterways are all part of an Auckland iwi's plan to "mainstream" kaitiakitanga.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei's 2018 iwi management plan, Te Pou o te Kāhu Pōkere, lays out iwi objectives on land, air and water management within its rohe (tribal area).

The plan, presented to a meeting of Auckland Council's planning committee yesterday, involved embedding and "mainstreaming" kaitiakitanga, guardianship and conservation, into the council's planning and documents......
See full article HERE

NZ Maori Council steps into lead the social policy agenda
For immediate release: The future development of social policy impacting on Maori has never been more certain now that the New Zealand Maori Council’s new structure is in place. At the national hui in July a new strategic direction was proposed that focussed the energy and work of the New Zealand Maori Council around its role as a partner with Government when it comes to the development of social policy......
See full article HERE 

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

8  August  2018

Barrier name change bragging rights denied
The chair of Ngātiwai Trust Board is angry Hauraki iwi have been given the right to change the name of Great Barrier Island.

Haydn Edwards says the deed of settlement signed last week shows Hauraki’s negotiators have successfully used the crown’s flawed policies on overlapping claims to extend their sphere of influence over natural resources beyond their tribal boundaries.

"It is a bit on the nose and in your face when a group that has had no names, no urupa, no maunga, no pa, no marae on Aotea at any time in my lifetime, that they are given the right to change the name from Great Barrier to Aotea. That is a miscarriage of justice," he says......
See full article HERE

'Build our understanding': Jacinda Ardern wants baby Neve to speak Māori and English
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has revealed her baby, Neve Te Aroha, will be raised to speak te reo Māori and English.

In an interview with Māori Television on Monday, Ardern said it was important to her and her partner Clarke Gayford that Neve has an understanding of Māori culture and believes speaking Te Reo is the first step.

Ardern told Native Affairs Neve won't be the only one learning te reo.....
See full article HERE

Study under way into link between science and mātauranga Māori at Whakarewarewa
Scientists will be descending on the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley over the next two years as part of an in-depth investigation linking the science with mātauranga Māori.

The Whakarewarewa Village Charitable Trust and the MacDiarmid Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology have announced a new partnership to use materials science to better understand the natural colours of rocks and waters at the Whakarewarewa Village and surrounding areas.

"By working with traditional knowledge around the colours in the rocks and waters of Whakarewarewa and surrounding areas, this project will provide new knowledge where skills and experiences can be shared with schools, and relevant curriculum-linked activities based on the themes of mātauranga and science in practice."

"We will incorporate the legends that have been handed down from generation to generation and the Māori cultural stories about where the colours come from," Millar said.

"It's about bringing the stories, the legends, the waiata and the science together."....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

7  August  2018

Ngāti Porou seeks to secure longevity of resources
Ngāti Porou lawyer Matanuku Mahuika says hapū of Ngāti Porou stand to gain greater protection and management of their marine and coastal resources through the Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Bill.

"The goal for the hapū of Ngāti Porou is to move forward knowing that they are maintaining the rights to their marine and coastal areas," says Mahuika.

The first Bill of the Marine and Coastal Area Act, the Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Bill, will give Ngāti Porou customary title over significant parts of the East Coast coastline as well as customary rights, such as fishing and the protection of wāhi tapu. It will also require iwi consent for resource consent applications.

"There are aspects to do with fishing, there are other aspects of resource management, all of that," says Mauhika......
See full article HERE

Consent for nine-metre retaining wall as much as construction
Their project will also need iwi approval, including a processing cost of $800, because their property is within the area of the Mahaanui Iwi Management Plan Silent Files and Kaitorete Spit cultural zone in the Christchurch District Plan.

A silent file area is an area given special protection because it contains significant wāhi tapu (sacred places) or wāhi taonga (treasured possessions). The area is larger than the wāhi tapu to ensure the exact location of the sacred place remains secret or "silent".

Sue Denny said she was quoted $5980 by a consultant to manage the complicated process of iwi approval........
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

6  August  2018

Kahui Wai Māori group to work on freshwater
The Government is establishing a new group to broaden the conversation with Māori on freshwater.

Environment Minister David Parker today briefed the Iwi Chairs Forum meeting on plans to establish the group, to be known as Kahui Wai Māori – the Māori Freshwater Forum.

“Freshwater is a taonga of huge significance for Maori and all New Zealanders.

“As we take the next steps towards this goal, we want to widen our engagement with Māori.”

David Parker said Ministers acknowledged the valuable contribution by the Iwi Leaders Group to the debate on water in recent years.

“We now want to include more voices, from different areas of Māoridom.”....
See full article HERE

New Māori group to engage on freshwater issues
​​Maanu Paul says freshwater is a taonga of huge significance for us all. And he's critical of the Government's decision to set up a new advisory body for freshwater.

“Personally, the Government has hijacked our scheme and have said that they have the authority to say which Māori can stand. My answer to that is no, they don't have the authority we do”.

“We, as in Māori and hapū, have our own people. Like we have said to the Tribunal, establish our own committee that communicates with the government on how the policies and laws are set down for freshwater,” says Paul.

Sir Toby (Curtis) warns the issue pertaining to Māori ownership of water will not be solved overnight.

“We have more of a connection to water than anyone”.....
See full article HERE

Appointments to Conservation Boards made
Eugenie Sage announced 57 appointments to the 15 Conservation Boards across New Zealand.

“Conservation Boards are the link between DOC and the community. They help ensure their region’s voice is heard on conservation issues,” Eugenie Sage said.

“These appointments bring the number of women on the boards to 52 per cent and 41 per cent identify as Maori.

This year, boards will have a greater focus on promoting recreation opportunities and tourism on conservation land, and enhancing relationships with iwi and hapū.”.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

5  August  2018

Govt looking for positive outcomes with Whānau Ora
45 students graduated today in Auckland with a Diploma in Whānau Ora, with a decision on the future of the Whānau Ora initiative looming in November.

The two-year course aims to up-skill service providers in order to better serve clients.

Minister for Whānau Ora Peeni Henare says, “Today is about recognising the growing number of graduates receiving their certificates under Whānau Ora.”

The Minister for Whānau Ora is making a commitment to ensure these graduates still have jobs in the future.

“The government's aim is to look for ways to help improve Whānau Ora.”.....
See full article HERE

'Offensive' Māori sign removed at Rotorua tourist attraction
A tongue and cheek sign that has thrilled tourists for years at one of Rotorua's top tourist attractions has been removed after being labelled a grotesque racial stereotype.

The sign at Hells Gate geothermal park, mud bath and spa shows a tubby, tattooed Māori man eating from a cooking pot containing a person tied up in rope with the face cut out for photos.

For 20 years or more, tourists have had fun taking photos through the sign until this week when Māori feminist Moata Tamaira saw a friend's child wee head pop through in her Facebook feed......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

4  August  2018

Proposed name change for part of the North Island Main Trunk railway
A promise made in 1885 could lead to a name change for a section of the North Island Main Trunk railway line.

The New Zealand Geographic Board is seeking public submissions on a proposal to change the name of a 112 kilometre section of track, between Taumarunui and Te Awamutu, to Te Ara-o-Tūrongo.

An application to change the name was made by the Office of Treaty Settlements on behalf of Ngāti Maniapoto.

The proposed name translates to 'the track of Tūrongo' or 'Tūrongo's pathway'. Tūrongo was a tūpuna of many Tainui iwi including Waikato-Waitomo based Ngāti Maniapoto.....
See full article HERE

Rights to fresh water to be discussed as govt meets iwi leaders
After years of impasse over Māori rights to freshwater, iwi may head back to court.

Several Cabinet ministers are headed north to Ngaruawahia today to meet with the Iwi Chairs Forum, where water is set to be a hot issue.

It's the first meeting between the leaders and the government since Cabinet agreed not to pursue any water ownership rights for Māori.

While the government will not pursue any ownership rights for Māori, it will provide capital - most likely through the provincial growth fund - for Māori to develop water storage so they can make better use of under-developed land.

But Ngāpuhi negotiator and senior member of Labour's Māori Council Rudy Taylor said that would not float with iwi.

He likened the situation to the foreshore and seabed controversy in 2004 that led to one of the biggest hikoi ever seen at Parliament......
See full article HERE

Kahui Wai Māori group to work on freshwater
The Government is establishing a new group to broaden the conversation with Māori on freshwater.

Environment Minister David Parker today briefed the Iwi Chairs Forum meeting on plans to establish the group, to be known as Kahui Wai Māori – the Māori Freshwater Forum.

“Freshwater is a taonga of huge significance for Maori and all New Zealanders......
See full article HERE

PM says Hauraki settlement an “issue between iwi”
Progress. That is what the government is focussed on when it comes to the Pare Hauraki Treaty settlement, according to the PM.

During the 10 minute interview the PM was asked whether or not the Pare Hauraki settlement is a ‘repeat of the Foreshore and Seabed’ as many opposing the settlement have claimed.

She refutes those claims saying, “No, no.”

“This is an issue between iwi, unlike the Foreshore and Seabed where the government really was at the centre of that issue,” she said.

“We were the ones guiding the decision making there... We have a role to play in trying to mediate our way through and ultimately seek settlement.”....
See full article HERE

Tens of millions of dollars going to Treaty of Waitangi negotiators and lawyers
Winston Peters has called it a gravy train, others the necessary cost of settling Treaty of Waitangi claims.

Either way, the amount of money the Government pays negotiators and lawyers involved in Treaty settlement negotiations continues to climb, now sitting at $26.6m since the 2006-07 financial year. When payments to Crown lawyers are included, the figure balloons to $68m.

The Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS) released 11 years of data to Stuff under the Official Information Act, providing one of the most comprehensive looks yet at the amount of money being made by experts connected to the Treaty process.......
See full article HERE

Slow flow to hundreds of Māori coastal and marine claims in pipeline
A judge has urged the Crown to step up with resources for resolving Māori coastal and marine claims.

Funding for court claimants, and delays in the Crown deciding which groups they wanted to negotiate with privately, are already threatening to slow the process.

In the High Court at Wellington Justice David Collins is overseeing the 202 pending court claims, many of which are also among the 385 who have taken the other route of trying to negotiate a recognition agreement with the Crown......
See full article HERE

Lance O'Sullivan joins Treaty of Waitangi campaign
Prominent Maori leader Dr Lance O’Sullivan has added his support to the campaign launched by Sir Toby Curtis against the closure of Charter Schools.

Dr O’Sullivan met with Sir Toby this week to pledge his support for the campaign and thank him for the role Sir Toby played in his own education pathway......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

3  August  2018

Hamilton City Council votes Māori on to high-powered committees
Māori seats on council sub-committees is a step in the direction of full participation but opponents to it are calling it democracy by stealth.

A waiata - Waikato-Tainui anthem, E Noho Tuheitia - broke out from a packed gallery in chambers, on Thursday, as Hamilton City Council voted 6 to 4 in favour of introducing five vote-making positions in council for Māori.

Spokesman for Te Haa o te Whenua o Kirikiriroa which represents five Hamilton-based mana whenua groups, Rawiri Bidois, said there are bigger things to come.

"This is but the first part of the process to get to," Bidois said. "Everybody is talking about Māori wards and Māori electorates so we are expecting, and desirous, for this process to begin that longer term aspiration of getting to the stage where there is real and meaningful representation.".....
See full article HERE

Tipene rejects single Ngapuhi settlement
Attempts to find a way to resume Ngapuhi settlement talks have hit turbulence, with an opposition leader rejecting a proposed solution developed over the past few months.

Mr Tipene doesn't think the proposal goes far enough, and when technical advisor Jason Pou presented it to a Te Kotahitanga hui at Mangakahia yesterday it was rejected.

"The Minister put to our group that there would be one entity to negotiate on behalf of all of Ngapuhi and in fact one entity to receive all of the cash quantum for all the people of Ngapuhi. Rudy and I have said from the get go that would be unacceptable," he says
See full article HERE

National Research Charter for Aotearoa being developed
A working group has been formed, with support from research funding agencies, bodies representing different types of research organisations and Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Hay said other countries have developed a charter, such as Australia and the United Kingdom, but rather than simply adopting one of those, it is important that New Zealand develops its own charter to include elements specific to the context of Aotearoa, such as setting out how researchers should meet their responsibilities under the Treaty of Waitangi. The charter will, however, be benchmarked to contemporary international good practice.........
See full article HERE

Hauraki settlement signed despite opposition
The Pare Hauraki collective redress deed was signed today as protesting iwi clashed with police and security on parliament grounds.

Ngāti Paoa is amongst many iwi from Hauraki who did not partake in the signing.

Ngāti Paoa delegated negotiator, Morehu Wilson says, “Minister Little has decided to sign the Hauraki Settlement today with those Iwi who are available to sign. Ngāti Paoa remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold Tikanga in order to reach a mutually beneficial outcome for all."

He says one reason for the decision not to sign today is the commitment the iwi made to follow the Tikanga process.....
See full article HERE

University of Auckand hosts annual Māori Day
What does a modern day urban Māori look like? Hundreds of Māori students gathered in Auckland to celebrate their culture and heritage through song, dance, and food at Auckland University's 7th annual Māori Day.

Our reporter Rukuwai Tipene-Allen spoke to some of the students to ask what it means to be Māori in the big city.

For the over 3,000 Māori at Auckland University, today was a chance to showcase all that makes them who they are.

"It's a way of sharing a Māori perspective and not just with Māori but also with those who want to learn, with those who are in awe of what we have as Māori," says Tauawhi Bonilla.

"What we try to do as Ngā Tauira Māori is create a place when people are free to be Māori.".....
See full article HERE

Record high employment rates among Māori
Employment rates among Māori are the highest they've ever been, according to new statistics from Stats NZ.

Overall, 94,000 more New Zealanders were in employment in the June 2018 quarter compared to June 2017.

Minister for Employment Willie Jackson says the gap between employment among Māori and the general population is closing.

"In fact, all data for Māori is positive, with Māori unemployment and the number of Māori NEETs ['Not in Education, Employment, or Training'] falling in the June quarter.”

The rate of young people not in employment has also dropped.

"Our rate of young people aged 15-24 not in employment, education or training fell from 12.4 percent to 10.9 percent in the June quarter,” says Jackson......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

2  August  2018

Hamilton City one step from Māori representation on council
Māori wards may have failed to get across the line but Hamilton councillors are looking set to back a seat at the decision-making table for iwi.

In October, 2017, Hamilton City Council kicked the idea of a Māori ward to touch but staff were instructed to find another way.

On Thursday, council will decide on a staff recommendation to approve five Māori representative positions to three high-powered committees - one to Finance, one to Growth and Infrastructure and two to the Community and Service Committee. The final appointment will be to the Regulatory and Hearings Committee. The move looks to have the numbers to pass......
See full article HERE

Murupara educator Pem Bird hits out at Hipkins over partnership school closures
Pem Bird, who won the 2018 Matariki Award for contribution to education, said, in his opinion, Chris Hipkins' actions were "profoundly disrespectful".

"It's condemning these children to return to a system where Māori and Pasifika underachievement is chronic, intractable and systemic."

Bird said partnership schools were making a positive difference for Māori and Pasifika students.

"They are thriving in these culturally inclusive and wairua uplifting environments," Bird said.....
See full article HERE

Nurses pay rise won't benefit most Māori nurses
Most Māori nurses will miss out on pay rises won by strike action because they don't work at district health boards.

Any settlement will only apply to nurses employed by district health boards (DHBs).

But the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) said a majority of Māori nurses won't see the gains because many are not employed by DHBs.

NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku said most Māori nurses work in primary health areas such as Māori health organisations.

She said funding is different for Māori and iwi health providers, and their nurses earn up to 25 percent less than DHB nurses.

And many Māori nurses are grappling with lower pay as it is.

Ms Nuku said that gap will widen with the proposed pay rises, and she hoped the wider nursing movement will advocate pay parity for all nurses......
See full article HERE

Council asked to spend $19k to clean up neglected memorial site
A neglected Māori memorial site (urupa) in Waimate could be in for an $18,900 clean-up.

The Waimate District Council has been approached by Jo McLean on behalf of the Thomas-Huruhuru whanau with a request for ongoing maintenance at the Te Huruhuru Rd site on the outskirts of the township.

The council will consider the request at its August 7 meeting.

He proposed the council consider two distinct work streams that could assist in bringing the urupa and the adjacent council-owned reserved back to their former condition and ensure visitors could enjoy the sites and the history associated with them.

He estimated it would cost $18,900 to remove shrubs and trees and replant them.

Ongoing maintenance costs were estimated at $5000 a year, made up of up to 10 working days of weed-spraying, replanting, mowing and miscellaneous tasks.....
See full article HERE

Is Ardern's government in breach of the Treaty? - Right to Life
Right to Life believes that Jacinda Ardern is in breach of Article Three of the Treaty of Waitangi. Jacinda Ardern proposes that abortion, the killing of the unborn, should be taken out of the Crimes Act and treated as a "reproductive issue of choice for women". It is her belief and that of her government that the killing of children before birth should not be a crime, this includes Maori children.

When the Treaty was signed in 1840, the Crown gave an assurance that Maori would have the Queen’s protection. It is believed that that protection was to include protection for the right to life of Maori from implantation to natural death, which was provided by the common law of England and carried on in the New Zealand Crimes Act since 1856......
See full article HERE

Biggest wind turbines in the country proposed for the Kaimai Ranges
But local iwi say not enough has been done to mitigate the cultural impact of the wind farm.

Ngāti Hako iwi manager Paulin Clarkin said turbines on the maunga, the mountain ranges, would be visible to three Ngāti Hako marae.

"That is significant to Ngāti Hako and other Hauraki iwi."....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

1  August  2018

Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board wins Environment Court appeal
Tūwharetoa Maori Trust Board [TMTB] has won an environment court appeal regarding Lake Rotokawa and a nearby geothermal resource.

As a result, Ngāti Tūwharetoa has been acknowledged as having a kaitiaki [guardianship] role at Rotokawa, near Taupō, as well as a smaller iwi, Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa.

The TMTB appeal was lodged against the Waikato Regional Council's decision to grant various resource consents to Rotokawa Joint Venture Limited (RJVL) in 2017......
See full article HERE

Poor census turnout could decrease Māori seats
Low census turnout could have a major impact on the number of Māori seats in Parliament, a data group says.

Early Census 2018 results show only 90 percent of individuals responded, and the Māori data sovereignty group Te Mana Raraunga expects the response rate to be much lower for Māori.

New Zealand's national parliament has had Māori seats since 1867, and there are seven specific Māori seats representing the country's seven Māori electorates across Aotearoa.

However, they are not entrenched and the number of seats can change depending on many factors, including how many people identify as being Māori on the census.....
See full article HERE

Expect more Māori women appointments
Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta says she will support the promotion of more Māori women to positions of power.

“If I can support other women to reach their leadership potential or to be able to exercise their leadership and influence in ways that can transform Māori development then I’m going to do it,” she says.

Speaking to Māori Television’s Native Affairs, the minister said the recent appointment of Rawinia Higgins as the first female chair of the Māori Language Commission was overdue......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

31  July  2018

Ngāpuhi set for biggest iwi settlement yet
The latest Treaty settlement is being hailed as a major leap forward for the country's largest iwi.

Ngāpuhi in Northland could receive up to $300 million following negotiations with Treaty Minister Andrew Little.

Iwi leader David Rankin says it will mark a new chapter.

"Things will happen rapidly now, and Ngāpuhi will now also be able to take their place as an economic superpower in this country, like Ngai Tahu and Tainui."

The settlement would be the biggest in New Zealand's history. Mr Rankin says the wealth will be for all.

"This is not the future for the Māori elite or the people above - this is for the people at the grassroots level."

He is confident the deal will be settled by the end of the year......
See full article HERE

Skylarking on sacred Mt Manaia summit at Whangārei Heads frowned upon
Last week, two young men who call themselves RoadRebelz posted the video, including drone footage, of their climb on the spectacular maunga at Whangārei Heads.

Along the way, the men took stunning footage showing Manaia and its surrounds in the best possible light.

The mountain was considered a sacred ancestor to local hapu and was therefore tapu, in particular its summit, or head.

That was the main reason the Department of Conservation worked with Ngatiwai some years ago to have the trig station which once stood there removed, Donaldson said.....
See full article HERE

Call for rāhui on West Coast from Raglan to Northern Taranaki to boost kaimoana stocks
Iwi leaders from along the coastline of the King Country and Northern Taranaki want to introduce a temporary rāhui from Mokau to Raglan.

They say a ban on fishing and collecting shellfish would enable kaimoana numbers to rejuvenate to sustainable levels.

