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Saturday, October 26, 2019

Breaking Views Update: Week of 20.10.19







Saturday October 26, 2019

News:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be attending the land wars commemoration on Monday
This year, it will be held at Te Kōhia pā in Waipā – where the first shots of the New Zealand land wars were fired.

In the mid 1800s, there was a series of bloody battles between Māori tribes and the Crown over sovereignty – these are commonly referred to as the New Zealand land wars.....
See full article HERE

Newstalk ZB's Marcus Lush shuts down woman who insists on mispronouncing Māori place names
A clip of an exchange between a radio show host and two listeners has gone viral on social media, after the callers argued it was their right to mispronounce Māori words.

Newstalk ZB host Marcus Lush was shocked to receive two calls during his show on Thursday night from New Zealand-born women who insisted on mispronouncing the Māori names of the places where they'd been born.......
See full article HERE

Waitangi Tribunal launches fifth Oranga Tamariki baby uplifts inquiry
The Waitangi Tribunal will be doing an urgent inquiry into Oranga Tamariki’s practices towards Māori children who are taken from their mothers, the fifth separate inquiry into the child protection agency.

Chief Judge Wilson Issac announced the inquiry today because there was “sufficient grounds” for an inquiry into issues of prejudice towards Māori, rather than the issue being investigated in the existing internal Oranga Tamariki inquiry or the Children's Commissioner and Chief Ombudsman inquiries.

Whānau Ora is heading another Māori-led inquiry, the fourth......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Extreme positions on race relations push common ground out of reach

Episode 6 - Connecting to Aotearoa

Passing of Parihaka Reconcilliation Bill as politically, socially significant as it gets

Knowledge and understanding of NZ wars and the pathway to reconciliation

This Breaking Views Update monitors race relations in the media on a weekly basis. A summary of new material being added is emailed out during the week - to subscribe (or unsubscribe) to the mailout, please use the form at the top of the Breaking Views sidebar. If you would like to send Letters to the Editor in response to any of these articles, most media addresses can be found HERE.

Friday October 25, 2019

News:
Police diversity enhanced with new officersThe Minister of Police Stuart Nash says efforts to enhance diversity in the workforce have taken another step forward with the graduation today of 59 new constables.

“Female constables make up 44 per cent of this recruit wing. Twenty seven per cent of the new officers identify as Maori, and almost seven per cent are Pasifika. The youngest officer to graduate today is 18 years old and the eldest is 44.

“It is a Police goal for the demographics of the workforce to more closely align with the communities they serve. This year a new record was set for the number of Maori police officers to graduate in a single year, when 150 were deployed in the year to August.

“In the past two financial years the number of female Police officers has increased by 26 percent, Maori officers by 16 per cent, Pasifika by 33 per cent, and Asian officers by 66 per cent. Police still have progress to make but are working hard on this goal......
See full article HERE

Apology for Crown invasion of Parihaka passes into law
A Crown apology for the invasion of Parihaka and the imprisonment of its people has passed into law.

The law, which formalises an apology first given in 2017, comes nearly 138 years after Crown troops surrounded the south Taranaki pacifist settlement.

About 1600 armed constables and volunteers raided the community and evicted Māori who had gathered to resist the Crown. Women were raped, heirlooms stolen, and farms destroyed.

The Crown arrested the group's prophets, Tohu Kākahi and Te Whiti ō Rongomai, who were held without trial for more than a year in the South Island......
See full article HERE

Sir Mason Durie recognised by centre for Māori research excellence
Professor Emeritus Sir Mason Durie has been recognised with an award that acknowledges Māori academic leaders with a history of bringing about major social change and impact in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Sir Mason, a respected academic and contributor to public health, Māori and mental health-related knowledge, was knighted in 2010 for his services to public and Māori health. He retired as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Massey in 2012 but has remained closely involved......
See full article HERE

Treaty of Waitangi grievance against Stewart Island shark cage venture
Ken McAnergney has been enjoying the waters of Stewart Island since 1947 and in 2014 he told his grandkids it was no longer safe to go in.

He is now leading a Treaty of Waitangi claim, saying Maori rights have been enfringed by a shark cage operation near the island.

McAnergney says the rights of muttonbirders to get a feed for their family, protected by the treaty, are not being protected.

