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Saturday, July 18, 2020

Breaking Views Update: Week of 12.07.20







Saturday July 18, 2020

News:
Progress for Māori but more to be done - Ardern

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the message Labour will give Māori voters in September’s election is it is not finished with the work that is needed on their behalf.

The Party will launch its Māori seat campaign at Ngā Whare Waatea Marae in Mangere at the start of August.

"Whether it’s the investment in kōhanga reo. Whether it's the work we've done with te reo Māori in our schools. Whether it's the commitment for New Zealand history to be taught across our education sector or the investment in papakainga housing, in whānau ora, in the social services I know are making a difference for our rangatahi Māori, there is however more work to do," she says......
See full article HERE

Pākehā pointlessly prescribed more antibiotics than Māori - study
Māori and Pacific Islanders generally need more antibiotics than others, the study said, because they experience higher rates of socioeconomic deprivation and as a result suffer more from infectious diseases that can be treated by antibiotics.

Non-Māori on the other hand were still being prescribed about 26 percent too much - and more than Māori, despite their overall better health.

"It does not make sense that the rate of dispensing of penicillins for people aged five-20 years of age was only 1.45 times higher in Pacific people, and 1.24 times higher in Māori people than in people of other ethnicities, when the incidence of rheumatic fever was 63 times higher in Pacific people and 27 times higher in Māori people, than in people of other ethnicities."......
See full article HERE

Should Matariki become a public holiday?
There's a campaign to create a public holiday for Matariki, the celebration of the Māori New Year.

We already have 11 public holidays each year.

There's an easy way to sort this out, which would be to scrap one of the other holidays we have now and replace it with a Matariki Day.

But which one, not Christmas, nor Easter.....
See full article HERE

Pou whēnua in Picton tells story of spiritual ancestor, tribal chief and whaling history
A pou whēnua which tells stories of a spiritual ancestor, a tribal chief and Marlborough’s whaling history has been unveiled in Picton.

The “dignified” carved wooden post stands at the site of the former Te Ātiawa pā (village), next to the Picton Waitohi library.

Ropoama Te One was Te Ātiawa chief in 1850, when the New Zealand Government purchased Waitohi (Picton) and the tribe was relocated to Waikawa......
See full article HERE

Family refuses to leave Western Bay reserve, claiming ancestral rights
Police and the Western Bay of Plenty Council have become embroiled in the occupation of a council reserve by four-generations of a family whose representative says they have ancestral rights to be there........ (NZ Herald paywall)
See full article HERE

Iron sand miner wins right to appeal court decision
A mining company has won the latest round of complicated legal manoeuvring to begin extracting iron sand off the South Taranaki coast.

On Friday the Supreme Court granted Trans Tasman Resources leave to appeal to reverse a Court of Appeal judgement which upheld a High Court decision stopping it from mining.

Trans Tasman Resources executive chairman Alan Eggers​ said the Supreme Court’s decision announced on Friday was “good news” while opponents have promised to continue their legal fight against the activity........
See full article HERE

After 25 years, Whakatōhea to settle with Crown later this year
The imminent settlement between Whakatōhea and the Crown is not the end of their relationship, but rather marks the beginning of its restoration, Andrew Little said.

The Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations met with the Whakatōhea Pre Settlement Claims Trust, Whakatōhea iwi members and hapū leaders at Waiaua Marae outside Ōpōtiki yesterday to discuss settlement negotiations with the aim of initialling a Deed of Settlement later this year.

Mr Little said it was important the Waitangi Tribunal hearings continued alongside the settlement process as it allowed for these stories to be told and recorded.

He said these stories had been buried but the iwi still carried them and the mamae (hurt) of what happened in its heart.In response to questioning, Mr Little said stories like these would inform compulsory New Zealand history classes in schools going forward......
See full article HERE

Community asks the Court of Appeal to intervene in Waiheke Environmental Case
On Friday, 17 July 2020, SKP Inc (SKP), a Waiheke Island based community group, filed an application with the Court of Appeal asking the Court to hear its appeal against a marina planned for Kennedy Point, Waiheke Island.

The Trust Board strongly opposes the marina based on its concerns about the likely adverse effects of the proposed marina on Ngâti Pâoa’s cultural values. This includes concerns that the proposed marina site is wâhi tapu as it represents a sacred place to Ngâti Pâoa.