Kaumātua Bill Rewi-Wetini has lived in the area most of his life, and spent more than 30 of those years as a local fisherman.

In the last decade, he's noticed declining numbers in kaimoana stocks including pipi, flounder, crayfish and pāua.

He and other kaumātua believe part of the problem was overfishing and tangata whenua should be able to manage the takutai moana, or marine environment, as Māori did prior to the arrival of Europeans......
See full article HERE

Iwi researchers, scientists study natural disasters
Geologists and volcanologists today met with iwi researchers at Tangatarua Marae in Rotorua to better understand, prepare and respond to natural disasters.

The gathering is part of an $8mil research project called Eclipse.

According to Graham Leonard of GNS Science, the research is an international team effort.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

30  July  2018

National "hasn’t done well enough” previously for Māori vote - Bridges
National leader Simon Bridges admits his party has not done enough for the Māori vote in the past but says it's worth chasing. His remarks come at the beginning of National's AGM weekend but when asked, he wasn't sure where Māori interests feature on the agenda.

Simon Bridges is sure what direction he wants to lead National.

He says "when we are back in government in 2020 we will reinstate through legislation partnership schools and we'll do it within one year of returning to office."

But when asked what feedback he’d had from Māori constituents and what they could expect from today’s AGM Bridges says "I'm not sure what's on the agenda of the AGM."

Despite this Bridges says many Māori showed up to his public meetings keen to know what National is all about.....
See full article HERE

Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little will sign Hauraki deed
Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little has announced he is ready to sign the controversial Pare Hauraki Collective Redress Deed.

The decision has been welcomed by Pare Hauraki but a Ngāi Te Rangi leader says he's shocked.

Tauranga iwi, led by Ngāi Te Rangi, have protested the settlement, which they say will give Hauraki iwi mana whenua status in Tauranga.

In May, Little put off signing after Tauranga Māori marched on Parliament to demand the Crown make way for a tikanga Māori process to settle disputes between Tauranga Moana and Hauraki iwi.....
See full article HERE

Concerns over how NZ history is taught: 'You Māori are lucky'
A teacher in Whanganui says she was shocked when she heard another teacher tell his class that Māori were lucky the British didn't wipe them out.

Riria Henry was in her final placement for teachers training in 2011, when she says she sat in on a social studies class, of mostly Māori students.

But the Treaty of Waitangi lesson left her speechless.

"So he was walking around with a cricket bat - he was a coach of cricket and he had a big bat that he walked around with," she said.

"He said 'you Māori are lucky that the British soldiers were too busy colonising other areas and did not just choose to focus on New Zealand at the time.

"Otherwise your people would have been wiped out."....
See full article HERE

Educator pleads for Māori MPs to speak up over charter school closures
One of Māoridom's most prominent voices has called out Labour's Maori caucus for its silence over the closure of charter schools.

In a full page advertisement in the Sunday Star-Times in te reo Māori, Sir Toby Curtis pleads for political leaders to show compassion for those involved in the schools.

Part of the message translated into English says: "We have not yet heard any of you support the families, the children, teachers of our charter schools. These schools strengthen them and give them pride – it is not just the students who benefit – all of us benefit."

Sir Toby, who was knighted in 2013 for services to Māori education, went on to say in the advert: "If the late Dame Whina Cooper were alive, there is no doubt she would say to you, 'Where are your marbles?'....
See full article HERE

Insight: Should te reo Māori be compulsory in school?
What could come from a greater understanding of te reo Māori and New Zealand's past? With enduring calls to make language and history compulsory at school, RNZ's Māori News Correspondent Leigh-Marama McLachlan asks current learners what they get out of it.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

29  July  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Hugh Barr
Giving Away the Foreshore and Seabed
.....A new proposal for so-called “universal recognition” is presumably accepted by National as a sop to the Maori Party. It is another race-based privilege that is not justified. “Universal recognition” is a grandiose name for all coastal iwi being given interference rights over others for the territorial sea adjacent to their tribal areas.

These are race-based property rights that non-Maori citizens or groups cannot be awarded. There is no justification for awarding them to iwi. They are another major step by National toward Maori separatism.

The Maori Party’s Mark2 agreement with National, though it may not yield control of all the foreshore and seabed to iwi, is still a huge step towards iwi exploitation ambitions. A new class of race-based territorial sea property owners, iwi and hapu, will be created, with exclusive property rights to develop and control their areas, including for currently established activities.

As well, it will create unlimited opportunities for the Courts to create precedent exclusive to one ethnicity, Maori descendants. National’s “solution” to ownership of the foreshore and seabed is an ill-thought-out unacceptable race-based shambles. It ignores the interests of the rest of the community. It must be turned down by the rest of us in favour of Crown ownership on behalf of us all, as at present.....
Read full article HERE 
June 19, 2010

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

28  July  2018

Plans to build a bilingual New Zealand a 'bold step
Kelvin Davis has ambitious plans for a bilingual Aotearoa, but one expert says that future isn't possible unless non-Māori get on board.

The associate education minister is working towards "a future where New Zealanders from every background will have the ability to use Te Reo Māori in everyday conversations".

Davis would love to see Kiwis born in 2018 be able to switch between English and te reo "without batting an eyelid".

One of the Government's first steps towards that lofty goal is making te reo universally available in schools by 2025.....
See full article HERE

Haka Tours scholarship encourages tourism careers for Maori
Haka Tours are ensuring sustainable employment for New Zealand’s tangata whenua with the announcement of their Maori Tour Manager scholarship, providing career opportunities in tourism.

The scholarship is open to New Zealand citizens of Maori descent, and provides up to $5,000 of training, as well as transport, meaning applicants can be based anywhere in New Zealand.....
See full article HERE

Māori advisor position 'not a substitute' for Māori ward
The appointment of a new advisor will not give Māori a strong enough voice at the council, a Hawke's Bay councillor says.

It follows a failed attempt to establish a Māori ward last year by a five to four vote - a move that would have guaranteed Māori representation at the decision-making table.

Councillor Rex Graham said he wasn't expecting that result in a region that had a 23 percent Māori population.

"I was really disappointed we lost. We've got such a liberal council - smart, intelligent group of people - and I thought it would just fly through. But it didn't.....
See full article HERE

Bias in govt agencies a barrier to Māori single mums
The Minister for Women says Māori solo mums experience a number of barriers to returning to work including unconscious bias treatment by government agencies.

Julie Anne Genter says a more culturally aware approach is needed by staff to address the issue.

Genter says the way Māori single mothers are treated by agency staff is a hurdle to them entering the workforce or training......
See full article HERE

$100k of scholarships to help Māori students study abroad
Five Māori students will receive $20,000 and the opportunity to study abroad with a new scholarship up for grabs.

Introduced last year by Crimson Education, Te Ara a Kupe Beaton Scholarship is the first to support Māori students to gain admission into top universities in Aotearoa and abroad, whether it be computer science at Victoria University, medical school at the University of Auckland or economics at Harvard.....

Beaton says not only does the scholarship open up doors for young Māori, it helps to introduce the world to Māori culture.....
See full article HERE

Higgins to bring Crown up to speed with te reo Māori
The first appointed female chair to the Māori Language Commission today received her formal welcome.

Professor Rawinia Higgins has been tasked with ensuring the Crown safeguards the future of Te Reo Māori.

A loss for Te Mātāwai and a gain for Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

27  July  2018

Treaty claimant groups call on Crown to replace Hawke's Bay Regional Council with commissioners
Hawke's Bay treaty settlement groups concerned about the region's water quality have called on the Crown to replace Hawke's Bay Regional Council with commissioners.

The settlement entities say they have "lost confidence in the council to act in good faith regarding their responsibilities to iwi and the environment".

In a statement the groups said "We propose the Crown appoint commissioners to replace the Hawke's Bay Regional Council and work with tangata whenua to review the [regional council's] regional planning committee engagement mechanisms".....
See full article HERE

Iwi wants sustainable fishery too
As one of the largest stakeholders in the commercial fishing industry here, Ngati Porou says it is has an interest to maintain a sustainable industry as much as other commercial fishers.

Through the bill, Ngati Porou is seeking legal customary title of the foreshore and seabed along the East Coast coastline to Gisborne.

If the bill is passed through Parliament and becomes an Act, Ngati Porou will have customary rights such as fishing, and the protection of waahi tapu (sacred sites).

Iwi consent will be required for resource consent applications in the areas over which it has customary title, as well as for proposals such as marine reserves.

Ngati Porou will be able to propose bylaws to restrict or ban fishing for either sustainability or cultural reasons, such as a rahui (a ban on fishing or swimming, such as after a drowning).

The Tairawhiti Rock Lobster Industry Association said if the bill was passed, it would provide opportunities for significant closures of areas, impacting on the industry......
See full article HERE

Dame Tariana Turia joins Treaty claim
Today I have joined the Claim before the Waitangi Tribunal, led by Sir Toby Curtis and Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi on behalf of tangata whenua, opposing the shutdown of Kura Hourua/Partnership Schools.

The failure of the Crown to consult mana whenua before issuing termination notices to successfully performing schools is a national disgrace......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

26  July  2018

Rāniera Tau wants $1.5bil for Ngāpuhi settlement
The chairman of Te Rūnanga Ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi, and co-leader of Tūhoronuku, Rāniera Tau wants $1.5bil to settle the Ngāpuhi Treaty claim.

This comes as the embroiled iwi leader defends allegations of mismanagement of tribal assets.

For the first time, the co-chair of Tūhoronuku, and chair of Te Rūnanga Ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi Rāniera Tau has given the sum he is wanting to settle the Ngāpuhi Treaty settlement.

"I'll say that it's worth up to at least $1.5bil in value" Tau says exclusively to Te Kāea's Northland regional correspondent, Raniera Harrison.

"That $1.5 billion? That's only the beginning for Ngāpuhi."......
See full article HERE

Working with Tangata Whenua
Council has agreed to spend an additional $384,000 per annum from year 1 of the Long Term Plan to grow capacity and partnerships for co-governance and co-management with Tangata Whenua to better meet Council?s statutory obligations.

Council adopted its final Long Term Plan on 27 June 2018.
See full article HERE

Protest in Kaikohe challenges Ngāpuhi leadership
"Feed the people not your pockets" is one of the key messages Ngāpuhi protesters want rūnanga leadership to hear.

About 60 adults and 15 children took part in a peaceful protest in Kaikohe yesterday, calling for a change in leadership at Ngāpuhi.

The 30-minute hīkoi, or march, began at the RSA on Broadway at 11am and finished at the offices of Te Rūnanga-ā-iwi o Ngāpuhi.

At issue was the fact the rūnanga received dividends of $2.6 million but only gave about 11 per cent back to the people through scholarships and hapu development funding......
See full article HERE

Paraparaumu golf course gives holes Māori names
"The Maori names we chose capture the very spirit of our golf course."

Kaumatua Don Te Maipi was consulted in the naming of the holes, and now players will be able to refer to holes not just by their number, but by their new Maori name, or their English translation.

Club president David Buck and life member and local iwi representative Ria Erskine unveiled the new signage during a recent ceremony, and Mr Barber is keen to see members and visitors embracing the Maori names......
See full article HERE

More charter schools to become character schools
The Ministry of Education says a character school has a particular character which sets it apart from ordinary state schools and kura kaupapa Māori.

The six schools include Te Aratika Academy in Whakatu, both Te Kāpehu Whetū teina and tuakana schools in Whangarei, Te Kōpuku High in Hamilton, Pacific Advance Secondary School in Auckland and Te Rangihakahaka Centre for Science and Technology in Rotorua.

Kapa haka tutor Tatai Henare recently told te Kāea reporter Leah Te Whata that despite a change of model, the school is determined to continue what they’ve started.

“No matter whether it'll be called a charter school or mainstream, our values remain the same. We want to merge the students within the teachings of the 28th Māori Battalion.

Only the descendants of those who served are capable of delivering that. They are the elders leading the transfer of knowledge.”.....
See full article HERE

Boundaries in dispute - Ngati Porou bidding for customary title
Tribal boundaries are a major issue of contention in a bid by Ngati Porou to obtain legal customary title of the East Coast foreshore and seabed.

Ngati Porou are seeking to secure customary title and rights through the Nga Rohe Moana o Ngati Porou Bill (No 2), which had its first reading in Parliament in May.

If the bill becomes an act, it will see protection of waahi tapu (sacred sites), customary fishing rights, as well as iwi consent required for resource consents.

The major concern for Rongowhakaata is that Ngati Porou has included in its boundary Te Toka a Taiau — the culturally-significant rock that was once near the Turanganui rivermouth before it was blown up by Gisborne Harbour Board in the mid-1870s to establish a channel.

This same claim crosses over with hapu, Ngati Oneone and Ngati Konohi, who say they have mana moana in some areas within that region.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

25  July  2018

Hokianga residents fear impact of Kupe cultural centre
Hokianga residents riled about the impact of a $7.25 million cultural centre on their small seaside towns have dubbed it a 'Maori Disneyland.'

More than 200 residents attended two meetings on July 17, at Pakanae Marae and Opononi Hall, after Stuff reported residents' concerns that Opononi and Omapere won't cope with an influx of visitors flocking to see the Manea Footprints of Kupe cultural and education centre.

The centre will celebrate Kupe's voyage to Hokianga and showcase the area's rich Maori heritage.

Residents are worried about the impact on local infrastructure, including increased traffic, parking problems and environmental impacts on the Hokianga Harbour, and say there has been no public consultation.

The Manea project is being managed by Far North Holdings, on behalf of Te Hua O Te Kawariki Trust, who initiated the project in 2005.

It received $4.6 million from the Government's provincial growth fund in February.

Up to 35,000 visitors are forecast in the first year, increasing to more than 60,000 in year five, according to the resource consent application, which was approved by Far North District Council in March.....
See full article HERE

Largest Maori public health group left disappointed at confusing advocacy
Hāpai Te Hauora is the largest Māori public health group in Aotearoa and they are disappointed that strong statements have been used that are confusing to Māori and Pacific who may be trying to stop smoking.......
See full article HERE

Māori heading back to school to learn te reo in large numbers
Huge numbers of Māori are going back to school later in life to learn te reo.

In the last four years, 1400 more Māori have enrolled at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, the largest Māori tertiary provider.

Thirty-year-old Nik Pearson of Ngāti Maniapoto who enrolled said despite attending kōhanga reo, and studying te reo at high school, the language never came home.

But he said the birth of his first child last year was the push he needed.

"My plan and goal is to bring him up bilingual - English and Māori......
See full article HERE

Hate hucksters threat to race relations
Anti-racism campaigner John Minto says there is no free speech issue with the impending visit of a pair of right wing speakers because their aim is not to contest ideas but to provoke hate against racial and religious minorities.

Mr Minto says the pair’s rhetoric about the collapse of western society leaves no room for Māori values.

"This can only be damaging to race relations or what we have here. They’d be staunchly opposed to the Treaty of Waitangi or any recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi. They’ve been opposed to any kind of recognition of values other than those white European values from the nineteenth century," he says.....
See full article HERE

Education Minister has “foot on our throats,” say partnership school leaders
Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has forcibly silenced partnership school leaders from speaking out against the shutting down of their schools, according to Sir Toby Curtis who is leading a Treaty of Waitangi claim against the Crown over its failure to consult on the closures.

“Now the school leaders tell me they have had enough. The Minister’s carrot-and-stick approach may work on his Māori MP colleagues who remain curiously silent. But the school communities and the Māori electorates those MPs serve won’t be silent for long. We’ll have those MPs all sitting up and taking notice over the coming weeks and months,” he promises......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

24  July  2018

Maori experts to help develop education initiatives
Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis is hosting an impressive group of 12 Māori experts in Wellington today to help realise the potential for two education initiatives flagged in this year’s Budget.

The group will help the Government develop the parameters for two Māori education initiatives: Te Ahu o te reo Māori and Te Kawa Matakura.

“There’s huge potential for this if we get it right,” Kelvin Davis said.

“Te Ahu o te reo Māori will support teachers to deliver te reo in the classroom and is the start of our plan to better integrate te reo across the education system......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

22  July  2018

Next stage in Ngati Porou’s Foreshore Bill
Submissions on a bill regarding Ngati Porou customary title and rights over the foreshore and seabed along the East Coast will be heard in Gisborne next week.

A Maori Affairs Select Committee hearing on the bill will be held on Monday in the Jesus Christ Repentance Church at Kaiti Mall from 8.30am.

If the bill is passed, Ngati Porou will be the first iwi to secure a settlement over the foreshore and seabed, establishing customary title and giving it some veto rights over the uses of those areas.....
See full article HERE 

Public spaces across Auckland to get Māori names
Hundreds of public spaces have been put forward for a Māori name in Auckland.

The naming proposal was a part of an Auckland-wide local board project to having te reo Māori more widely spoken, heard and seen throughout the region.

"When people come to some of our parks and community facilities we want them to get a greater sense of the history of our area, including our Māori history," Flavell said.

The dual naming project would not remove or translate existing names, but add a new Māori name to it, Flavell said.....
See full article HERE

Tertiary Institutions failing Māori could lose funding
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) says tertiary institutions may lose funding if they don't improve the success rate of Māori and Pasifika students.

The commission's chief advisor Māori, Paora Ammunson says, “If there’s no change we will want to move funding either within an institution or into another part of the sector if there’s someone else delivering success."....
See full article HERE

$410 a month for Reo not enough says Puna Reo manager
Education Minister Chris Hipkins has agreed to review the level of funding for te reo Māori resources in response to cries for better resourcing from Puna Reo operators.

Te Kōhao Kōhungahunga (Puna Reo) manager Tere Gilbert says her center only receives around $410 per month for their Māori language subjects......
See full article HERE

Hato Petera supporters protest parliament, lodge Treaty claim
A small group of Hato Petera College supporters took to parliament to protest the school's potential closure and announce the filing of a Treaty claim to address the issue. However, no one was there to receive them at parliament.

The group lodged a Treaty claim today hoping it could bring results.....
See full article HERE

Liquor licence for South Auckland tavern declined, again
Māori warden, David Rātu from Turehou Māori Wardens Ki Ōtara Trust was one of the objectors and says the decision was welcomed.

"The community can be satisfied that they will not have to tolerate an operation in its backyard, that was dragging huge amounts of money out of a community that could least afford it, primarily through pokie machines," he says.

Rātu has also gone so far as to lodge a claim to include a Treaty of Waitangi clause into the country's liquor laws......
See full article HERE

Community advocate driven to “ignite the fire” for Māori law graduates
Australian-born Scottish/Māori bagpipe-playing Highland dancer Jamie-Lee Tuuta’s legal efforts opened the eyes of one High Court judge to a need to consider the cultural background of offenders.

In the case of Alexander, who, from the age of 18 months spent much of his life in care, Justice Davidson said he appreciated Ms Tuuta’s report. It included references to evidence which showed that Māori who explored their culture found a sense of belonging and were less likely to re-offend.

Of Alexander, Jamie-Lee told the judge: “As much as he knows he is Māori, he doesn’t know what that means.”

Justice Davidson said Jamie’s focus on Alexander’s disconnect with his Māori culture was “extremely helpful and enlightening.” He also said it was the first time he had come across such a cultural report, saying it may apply to Pākehā and other ethnicities as well, and he knew many judges who had not come across them.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

21  July  2018

Taranaki iwi speak out against intensive farming
Taranaki iwi have spoken out against intensive farming in the region, in a new guide developed to help environmental management.

The criticism came in a document Taiao, Taiora - the Taranaki Iwi Environmental Management Plan.

The guide is intended to help decision-making by iwi, marae, pa, hapū and whānau, as kaitiaki of the Taranaki rohe.

Te Kāhui o Taranaki Iwi chairperson Leanne Horo said the strategy marked an important step towards developing a clear understanding between the iwi and local authorities on matters concerning the natural environment.....
See full article HERE

A Northland iwi is disappointed permission has been granted to dredge the Whangarei Harbour
It plans to deepen and realign the harbour entrance, to better accommodate Suezmex vessels, which can only use the harbour 90 per cent full due to the channel's depth.

Patuharakeke iwi trustee Julianne Chetham says it's not what they wanted, but it's pleasing some alterations to resource consents have been made.

The Board will decide tomorrow if it will appeal the decision.....
See full article HERE

Former Māori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell has resigned as co-leader
Former Māori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell has resigned as the party's co-leader to take up a new position as the chief executive of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is the country's second largest tertiary education provider, delivering more than half of the sector's Māori language education.