Article two of the treaty implicitly protects the right to harvest kai moana, food from the sea, he says........
See full article HERE

Iwi leader launches criminal lawsuit against OMV CEO
An iwi leader has announced the initiation of a lawsuit to be filed at the International Criminal Court against Rainer Seele, the CEO of Austrian oil giant OMV.

Mike Smith (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) is fronting the claim with the support of a number of indigenous leaders from around the world. He delivered the news to international press at a conference outside OMV’s headquarters in Vienna, Austria on Thursday local time.

Smith says Seele has personally contributed to driving the destruction of the land and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples, including New Zealand Māori......
See full article HERE

Iwi hopes new council will support Maori concerns (Also video)
Maori historian and Tauranga Moana iwi leader Buddy Mikaere feels the newly elected council will favour Maori concerns which he welcomes.

“As I read the makeup of the council now, I think there's probably a majority that would favour Maori issues and Maori concerns, so that's very encouraging.”

“I think that we'll probably have a council with a better consideration of issues like 11 Mission Street.”

Buddy also ran for council in this years’ Tauranga City local body elections but failed to gain a positon.

He says “it would have been nice to see some brown faces” on council.

Buddy thinks there is a need for Maori wards in local body elections and says this will be reconsidered next year......
See full article HERE

Iwi leader to councillor: 'I'm not going to have Treaty work spat on'
Iwi leader Buddy Mikaere says he won't allow 30 years of Treaty of Waitangi work to be undermined by the "inflammatory" views of a new Tauranga city councillor.

"People who are into this space will always try and plead freedom of speech and that they're being infringed but most reasonable people can see that this is inflammatory stuff that's being spoken about.

"I've spent over 30 years working in the Treaty space and I'm not going to have that work spat on by some Johnny-come-lately who has not got the expertise or the knowledge to make a sensible comment."....
See full article HERE

Strengthening relationships to better education
A reciprocal relationship that leads to new growth and development opportunities has been formalized between Te Rūnanga o Nga Wairiki – Ngāti Apa and UCOL (Universal College Of Learning).

The relationship was formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at Te Poho o Tuariki, the former Turakina Māori Girls College property, on 24 October 2019......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Episode 5 - Confronting Colonisation

Let’s talk about mana and money

Thursday October 24, 2019

News:
Cultural report sheds light on burglary spree, sees sentence reducedAn Auckland burglar has been given a lighter prison sentence due to a disconnect with his Māori heritage.

Peter Heta, 38, was sentenced at Pukekohe District Court this week to two years and four months prison on five charges of burglary, one charge of theft and one of contravening a protection order.

Judge Gerard Winter earlier reduced the sentence by 12 months due to Heta's disconnect with his Māori heritage during his youth and his attempts to enter a drug rehabilitation program.....
See full article HERE

Treaty of Waitangi Guidance for government policy makers
The Cabinet Office has released a circular which sets out guidelines agreed by Cabinet for policy-makers to consider the Treaty of Waitangi in policy development and implementation.

It notes that since the government last provided broad Treaty guidance to the public service in 1989 over 70 Treaty settlements have been negotiated between Māori and the Crown.

"The courts have recognised tikanga Māori as part of New Zealand common law and as a value that informs development of the common law. While their precise impact on the common law and statute will vary, rights at tikanga may have a relevance in legal disputes independent of statutory incorporation of the Treaty."....
See full article HERE

Māori tīkanga at the helm under new prison strategy
The new head of Māori in Corrections says the focus of prison needs to shift from punishing people to showing them respect, and helping them rehabilitate.

Topia Rameka is the department's new deputy chief executive Māori, a role that was created as part of Hōkai Rangi, its new strategy aimed at bringing Māori values into the prisons.

The man said prison staff sometimes got involved in haka with the inmates, and they showed each other respect in the Te Tirohanga unit......
See full article HERE

Treaty of Waitangi wall hangings put back up in Tauranga City Council chamber after protester rips them down
A protester has torn down newly hung wall hangings depicting the Treaty of Waitangi during the swearing-in ceremony of Tauranga's new city council.

The incident happened as the council took a break after the end of the ceremony's first part today.

But several iwi leaders walked out of the room when Andrew Hollis, who has been embroiled in controversy over comments he made about the Treaty of Waitangi, stood to make his declaration......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Karl du Fresne: Never mind democracy - off with his head!