"This case is important to all Mâori in Aotearoa, not just Ngâti Pâoa. The right to be heard and to natural justice is something that all iwi should be guaranteed and afforded. If iwi entities are removed from a Council’s mana whenua database, then Council should expect that those iwi may ask to be heard on resource applications that they have previously been excluded from. The principles of the RMA and the Treaty of Waitangi must be given real effect" says Mr Baigent.....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Combining indigenous and western scientific knowledge a pathway to greater understanding - study

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 July 17, 2020

News:
Te Arawa Lakes Trust to benefit from $2.5 million Government investment
Te Arawa Lakes Trust will receive $2.5 million in the Government's Jobs for Nature fund.
Conservation and Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage made the announcement at Ohinemutu in Rotorua today.

City leaders such as mayor Steve Chadwick as well as kaumatua Toby Curtis and Monty Morrison and Waiariki MP Tamati Coffey were in attendance........
See full article HERE

Sponge bullets fired at Māori in more than half of incidents - police data
More than half of those who have been shot at with sponge bullets are Māori, according to police data.

Police have fired sponge bullets in 13 altercations since the weapons were rolled out in 2015, and more than half of those who have been shot at are Māori.

The bullets are large rounds of dense, blunt material designed not to penetrate skin. They are shot from a gas launcher with a range of about 30m.

The weapons cans only be used by Armed Offenders Squads and Special Tactics Groups.....
See full article HERE

New EPA Mātauranga Framework A First Of Its Kind
Today the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) launched its Mātauranga Framework, which aims to help appointed decision-makers and EPA staff incorporate Māori perspectives and mātauranga evidence into their decision-making.

Chief Executive Dr Allan Freeth says the Mātauranga Framework is the first of its kind to be developed for a New Zealand regulator........
See full article HERE

Iwi leader calls out 'stone age' views in water submissions
At hearings into the proposal at the Lake Taupō Yacht Club on Wednesday , Rameka said he felt disappointed that one category of views was “broadly racially motivated towards Māori and the TMTB.”

Ninety-one written submissions (54 in support, 35 against and 2 non-indicative) were considered by the four member panel with 13 submitters presenting in person or via video link......
See full article HERE

Pou unveiled at Timeball Station
Layers of Maori history, heritage and rich culture encapsulated in a new pou whenua was unveiled at Lyttelton’s Timeball Station on Thursday.

The landmark, carved by Caine Tauwhare, of Ngati Wheke, celebrates the navigational achievements of Maori and commemorates ancestral connections of iwi to Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour.......
See full article HERE

Rongoā and karakia part of mental health approach
Waitematā District Health Board is boosting Māori capacity in its mental health and addiction services.

"People deserve the best specialist mental health care and addiction care and also a kaupapa Māori approach - rongoā, traditional practices, waiata, karakia, some of those things are run of the mill for our team," she says......
See full article HERE

Anti-treaty booklets sent to homes promote 'racist and backward-looking' ideas
An iwi leader says a glossy booklet promoting “racist propaganda” being dropped into Lower Hutt letter boxes is dangerous.

Published by a group calling itself 1Law4All​, it contains material promoting the view that “race-based laws” meant Māori received privileged treatment, resulting in monetary gain at the expense of taxpayers.

Hobson’s Pledge promotes the booklet on its website, however spokesman and former politician Don Brash said the group had no part in producing it.

“We were happy to advertise it on our website as a constructive contribution to understanding the Treaty of Waitangi, and the many myths which now surround it.”......
See full article HERE

Midwives thankful for $180 million new funding bump
So she was thankful that maternity services, especially those in rural areas, got a significant funding boost totalling to $242 million from the Government. Of the total, $180 million is new money announced today.

Jacqui Anderson of the College of Midwives said the Government’s contribution showed midwives it recognised the important roles they play.

National Party health spokesperson Shane Reti said a kaupapa Māori approach was important......
See full article HERE

Northland river protection boosted with $100K grant from Foundation North
Efforts to transform 900 hectares of land along the Waipoua River have been given a boost, with a $100,000 grant.

Te Roroa Development Charitable Trust in Northland was awarded $100,000 from Foundation North. The grant goes towards Te Toa Whenua, an initiative designed to restore and transform 900ha along the Waipoua River, which flows through Waipoua Forest and into the Tasman Sea.

"This is an intergenerational project; one that won't be completed in just five or 10 years," Courtney Davis, project manager of Te Toa Whenua said........
See full article HERE

Thursday July 16, 2020

News:
Iwi backs deal over Taranaki's $200m Mt Messenger project
North Taranaki’s Ngati Tama iwi has accepted a deal that removes a significant hurdle to the much awaited $200m Mt Messenger bypass.

On Wednesday at Waitara’s Knox Church, the iwi announced 82 per cent of the 61 per cent of its members who had participated in the vote had accepted the deal.