Mr Flavell said education had always been a big part of his life.....
See full article HERE

Zero Carbon Bill submissions exceed 13,000
The submission round for the Zero Carbon Bill has ended with more than 13,000 submissions received.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw says Māoridom has raised many key points and concerns.

The Climate Change Minister says many verbal submissions were made by Māori.

"Māori are very interested in ensuring that there is an ambitious plan for climate change because Māori interests are so affected by climate change."...
See full article HERE

China partner in climate clean up
Climate Change Minister James Shaw says New Zealand could be working closely with China on efforts to address climate and environmental challenges.

He says the Zero Carbon Bill needs to carefully consider the position of the Treaty of Waitangi, because it would not be acceptable if Māori economic interests were put at risk for the needs of the wider economy, as has happened too often over the past 170 years.....
See full article HERE

A matter of trust: Iwi voice in Christchurch rebuild
You needn't look far through the Christchurch rebuild to see the hand of the Matapopore Charitable Trust.

Designs sandblasted onto buildings, poems etched into stone paths, new artworks, native plantings, and te reo names for new buildings all reinforce its work.

Jointly set up by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) and Ngāi Tahu in 2014, the trust gives cultural advice on the rebuild anchor projects. It has invoiced taxpayers and ratepayers for about $2.5 million of consultancy work since then......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

20  July  2018

Deadline nearing to have your say on representation review
There are just over two weeks left for you to have your say on how you want to be represented by Porirua City Council.

Manager Democratic Services, Lynlee Bailey, said the current review includes a proposal to include Māori names for Porirua’s three electoral wards.

Ms Bailey said the proposal came out of a desire from the Council to better recognise local iwi Ngāti Toa Rangatira, and the significance of te reo Māori in general.
“Your Council wants to know if you agree with the proposal before the review closes on 3 August.”....
See full article HERE

Leveraging Māori agribusiness economy
The man charged with improving and developing relationships with dairy giant Fonterra's Māori supplier base believes his work will have positive spinoffs for the entire company.

This has been particularly important given Māori's strong ancestral connection to the land and the statutory role iwi play within the execution of the Resource Management Act.

Māori are reported to own more than 30 per cent of fishing quota, 30 per cent of land under plantation forests, 10 per cent of kiwifruit and dairy production, and 25 per cent of sheep and beef production.....
See full article HERE

Kaikōura cycleway plan upsets local iwi: 'No consultation'
A planned cycleway along the coast will cross an urupā - or Māori burial ground - as well as other sacred sites, and cut off access to traditional food gathering areas, Kaikōura iwi say.

"There has been no consultation ... [the sites] have been registered with the Māori land court and these people were actually ignoring our issues," Ms Starkey said.

There were five Wahi Tapu sites along that area of Kaikōura coast, she said....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

19  July  2018

Māori state house tenant appointed to Housing NZ board
For the first time, a Māori state house tenant has been appointed to the Housing NZ board.

Disability activist and lawyer Dr Huhana Hickey looks to bring a new perspective to the director role.

Hickey says, "I hope I can actually bring the voice of the very tenants that live in there. There's a range of us- we're not all P addicts, we don't all have a lab in our house."

Hickey is a panel member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal and has a PhD in law and science.....
See full article HERE

More calls for rongoā Māori and healing practices as treatment options
Award-winning author and wairua practitioner Wiremu Niania says it's time for rongoā Māori and Māori healing practices to be recognised alongside western practice in our healthcare system.

“Our rongoā is natural, there's no chemicals involved,” he says.

Niania says he is the first paid tohunga contracted with Te Tairawhiti District Health Board. He's calling on the government to give more funding for Māori traditional medicine and tohunga......
See full article HERE

Māori after-thought in broadcast innovation fund
Māori screen artists feel Māori are an after-thought in a new broadcasting innovation fund.

Broadcasting Minister Clare Curren has announced $6 million for public media content for under-served audiences such as Māori and Pacific peoples, children and regional New Zealand, to be administered jointly by Radio New Zealand and New Zealand on Air.

Erina Tamepo from industry group Ngā Aho Whakaari says the Minister is overhauling public broadcasting with no Māori input and no Māori say on what gets funded.

She says Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta should have insisted Māori have a seat at the table.....

See full article HERE

Māori students gain new champion
Ms Manu says Massey’s Tiriti-led strategy is another huge opportunity. “This isn’t about one group getting more than another – it’s about ensuring our rangitahi Māori are empowered and have the same opportunity as other New Zealanders. It’s important people understand that Māori need to advance themselves in a uniquely Māori way because if we deny Māori as a treaty partner, that opportunity, we are in effect advancing one dominant culture and ultimately continuing the process of colonialisation.”......
See full article HERE

New scholarships for Maori nurses
New scholarships to support Māori nurse development and innovation, including becoming nurse prescribers or nurse practitioners, have been launched with the support of Pharmac.

Winners of the first Tapuhi Kaitiaki Awards will be announced at the Indigenous Nurses Conference in Auckland on August 11.

Pharmac and Te Pōari o Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa of the New Zealand Nurse Organisation launched the awards with Pharmac chief executive Sarah Fitt, who said the awards acknowledged the role that Māori nurses have as key influencers and role models.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

18  July  2018

Iwi to build fences on Ninety Mile Beach
Far North iwi are proposing to build fences along beaches - including New Zealand's popular Ninety Mile Beach - to stop vehicles damaging the local environment.

Te Takiwa o Ahipara spokesman Haami Piripi said several hundred hectares of land was returned to iwi during a Treaty settlement three years ago, and they recently received title for it.

About 5kms would be fenced off, to protect "ecological and cultural values" that are wahi tapu [sacred places], he said.

"They will close off access to the sand hills to the extent we can control and restrict the four-wheel drives and motorbikes," Piripi said.

"We have been trying to do this for a while but haven't had the authority....now the land has been returned to us, it allows us, the landowner, to call the shots.".....
See full article HERE

Filmmaker's defence in 'hate speech' case calls on historical Sir Bob Jones remarks
A Māori filmmaker is defending her petition to revoke Sir Bob Jones' knighthood and is building her legal defence against his defamation suit with comments made by the wealthy businessman from as far back as the 1970s......
See full article HERE

Māori voices rising in local government
Māori in local government feel their voice is growing, despite the failure of any councils this year to get Māori wards in place.

Bonita Bingham from the association's Te Maruata Māori subgroup says despite Māori ward proposals being overruled by referendum, councils are finding ways toke iwi partnerships and direct appointments to committees to improve the chance of a Māori voice being heard.

There are also more Māori being elected, compared with a decade ago when less than 5 percent of councillors had any whakapapa Māori.

It is going to be young and it is going to be brown and it is going to be beautiful," Ms Bingham says.

She says a call for more power and resources to shift from central to local government could fit well with iwi rangatiratanga.....
See full article HERE

Matariki could replace Queen's birthday - Paul Eagle
Labour MP Paul Eagle is leading the charge to have Matariki recognised as a public holiday and it could be possible given the review of the Holidays Act.

Matariki could bump the Queen's Birthday from its public holiday pedestal.

Eagle says "I've taken a proposal to the Māori Caucus and we've looked at whether we replace Queen's Birthday weekend or whether we replace another holiday or create a new one."....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

17  July  2018

Te Atiawa makes commercial move by snapping up land under police station, court house
Te Atiawa - Taranaki's biggest iwi and a multi-million dollar entity - now owns the land underneath New Plymouth's police station and court house.

As part of its 2014 Treaty of Waitangi settlement deal, the iwi negotiated a $87 million cash payment along with cultural and commercial redress.

As part of the commercial element of the agreement, it was given a sale and leaseback option regarding the land where the police station and court house are situated.....
See full article HERE

Councils push for local control
Local Government New Zealand is pushing for a shift of power from central to local government.

Mr Cull says localism will give local citizens, iwi/Māori organisations, businesses and community groups a greater say.

The conference is the first since referendums overturned the attempts by five councils to create Māori seats, and other councils opted to not even try to increase Māori representation because of the fear of backlash.....
See full article HERE

Realising Māori potential the focus of new partnership
A shared vision to reduce child poverty rates and social inequity is at the heart of a new funding arrangement between Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the Peter McKenzie Project (an initiative of the J R McKenzie Trust).

The grant, worth almost $1.4m over five years, is the largest amount ever funded in the history of the J R McKenzie Trust and will be used to help fund a social innovation lab to be based within Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. This is a co-investment arrangement whereby both Ngāi Tahu and the Peter McKenzie Project have committed funds to the initiative in a bid to spearhead change and maximise collective impact.

"Our goal is to achieve equity in education, employment and income for all Māori in our takiwā by 2040. We know these are key drivers of whānau empowerment, security and prosperity, and, in transforming outcomes for tamariki." ....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

16  July  2018

Auckland's Statue of Liberty: Giant statue of Papatūānuku the Earth Mother proposed for Bastion Point
New Zealand's own version of the Statue of Liberty may soon welcome visitors at the entrance to Auckland Harbour.

The structure of Papatūānuku the Earth Mother, proposed by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and part-funded by Auckland Council, would stand 30 to 50 metres tall on the historic headland of Takaparawhau/Bastion Point.

That would make it as big as, if not bigger than, the New York icon, which is 46m.

The iwi has conceived it as Auckland's version of the Statue of Liberty or the 30m Christ the Redeemer above Rio de Janeiro, visible in lights at night from across the city, with stunning views from downtown, the North Shore, and from ships and ferries......
See full article HERE

Achieving improved outcomes for Māori - Te Toa Takitini
The Independent Māori Statutory Board has identified areas, for this 10-year budget, where additional funding should be applied.

These areas focus on:

* improving visibility and support for Māori identity

* relationship agreements with the 19 iwi of Tāmaki Makaurau

* support for Māori economic development

* infrastructure development for sites of cultural significance.

This will bring the total budget for Te Toa Takitini to $146 million over the next 10 years.
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

15  July  2018

South Auckland iwi want a say in 10,000 new home build
Local South Auckland tribe Te Ākitai o Waiōhua are keen to have a seat at the table following the government's plan to build 10,000 new homes in Māngere.

“This is just the start to ensure that we are at the table to plan and also discuss how we can work together,” says spokesperson David Wilson-Takaanini.

“We're also looking at specific ways we can work with iwi and other Māori organisations to make sure that whānau Māori get a fair shot at the KiwiBuild homes,” says Housing and Urban Development Minister, Phil Twyford.....
See full article HERE

Iwi group invests $100m on plans to revive local economy
A Hawke's Bay iwi group is investing more than $100 million in commercial developments with plans to reinvigorate the local economy.

The Mana Ahuriri Trust has launched their plans to become one of the largest commercial property and asset owners in the region.....
See full article HERE

First bids for slice of $1b fund
The first regional attempts at grabbing a slice of the government’s $1 billion Provincial Growth Fund are under way.

But one of the applications is for an initiative to prepare secondary school pupils for their next step in life, a programme headed by Tom Hullena on behalf of Masterton District Council.

He said being unprepared for the transition from secondary school into the workforce could increase the risk of long-term workplace failure for young people.

But he wants to strengthen this transition for all pupils, especially young Maori men.

While the finer details are yet to be discussed, he said the idea was to employ about two people to each work with 20 young Maori men – 120 over the three years – who may be at risk of not transitioning smoothly......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

14  July  2018

Bicultural competence at heart of new degree
A new Bachelor of Communication degree at the University of Canterbury is weaving bicultural awareness and activities into each course of study.

The Bachelor degree in the College of Arts launches in 2019 and will offer four majors: Journalism, Communication Strategy in Practice, Political Communication, and Tauwhitinga Māori: Communication Strategy for the Māori World.

Activities incorporated into the degree include visits to Tuahiwi Marae, work-based projects with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and coursework highlighting Māori perspectives on communication, such as indigenous understandings of risk and writing for Māori news media.....
See full article HERE

Maori on list for extra radio content funding
Radio New Zealand and New Zealand on Air have been asked to team up to oversee a new $6 million innovation fund aimed at generating more content for under-served audiences such as Maori and Pacific Peoples, children and regional New Zealand.

Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran yesterday revealed how the $15 million in new funding in the Budget will be carved up....
See full article HERE

Ringatū in good heart as tamariki sing out
Tūnuiārangi Mclean was among the hundreds of who attended the commemoration at Rangiwaho Marae, Muriwai, south of Gisborne this week.

He says the turnout was a coming together of the Māori faiths, with Ratana, Pai Maarire and followers of the teachings of the Parihaka prophets also represented.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

13  July  2018

Far North sand dunes need protection from vehicles - Te Rarawa
Te Rarawa is taking steps to block motorbikes and offroad vehicles at Ahipara, to protect fragile sand dunes and sites of significance to Te Rarawa.

Te Takiwa o Ahipara spokesman Haami Piripi said conservation reserves returned via the iwi's Treaty settlement would be fenced off, and pouwhenua erected to tell the iwi's stories and connections to the whenua.

"Our colonial history here in the Far North has over time produced a relatively peaceful community, established upon the honour of our respective leaders sharing a nation as partners and expressed through Te Tiriti o Waitangi, signed in 1840 at Te Ahu in Kaitaia," Piripi said.....
See full article HERE

Maori games taught to take back to Timaru classrooms
Timaru teachers enjoyed a day of play as they prepare to take Maori games into the classroom.

Sport Canterbury community sport advisor Lawrence Tau, who travelled from Christchurch to run the SportStart Takaro programme, said the main purpose of the initiative was to erase the stigma attached to being Maori.

Maori youth, “especially disconnected Maori”, could benefit from the games because they allowed the children to explore their culture without feeling pressure to know everything, he said....
See full article HERE

Tai Tokerau language expert calls for exclusive Northern wānanga
Former Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo board member, and staunch Māori language advocate, Quinton Hita (Ngāpuhi) is calling for a new regional-specific Māori language school specifically for Te Tai Tokerau.

It's call for the Tai Tokerau investment collective of Te Mātāwai to fully fund the establishment of a new language school in the north.

"Perhaps we should look at a collaborative approach and set that money aside for Northland Māori language strategies?" he says.....
See full article HERE

Māori Wardens suitable for diversion
New Zealand Māori Council chair Sir Taihākurei Durie wants a greater role for Māori wardens in alternative forms of justice.

Sir Taihākurei says increasing the role of Māori committees and wardens in community development is one of the aims of the new council, which has just finished its triennial elections.

"I would like to actually see the wardens have a direct role in police diversion and those types of schemes that prevent our people being put through the court system.....
See full article HERE

Māori speech bad, white speech good for Brash
Auckland Peace Action says the Free Speech Coalition which is suing Auckland Council for refusing to rent a venue to right wing extremists is full of hypocrites and opportunists.

She says hate speech is not free speech but an industry for the racist right who use it as a recruiting tool and a show of power.

Their hate speech creates the environment where racist speech and violence against Tangata Whenua, migrants and refugees is acceptable and normalised......
See full article HERE
A further article here > Council sued over white speech ban

Tukutuku fund encourages te reo in the kainga
The branch of Māori language organisation Te Mātāwai that represents education, community, broadcasting and urban Māori stakeholders is looking to fund innovative ideas on language revitalisation.

There’s $2 million on offer with the fund open until July 25......
See full article HERE

Nash says new iwi community justice panel not a soft option
The first iwi community justice panel in Waitematā has been launched today with the police minister backing it as an effective way to reduce the rate of reoffending in young Māori.

The panel was created in a partnership between Hoani Waititi trustees and police.

"The trustees of Hoani Waititi Marae in Glen Eden have a long history of leading innovative restorative justice programmes," Nash said.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

12  July  2018

Patents threaten to misappropriate Māori knowledge
New research has identified 77 ‘families’ of patent applications for inventions that are of potential concern because of how they aim to use plant species connected to traditional Māori knowledge.

Around half of the inventions are in the fields of pharmaceuticals or cosmetics, with the United States filing the most applications, followed by China.

Thirty-three of the families cover some aspect of mānuka, either the plant, honey made from it, or isolates from one of these.....
See full article HERE

Strategic Adviser Maori | Taranaki
The Strategic Adviser works with leaders and staff to support local strategies that focus on accelerating Māori achievement.

The role provides strategic advice and leadership across the Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatū region to help the organisation accelerate Māori educational achievement, seeking equity outcomes and the promotion of Māori identity, language and culture and to support the Director of Education to lead engagements with iwi and Māori stakeholders.....
See full article HERE

Councils and iwi come together to support the Kaituna River
A unique collaboration between Bay of Plenty iwi and authorities is examining the impact we are having on local waterways, and working to change it.

A plan of how to help restore and enhance the health of the Kaituna River, produced by a collective with representatives from different groups, has just been released.....
See full article HERE

Māori public health org wants healthier food policies at sports clubs
New Zealand's largest Māori public health organisation is backing new research from the University of Otago to take bold action against the obesity crisis.

They're calling on minister for sport and recreation Grant Robertson and the minster of health Dr David Clark to help sports clubs to implement healthier nutrition policies....
See full article HERE

ITPs look to embrace Māori innovation
For the first time, the National Institutes of Technology and Polytechs (ITPs) annual symposium has implemented a Māori theme, with a specific focus on Māori innovation.

ITPs are preparing for a generation of culturally immersed Māori students coming from full-immersion education.

Te Urikore Biddle (Tuhoe, Kahungunu, Ngāti Awa) from UNITEC, says, “Māori is their first language, Māori philosophy is at the forefront of their thoughts at all times so ITPs and the wider education sector must be ready for that group as they come through.”

“The tribes and groups that are working hard and trying to nurture and develop Māori communities,” says Biddle.

“The key to getting more success and realising the potential of that $15bil is that we collaborate... so an iwi might have land and another iwi might have cash, you combine the resources of all three and then you're in a more powerful position than each of them are individually,” says Grant......
See full article HERE

Labour’s Māori caucus considers Matariki public holiday
A proposal to make Matariki a national holiday is being weighed up by the Labour Party’s Māori caucus – and if the bill gains widespread support within the party it could be introduced as a private member’s bill......
See full article HERE

New Maori Disability Action Plan out now
The Ministry of Health has launched a brand new Maori Disability Action Plan for 2018-2022

The Plan is available in

* Easy Read
* Te Reo Maori.

You can download it now from the Ministry of Health website and the People First NZ Easy Read page.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

11  July  2018

Maori seats only guarantee of representation
Labour’s deputy Leader Kelvin Davis says the Māori seats remain a vital way for Māori to be represented in the affairs of the nation, and he’d like to see them entrenched.

Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikātene has a bill requiring a 75 percent majority before any changes could be made to the seats.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has said his party won’t vote for unless it is supported by a referendum that also asks whethee the seats should remain at all.

Mr Peters says MMP has delivered a greater number of Māori MPs, but Mr Davis says only the Māori seat MPs are accountable to Māori voters......
See full article HERE

Tapuhi Kaitiaki takes nurses to next step
The Nurses’ Organisation and government drug buying agency Pharmac have teamed up to create new awards to help Māori nurses advance in the profession.

Tāpuhi Kaitiaki Awards will help nurses undertake further study to become nurse prescribers and nurse practitioners.

Atene Andrews from Pharmac says the awards arose from a survey which aimed to identify what could be holding Māori nurses back.....
See full article HERE

NZQA credits
* Demonstrate knowledge of tikanga Māori in relation to the treatment of an injury – 2 Credits

* Demonstrate knowledge of tikanga Māori in relation to the human anatomy – 2 Credits

* Explain anger management in an oranga context - 4 Credits

* Compare western medicine with rongoā Māori in relation to prevention and treatment – 3 Credits

* Explain impact of tangihanga on tamariki and rangatahi - 4 Credits

* Compare modern and traditional Māori diet and nutrition – 4 Credits
See full article HERE

Maori Outcomes Coordinator – Fixed Term
Date: 09-Jul-2018

Location: Central Auckland, NZ, 1010

Company: Auckland Council

* Maternity leave cover for 8 months starting September 2018

* Be part of an organisation who is shaping spaces for Aucklander’s to love

* Unique opportunity to play a key support and administration role in Maori engagement

The opportunity
During this 8 month maternity leave cover, you will be providing support to our project teams through centralised facilitation and management of administration processes associated with Māori engagement......
See full article HERE

Compulsory te reo Māori would 'do so much good' for New Zealand, actor says
Te reo Māori should be compulsory in schools if New Zealand wants to progress as a diverse country, a veteran actor says.

While not everyone is good at picking up languages, having te reo Māori in schools "would do this country so much good", according to Rāwiri Paratene.