Episode 4 - 'Pākehā paralysis'

Wednesday October 23, 2019

News:
Councillor who said Treaty should be burned banned from iwi talksThe Mayor of Tauranga will ban councillor Andrew Hollis from participating in any council business involving iwi or hapū, following comments he made calling for the Treaty of Waitangi to be burned.

The newly elected Tauranga councillor is already facing calls for his resignation.

While councillor Andrew Hollis was campaigning, he said the Treaty of Waitangi was "past it's use-by-date" and "a joke".

Local iwi leader Buddy Mikaere is a former director of the Waitangi Tribunal and said he wanted Mr Hollis to step aside......
See full article HERE

Te Hiku Media awarded $13 million for language platform
MBIE has announced a $13 million investment in Te Hiku Media for Papa Reo, a multilingual language platform that will develop cutting edge natural language processing tools, starting with te reo Māori. The tools will enable applications to be built that will ensure all New Zealanders can use te reo Māori when engaging with their digital devices. New Zealand English and Pacific languages will also be included to further support the growth of a multilingual Aotearoa.....
See full article HERE

The mana of Ngapuhi is on the line
Titewhai Harawira supports the appointment of Chair Mere Mangu to the top job of Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngapuhi following the shock resignation of former chair Raniera Tau.

Titewhai Harawira says Mere Mangu has the experience and qualifications to get the iwi on track to settling it's treaty claim

She says the resignation could be the tipping point that gets Ngapuhi over the line but adds Ngapuhi needs an explanation from Raniera Tau.....
See full article HERE

Emergency department racism challenged
District health boards are being challenged to eliminate racism from their emergency departments and make them safe spaces for Māori.

Organising committee member John Bonning from the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine says the equity theme acknowledges Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the inequalities that exist in the health system for different ethnic groups, particularly for Māori patients.....
See full article HERE

Ministry sends in commissioner to help troubled Te Aute College
The Ministry of Education has appointed a commissioner to help steer prestigious Māori boarding school Te Aute College out of troubled waters.

Last month, Stuff reported that the Te Aute Trust Board had requested assistance from the Ministry over "increasing concern about the board of trustees' recent performance".

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Education's Coralanne Child said the decision had been made that a commissioner needed to be appointed, and would remain there until the "challenges" facing the school were resolved......
See full article HERE

Māori need bigger share of community sports funds
A wānanga in Palmerston North today is looking at ways to increase Māori participation in physical activity and sport.

Megan Tunks from national Māori public heath agency Toi Tangata says there are some positive community and iwi-led initiatives that engage Māori, but they are under-resourced.

She says Māori sporting organisations and iwi provider need to get a greater share of the community funding captured by regional sports trusts.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Episode 3 - Inheriting Privilege

Tuesday October 22, 2019

News:
Ngāi Tahu CEO appointed to NZ-China CouncilMinister for Māori Development, Nanaia Mahuta, has selected Arihia Bennett MNZM, Chief Executive Officer of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, as the Te Puni Kōkiri appointed representative on the New Zealand-China Council.

The New Zealand-China Council (the Council) was established in 2012 as a New Zealand led and funded organisation that acts as a cross-sector body for the New Zealand-China relationship. It brings together senior leaders from government, business and the wider community to strengthen the bilateral relationship with China......
See full article HERE

Armed police patrols alarm south Auckland Greens
Greens co-leader Marama Davidson is concerned at a police plan to have roving patrols of armed police.

In a bid to cut down response times to serious incidents involving firearms, the police want to send members of the Armed Offenders Squad out in special vehicles to patrol parts of Counties Manukau, Waikato and Canterbury.

Ms Davidson says it is well established that the police and justice systems are biased against young Māori and Pasifika males, and more armed police on the streets could put them at greater risk......
See full article HERE

AUT steps up to help Northland Māori start-ups
Regional economic development agency Northland Inc is teaming up with the Auckland University of Technology to launch a business accelerator programme aimed at enhancing Māori entrepreneurship.

Its business development manager, Joseph Stuart, says Te Kōrau weaves Māori perspectives and values to focus on building entrepreneurial capability and validating sustainable business ideas......
See full article HERE

Hollis hollering at odds with Local Government Act
Race relations commissioner Meng Foon says a Tauranga city councillor may need to rethink his views if he is to honestly swear his oath of office.

Andrew Hollis, who was the second-highest polling candidate for the council’s four at large seats, claimed during the campaign the treaty of Waitangi was past its use by date and that it was time to stop “the iwi gravy train”.