The actor's been arguing the case for it since marching the steps of Parliament with protest group Ngā Tamatoa in the 1970s, and his mind hasn't changed.....
See full article HERE

Calls for prosecution after damage to Māori archaeological site
An Auckland iwi treaty settlement body is calling for prosecutory action after a previously unknown archaeological site was damaged on Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf.

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Tribal Trust chairman James Brown has claimed 49 cows died in the summer heat on Boxing Day last year before being buried in a hole that damaged a midden - where early Māori stored food waste.

Department of Conservation Auckland Inner Islands operations manager Keith Gell said Heritage New Zealand had discovered there had been a slight accidental disturbance of a corner of the midden.

"The cows were buried at a location that, according to the map, was free of archaeological sites. That's because no one knew the midden was there because it was hidden underground.

"In digging a hole to bury the dead cows, the farmer was unaware he'd slightly disturbed the corner of a midden."

Meanwhile, Ngāi Tai just had its third and final reading of bill in Parliament over own settlement with Crown that includes exclusive sites on Motutapu Island. ....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

10  July  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Michael Bassett
The Waitangi Industry
Not surprisingly, the industry doesn’t want the Tribunal process ever to end. After 23 years, no decision has yet been made to close off new historical claims.

The major parties dither. Labour wants the party vote of Maori; National isn’t sure they mightn’t need the Maori Party’s support after the coming election.

Both major political parties know that what is happening is wrong, and that ordinary Maori in whose name the claims are made, aren’t getting a cracker out of the money being spent on lawyers, researchers and Tribunal staff.

The spinelessness that we have come to expect of politicians in an MMP environment assists the greedy, when it was the needy we set out to help in 1985......
Read full article HERE 
April 19, 2008

8  July  2018

Normalising Māori langauge within the legal profession
The first ever Māori language workshop for those in the legal profession was held at Hoani Waititi Marae in Auckland. The Māori Law Society say the aim is to develop the understanding of Māori language in legal settings.

Speaking on behalf of The Māori Law Society, Alana Thomas says the aims is “for te reo Māori to be normalised in the courts, to flow within all areas of the legal world, to come naturally from the lips of judges, lawyers, everyone within the legal profession.”

Jeremy Tātere McCleod says the idea for this workshop was to teach the relevant Māori words and sentences related to legal services and proceedings, to enable those within the profession to speak it daily.....
See full article HERE

Questions why kapa haka doesn't gain university entrance
Fresh off the He Pouwhenua, He Puapua secondary schools national kapa haka competition stage, former Māori Medium students and Māori Performing Arts (MPA) leaders are asking why the hours of sacrifice don't count when seeking entrance to university.

“Not everyone wants to be a doctor, not everyone wants to be a lawyer, they just want to do haka and that's just Te Ao Māori, that's what they've grown up with,” said one former student.

“When we were at school we took performing arts as a subject, we got credits in Māori Performing Arts, but those credits weren't cross-credited to gain University Entrance,” said another.

Kapa haka leaders are joining the call for MPA to be recognised as a core curriculum subject.....
See full article HERE

Scouts NZ lists unprofitable Scoutlands campsite for sale
Scouts New Zealand is selling off land in Whanganui as the group scrambles to stay afloat, but local iwi say the land belongs to them.

Scoutlands campsite on Lake Wiritoa is for sale, with Scouts saying it "no longer makes a significant contribution to our youth development programme".

But Ngāti Tupoho members say they have not been consulted, and they are concerned any development of land would breach tangata whenua rights outlined in the Treaty of Waitangi.....
See full article HERE

Māori names given to community boards
Community boards now have Māori names to reflect an increased awareness of the language and culture.

The seven community boards have been given names, which are to be added at the front of the current English ones. They also feature in their agendas.

“Ngāi Tahu relationship team have created the following names that reflects the wants of the rūnanga, and the desire to keep a Māori worldview towards naming each community board,” a city council spokeswoman said.

She said there had been an increase in awareness of te ao Māori (Māori worldview) by community board members and city council staff.....
See full article HERE

Development of New Māori Music standards
Māori Qualifications Services is pleased to advise that three (3) new New Māori Music unit standards were approved for listing on the Directory of Assessment Standards in June 2018.....
See full article HERE

Governor Orr draws on Tāne-mahuta to tell RBNZ's new story
There is a new broom at the head of New Zealand's central bank, and he's planning to shift the mindset of the institution towards better embracing the rich cultural diversity of the country.

Adrian Orr is part Cook Islander and grew up in a largely Māori community in the central North Island, and since he took the helm of the Reserve Bank this year phrases like tikanga Māori and te Reo have begun to feature prominently on its list of priorities.

Orr was the first of New Zealand's central bankers to be welcomed with an official pōwhiri in March fronted by the bank's recently formed waiata group, and at his first press conference announcing the official cash rate in May he greeted journalists in English, Māori and sign language. Under his watch, the bank's Statement of Intent, where it sets out its strategic objectives to the government for the next four years, highlights its intent to embed te Reo and tikanga Māori into the culture of the bank......
See full article HERE

Historical Abuse in State Care Royal Commission
The legacy of people taken into state care who suffered neglect and abuse is a stain on our country’s history. A majority of people who have been in state care are Māori and also Pasifika. While some people received a better education and start in life, regrettably many did not and suffered abuse and neglect.

The Human Rights Commission and the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called for this matter to be the subject of an independent inquiry. The Government has accepted the task by establishing the Royal Commission.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

7  July  2018

Winston Peters wants 'two-part referendum' on Māori seats
Acting Prime Minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is calling for a two-pronged referendum on whether Māori seats should be entrenched, or should go altogether.

Labour MP Rino Tirikatene's member's bill to entrench the seven Māori seats was pulled from the members' ballot in May and will soon have its first reading in Parliament.

New Zealand First campaigned on holding a binding referendum on whether to abolish the seats.....
See full article HERE

Whakatāne iwi appeal water bottling consents
A Whakatāne iwi is asking for the Environment Court to decline a Chinese owned company the consents to 1.1 billion litres of water for bottling.

Last month, the government gave approval for Creswell New Zealand - owned by Chinese company Nongfu Spring Co Limited - to buy land near Whakatāne for a $42.5 million expansion of its current bottling plant.

Resource consents were then granted by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Whakatāne District Council.....
See full article HERE

Birth centre adopts traditional Maori practices
Tauranga families will have more options when it comes to labour following the introduction of a traditional Maori birthing tool at Bethlehem Birthing Centre.

The centre has recently introduced a pounamu pito (umbilical) cord cutter for families to use during labour, which falls in line with traditional Maori birthing practices.

According to Te Ao Maori, there is a strong sense of connection between people and the land they come from – people come from Papatūānuku (earth mother) and when they die they then return to Papatūānuku......
See full article HERE

Final reading of treaty settlement for hapū destroyed by Crown
A Waikato-Tainui hapū which was left landless and had its community destroyed by the Crown had the final reading of its Treaty of Waitangi settlement in Parliament today.

The settlement included $10.3 million of financial compensation and the chance to buy Crown properties.

Ngāti Tamaoho's area of interest extends from the Awhitu Peninsula across Franklin District and the Hunua Ranges and also includes both Waikato wetlands and central Auckland.....
See full article HERE

New Zealanders deserve a referendum on Māori seats
Democracy Action welcomes Winston Peters’ call for a two-pronged referendum on whether Māori seats should be entrenched, or should go altogether.

“NZ First has campaigned for many years on holding a binding referendum on whether to abolish the seats, and we are pleased Mr Peters is taking this opportunity to allow voters to decide,” says the founder of Democracy Action, Lee Short.

“The Māori seats are from a bygone era, and should have been removed when MMP was introduced in 1996, as recommended by the Royal Commission.”.....
See full article HERE

Ngāti Whātua supports application for America's Cup build
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei has today filed an application with the Environment Court supporting the notified resource consent of Panuku Development Auckland (Panuku), which will allow for infrastructure to be developed ahead of the America’s Cup.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei had previously opposed a resource consent for extensive modifications on the waterfront, which the iwi said would degrade the mauri (spirit) of the Waitemata.

Trust Deputy Chairman Ngarimu Blair says the iwi is now confident that the development agency understands the importance of the Waitemata Harbour as a taonga.

He says Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is also encouraged by the City’s support to investigate the establishment of a Māori/Polynesian cultural centre somewhere along the Waterfront CBD......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

6  July  2018

Electoral Commission promote Māori roll in te reo Māori
The Electoral Commission is down at the He Pouwhenua, He Puapua Secondary Schools Kapa Haka National Competition promoting the Māori roll and the General roll using te reo Māori.

The commission has called upon their staff who are able to speak te reo Māori to promote both the Māori and General rolls to rangatahi Māori.

Mona-Pauline Mangakāhia says you have to have Māori blood in you in order to be on the Māori roll

“The Māori roll is only for those who are a direct decedent of a Māori ancestor.”....
See full article HERE

Matariki bill heads to Labour Maori Caucus
A proposal to make Matariki a national holiday has gone to Labour’s Maori Caucus.

Labour MP Paul Eagle said if it gets approved there it will then head to Labour’s wider caucus. At that point the proposal could become a bill and eventually law.

Responding to a call from Wellington Mayor Justin Lester to replace Queens’ Birthday with Matariki, Eagle said that he would look at replacing other holidays as well.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

5  July  2018

Leading Māori educations claim closure of Kura Hourua in breach of Treaty of Waitangi
Leading Māori educators claim closure of Partnership Schools | Kura Hourua is in breach of the Treaty of Waitangi

Sir Toby Curtis and Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi yesterday lodged a Treaty of Waitangi claim alleging that the Crown’s actions in closing Partnership Schools | Kura Hourua will have a disproportionately detrimental effect on Māori.

Sir Toby said the claim was important because the large majority of the 1500 students at the schools that are being shut down are Māori, many of whom have enrolled in these schools to get a fresh start in education and get their lives back on track. Six of the eleven Kura Hourua currently in operation have between 87% and 100% Maori rolls......
See full article HERE

Pioneering te reo metal band say they're 'fighting for everyone who has been ripped off by colonial governments'
“Not a lot of kids have had a father who pretty much knows everything about their genealogy all the way down to our ancestors who landed here thousands of years ago.”.....
See full article HERE

Environmental group taking council and winery to High Court over Te Mata Peak track
An environmental group is going to take Hastings District Council and Craggy Range winery to the High Court to challenge the decision to cut a controversial track up Te Mata Peak.

The track which was built late last year sparked an outcry by the iwi and others, prompting the winery to later say it would remove the track. But in May the winery said it was unable to remove the track and its favoured option was to have it remain.

Some iwi members, including those at Waimarama marae, were unhappy with this decision.

EDS chief executive officer Gary Taylor said proceedings would be filed in the High Court at Napier later this week challenging the decision-making process that led to the track being cut.

Taylor said EDS would argue that the decision to approve the track was unlawful and will seek an order for its removal.

"We are filing these proceedings because it has become clear that we can no longer rely on the earlier assurances of Craggy Range Vineyards that it would remove the track," he said.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

4  July  2018

Maori posters promote hygiene and tidiness
Vogeltown School pupils are among the first New Plymouth kids to get their hands on a series of novel posters that use humour to promote the use of Te Reo Maori.

But the colourful free posters, designed and produced by commercial cleaning company CrestClean, also contain important health, hygiene, and environmental messages.

Mike said as well as promoting Te Reo, the posters dovetailed with the Vogeltown School’s karikea. “It’s part of our mission statement about caring for the land and that’s about picking up rubbish.”.....
See full article HERE

Awanuiārangi leads largest ever study of the Māori language
The “largest and most sophisticated study ever” of the Māori language will analyse data extracted from the internationally recognised longitudinal study Growing Up In New Zealand.

The study of 7000 children collects detailed information about individuals and their families from before birth and into the children’s adulthood. The children are currently around 8 years old....
See full article HERE

US business called out for selling fake mummified Māori tattooed heads
Dapper Cadaver, a Californian based halloween themed prop design business, had fake mokomokai available to buy online for $110.

Facebook users expressed their shock in finding fake mokomokai were being sold for entertainment purposes.

In a statement, the owners of Dapper Cadaver said they have since decided to stop selling the replicas out of respect for Māori people.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

3  July  2018

Lower Wanganui land settlement negotiations in full swing
It's an exciting time with negotiation for settlement of lower Wanganui land claims going strongly, lead negotiator Ken Mair says.

The negotiations happen about every two weeks, alternating between Wanganui and Wellington. They are intensive and there is a long way to go before an agreement in principle (AIP) can be signed.

Those on the Wanganui side of the table include Mair, Richard Kingi and various iwi historians and experts. On the other side is chief Crown negotiator Rick Barker.

Wanganui tribes are lucky to have research from the Waitangi Tribunal process to inform their negotiations, Mair said.....
See full article HERE

Vehicle access to be limited at Mt Wellington summit
The summit of Maungarei in Auckland will close to vehicles in the next few weeks.

Construction will soon begin on a number of enhancements, including the build of a new visitor car park and toilet block at the base of the mountain.

The process will take 12 weeks, but after that, the summit will close to all private motor vehicles, including motorbikes and scooters.

An exception will be made for vehicle access for people who have limited mobility.

Their drivers will need to contact the Auckland Council to obtain an access code.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

2  July  2018

Kahungunu and Corrections sign kawenata
Ngāti Kahungunu have signed a kawenata (agreement) with the Department of Corrections that would see the iwi play a more pivotal role in reintegrating prisoners back into the community when they leave prison.

"We want to be able to work with the families before even going to prison, as well as when they get out," says Ngahiwi Tomoana, Ngāti Kahungunu Chairman.

"I support all iwi in this, Ngāti Kahungunu is one of the first to sign this agreement with Te Ara Poutama [Corrections], and it makes sense because of inmates in prison are our relations," says Kelvin Davis, Minister of Corrections.....
See full article HERE

Projects to develop te reo Māori money words and resources
Moves are underway to re-establish te reo Māori as a language of wealth and money.

A Victoria University project, backed by the Financial Markets Authority, ASB, the NZ Super Fund and Harbour Asset Management, is compiling a lexicon of 100 key financial terms.

Meanwhile, Banqer is set to launch a te reo Māori version of its online programme, aimed at training a generation of schoolchildren to be good with money.

Banqer's founder Kendall Flutey said the move was prompted by requests from teachers in Kura Kaupapa Māori immersion schools.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

1  July  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Muriel Newman
Sovereignty Marchs On
....The eligibility for voting on the Maori roll was based on the legal definition of Maori – as having half or more of Maori blood – a definition that remained in place right up until 1974. In that year the Labour Government introduced the Maori Affairs Amendment Act, which changed the definition of Maori to anyone who has Maori ancestry, causing an outraged Allan McCready, the MP for Manawatu, to state in Parliament: It appears now that anyone who rides past a marae on a pushbike can claim to be a Maori!

This change has opened the door to anyone who “feels” Maori being able to claim they have Maori ancestry and gain access, not only to vote on the Maori electoral roll, but also to enjoy an array of other special privileges including sharing in the spoils of the Treaty settlement process.....

......Sadly for New Zealand, the UN Rapporteur has bought into the myth that Maori are victims and that the only solution is Maori self-rule. The reality is that Maori are an amazingly talented race of people. They are great orators, artists, sportsmen, academics and entrepreneurs, with a special warmth and presence that sets them apart. The very best thing that their leaders can do to help them succeed is to get government out of their lives and out of their way so they can flourish in a country that is committed to equality under the law and a future of equal opportunity for all....
Read full article HERE 
April 8, 2006

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

30  June  2018
 
Rotorua's First Bilingual Playground is Now Open
Rotorua’s first bilingual playground heralds the beginning of a number of local te reo Māori zones, which Te Tatau o Te Arawa says will satisfy the appetite for learning the country’s indigenous language.

It was inspired by the rich history of the land it sits on and promotes te reo Māori using signage as well as digital games and stories.

Bilingual signage for other playgrounds and reserves in Rotorua will gradually be implemented as or when improvements or upgrades happen.....
See full article HERE

More pūtea for reo Māori courses
More money is being made available for tertiary foundation programmes including te reo Māori.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins says the rate increase of $1000 per full time equivalent place comes into effect next year and applies to a number of Student Achievement Component level 1 and 2 programmes provided by tertiary education organisations.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

29  June  2018

140 staff at Heritage NZ to learn te reo
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori have joined together to promote and revitalise te reo Māori, whilst celebrating NZ's heritage.

The partnership will see an increase use of te reo Māori across the organisation including commentaries and through signage across the country.

Te Taura Whiri CEO Ngahiwi Apanui says, "The benefits of this MOU firstly, will mean an expansion of the Māori language and the creation of new terminology they can use within their day to day work. Secondly, a new language programme to help staff learn and converse in te reo."

Today HNZPT launched its Pouhere Reo programme which aims to train all 140 of its staff members nationwide in basic and conversational te reo.

Senior Māori Heritage Policy Manager Trevor Himona says, “We've got a goal to embed te reo as part of our organisation so te reo Māori is seen, heard and is visible across each part of our organisation and that we are able to incorporate that into a whole range of our publications."

"It's all about also enabling our staff to increase their capability in te reo to help us work with iwi, hapū, whānau and kaitiaki in regards to wāhi tapu and wāhi tūpuna."

Himona says the Crown agency looks to expand its reo goals to the nation, that will include bilingual signage on all 43 of its nationally significant heritage properties.

HNZPT begin its first Pouhere Reo classes for staff in Wellington on July 10. It will then be rolled out to all staff in Auckland, Kerikeri, Tauranga and Christchurch branches in September and October......
See full article HERE

First Pākehā put in charge of Auckland Māori organisation
Can a Pākehā lead an influential Māori organisation? Wyn Osborne says yes.

He's the first Pākehā to serve as chief executive of the Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA), based at Ngā Whare Waatea Marae in Māngere, south Auckland.

Osborne was selected by the authority's board to take over the position from Willie Jackson, who resigned from the role when he was elected to Parliament in last year's general election......
See full article HERE

Māori desperate for own marae progress with council funding
A long-fought for marae is another step closer for an Auckland community that often feels overlooked.

Beach Haven's Uruamo Maranga Ake Marae project received $142,000 in funding from Auckland Council's Māori Cultural Initiatives Fund this month.

Kaipātiki Local Board chairman John Gillon said: "These facilities, when finished, will offer our whole community the opportunity to experience and learn more about Māori culture and customs."

The estimated cost for the entire new proposed complex is $7 million.

The Auckland Council Māori Cultural Initiatives Fund has funded 28 separate applications from 10 marae groups in the past three years, totaling $3.255 million......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

28  June  2018

Desire to work with Māori survives poll result 
Palmerston North residents told the city council they did not want guaranteed Māori seats at the council table.

But the council is still searching for ideas on other ways to increase Māori representation and involvement in decision making.

Nearly 70 per cent of voters said "no" to the creation of a Māori ward or wards in a binding poll in May.

The council is now asking for views on how to include Māori more in council business as part of its review of representation arrangements for elections in 2019 and 2022.....
See full article HERE

North Island Māori purchase huge 98-hectare kiwifruit portfolio
Three iwi-based companies have bought one of New Zealand's largest privately owned kiwifruit orchard portfolios in Te Puke.

North Island iwi-based companies Te Arawa Group Holdings (Rotorua); Rotoma No 1 Incorporation (Rotorua), and Ngāti Awa Group Holdings (Whakatāne) have bought Matai Pacific's vast kiwifruit portfolio.

The orchards will now be operated by a new Māori-owned joint venture called Matai Pacific Iwi Collective.

The large-scale property deal includes three separate mid to large-sized productive blocks at Te Puke: Te Matai Orchard, Pacific Gold Orchard and Coachman Orchard.

Combined, the three blocks cover nearly 100 canopy hectares and were expected to produce up to 1.3 million trays......
See full article HERE

Council recognises Levin's Māori name Taitoko hoping collaboration will drive transformation of the town
Horowhenua District Council has included the Māori name of the town of Levin in a planning document, a move they and a Māori elder hope will drive a transformation of the small town north of Wellington.

TVNZ1's Seven Sharp reports Levin is the surname of a man who apparently never actually set foot in the town.

"Levin's not a legal name, but Taitoko is," said Marokopa Wiremu-Matakatea, Muaūpoko kaumatua.....
See full article HERE

Changing face of Work and Income launched today
Minister of Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni, celebrated the launch of a brand new face to Work and Income, including a newly introduced set of Client Commitments and an online Eligibility Guide.

Carmel Sepuloni said that much needed change was well underway, and that the new look offices were only the start.

“As of today, Work and Incomes Client Commitment will also be on display in every Work and Income office, in English, Māori and in New Zealand Sign Language.
See full article HERE

New era as Marlborough's first kaupapa Māori school opens
"Finally, our tamariki can be educated within a Māori context. This is something we could have only dreamed about when my generation were children," he said.

Funding for the unit was announced in June last year by the Ministry of Education.

Ngāti Kuia chair, Waihaere Mason, said the school played an important role in terms of cultural identity and whakapapa.

"This is about whakapapa. You can't have a culture without a language and you can't have a language without culture......
See full article HERE

A new approach to realising Māori potential
After almost 20 years of delivering successful education and employment pathways for young Māori in Te Waipounamu, Te Tapuae o Rehua (Te Tapuae) is set for change in a bid to drive the systemic change required to create equity in education, employment and income for all Ngāi Tahu and Māori in the Ngāi Tahu takiwā.

Te Tapuae Kaihautū, Dr Eruera Tarena Prendergast says, “New Zealand’s population is rapidly changing and the large numbers of aging Pākehā heading into retirement need to be countered by increasing numbers of young highly trained Māori reaching their full potential if we are to prosper together in the future.”

“Our Te Tapuae partners remain committed to the Treaty partnership and working together.......
See full article HERE

This is my land': Rotorua liquor store worker allegedly punched after third attack
"One of the girls from yesterday came into the store today and attacked our staff. She started yelling at everyone saying, 'They can't arrest me'," Dillon said.

"She then started punching my staff and kicking them and yelling, 'You can't arrest me. I'm Māori, this is my own land'.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

27  June  2018

Call for iwi organisations and groups to collaborate on freshwater allocation
A second appeal against an increased amount of water being taken from Otākiri Springs is being considered by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa.

Last week, independent commissioners released their decision granting the application by Creswell NZ Limited to increase the amount of water taken by the Otākiri Springs bottling plant to an annual allocation of 1.1 million cubic metres of water.

The Save our Otakiri Water and Environment Group had already announced it would appeal the decision to the Environment Court.

"As Treaty partners, we assert that the Crown recognise our rights and interests in freshwater. These interests include property rights.

"Resolution of these complex issues needs to be by way of robust dialogue and negotiation between Treaty partners."

"Article Two of Te Tiriti o Waitangi guaranteed to hapū and iwi the exclusive undisturbed possession of taonga and resources. This possession is severely undermined by the granting of these consents. The Crown must engage with hapū and iwi to rectify before any territorial or local authorities make decisions on water consents."....
See full article HERE

Report reveals details of iwi payments in connection with negotiations over proposed $200m road
New details about fees being paid to a north Taranaki iwi, including its most controversial member, in connection with negotiations over a $200 million roading project have been revealed.

He explained that NZTA had agreed to pay for legal counsel, environmental advice and for the time Ngāti Tama trustees spent on the project, which was set at $70 an hour.

This included lead negotiator Greg White, who received about $1500 a week. Other trustees got a weekly payment of $400.

Using these figures, over the past 12 months White could have received up to $78,000 and runanga trustees about $20,800.......
See full article HERE

Te Reo Māori to be introduced to Auckland's transport network
Announcements on Auckland trains will now be spoken in Te Reo Māori as well as English.

From tomorrow all welcome and safety messages on Auckland trains will be in both English and te reo.

Auckland Transport is working with other providers so Māori can be used on the city's buses and ferries too......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

26  June  2018

Ngāti Whakaue meet with Education and Workforce Select Committee
Ngāti Whakaue iwi members have asked education representatives to consider how the iwi can be involved in Rotorua's only partnership school if it becomes a designated character school.

"We laid down a challenge to the Government for system change that would enable iwi to participate in education as equal partners," Bennett said.

"Evidence shows that students will do better in schools where their identity, language and culture is acknowledged, embraced, embedded and reflected back to them. And that takes more than just having 'a bit of Māori' in the daily programme.....
See full article HERE

Breast cancer: Health institutions 'still racist' towards Māori
A legal consultant has spoken out about offensive and ignorant comments from hospital staff while she was being treated for breast cancer.

A new report from the University of Waikato shows Māori women get diagnosed too late and are 79 percent more likely to die from it than Pākehā.

Lead researcher Professor Ross Lawrenson said there were several inequalities between Māori, Pasifika and Pākehā women.

The study found Māori women were less likely to get chemotherapy and take the treatment Herceptin......
See full article HERE

Marae set to be built in North Auckland
The Auckland Council has approved around $140,000 to design a new marae in Beach Haven, on Auckland's North Shore.

The Uruamo Maranga Ake Charitable Trust has worked on the concept since 2015.

They say the proposed marae will be a dream come true.

The entire project is expected to cost around $7mil.

When finished, it'll provide a way for the community to learn more about Māori culture and customs.
See full article HERE

Tāmaki trains to tautoko te reo
People travelling on Auckland trains will hear safety announcements made in both English and te reo Māori from tomorrow, following the launch of a new public transport programme.

Auckland Transport Māori Relationships manager Tipa Coplain says the programme is the agency’s contribution to making sure te reo Māori is heard and used.

“The policy of Auckland Council is that you see it, hear it, use it, learn it– and this is our contribution to that,” he told Te Kāea reporter Kawe Roes today before the programme’s official launch.....
See full article HERE

Maori input guaranteed in settling health research priorities
A new group which will help set New Zealand’s health research priorities will have a Māori co-chair.

The 13-member independent Development Group includes leading health researchers, innovators, advisors and health delivery experts.

Group members include Professor Michael Baker, Emeritus Professor Richard Bedford, Rose Kahaki, Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith, and others.....
See full article HERE

Maori Go To Court Over Levin Earthworks
Local Maori are challenging unconsented earthworks by Horowhenua District Council at Kowhai Park Recreational Reserve in Levin.

The legal challenge is on the grounds the work extends across waahi tapu and related sites of significance.

In an affidavit to the Environment Court, Vivienne Taueki of MuaUpoko hapu Ngati Tamarangi said the pipeline construction at Queen Street drain should be prohibited until the council has obtained a resource consent and complied with statutes and regulations affecting sites of significance to Maori......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

25  June  2018

Te Maru o Kaituna celebrates new Kaituna River Document
The new Kaituna River Document has been launched and celebrated by Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority today.

Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority Chairman Dean Flavell said that the Kaituna River and its tributaries are considered taonga (treasures) by both iwi and the community and are valued resources for the Bay of Plenty.

"Many people and organisations are investing a significant amount of time, effort and money over the coming 10 years to help care for the land, water and wildlife in the Kaituna catchment and Maketū Estuary.

"This document will guide local government, iwi and the wider community in their work together to protect and preserve the Kaituna River and its tributaries. It represents a culmination of input from the Kaituna community," Mr Flavell said.

The document, Kaituna, he taonga tuku iho - a treasure handed down, is an outcome of the Tapuika Claims Settlement Act 2014.
See full article HERE

Iwi to build predator-free fence from coast-to-coast
​A predator-free fence stretching from coast-to-coast is to be built near the tip of the North Island.

Northland iwi Ngāti Kuri has revealed its plans to build the $1.2 million fence just south of Cape Reinga.

The fence will run from near the Te Paki sand-dunes on the west coast, to near Te Hapua on the east coast, spanning nearly 8.5 kilometres.

Ngāti Kuri trustee Sheridan Waitai said it would help protect an isolated area which was home to many endemic species, including insects and trees.

She said the fence would keep pests like possums, rats, mice and stoats out of the area.

The village of Te Hapua will be inside the fence, which will also have to cross State Highway One......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

24  June  2018

From the BreakingViews archives by Michael Coote
Key leaves lingering racist legacy
Few other politicians have done more to create conditions ripe for the destruction of racial equality

Gone- by- Monday Prime Minister John Key shrewdly picked a retirement date amenable for collecting one of those New Year’s honour knighthoods he personally reinstated.

Mr Key’s timing is opportune for him, not least because of the gathering catastrophe for New Zealand democracy he has engineered but can now slough parliamentary accountability for. 

In 2017 the bitter fruits of the Key government’s wrongheaded Maori policies will become much more apparent. 

Few other politicians in modern history can have done more than Mr Key to create conditions ripe for the destruction of racial equality in this country.

Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson comes close, but ultimately Mr Key bears the greater responsibility.

The problem goes back to Mr Key’s decision to enlist the racialist Maori Party to help prop up National-led minority governments.

With the Maori Party came its puppet-master the Iwi Chairs Forum, a corporate Maori organisation......
Read full article HERE 
December 15, 2016

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

23  June  2018

Rural Ngāpuhi whānau to receive special delivery
The initiative is part of the Rural Regeneration programme and partnership between the Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi O Ngāpuhi and Te Puni Kōkiri to provide practical help and support to vulnerable Ngāpuhi whānau living in the rural areas of the Hokianga, Horeke, Otaua, Waima and Tautoro.

Established in January 2017, the programme has already helped 20 whānau with homes in need of urgent and essential repairs and created opportunities to help them address immediate health and social needs.

So far more than 200 fruit trees, such as such as orange, lemon, mandarin, feijoa, plum and apple trees, have been distributed with another 200 to be delivered over coming weeks.

Some of the assistance provided to whānau as part of the programme has included:

* Repairing leaking roofs

* Remedying inadequate clean water supply

* Upgrading electrical to be safe & compliant

* Installing sewerage system and flush toilets

* Replacing failed septic tanks

* Installing hot water systems.....
See full article HERE

New life breathed into the Te Hiku o Te Ika
Minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni, and Minister for Maori Development, Nanaia Mahuta, have today met with senior leadership from Te Hiku o Te Ika Iwi and other Government Ministers to show their renewed commitment to the Te Hiku – Crown Social Accord.

Signed in 2013 by four Iwi of Te Hiku and the then Prime Minister, the Te Hiku – Crown Social Accord was established to improve the social development and wellbeing of whānau, hapū and iwi of Te Hiku o Te Ika.

The Te Hiku Social Accord was negotiated as part of the Te Hiku/Far North Iwi Treaty Settlement legislation; placing iwi at the decision-making table alongside government agencies that invest in social services, education, and justice......
See full article HERE

Heretaunga Tamatea Claims Settlement Bill
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little has welcomed and acknowledged rangatira of Heretaunga Tamatea iwi who attended Parliament today to hear the third reading of their Treaty settlement legislation.

“This is an important occasion for the Crown and Heretaunga Tamatea as we see this legislation passed and the Heretaunga Tamatea Treaty settlement concluded. In the 1840s and 50s the Crown acquired land in Heretaunga Tamatea’s rohe using deception and secrecy. These actions contributed directly to the economic and social marginalisation of Heretaunga Tamatea.

“At $100 million in financial and commercial redress and with a further $5 million directed toward the sustainability of Te Aute College, this is the fifth largest Treaty settlement to date. The benefits of the Heretaunga Tamatea settlement will be felt, particularly in Hawke’s Bay, in this generation and in future generations as Heretaunga Tamatea roll out their plans in the near and long term. I understand this includes a grant of $1.1 million each to their 23 marae as part of a cultural revitalisation programme.

“Amongst the redress provided for past breaches of the Treaty is the gift to Heretaunga Tamatea of the Cape Kidnappers Gannet Reserve and the Cape Kidnappers Nature Reserve. Both reserves will be gifted back to the Crown for all New Zealanders. This arrangement acknowledges the importance of these sites to Heretaunga Tamatea and recognises the unique and enduring partnership between Māori and the Crown.

“The Heretaunga Tamatea settlement includes an agreed historical account, a Crown apology and commercial and cultural redress. The passing of this legislation marks the full and final settlement of all historical claims of Heretaunga Tamatea,” says Andrew Little.....
See full article HERE

Free workshops to boost Māori business
Māori Development Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta says free business workshops launched today are an exciting new tool to boost the Māori economy and accelerate whānau prosperity.

Pakihi, a programme that will deliver 200 free workshops across 25 locations was launched in the Waikato this morning.

“Pakihi is a new series of free workshops and mentoring designed to help Māori businesses move forward, flourish and succeed.
See full article HERE

Kelvin Davis to take new Crown/Māori partnership to Cabinet in July
But in the future Davis hopes to see a partnership between Māori and all the various government agencies, which doesn't require him needing to be the go-between.

A start will be acknowledging the 7000 post-Treaty settlement commitments made by the Crown that nobody has been monitoring.

If that can be achieved Davis says Māori will start to feel like "fully-contributing members of society".

"We just want to be part of New Zealand, but still be Māori."....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

22  June  2018

Calls for equal recognition of rongoā Māori in healthcare
A terminally ill woman is calling for greater access to Māori healing methods saying they've helped to keep her alive for years longer than doctors expected.

But University of Auckland researcher Erena Wikaire, who's doing her PhD on rongoa Māori, says there is demand for it, and the health system needs to be more open.

Mrs Filia has a claim in the Waitangi Tribunal's health inquiry calling for equal recognition of rongoā Māori......
See full article HERE

Birth education programme based on Māori practices is launched in Taranaki
Antenatal classes based on kaupapa Māori practices and principles are being offered to Māori women and their whānau around Taranaki.

Hapū Wānanga is a pilot birth education programme to help pregnant women better understand pregnancy, birth and raising tamariki.

It was developed in the Waikato, where it had improved various child and maternal health outcomes......
See full article HERE

Call for New Zealand's colonial history to be more widely taught in high school
While Ball says compulsion is not the answer, he says finding a way to convince more schools the importance of teaching New Zealand's history is necessary.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins said schools design their own curriculum and there is a lot of content around New Zealand history that can be taught.

"I think we could do better - I haven't seen any evidence that we're exemplary in this regard, but I think that's a question of making sure we provide better resources for schools rather than compulsion.....
See full article HERE

Is an independent body needed to monitor post-Treaty spend?
The government is not responsible for measuring whether conditional Treaty Settlement objectives are being met post-payment. Both government and the National Party say responsibility lies with recipients but Treaty Expert Dr Carwyn Jones is asking whether a separate body is needed to hold them accountable to beneficiaries.

The Government says onus for post-settlement spending is in the hands of recipients.....
See full article HERE

The Manawatū-Wanganui Regional Council has voted to add an 'h' to the spelling of its name.
The council, known as Horizons Regional Council, adopted the change as part of its long-term plan which was approved today.

Its application to the Geographic Board to change the region's name will also include adding a macron above the 'u' in Manawatū.....
See full article HERE

Te reo Māori wins out in naming of street in British-themed Wellington suburb
A Wellington suburb known for its distinctly Churchillian street names has broken with almost 70 years of tradition in favour of te reo Māori.

On Wednesday, Wellington City Council voted in favour of naming a new Crofton Downs street after native New Zealand bird the pihipihi (silvereye).

The decision, which received unanimous council support, delighted members of the Ngaio Crofton Downs Residents' Association who first suggested using Māori flora and fauna names....
See full article HERE

Top ERO reports for Hawke's Bay Kindergartens
The ERO report identified that the kindergarten was "highly inclusive and culturally responsive practice was well embedded".

"Te Ao Maori is woven naturally throughout the programme. The language, culture
and identity of Maori children are cherished. With their whanau, children successfully lead tikanga Maori," it said.....
See full article HERE

Heart of Wellington now Te Ngākau Civic Square
Wellington's civic heart will have a te reo name, gifted by iwi.

Civic Square, wedged between Wellington City Council headquarters, Wellington public library, the City Gallery and waterfront, will now be named Te Ngākau.

The decision, voted unanimously by council on Thursday morning, means the square's full name will be Te Ngākau Civic Square......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

21  June  2018

New $300k fund launched to celebrate suffrage in NZ
People working on projects based on women’s equality are being urged to apply for funding to celebrate 125 years since New Zealand women won the right to vote.

Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter launched the $300,000 contestable fund today.

"Women's history matters and it is important that Aotearoa New Zealand celebrates our unique milestone as the first country where women fought for and won the right for all women to vote," she says.

“A particular focus will be on Māori and Pacific women," says Genter.....
See full article HERE

Te Henga marae will be 'the heart' of Te Kawerau ā Maki
An Auckland iwi is celebrating the council's decision to transfer land in Te Henga so a marae can be built.

Auckland Council's finance and performance committee voted on Tuesday to give Te Kawerau ā Maki the land at 240a Bethells Rd, Te Henga, to build a marae and papakāinga housing.

Iwi chief executive Edward Ashby said it had been a long time coming and the iwi was very pleased with the decision.....
See full article HERE

Maui Tikitiki-a-Taranga - a special place at Parliament
There’s no doubt that you are approaching a special place as you near Maui Tikitiki-a-Taranga, the Maori Affairs select committee room.

The impressive carved entrance draws you towards the room. The carvings show the legends and stories of Wellington Region tangata whenua, Te Ati Awa, and of Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington Harbour).

The room is centrally located at Parliament. This prominent location reflects the room’s mana as the place where the Maori Affairs Select Committee discusses and deliberates on issues, law, and policy.....
See full article HERE

Maori and Pasifika principals face racism at work – survey
While Mr Ferris agreed there should be programmes informing school employees of appropriate communication, he believes the solution will come from education on Maori culture.

“Every teacher effectively looks after 98 percent of the children in this country. If every teacher took it upon themselves to teach cultural responsiveness, sensitivity, cultural growth and sustainability around te reo Maori, around Maori. Within that generation we could effectively be free of this.”

This education, according to Mr Ferris, would allow New Zealanders of all races to understand “the true nature of Maori”.

Nevertheless, Mr Ferris wants to see New Zealand teach its children how to speak te reo Maori, which he explained will help educate everyone on Maori culture and allow non-Maori to take pride in their country’s heritage.

“What I’d like to see is a country where every person spoke te reo Maori.

“I absolutely believe Maori and non-Maori can get along a whole lot better if that happened.”....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

20  June  2018

Law firm pledges to speak te reo Māori to clients
A Wellington law firm has set an ambitious goal to have all its staff members able to speak te reo Māori to its clients.

Kahui Legal is the first law firm and private organisation in the country to sign up for a 'Reo Plan' with the Māori Language Commission.

It's making a pledge to strengthen Māori pronunciation and support staff to take lessons outside of work.

When you walk into the firm, the receptionists greet you with "kia ora" and, if you're lucky, you will hear the staff practising waiata.

The lawyers also send out weekly Māori whakataukī or proverbs - but associate Matewai Tukapua said they wanted to take their reo even further.
See full article HERE

Waitangi museum to honour the Māori Battalion
A major new museum is to be built on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in honour of the 28th Māori Battalion.

Details, including the cost and design, have yet to be finalised, but finance is already committed from the government's Provincial Growth Fund. It is scheduled to open on Waitangi Day 2020.

Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said the museum was part of the coalition agreement between New Zealand First and Labour.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

19  June  2018

Koha and apartheid discussed at MP meeting
In regards to Maori, Todd says the impacts of history must be dealt with today.

“Our history is cloaked in the Treaty of Waitangi not being upheld across the country. It has caused material hardship for people over generations, for those who had their land confiscated.

“It is not good for the country to have these outstanding claims, and New Zealand in 2018 has to have Maori and Pakeha both at the table.”......
See full article HERE

Thames-Coromandel mayor seeks iwi partnership to fix housing shortage
The Mayor of Thames-Coromandel says their town is facing a housing shortage that needs to be addressed immediately. Sandra Goudie says she's reached out to local iwi to partner with them to build affordable housing.

Goudie means business about helping her town she says has a housing crisis.
“We're desperate for the housing,” she said.

“We've got a housing shortage just like everybody else. Rental shortage, just like everybody else. So we need to get something cracking as soon as we can.”

This council land next to the local Pārāwai Primary School has been offered to Ngāti Maru in a partnership proposal to build much-needed homes.......
See full article HERE

Tamati Coffey called out over Chinese-owned water bottling company given Government go-ahead to expand
"Minister [Kelvin] Davis is now working through the issues around iwi water rights. No decisions have yet been made and I will be keeping all local iwi updated on this process.....
See full article HERE

Compass Health celebrates Matariki with Māori Health strategy launch and rebrand
Matariki celebrations this week signal the launch of our Māori Health strategy. As part of that strategy, Compass Health is also adopting a Māori identity to accompany the Compass Health name.

From Friday 15th June, Compass Health will be known as Tū Ora Compass Health.

For staff this might mean improving Tikanga in the workplace, learning waiata and basic te reo to ensure pronunciation is correct. Cultural training opportunities are now available to all staff with additional support to network practices in this area.....
See full article HERE

Almost $19 million awarded to Otago researchers
Meanwhile, Senior Lecturer at the Māori Indigenous Health Institute at the University of Otago, Christchurch, Dr Cameron Lacey, will investigate pathways to first episode psychosis and outcomes in Māori.