Mr Foon says Māori don’t have much of a chance in Tauranga if that attitude is allowed to prevail......
See full article HERE

New fund puts rangatahi Maaori on the path to success
Three South Island organisations have teamed up with government to fund initiatives that will improve wellbeing outcomes for rangatahi Māori.

The newly launched RUIA Fund is a collaboration between Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu (South Island Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency), Rātā Foundation, Ministry of Youth Development/Te Manatū Whakahiato Taiohi and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu......
See full article HERE

Māori approaches and solutions needed to increase participation in sport and physical activity
Toi Tangata and Te Pūtahi-a-Toi are hosting a Toi Ako wānanga exploring Māori approaches and solutions to increase participation in physical activity and sport. The one day event will be held at Massey University in Palmerston North on Wednesday 23 October 2019. The day will consist of a combination of keynote presentations, workshops and panel discussions, delivered by prominent leaders in the fields of health, sports and physical activity such as Professor Meihana Durie, Dr Farah Palmer, Dr Geoff Kira and many more.....
See full article HERE

Storytellers sought to bring history to life
The Ministry of Education is looking for storytellers to help bring Māori history to life.

Acting head of early learning, Pauline Cleaver, says students are more engaged in learning when they can relate to what is being taught in the classroom.

That’s why it has set aside almost $2 million a year for the creation of new local learning resources for every school level.

This year the target is at New Zealand history.......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Captain Cook and my own voyage of discovery


Episode 1 - Cook's legacy

Episode 2 - Recognising racism

Watch: What's Decolonisation? 

The power of finding your voice - Episode 1

Episode 2 – Taiao / Nature


Monday October 21, 2019 

News:
New Chief District Court Judge takes oath at Whale Rider location
The new Chief Judge of the District Court has taken his oath to serve New Zealanders in the same place Whale Rider was filmed.

Judge Heemi Taumaunu becomes the head of the largest court in Australasia and the first Māori in the role.

More than 60 judges from across all benches were present to witness the new Chief Judge of the District Court take his oath of office.

The court is the face of justice for many New Zealanders and the judgements it issues change lives.....
See full article HERE

Racism leads to poor health
Ricci Harris and her colleagues looked at who reported being on the receiving end of racism. Pakeha were the least likely to report this: 1.2% of adults who had a regular healthcare provider reported that they had experienced racism in healthcare, and 13.8% reported that they had experienced racism in any context. The figures were much higher for other ethnic groups: for Maori: 5 and 30%, for Pacific 5 and 24%, and for Asians 5 and 35%......
See full article HERE

Ngapuhi's new leader wants investigation into tribe's finances after Sonny Tau's resignation
The new leader of Ngapuhi wants an independent investigation into the tribe's finances following the shock resignation of long-standing leader Sonny Tau.

Mere Mangu is now in charge of the country's largest tribe and with it, all its tribulations.

“I've been given this opportunity in a way that I didn't expect it,” Ms Mangu said.

The resignation of colourful Mr Tau, whose tenure will forever be linked to his conviction for hunting protected kereru, came as a big surprise to everyone.......
See full article HERE

Lower Hutt to have a New Deputy Mayor
Mayor Campbell Barry has announced the appointment of two-term Harbour Ward councillor Tui Lewis as the new Deputy Mayor of Lower Hutt - and she is the first woman to hold this position.

I’ll be looking to broker closer relationships with Iwi and focusing on promoting the fantastic tourism opportunities that can be enjoyed in Lower Hutt to bring our city stories to life.”...
See full article HERE

Powell has iwi in sights for bringing Tauranga together
Tauranga’s new mayor says the city is divided socially and culturally and needs healing.

These include repairing slip damage on Mauao and the proposed return of land beside The Elms mission station to the Ōtamataha trust representing mana whenua hapū, which the previous council failed to reach agreement on.

He says local government has a legal duty to have a partnership with iwi......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Land of the Long White Cloud: Pākehā New Zealanders reflect on their colonial past and future. Episode 1- Cook's Legacy

This Breaking Views Update monitors race relations in the media on a weekly basis. A summary of new material being added is emailed out during the week - to subscribe (or unsubscribe) to the mailout, please use the form at the top of the Breaking Views sidebar. If you would like to send Letters to the Editor in response to any of these articles, most media addresses can be found HERE

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