Dr Lacey says there is some evidence for Māori having increased prevalence and worse outcomes following diagnosis of a psychotic disorder. However, little is known about the factors contributing to these inequities or strategies to reduce them. He receives $618,336 for the two-year project.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

18  June  2018

From the NZCPR archives by David Round
The Enemy of Nationhood
....Tribalism is the enemy of nationhood. The flying of a Maori sovereignty flag on our national day may be looked upon as a meaningless gesture by those for whom nothing is sacred, and who see our own flag only as a meaningless bit of cloth. They ‘know the price of everything and the value of nothing’.

But Maori sovereignty enthusiasts do not see it as an empty gesture, and neither should anyone else. It is an insult to those who serve and love our nation’s flag, for no other flag can be as good, and Maori sovereignty and division is the enemy of the one new Zealand nation of our very own flag. There may be arguments as to what ‘exactly’ Maori sovereignty means. One radical will claim it is one thing, another another. But this at least is perfectly clear ~ that it means that those who fly it do not want to be part of the same nation the rest of us are in. They will continue to want the funding of course. But for the rest, they consider those outside the tribe to be ~ what were Hone Harawira’s words again? ~ just people to be used, exploited and at the same time hated. We have to be grateful to Hone ~ which is more than he is to us, of course, for the manifold blessings of European civilisation ~ in that at least he reminds us of what we are up against. He is the true voice of the Maori party. No other voice is possible.

Dr Brash was absolutely right when he made his wonderful Orewa speech, and Phil Goff was absolutely right when he recently similarly warned of the dangers of racial division. It is a depressing indication of the madness now an unquestioned part of our national life that those calling for racial equality and respect for the rights of all, including the foreshore and seabed as our common heritage, are automatically condemned as racist. New Zealand is indeed a deeply racist country. But the racism lies in a race-based political party, racially-selected Parliamentary seats and members, a special racial electoral roll, race based sports teams, schools and units within schools, television stations, government departments, trusts and financial assistance galore, legal recognition of racial privilege, treaty indoctrination on every conceivable occasion. Universities now have special Maori graduations. No public ceremony in our secular country is complete without Maori elders and karakia. Every new appointee in the public service is welcomed with a powhiri…..None of this is diminishing. It is growing. We are not working towards becoming one nation. We are walking in completely the opposite direction.

And not only is this racial distinction growing, it is absolutely.....

Read David’s full article HERE  
December 12, 2009 

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

17  June  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Muriel Newman
Crime – it’s about demography not race
.....In addition to the improvements in policing and rehabilitation practices that have been made over the years – as well as advancements in personal and property security – the fall in crime can be largely attributed to demographics.

The most crime prone group in any population is young people aged from 15 to 24 years old. That means that the number of young people in this age group is a key determinant of crime. The more of these young people there are, as a percentage of the population as a whole, the higher the crime rate. Put simply – the fewer the number of 15 to 24 year olds in our population, the lower the crime rate.

Following World War II, the rise of the Baby Boomer generation dramatically increased the number of young people in this crime-prone age group. As this Baby Boomer cohort has aged, so the number of young people in the 15 to 24 year old age group has reduced – and with it crime.

According to Census data, in 1971, young people in the 15 to 24 age group made up 17.3 percent of the general population, but by 2006, the number had fallen to 14.4 percent – a 20 percent decrease. However, the proportion of Maori in that 15 to 24 age group, which was 8.5 percent in 1971, had more than doubled to 19.2 percent in 2006. That obviously means that Maori will feature much more often in crime statistics than they used to. This does not in any way suggest Maori are being discriminated against by our policing and justice systems as Pita Sharples would have us believe.

But while demography explains some of the disparity, it clearly doesn’t tell the whole story.

According to Statistics New Zealand, a key determinant in the way official information involving Maori is reported was altered in the mid-seventies when government definitions were changed from being based on ancestry and blood quantum (someone had to be half-caste or more to be classified as Maori) to being based on ethnic affiliation and self-identification.

In his seminal work, Maori Socio-Economic Disparity, Simon Chapple, a Senior Research Analyst with the Department of Labour used census data to explain the implications of this change: “In the 1996 census there were 273,693 New Zealanders who identified ethnically as Maori and Maori only. In addition to this, there were 250,338 New Zealanders who identified as members of another ethnic group, usually Pakeha/European, and also as Maori. Currently Statistics New Zealand’s official policy is to arbitrarily classify mixed ethnicity individuals who have Maori as one of their ethnic groups as Maori and not as the other group or groups to which they also belong. This sole plus mixed group is the Maori ethnic group as officially measured. In addition the 1996 census reveals another 56,343 New Zealanders with Maori ancestry but who do not identify ethnically as Maori. Adding these ancestry-but-not ethnicity people gives around 580,374 Maori in 1996.”2

He suggested that a more accurate reflection of the real situation could be obtained by retaining half of those classified as Maori as part of the Maori ethnic group, with the rest allocated to a non-Maori groups using their other primary stated ethnicity.

The bottom-line impact of all of this is that official statistics relating to Maori massively overstate their numbers. Given the high rates of intermarriage that have always been a major feature of New Zealand’s population mix, the notion that Maori are a distinct and growing population is not based on reality, since the number of ‘true’ Maori under the old blood quantum definition is in serious decline. Instead it has become a political construct aimed at fulfilling elite tribal ambitions for power and resources......
Read the full article HERE  
October 9, 2011

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

16  June  2018

Academics claim Pākehā bicultural interactions with Māori are destructive
Academics claim while Pākehā bicultural interactions with Māori can be seen to strengthen the culture, it's instead potentially destroying and destructive. Melissa Derby of Ngāti Ranginui and Professor of history Paul Moon spent years observing practices carried out on marae that feed into interactions between Māori and Pākehā.

The result is a research paper called Playing Cultures that looks at Pākehā roles in bicultural interactions with Māori. The pair took a particular interest in the power dynamics between the two cultures.

Speaking to Kawekōrero, Dirby says, "One of the conclusions that we drew is that, we as Māori are at a very risky time culturally now, our culture is being appropriated left, right, and centre by Pākehā and it's doing a lot of damage and potentially destroying our culture."....
See full article HERE

Environmental groups, Ngāti Kurī push for Kermadec sanctuary
Environmental groups and Ngāti Kurī met Parliamentarians today in the hopes to spur new support for the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill.

World Wildlife Fund, Pew and Forest and Bird representatives gathered early Tuesday morning on Parliament lawns to campaign for the protection of New Zealand ocean.

Protesters awaited MPs in the rain till the afternoon to gift 120 vials of lapel pins containing special drops of ocean water collected from the Kermadec Islands.

They were meet with strong support from Labour, National and Green Party Members. But a no-show from NZ First who previously opposed the sanctuary’s 100% fishing ban.....
See full article HERE

NZ govt seeks to close pay gap for Māori, Pasifika
New Zealand's Minister for Women says she's seeking to close the pay gap for Pasifika and Māori women.

Julie Anne Genter was speaking at a meeting of parliament's Social Services and Community Committee.

Ms Genter said the lowest paid women, and the most vulnerable and discriminated-against women, need to be prioritised.

She questioned the value of closing the pay gap for Pakeha women while not closing it for Māori and Pasifika women.....
See full article HERE

Māori and Pasifika principals report discrimination
A survey of primary school leaders has found that a significant sample of Māori and Pasifika participants have experienced discrimination at work on the basis of their ethnicity.

The Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey found that 27% reported that their ethnicity had been a source of relationship tension during the past 12 months, and 25.8% reported discrimination at work on the basis of their ethnicity. This compares with 8.5-8.9% of non-Māori leaders experiencing tension or discrimination due to their ethnicity.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

15  June  2018

Governance of 90 Mile Beach in limbo due to 'embarrassing' tribal stoush
Four Far North iwi are at loggerheads with one another over the territorial rights of 90 Mile Beach

The famous coastline was handed back to Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kuri and Ngāi Takoto as part of the Waitangi Settlement deal to co-govern with local government in 2015.

Three years on and with the exception of setting up governance board - iwi and local government haven't been able to make progress.

Far North District Councillor and Deputy Board Chair Mate Radich, tried to pass a motion to stop the meetings until the iwi sort out their problems.

"It's a complete shambles, it's the four iwi involved they just don't trust each other they just don't like each other and they just don't like either iwi telling them what to do," he said.

The crown gave each iwi $137,500 for Māori translation signage and regeneration activities. The governance board was given $400,000.

Consultants had been brought in and failed leaving the board with a $28,000 bill. Other funds have been spent on transporting board members to what is being described as "useless meetings".

"What worries me is we are gonna keep on going having these meetings and that money is going to be eroded all for nothing," says Mr Radich.....
See full article HERE

Te Tauihu policy first step towards Wellington becoming te reo Māori capital
Wellington's Civic Square is set to become the heart of the te reo Māori capital.

Wellington City Council will launch its te reo policy – Te Tauihu – on Thursday, with the goal of becoming a te reo Māori city by 2040.

In honour of the move, iwi have gifted the name Te Ngākau (the heart) for the civic area.

The policy will see bilingual welcome signs created for the city, as well as dual names for the Town Belt and Botanic Gardens.

There were no plans to make all street names bilingual, but some needed to be corrected and te reo would take preference for all new names.

The policy aims to make te reo a core part of Wellington's identity by ensuring it is widely seen, heard and spoken in the capital......
See full article HERE

Ōpōtiki vote to officially correct spelling from Opotiki
The Ōpōtiki District Council have voted to officially correct the spelling of their district, after the Land Information database holds the name Opotiki, without macrons.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

14  June  2018

Cultural factors key to health of older Māori
New research from Massey University and the University of Auckland suggests more focus in the health sector is needed to foster culturally appropriate food practices for older Māori that may lead to less hospitalisations and lower mortality rates.

New Zealanders aged over 80 years are the fastest growing population group and are predicted to increase six-fold by 2050.

Māori comprise 14 per cent of the total population – two per cent of those are aged over 80 years and the age group is increasing faster than the non-Māori octogenarian population.

Dr Wham says further work is needed to raise awareness among primary health professionals and foster partnerships with local Māori community organisations.

“Interventions to improve the nutrition status of older Māori need to be based on a holistic Māori worldview. Indeed, the importance of language and culture and being able to access traditional foods are associated with lower nutrition risk in older Māori. A multifaceted approach, including education of the health workforce, may be needed to ensure culturally appropriate food practices are met.”.....
See full article HERE

New forestry scholarship launched
A new forestry scholarship has been launched at National Fieldays today by Forestry Ministers Shane Jones and Meka Whaitiri.

The new scholarship aims to grow the capability of the forestry sector and increase the number of women and Māori in the industry.

“The new scholarship – Ngā Karapihi Uru Rākau – provides $8,000 a year to Māori and female students enrolling in either a Bachelor of Forestry Science or Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Forest Engineering at the University of Canterbury,” Shane Jones said......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

13  June  2018

Landowner rejects wāhi taonga claim as Maori lore was 'contrary to the bible'
A farmer opposed to having his land classed as wāhi taonga has told a court that claims made by Maori were "suspect and false in entirety" and contrary to the bible, which he said was "divinely inspired" and "incontestably true".

Hawke's Bay farmer Peter Raikes made his comments in the Environment Court during an appeal by a Hawke's Bay iwi group opposing the proposed district plan of Hastings District Council.
See full article HERE

New wheels for Kōhanga Reo
Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust has announced 13 kōhanga reo are set to receive brand new vans.

In 2017, former Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell secured $5mil in funding specifically for kōhanga reo.

This is the first year that funding has come into play.

The brand new 12-seater vans come equipped with a three-year petrol allowance and insurance - each package is worth almost $74,000.....
See full article HERE

Purau residents and Rapaki Runaga at odds over reserve
Gifting a former Maori burial ground to local runanga is an ill-considered act of privatisation, says the Purau Residents Association.

There have been ongoing discussions about returning ownership and management of Purau Maori Reserve over the past century and in December last year the local hapu Ngati Wheke asked the city council to explore the option.

But association spokesman Thomas Kulpe questioned whether gifting the land was the right step.

While it was understandable the runanga would seek ownership, he said, it was only because the city council had “done nothing” to recognise and protect the area from inappropriate use such as eating, drinking and playing games.

The whole of the Purau area had history which was not just “private to Maori” but a common, shared history, he argued.

“To rob ‘Peter’ (of a public reserve) and hand it to Maori just because Ngai Tahu has a lot of political influence is not right,” said Mr Kulpe.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

12  June  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Frank Newman
The beaches are becoming battlegrolund
...The use of rahui becomes more of an issue in the context of the 580 claims by iwi/hapu regarding the ownership of the marine and coastal area. Of these, 380 claims have been referred to the Minister of Treaty Negotiations who will decide whether customary rights exist.

The Minister is likely to ask for public submissions on each of the claims that are accepted for consideration, although the Minister alone will decide and there is no appeal process. The other 200 claims have been referred to the High Court. In those cases, those who file a Notice of Appearance as an interested party (and pay $110 per claim) can be involved in the court process and have the right of appeal.

The claims cover the entire New Zealand coastline and the seabed extending out 12 nautical miles from the coast to the edge of the Territorial Sea. In most cases there are multiple competing claims for the same area. In essence, the claims are for ownership and absolute and uninterrupted rights to extract the resources (shellfish, fish, minerals, etc), impose levies, restrict access, and so on.

The applicants appear to be claiming ownership on the grounds that they have occupied the area in accordance with tikanga since before 1840, and they have used and occupied the area from 1840 to the present day without substantial interruption. The statutory test of “exclusive” use and occupation is likely to be a critical point of legal debate in this current round of claims.

Unfortunately court rulings on the matter of aboriginal title have been contradictory and political interference has added to the confusion. The end result is the current legal gravy train where a multitude of lawyers are extracting eye-watering fees, funded by taxpayers.

All of this works against those who wish to have a say in the process. It is very difficult to find the detail of the claims, and a layperson would find it impossible. To find the claims one must first obtain the case (CIV) reference number from your local council (and in our case our local council was not able to provide all of the CIVs) and then contact the High Court and ask for the claim details.

Something that could be very easily posted on a website by the local council or the High Court, isn’t.

This issue is important. If you think access to beaches and harbours will remain freely available as they are now, then think again. It will be at the whim of the Maori owners whether there is a rahui in place and you too will be confronted by an individual saying, “Clear off…You can’t swim here, you can’t fish here, you can’t play on the beach, so get out of here”......
Read Frank Newman’s full NZCPR guest commentary HERE
January 22,2018

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

11  June  2018

Māori broadcasters unite for future of industry
The Māori media sector is banding together to ensure Māori content and language keeps pace with changes in the industry.

Set-up by Te Māngai Pāho, new industry group Te Pae Tawhiti aims to be in the same space as consumers given technology is at their fingertips.

It's a collective approach and new direction for the survival of Māori media.

"We know our youth consume and search everything on iPads, mobile devices and computers so this is the space being targeted," says Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta......
See full article HERE

More Māori are studying to be doctors
The University of Otago has never seen so many Māori students studying to be doctors, new research from the New Zealand Medical Journal shows.

Māori students studying a professional health science programme between 2010 and 2016 rose from 138 to 309. For Pacific students, numbers increased from 57 to 126......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

9  June  2018

Egmont not part of Taranaki personality
Taranaki iwi are keen to see the name Egmont disappear.

Lead negotiator Jasmie Tuuta says the name change for the mountain and Egmont National Park is part of discussions with the crown.

Since 1986 the New Zealand Geographic Board has officially maintained Mt Taranaki and Mt Egmont as interchangeable names for the maunga.

The eight iwi are also keen to see the mountain become a legal personality with the same protections as a citizen, similar to the status given to the Whanganui River in 2017.

Mr Tuuta says as well as negotisating with the crown, Nga Iwi o Taranaki negotiators are talking with Taranaki whanau, hapu and iwi about what sort of joint management structures they want to see that reflects a whole of mountain strategy regarding all activity on Mt Taranaki.
See full article HERE

Maori growing bananas on research
Commercial banana growing in Tairawhiti, validating a food safety framework for Ngai Tahu’s mahinga kai food gathering areas and a climate change strategy for Te Arawa are among the 34 projects funded in the latest round of the Te Punaha Hihiko: Vision Matauranga Capability Fund.

The fund administered by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment spends up to $4 million a year on projects that bring together Maori with research organisations.

Projects must advance indigenous innovation, help with environmental sustainability, improve health or social wellbeing or otherwise explore indigenous knowledge.

Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta says the contribution Maori make to the research, science and innovation sectors is distinctive and essential to the growth of New Zealand....
See full article HERE
Further information on the above here > Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund proposals approved for funding are listed below:

Iwi close to agreement on cash and compo package connected to $200m roading project
A Taranaki iwi is close to securing agreement regarding a cash and compensation package related to a $200 million roading proposal which cuts through a swathe of its ancestral land.

The deal, as it currently stands, includes a land swap involving a 120 hectare section, a cash payment, environmental mitigation measures and a commitment to training, work or business opportunities for Ngāti Tama which might arise from the roading project.

The need for direct consultation with Ngāti Tama arises from the fact a section of its land, known as Parininihi, is affected by the New Zealand Transport Agency's (NZTA) proposed 5.2 kilometre bypass at Mt Messenger, work which includes a bridge and tunnel.

The whenua (land) was vested to the iwi following its 2003 Treaty of Waitangi deal......
See full article HERE

New Māori branding for NZ Fire and Emergency services
Fire and emergency services attended over 75,000 call-outs within the last two years, which has lead them to search for more recruits.

Māori adviser to the Fire and Emergency services, Piki Thomas says, “There is only a small percentage of women and Māori within the service which is why we are extending the invitation to our families to get involved with the fire and emergency services.”

The Rotorua division of Fire and Emergency NZ has just rebranded a truck and signs with the Māori language to celebrate Rotorua being the first bilingual town in New Zealand- with the hope of attracting more Māori into the industry.....
See full article HERE

No more liquor shops and bars in south Auckland, Māori wardens say
Māori wardens are putting up a fight against more liquor stores and bars opening in south Auckland.

Warden David Rātu has gone so far as to lodge a claim to include a Treaty of Waitangi clause into the country's liquor laws.

"Enough is enough," the warden from Turehou Māori Wardens Ki Ōtara Trust says.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

8  June  2018

Government engages Māori on environmental issues
She told about 20 iwi members that the forum, the first of its kind, would provide an opportunity for the government to both engage directly with tangata whenua on issues such as freshwater management, climate change and oil and gas exploration.

Mahuta said the issue of freshwater and water quality was also an important conversation to be had with iwi.

She is in discussion with other ministers about Māori rights and interests in freshwater and how the government engages with Māori on water-related issues.

Mahuta, who is also the minister for Māori development and local government, said the government would not be able to achieve any of its environmental policies without building a strong and enduring relationship with Māori.

"It is a good example of how this government wants to work with Māori moving from the negotiating table to a true partnership."....
See full article HERE

Forestry projects get Government boost
Northland forestry projects which will create jobs and sustainable developments have been given a helping hand by the Government.

Te Uru Rākau (Forestry New Zealand) and the Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust have signed a joint venture agreement to plant and manage around 3,600 hectares of pine trees on the trust's land. Up to 465 hectares of mānuka will also be planted, which would provide work experience for young people......
See full article HERE

Māori wards campaign wraps up until next time
The coalition formed to promote Māori wards for the Palmerston North City Council and Manawatū District Council is disbanding after decisive poll results preventing Māori seats from being created.

Kia Kotahi Mai has settled its final bills, and will donate just over $1000 left over to former New Plymouth mayor and Māori wards campaigner Andrew Judd.....
See full article HERE

Sir Bob Jones files defamation action against petition creator
Sir Bob Jones has filed defamation proceedings against the woman who started a petition calling for his knighthood to be revoked after he penned a controversial column earlier this year.

He filed defamation papers against Renae Maihi in Wellington on Wednesday, according to NZME.

Sir Bob threatened legal action shortly after the petition surfaced online.....
See full article HERE

Wellington Mayor supports Matariki replacing Queen's Birthday holiday
Wellington's Mayor is throwing his weight behind calls for Matariki to become a public holiday.

Mayor Justin Lester suggests the Māori New Year could replace the Queen's Birthday holiday, which was not meaningful for many who saw it as just a day off.

Last year Wellington City Council cancelled its 2018 Guy Fawkes Sky Show, moving the fireworks display to Matariki on July 7......
See full article HERE

Horowhenua Council’s Secret Payout
The Horowhenua Council’s Chief Executive confidentially agreed to provide nearly a million dollars to Te Runanga o Raukawa provided it did not object to a wastewater scheme.

Chief executive David Clapperton made the confidential agreement to provide at least $880,500 to Te Runanga o Raukawa on the proviso the Runanga withdraw its objection to council’s resource consent application to make discharges from the Foxton Waste Water Treatment Plant to Matakarapa Island.

A leaked copy of the September 2017 draft agreement states that Te Runanga o Raukawa (TRoR), “will withdraw their submissions to Horizons [regional council and] the Environment Court in respect of proceedings within 5 working days of TRoR signing this agreement.”....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

7  June  2018

NZ minister says future budgets may offer more for Pasifika and Maori
New Zealand's Finance Minister has told a gathering of Pasifika and Maori business people they can expect more assistance in future budgets.

On Tuesday, Grant Robertson attended a post-Budget brunch with members of Wellington's Maori and Pasifika business networks.

Mr Robertson told them that his first budget, released last month, was about rebuilding critical public services.

He said the government's Families Package would assist those most in need and that would include a large proportion of Maori and Pasifika communities.

However he said more assistance would follow over the next few years.....
See full article HERE

Neither Levin nor Taitoko officially recognised as names for this town
Levin or Taitoko? Debate surfaced last week over what to call the Horowhenua town.

It turns out, the Government does not officially recognise either name.

For the past 130 years, Levin has been widely regarded as the town's name, but it appears no-one ever got around to assigning it.

According to the New Zealand Geographic Board - the government body for place names - Levin was not the town's official name and neither was Taitoko.

Board secretary Wendy Shaw said there was historical reference to the name Taitoko but more research would be required to confirm it as the original Māori name.

Because Levin was not an official name, other names such as Taitoko could be used, Shaw said.......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

6  June  2018

Possible name change ahead for mountain's new legal personality, national park
A new way to refer to Taranaki's most notable landmark and its national park could be on the cards.

Mt Taranaki is currently the subject of Treaty of Waitangi negotiations between all eight iwi of the region and the Crown.

Last December the parties signed Te Anga Pūtakerongo or the Record of Understanding, which is helping guide the talks.

Part of that agreement will see the mountain become a legal personality, a process which gives it the same protections as a citizen. Similar rights were given to the Whanganui River in 2017.

Jamie Tuuta, lead negotiator of Ngā Iwi o Taranaki (the formal name of the eight member group) said talks with the Crown towards a deed of collective redress were continuing and a decision had yet to be made regarding any name for the mountain's legal personality or any change in moniker for the Egmont National Park.

"But we can confirm it is part of our discussions with the Crown," he said in a written statement.....
See full article HERE

A culturally-responsive lens
Maori mythological figures whose characteristics reflect human behaviours have been integrated as part of Cobham School’s raft of programmes with outstanding results.

Enhancement in which atua are arranged on a spectrum. Each atua has a dual nature. Maui’s characteristics include daring and cleverness but he can also be mischievous, a trickster. Ruamoko, the god of earthquakes and volcanoes, is “grumbly” but he does not like injustices while Tumatauenga, the god of war is a destructor but also a strategist and analyst......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

5  June  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Paul Moon
Cannibalism too unpalatable for some
I recall a fellow academic approaching me when I started writing the book, and warning me that I was putting my career in jeopardy by tackling this subject. At first, I dismissed the caution, but when others began making similar comments, I came around to the view that I would be risking my integrity as an historian by being bullied into silence.

Then the attacks came, and in several forms. I am sure many of the people who have complained about the book have yet to read it, but this has not stopped them rushing to judgement and making all sorts of shrill accusations about its contents.

First, there were the emails and often anonymous phone messages, accusing me of all sorts of sins for having researched and written about Maori cannibalism. This was followed by the Rawiri Taonui, a lecturer from Canterbury University , suggesting that I was “demonising” Maori, and that my book was a “return to Victorian values”. In the process, he ignored the vast amount scholarship and research that went to make the book, and instead descended to name-calling by way of a response to my arguments. It was all sound and fury signifying very little.

Then Human Rights Commission dipped its toe into this acrid pool and considered the merits of a letter of complaint made about the book. The Commission’s response was to suggest I enter into mediation. Like Kafka’s Josef K., I found myself being considered increasingly guilty, even though I do not know what precisely I am meant to be guilty of. In this instance, I politely refused the offer.

And here is where the book-burners come in........
See full article HERE 
September 6, 2008

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

4  June  2018

From the NZCPR archives by Dr Muriel Newman
Agendas and demands
Over the years Waitangi Day has changed from being a celebration of the birth of our nation, when two peoples were united as one, to becoming a grievance day for tribal activists pursuing their Maori sovereignty agenda.

Their demands include everything from the ownership of fresh water, to a new Treaty-based constitution. They want the Maori seats in Parliament to be entrenched, and Maori seats in local government to be guaranteed. They are calling for co-governance rights across all Government agencies – including reserved Maori seats on the new Teaching Council. And they want more taxpayers’ funding for programmes leading to self determination.

For some, their ultimate goal is Maori ownership of New Zealand – as expressed by Tuhoe leader Tamati Krugar in a speech just before Christmas, when he said, “In the distant future there may no longer be Europeans living in Aotearoa, because Europeans live in Europe. That, maybe, in a long distance, the only people you find in Aotearoa are tangata whenua…”

While such talk is fanciful, we shouldn’t forget that thanks to the actions of naive and spineless politicians, who have appeased discontent instead of challenging it, many of the extremist ambitions of iwi leaders are now coming to fruition. Not so long ago goals like the ownership and control of New Zealand’s coastline would have regarded as being so far-fetched as to be laughable – as laughable as the comments above by Mr Krugar. But with our coastline standing on the verge of falling into tribal hands, it is certainly no laughing matter now.

The reality is that the pathway to iwi goals is travelled in small incremental steps rather than giant strides. One such step is........
See full article HERE   
Feb 4, 2018

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

3  June  2018

Council reaches Aquatic Centre management decision
Elected members have today voted to progress outsourcing management of the Rotorua Aquatic Centre, with some conditions.

Councillors voted 8 - 3 in favour of outsourcing management of the facility with the following conditions:

- that an exit provision at Council’s discretion to cancel its contract; and
- include stronger engagement with community groups, sports clubs, stakeholders, iwi and a stronger bicultural approach to management....
See full article HERE

Playground celebrates Maori stories
Rotorua Lakes Council and its partner Te Tatau o Te Arawa are turning the playground in Rotorua’s Government Gardens into a bilingual Maori language zone.

Park goers will be encouraged to use te reo Maori, and bilingual signage and interactive games will be peppered across the space.....
See full article HERE

Farmers are the ‘new Maori’
Farmers are the ‘new Maori’, says Mananui Ramsden, the cultural land management advisor for the Selwyn Te Waihora zone in the Environment Canterbury region.

He said ECan defines mahinga kai as “what sustains and nourishes the human body – clean water, clean kai, clean air, sufficient shelter, access to and being able to gather kai as our ancestors did, in a sustainable way for future generations”.

Mahinga kai is about education and development, he said.

“It’s about a reciprocal relationship. It’s not about Ngai Tahu wanting to come in and stamp their authority on your land, take a percentage of your income or anything like that. It’s about food, it’s about mana, it’s about us a people. We’re here to help each other, not to be divisive.”
See full article HERE

Kahungunu Craggy Range deal costs $1.5mil
"Craggy Range were going to buy the whole lot anyway and they were going to do what they wanted and we would've been spectators, so the whole cost of it was up to $2 million dollars, between $1.5 and $2 million. I came in and said 'we want to take hold of this and we want to be part of the settlement rather than part of the spectatorship' so now we are, we have a hand in it and can control it," says Tomoana.....
See full article HERE

Te Arawa River Trust awaits results of SFO investigation
The Te Arawa River Iwi Trust is responsible for restoring the upper Waikato River.

As part of its 2010 Treaty settlement, the trust receives $1million a year for 20 years through the Ministry for the Environment, to care for the Waikato River.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

1  June  2018

Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki and council collaborate to preserve river
Hapū based in Wellington are launching a new video campaign which looks at sustainable water quality through mahinga kai. Ngā Hapū of Ōtaki have partnered with the Wellington City Council to deliver the initiative.

The video will feature ancient mahinga kai practices as well as ancient and modern methods of testing water quality.

It's part of a wider initiative by the council to ensure mana whenua values are invested within resource management plans.

Grace says, "We've met together, we've worked together, we've planned together now we actually have to learn how to do stuff together and that's about taking the values they've put into our plan and saying how can we express our Treaty Partnership through our activities?"

"When we think about the Resource Management Act we think about the relationship of Māori with their culture, their traditions, etcetera. How do we make that happen? Because that's about real people doing things in real places. No more words. Action."....
See full article HERE

Agreement signed on Te Mata peak track
Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi and Craggy Range have this morning signed an agreement to work together to build an alternative track up Te Mata peak for the community to enjoy.

After months of controversy over the zig-zag track that was built by Craggy Range in December last year, the two parties said they were looking forward to working together to develop the land.

Ngāti Kahungunu chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana, Craggy Range winery director Mary-Jeanne Hutchinson and Craggy Range chief executive Michael Wilding this morning announced the two parties had jointly bought 28ha on the eastern face of the peak off the Drabble family that included the current walking track.

Wilding said the current track would be closed and in conjunction with mana whenua a cultural impact study would be conducted to identify sites of significance that would guide where an alternative track would be built......
See full article HERE

Half way point for Māori Electoral Option
The 2018 Māori Electoral Option opened on 3 April and closes on 2 August and is when voters of Māori descent can choose to be on the Māori roll or the general roll.

“We’ve reached the half way point in the Māori Electoral Option and it’s a good reminder to Māori voters to stop and check if they have thought about which roll they want to be on,” says Mandy Bohté, National Manager of Enrolment and Community Engagement for the Electoral Commission.

More than 16,000 people have either changed roll types or enrolled for the first time since the start of the Māori Electoral Option. There has been a net gain on the general roll of 3,352 and a net decrease of 1,426 on the Māori roll......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

31  May  2018

Three-month submission period for Poverty Bay naming issue
The New Zealand Geographic Board Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa has opened consultation to alter the name of Poverty Bay, a name given to Cook and the Endeavour’s first place of landfall in 1769.

The proposal to alter Poverty Bay to a dual name was put forward by Gisborne District Council and seeks to place the traditional Maori name alongside the existing English name on all official maps, charts and other official documents, says NZGB Secretary Wendy Shaw.

“The board will publicly consult on the proposal for three months starting late May and people can make submissions during that time frame.”....
See full article HERE

Crucial that 'Māori are central' to health review
A senior lecturer in Māori Health at the University of Auckland, Rhys Jones, said Māori voices must be included to address inequities in health services.

"It's really important that Māori are central within those conversations," he said.

"Māori communities actually have the solutions to a lot of our problems that they can provide meaningful input," Dr Jones said.

Dr Jones said healthcare providers, including DHBs, must be held accountable if they fail to deliver good healthcare to Māori.....
See full article HERE

Submission calls for urupa to be maintained by council
Iwi are calling on the New Plymouth District Council to maintain their urupa, or cemeteries, just as they maintain district cemeteries.

Peter Moeahu presented to the council's Long Term Plan hearings on Tuesday, asking for maintenance of Māori urupa to be included in council's blueprint and long term planning.....
See full article HERE

New Deputy Commissioner of Police
Long-serving Police Assistant Commissioner Wally Haumaha has been appointed to a new role as Deputy Commissioner.

“The Deputy Commissioner of Police is a statutory appointment, made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister,” says Police Minister Stuart Nash.

Wally Haumaha is currently Deputy Chief Executive Maori, at Assistant Commissioner rank. The Deputy Chief Executive Maori position leads the Maori, Pacific and Ethnic services communities group. He first joined New Zealand Police in 1984.....
See full article HERE

More awareness needed in fight against kauri dieback in Bay of Plenty
Gavin Smith works as kaitiaki manutataki - iwi engagement ranger for the Department of Conservation in Tauranga. Smith has been leading the fight against kauri dieback in the Kaimai Range, helping protect the region from the arrival of the invasive disease.

In Maori mythology, the strongest child of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatūānuku (the Earth mother); Tāne mahuta (the god of the forests and creator of the forest creatures) pushed his parents apart to bring light to the land and allow his children to flourish. Tane's legs were the giant trunks of kauri.....
See full article HERE

NZ psychologists 'very cold, robotic' toward Māori
A Waikato psychologist says Māori face active resistance to their very presence in the psychology profession.

Psychologist Michelle Levy said the profession did not train students to address Māori needs, and Māori patients were missing out the understanding they needed.

She has taken this to the Waitangi Tribunal. It has accepted the claim and will decide if it becomes part of the Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry.....
See full article HERE

Prisoners plant mānuka on Māori land
100ha of Māori land in Hawke's Bay that was destroyed in a fire last year is getting a new lease on life with around 65,000 mānuka trees set to be planted on it with the aim of entering the mānuka honey market.

A group of Hawke's Bay Regional Prison inmates have been caring for 15,000 mānuka seedlings.

"It's helped them with unit standards. There has been plant propagation, health and safety and also a bit of irrigation, that sort of thing...it's also given them the opportunity to get in there and use their hands," says Dave Collier, horticulture instructor at the prison......
See full article HERE

Maori Ward polls: 'Discriminatory' or a 'democratic process' - a look at both sides of the argument
The way Maori Wards are created on local councils have been called "discriminatory" against Maori, as it contains an extra step other wards are free of which critics says perpetuates already low Maori representation in local government.

However, others say the addition of a public poll is imperative and other measures should instead be taken to boost Maori representation......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

29  May  2018

Māori Wardens seek operational autonomy
The dialogue will continue between government, the Māori Council and Māori Wardens to determine whether or not Māori Wardens will be granted operational autonomy. Negotiations about the issue had been delayed by the change of government.

Māori Wardens are reinforcing their calls for independence.

Ōtāhūhū Māori Warden Co-ordinator Thomas Henry told Te Kāea, "What the Māori Wardens are really hoping for is their own autonomy."

Durie says, "Māori are capable of managing law and order themselves and managing their own systems and that's what we are still trying to achieve."....
See full article HERE

Iwi says unfair land deal locks them into forestry
A Nelson-based iwi says it has to keep growing pine forests in the Maitai Valley near Nelson, even though it wants some of the land for other things.

Ngāti Koata said a recent decision by the Nelson City Council to cut some of its forestry operations has highlighted a long-standing concern among iwi about being locked into onerous land deals.

The iwi - one of eight iwi in Te Tau Ihu (top of the South Island), said it had to keep planting and harvesting pine trees, or pay millions of dollars in lost carbon credits.....
See full article HERE

Time to ditch the post-colonial diet
But where the issues have arisen is in the quality of food being shared. Increasingly ‘kai’ consists of a post-colonial rich diet of processed food and beverage and that is taking a huge toll on the health status of these communities. Obesity has become the new normal and it’s now surfacing at very young ages.....
See full article HERE

Kohanga reo claim back on the table
A Treaty of Waitangi claim lodged by the Te Kohanga Reo National Trust in 2011 is back on the negotiations table, and the trust is hoping for a beneficial outcome.

Mr Hook said the Treaty claim, Wai 2336, was one of the big issues the trust was currently dealing with.

“This claim was put on hold, but now with the new Labour Government, it’s back on the table again.

In 2011 the trust filed a claim under urgency to the Waitangi Tribunal after the then National government slammed the kohanga reo movement in a report titled Early Childhood Education Taskforce Report.

The trust said that the taskforce had not consulted with them, that the report had seriously damaged their reputation, and that the report, and government policy based on it, would cause irreparable harm to the kohanga reo movement.

The claimants also raised wide-ranging allegations of Treaty breach concerning the Crown’s treatment of kohanga reo over the past two decades.

In particular, they said, the Crown had “effectively assimilated” the kohanga reo movement into its early childhood education regime under the Ministry of Education.

They said the Crown stifled its role in saving and promoting the Maori language, which led to a decline in the number of Maori children participating in kohanga reo.

The Waitangi Tribunal found in favour of the trust.....
See full article HERE

Maori blessing marks construction benchmark at suburban apartment development
A Maori dawn powhiri and sacred rock burial have benchmarked the latest construction phase at one of Auckland’s newest high-end apartment complexes. The official early morning function featured elders from Ngati Whatua Orakei – led by Taiaha Hawke.

Ngati Whatua Orakei elder Taiaha Hawke buried a sacred stone at the base of the excavation works to acknowledge that the deepest point of the construction had been reached, and that the five-storey apartment block would now only progress skyward.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

27  May  2018

Port, iwi agree on dredging
Ngai Tahu has won concessions from Lyttelton Port Company through mediation over a resource consent for a big dredging programme due to begin soon.

The port company will also make payments to local Ngai Tahu hapu to enhance access to mahinga kai, and undertake research and development.

An initial payment of $50,000 must be paid within one month, followed by 24 annual payments of $25,000.

One of the significant concessions from the mediation was the reduction from a 35-year resource consent to 25 years.

Stricter environmental controls include requiring the port company to provide a programme of its proposed dredging one month in advance to Ngai Tahu, and to liaison groups including mussel farm owners Ngai Tahu and Sanford, and Environment Canterbury......
See full article HERE

'Please speak in a language 99% of us understand': Racist remarks derail maunga meeting
Racist comments derailed a public meeting called to discuss access to a popular Auckland maunga, Devonport's Mt Victoria, on Thursday.

The meeting was organised by a group of Devonport residents upset at the Tūpuna Maunga ō Tāmaki Makaurau Authority over its decision to close vehicular access to Takarunga (Mt Victoria) in March, in particular, because of a lack of community consultation.

But some members of the community didn't agree with Majurey's reasoning and things got off to a bad start on Thursday night when a member of the public demanded the mihi be spoken in English.

The traditional Māori welcome, which had been listed as a protocol for the meeting, was interrupted by the member who felt speaking in the official language was "disrespectful".

"Please speak in a language 99 per cent of us here understand," said the person who introduced himself as Simon Clark.

"If I stood here and spoke Cantonese, Mandarin or Eskimo, would anybody stay?"

Hauraki resident Laura Martin said the mihi ended up switching to English half-way through as a result of the bickering, which she said up to 50 people were involved in.......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

26  May  2018

Name change for Levin part of consultation
We've been saying Levin's name wrong, and there's talk of a new name for the town.

Levin already has a makeover plan, with Horowhenua councillors saying the town is dated and dowdy and needs to get its mojo back.

Councillor Victoria Kaye-Simmons said it would also be nice to acknowledge the town's traditional name, Taitoko.

Horowhenua District Council made its first prominent use of the name Taitoko in the Transforming Taitoko/Levin consultation document. It has also been used in decorations on a pop-up consultation booth the council installed in a central area of the town.....
See full article HERE

Approval of subdivision street names in Mackenzie District awaiting sign-off from local Iwi
Street names proposed in subdivisions in Twizel and Tekapo will be adopted by the Mackenzie District Council providing they are approved by local Iwi.

The proposed street names went to the council's assets and services committee meeting in Fairlie on Thursday.

As part of the subdivision consent process, developers are given the opportunity to recommend street names within those subdivisions......
See full article HERE

Te reo medical check-ups...for teddy bears
Dunedin's Teddy Bear Hospital, where children can have their toys diagnosed and treated, is back this week - and for the first time consultations are being undertaken in te reo Māori.

The hospital is run by Otago medical students to help them gain experience consulting with children and their toys.

Throughout the week children from kindergartens have brought in toys to receive x-rays, all leading up to the Community Day on Saturday.

During Community Day consultations will be done in te reo Māori with the hope of attracting more Māori children.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

25  May  2018

Indigenous plants in Hawke's Bay almost extinct
Almost 90 percent of indigenous plants in Hawke's Bay have all but disappeared because of the dire state of biodiversity in the area.

It is a state of affairs which has seen major cultural loss for Māori in the region.

"Māori suffer because they no longer have access to their traditional foods in the rivers- they can't even swim in many of our rivers- so without Māori engagement this process can't be done," says Charles Daugherty, Biodiversity Hawke's Bay Foundation chairman.....
See full article HERE

Threat to marae speech seen in disharmony call
A Maori academic is challenging a Human Rights Commission proposal to penalise disharmonious speech.

In a report to a United Nations committee, the commission suggested the Human Rights Act may need to be amended because it can't be used in cases of hate speech against New Zealand Muslims.

Melissa Derby from the University of Canterbury says this privileges a colonising relision, and the commission isn't seeking similar protection for speech against Maori.

She says the commission isn't defining what constitutes disharmonious speech, which carries risk for Maori....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

24  May  2018

Parihaka and Crown relationship significant for nation
A Parihaka leader says members of the historic community want to forge a continuing relationship with the crown rather than take a one-off settlement.

He says people are concerned about how the new arrangements will work, and they don't see the $9 million payment to upgrade the community's infrastructure to be final.

"The $9 million was about creating the capacity needed by Parihaka to engage with the crown and to continue with its development. It certainly wasn't a one-off payment, full and final, as we've heard associated with the iwi settlements in the past...... 

See full article HERE

McDonalds launches Te Reo Māori menu
Hastings McDonalds is the first in the country to introduce bilingual menus, written in both English and Māori, with plans to roll it out too all McDonalds restaurants in Hawke's Bay.

A selection of iconic menu items have been translated onto a menu card for customers who can choose to use the Māori names when ordering.....
See full article HERE

Bilingual show aimed at South Island-based children
A bilingual show aimed at primary schools explores te reo Māori as a gift using musical and theatrical performances. He Kura Kōrero run by the Court Theatre is being performed at over 40 schools around the South Island. The only aim is to encourage the normalisation of te reo Māori in everyday life......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

23  May  2018

New era in Lake Taupo management
A special ceremony will today celebrate the landmark addition of Taupō Waters to the joint management agreement between Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board and Waikato Regional Council.

The addition will see the parties work closely together over the management of Taupō Waters, which includes Lake Taupō and the tributaries flowing into and out.

Previously the joint management agreement solely addressed the upper Waikato River catchment.

"This milestone is a further step toward realising tino rangatiranga and mana motuhake over our taonga tuku iho," Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board chief executive Topia Rameka said.
See full article HERE

Call to ban pig hunters from regional park, to protect kauri trees
Hunua Ranges Regional Park has been bombed in 1080 poison, is on the enforced kauri dieback watch with conditions on public access, and now there's a call for a rahui on pig hunters, who can carry spores of the disease in their boots.

Recreational pig hunters present the greatest risk to kauri trees in the Hunua Ranges, according to two Auckland iwi.

Ngati Paoa and Ngati Whananuga are calling a rahui - or temporary ban - in a bid to protect the south Auckland regional park from kauri dieback disease.....
See full article HERE

Waitangi Tribunal has turned into a 'mortgage broker looking for new business' - Jones
There's cross-party consensus that the Waitangi Tribunal is flawed but Justice Minister Andrew Little is wary about making changes when so many Treaty settlements are still underway.

NZ First MP Shane Jones and National MP Chris Finlayson, who was previously Treaty Negotiations Minister, have both raised concerns about the Tribunal, which was set up to investigate Māori claims and make recommendations to the Crown.

In Finlayson's case he says sometimes you "just have to do the right thing and blast forth" with changes even if some Māori are opposed.

Jones wants serious changes to the Tribunal's powers and plans for NZ First to use it as a "major campaigning plank" at the 2020 election.

Finlayson said he would fully support Little if he wanted to move ahead and review the Waitangi Tribunal.

"I think it's getting to the stage where it would be timely to have a review of the Tribunal and its operations," he said.

The Tribunal could be another point of tension for the Coalition Government if Labour chooses not to act on the criticisms being laid out by Jones.

The two parties are already on opposing sides over whether Māori should have any interests or rights over freshwater.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

22  May  2018

Law change sought to protect Parihaka name and story 
A law to protect the Parihaka name along with its story is being sought by descendants of the settlement, which is synonymous with peace.

It follows on from a historically significant apology given by the Crown to Parihaka uri (descendants) in June 2017, at a ceremony of reconciliation known as He Puanga Haeata.

Parihaka, a settlement on the South Taranaki coast, is synonymous with peace and non-violent resistance, teachings promoted by prophets Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kakāhi.

However, its history has also been marred by extreme violence, when about 1600 armed constabulary and volunteers invaded the village on November 5, 1881.

The two prophets were arrested, the people of Parihaka evicted from their homes before properties were raided by soldiers, who stole taonga like pounamu. Woman were also raped during the attack.

Committee chairman Rino Tirikatene signalled he was "very hopeful" to be able to progress the issue, which was also echoed by National MP and former Attorney General Chris Finlayson.....
See full article HERE

Maori Tb to be studied
The disproportionately high rate of tuberculosis in New Zealand’s Maori population is partly due to the disease’s correlation with poverty, an Otago researcher says.

University of Otago McAuley Professor of International Health and co-director of the university’s Centre for International Health Philip Hill has received a $250,000 grant from the Health Research Council to study 700 Maori people in the Waikato region, testing for latent Tb.

He hopes his study will include 200 prisoners from the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, and will investigate whether there is a "reservoir" of latent Tb in older Maori. Prof Hill said he had studied the disease overseas but this would be his first study in New Zealand and it was "exciting" to receive the funding.....
See full article HERE

The Maori economy continues to grow
Māori enterprises are making their mark on the economy, growing steadily year on year.

There have been over 200 new Māori businesses since 2013. Last year there were over 1100 Māori enterprises

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment figures estimate Māori enterprise is worth nearly $40 billion, and growing faster than the economy as a whole......
See full article HERE

$7mil to support Māori landowners
Minister for Māori Development Nanaia has revealed a $7mil contingency fund for the Whenua Māori Programme to support Māori landowners, as part of Budget 2018.

The funding will support the design, establishment and on-going delivery of services for owners of Māori freehold land.

“Unlocking the potential from whenua for whānau is a critical part of achieving the government’s vision of a thriving regional Aotearoa,” says Mahuta......
See full article HERE

Iwi says ‘treat us as full partners’
Rongowhakaata want to be treated as full partners with Gisborne District Council, not just stakeholders.

LeRoy Pardoe said what the iwi was seeking was a relationship with the council based on the Treaty principles of participation, protection and partnership.

“In terms of the long-term plan, we are keen to participate, to join the council with developing these initiatives, but as a partner rather than a stakeholder.”...
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

21  May  2018

Government says it'll enter into treaty negotiations for the Tongariro National Park
Treaty negotiations for the Tongariro National Park will get under way by July, Andrew Little has confirmed.

The Labour minister for the portfolio told 1 NEWS a settlement was long overdue."It is about putting to rest 178 years of oppression and confiscation and suppression. So this is the stuff that lifts the spirit again," Mr Little said.

The 80,000 hectare national park is the country’s oldest and gets over a million visitors a year.

It takes in the volcanic plateau and includes Mt Tongariro, Ngaruahoe and Ruapehu.

Ngati Tuwharetoa made what's known as a tuku or gift of parts of the mountains in 1887.

But the Waitangi Tribunal's found that that gift amounted to an offer of partnership – with the Crown as joint custodians.

It also found the Crown didn't provide compensation for land which became part of the national park.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

20  May  2018

Majority against Maori wards.
PROGRESS RESULTS of a binding poll show electors have voted against Māori representation around the Council table in the Western Bay and in Whakatane.

Progress results show electors do not want Māori wards in either of the two districts.

Voter turnout in the WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY was around 40 per cent of eligible electors.

* 78.2 per cent of electors who voted were AGAINST Māori wards

* 21.5 per cent of electors who voted were FOR Māori wards

In the WHAKATANE DISTRICT a total of 5856 electors,

* 56.39 per cent, have voted AGAINST Maori wards,

* with 4504, 43.37 percent, in FAVOUR.

"The Electoral Officer will declare the final result of the poll on monday."

Final results for both districts will be available on Monday May 21, once all valid special votes have been counted. The official public notice of final results will be appear in papers on Wednesday 23 May....
See full article HERE

Palmerston North has voted against creating separate Māori wards
Palmerston North people have spoken and more than two-thirds who voted were in opposition to creating separate Māori wards.

Results from a binding poll came in on Saturday night, with 14,567 voting against wards for the city council and 6530 voting for.

The percentage was 68.87 against and 30.88 per cent for.

The turnout was at 37.21 per cent of eligible voters, and 49 votes were counted as blank and four "informal" votes received.

There are still 117 special votes to be processed.......
See full article HERE

New qualification to groom Māori excellence
A new Māori qualification for secondary students has been announced by Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis. Te Kawa Matakura, which Davis says will groom Māori excellence among Māori youth, will receive $2.8mil.

Davis says this is a pilot programme. 20 students will be selected, 10 male and 10 female, from year 11 and above.

The programme will be open to students from mainstream high schools as well as wharekura.

Davis says this is a starting point, and if successful it will be developed further to cater to more students in the future.

“This is a qualification for students who are excelling in aspects of Te Ao Māori, the NCEA qualification will run parallel with the qualification received through Te Kawa Matakura,” says Davis......
See full article HERE

Council to undertake cultural assessment to understand importance of Te Mata Peak to iwi
A cultural assessment is being undertaken by Hastings District Council in order to gain a "full understanding" of the local iwi's perspective on the controversial Te Mata Peak track.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the council, iwi, and Craggy Range Winery, which built the track, were "carefully assessing a number of options to find the best outcome for the eastern face of Te Mata Peak".

"Whatever option we consider we must include cultural awareness, recreational access and environmental protection of this much loved outstanding landscape," she said....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

19  May  2018

New funding to support Māori Wardens
$1 million in Budget ‘18 has been set aside for Māori Wardens to support outcomes for rangatahi Māori that will enhance their education and employment opportunities.

“This fund will allow Māori Wardens in their regions to test innovative approaches to mentor rangatahi and provide them with the ‘soft skills’ needed to succeed in work or further education,” says Minister Mahuta.

“The target for this fund is the 28,400 Māori youth who are not in employment, education or training. Overall, Māori have higher NEET rates than other ethnic groups at 21.3 percent. This is unacceptable......
See full article HERE

New Zealand’s Gisborne Airport to get ‘iconic’ new terminal
Local Maori culture is set to be woven into the design of a new airport terminal on the North Island of New Zealand.

Ngai Tāwhiri, a hapū of Rongowhakaata, are deeply involved in the development of the terminal design. The Ngai Tāwhiri Working Group consists of Stan Pardoe, Waka Taylor, Lisa Taylor, Karl Johnstone, Tiopira Rauna, Johnny Moetara, Thelma Karaitiana and Derek Lardelli......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

18  May  2018

BUDGET 2018 - What's in it for Māori
In today’s budget announcement the government says it wants to bring back manaakitanga by building a strong foundation for Māori, focusing on areas including health, housing and better education for rangatahi.

In this year's budget, a total of $53.7mil has been allocated for Māori-specific initiatives compared to $122mil in 2017 under the National-led Government.

Overall, initiatives benefiting Māori from Budget 2018 can be highlighted in the following categories:.....
See full article HERE

Iwi commercial property interests continue to grow
Maori tribal organisations are likely to grow in wealth as the Crown concludes more treaty settlements - and commercial property players need to consider where they will invest.

Bayleys Tu Whenua director Ward Kamo said iwi assets had grown to more than $8 billion among 70 iwi and they had become key partners for people and businesses wanting to invest.

The amount under iwi control will grow with each settlement - and benefit other tribes who have already settled because of a special relativity clause giving them top ups.

When the South Island's Ngai Tahu settlement of $170 million was agreed, it was on the expectation the total amount for all tribes would be about $1b in 1994 dollars. The envelope was exceeded in 2012.

If settlements went beyond this amount, tribes who had settled would be entitled to maintain a proportionate payout through additional payments.

At the end of 2017 Waikato-Tainui received an extra $190m, and Ngāi Tahu $180m.

These sums pale into comparison with the amount tribes believe they may be entitled to - for example Ngai Tahu negotiators have estimated historical losses of up to $15b.

They are currently in mediation with the Crown over another payment after another recent payment of $18m.

Crown treaty settlement relativity clauses run until 2044 - meaning the value of all iwi assets will grow with each settlement......
See full article HERE

Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little concerned by lack of accountability on Te Arawa River Iwi Trust spending
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little is questioning why there are no checks and balances on public money given to iwi for specific purposes.

Little is seeking advice on why such funds, even if they are part of a Treaty settlement, are not subject to any oversight.

It comes after Newshub's The Hui programme reported on the case of Roger Pikia, the chairman of Te Arawa River Iwi Trust (Tarit). Pikia is under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over his financial activities, some of which involve the use of Tarit money.

Tarit, as part of its 2010 Treaty settlement, is receiving $1 million a year for 20 years through the Ministry for the Environment to care for the Waikato River. Four other Waikato and Waipā river iwi also receive the annual co-management payment.

It is these payments that have prompted Little's concern.

"I can confirm that there are no checks or balances. I have asked for advice on why that is because that doesn't seem right to me," Little told the Herald......
See full article HERE
More on the above here > Iwi leaders call taihoa on river funds 

No freshwater rights for Māori on our watch: NZ First MP Shane Jones
NZ First's Shane Jones says Māori are "sadly mistaken" if they think the Government will hand them over any rights to the country's freshwater supply.

The issue of Māori freshwater rights hit headlines again last year when Labour campaigned on a royalty on the commercial consumption of water, which would include working with iwi to resolve Treaty water claims.

But Regional Economic Minister Shane Jones says the "small group of finger-pointers in the iwi community who want to open up that Pandora's box are sadly mistaken".

"That is never going to happen as long as we're a part of the current government," Jones said.

Environment Minister David Parker, who drafted Labour's water policy ahead of the election, hasn't ruled out the issue being looked at but is not optimistic of resolving it any time soon.

But Jones doesn't agree with Parker's hope for resolution in the future, saying, Māori "fortunes are not going to turn around by feeding these obscure debates as to which fraction of the water resource has to be handed over to Ngai Tahu or other tribes".

"That's just not going to happen."

Jones said iwi were welcome to go to court to attempt to advance the issue but it wouldn't be making any progress under this coalition government.......
See full article HERE

Boost for manuka planting
New forestry agency Te Uru Rakau has entered a partnership with Manuka Farming New Zealand to plant 1.8 million manuka trees across New Zealand this year.

Te Uru Rakau will provide up to $1.8 million to the company to source seedlings, work with landowners to assess land suitability, and provide an overall planting plan.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

17  May  2018

Decision to sign treaty deal 'disregards Māori democracy'
Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little's decision to sign a treaty deal, despite overlapping claims on the land, disregarded Māori law, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust says.

A hīkoi calling for the Crown to recognise tikanga in the treaty process spilled over into threats of war on Parliament's forecourt yesterday as frustrations with cross-claims boiled over.

The hapū, which had already settled its claim, was angry the Crown was now offering other iwi properties which the hapū believed were in its tribal boundaries......
See full article HERE

Council proposes new name for Wellington waterfront
The capital’s increasingly popular waterfront walkway could get a new official name – Ara Moana – following a proposal at a meeting of Wellington City Council’s Regulatory Processes Committee today.

The name, meaning ‘ocean pathway’, was proposed by mana whenua and supported by Mayor Justin Lester as part of a wider discussion around approving a name for a waterfront access lane on Waterloo Quay – which will see the police launch Lady Elizabeth recognised.....
See full article HERE

Iwi in rough water on rights
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says tomorrow’s Budget will include money for water projects - but it won’t advance iwi claims to fresh water.

Mr Jones the previous National Government opened up the water battle by selling half the shares in the state owned power generation companies, but New Zealand First will not accept the tribalisation of water rights......
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

16  May  2018

Manawatu Maori wards vote a resounding ‘NO’
Manawatū District Council voters have come out more than three-to-one in opposition to creating separate Māori wards.

Results from a binding poll have come in on Tuesday afternoon, with 7062 voting against, and 2038 in favour.

Some 43 per cent of electors cast a vote, with 18 votes counted as blank and one "informal".

Councillor Andrew Quarrie, who helped drive a petition to take the issue to a poll, said the result was a win for the community......
See full article HERE

Iwi chairman asks winery to remove title from plaque over Te Mata Peak track issues
The chairman of a Hawke's Bay iwi has written a letter to Craggy Range Winery asking for the iwi's title on the winery opening's commemorative plaque be "melted or removed" if the Te Mata Peak track issue continues to be handled by barristers.

The open letter, dated May 14 and sent by Ngāti Kahungunu's Ngahiwi Tomoana to the winery's director, Mary-Jeanne Hutchinson, said things had "gone downhill rapidly" since the pair last spoke.

"The track has not only put a scar on our maunga but has driven a chasm in our community that has brought the worst of racist and class comments to the fore," he said.....
See full article HERE

Maori values spark party revival
The chair of the Maori Party's Tamaki Makaurau branch says there is new spark in the party as it looks for ways to stay relevant outside parliament.

Our people are still hungry to have Maori values, not just like a Maori idea on top of other Pakeha things. We want our values embedded in the nation, not just for Maori but for all New Zealanders,.....
See full article HERE

Outcome measurements needed for Treaty payments with conditions – ACT Leader
Act Leader David Seymour is calling for measurements to be put in place to account for Treaty settlement funding when it is allocated for a specific purpose. He says it is unclear if the $18-million funding provided so far to Te Arawa River Iwi Trust to clean up the Waikato River is being used for the reason it was given.

The Trust's chair, who has been accused of significant impropriety, is under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. The Trust is also set to receive a further $12-million over the next twelve years.

Mr Seymour says Treaty Settlements with conditions need to be measured to show money is going where it's supposed to......
See full article HERE

Angry Kaumātua confronts Little: ‘You are taking us to war’
About 600 people marched to Parliament in protest this morning demanding that the Crown recognise Māori tikanga in the treaty settlement process.

Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little was speaking about the treaty process and the importance of communication when he was challenged by a kaumātua from Tauranga Moana.

The man yelled he would not listen to "bull$h*t".

"I'm not going to stand here and take this $h*t. No, no, no!"

The man yelled at Mr Little: "You are taking us to war."

He then moved closer to the minster and said in te reo Māori: "Na Tauranga Moana tēnei whenua" [this land belongs to Tauranga Moana].....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

15  May  2018

Why not to have Maori Wards
A few days ago, Western Bay District Mayor Garry Webber shared his views about why Western Bay should have a Maori ward.

......The Mayor correctly notes that the law enables ratepayers to demand a poll when a Maori ward is proposed, but not when geographical wards are created or modified.

He implies that this is a bias in the system, and implicitly agrees with Local Government New Zealand in calling for the removal of the right for ratepayers to demand a poll when a Maori ward is proposed.

But he conveniently ignores the fact that creating political systems which are quite explicitly based on race is fundamentally different from redrawing geographical boundaries.

All New Zealanders should strongly reject attempts to create racially-based political systems. Vote NO to the creation of a Maori ward!....
See full article HERE

Iwi want to sort out their own issues
Tauranga iwi Ngai Te Rangi are joining with Auckland iwi Ngati Whatua in a hikoi to Wellington to advocate for a ‘tikanga’ approach to dealing with intertribal grievances.

Ngai Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley says tikanga is a sophisticated inquisitorial system based in centuries of use by Maori.

“It is a system that is understood, tested, and based on simple principles of whakapapa and ahi kaa.....
See full article HERE

Māori households saw the highest inflation in the March quarter
Māori households saw the highest inflation in the March quarter and price rises for cigarettes and tobacco had the largest impact on inflation for most household groups, Statistics New Zealand said.

Maori households saw their cost of living rise 1.3 percent compared to the December quarter and Stats NZ said the increase was "driven by higher prices for cigarettes and tobacco, and interest payments."

Overall costs for the lowest-expenditure household group were up 0.8 percent in the March quarter compared with the December quarter, Stats NZ said.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.

14  May  2018

Electoral Commission asking for law change around the Māori Roll
The Electoral Commission is advocating for the Minister of Justice to allow Māori to switch freely between the Māori and General Rolls.

At last year's election year 19,000 people tried to switch between the two, and were frustrated to find out it's only once every five or six years they can do it.

Voter Harikoa George is on the Maori roll, but she wants the option to switch between the two freely.

"They have never done anything dodgy to make me think twice about it, but the second they do, I would like to be able to switch......
See full article HERE

Maori shellfish project wins scholarship
University of Waikato PhD student Vanessa Taikato has been awarded the 2018 Bruce Cronin BayTrust Scholarship to study ways in which Maori moved marine shellfish from location to location.

Worth $5000, the scholarship was established by BayTrust to recognise Bruce Cronin's service to the people of the Bay of Plenty.....
See full article HERE

Mole News is published on a regular basis to expose the on-going build up of race-based privilege in New Zealand. The Mole welcomes tips - please send to mole@nzcpr.com. Older news items can be found HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE  and HERE  and HERE and HERE.