Under the agreement, Ngati Tama will swap 20 hectares of land needed for the State Higway 3 bypass for a 120ha parcel that will allow access to Treaty settlement land currently "landlocked" by other farms......
See full article HERE

Newstalk ZB payout to fund Māori Party election campaign
A settlement payout over defamatory claims Mike Hosking made on air about John Tamihere will help fund the Māori Party's election campaign.

Newstalk ZB has apologised over comments Hosking made implying the Māori Party co-leader had personally benefited from Whānau Ora funding, which was not the case.

Hosking apologised on the air this morning.....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Celebrating Māori-led expertise and health initiatives

Wednesday July 15, 2020

News:
Northland District Health Board make commitment to equitable healthcare
The statement also highlighted a particular relevance for Māori in recognition of their status as tangata whenua. It concluded by linking the position on equity to the NDHB's overall approach to achieving optimal health and wellbeing for all Northlanders.

The paper then outlined the challenges Māori faced in the healthcare system and how the NDHB's actions must be informed by Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi).

During the meeting, board member Vince Cocurullo was concerned by the position statement and said its focus on Māori devalued the needs of other communities.

"It states a position statement on equity. Race should not be a part of it," he said.

"When you turn around and focus on one race, you're creating racism and I prefer to say, 'let's talk about the issue', rather than talk about a race because to me, it's not right.".....
See full article HERE

Kāhui Māori to protect and guide Antarctic
The Deep South Challenge: Changing with our Climate is humbled and excited that its Kāhui Māori have agreed to share their knowledge with the Antarctic Science Platform, and to act as its Kāhui Māori (Māori advisory group) as well.

Kāhui Māori members Sandy Morrison, Darren Ngaru King, Aimee Kaio, Shaun Awatere, Naomi Simmonds and Ruia Aperahama bring an immense amount of experience to this leadership body, and will support both our organisations to be and do better for Māori communities, including Māori researchers......
See full article HERE

Māori investment fund hits the road
Te Pūia Tāpapa - the $115.5 million fund established by 26 iwi and Māori entities - has made its first investment.

It has partnered with the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and Direct Capital to buy a 31 percent stake in heavy vehicle fleet leasing business TR Group for an undisclosed sum.......
See full article HERE

Vodafone Aotearoa Unveils ‘Honouring The Principles Of The Treaty Of Waitangi' Policy
As part of a Matariki celebration today, Vodafone New Zealand announced a new companywide policy with a key focus on honouring the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The policy is the first step in a five-year Māori development strategy and will come into effect on 1 August 2020, in line with the one year anniversary of Vodafone NZ being acquired by a joint venture between New Zealand investment company Infratil and Canadian-based asset managers Brookfield.

For Vodafone’s Head of Māori Development, Kirstin Te Wao, the policy is a natural evolution to formalise activities and processes already in place within the digital services business, and its long term commitment to partnering with Māori in future.

“Our new ‘Honouring the principles of Te Tīriti o Waitangi’ policy is an active demonstration of our long-term commitment to Aotearoa, which starts with an acknowledgment of New Zealand’s bi-cultural history in today’s multi-cultural society,” she says.......
See full article HERE

Tuesday July 14, 2020

News:
Treaty relationship for top mental health role
Auckland District Health Board has taken the unusual step of appointing two people to fill the top role in its mental health services.
Hineroa Hakiaha and Tracy Silva-Garay were welcomed this morning as partnership leaders of the Directorate of Mental Health & Addictions.

"There's no more talking in the mental health area only about institutional racism. It's about fixing it. There's no talking about colonisation. It's about fixing it. It's an exciting day when we can understand what equity according to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and we can action it," Dame Naida says......
See full article HERE

High Court judges learn te reo Māori online
Marena Mane teaches te reo at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. One of her online classes is unique – all of her students are High Court judges.

Mane says that as her students have learned te reo, their desire to integrate te reo me ōna tikanga into court sessions has risen......
See full article HERE

'First' Māori astronomy school in the modern era opens in Bay of Plenty
The preservation of ancestral knowledge and the protection of health and wellbeing of all is now possible at a new Māori astronomy wananga.

Te Whare Tātai Arorangi ō Tangotango rāua ko Wainui (Te Whare Tātai Arorangi) is the brainchild of Piripi Lambert, who co-founded the school along with Ngati Awa elder Pouroto Ngaropō.
See full article HERE

Kaupapa Maori seen as agribusiness future
“Māori business has been talking about this for 50 to 80 years and so what we are really starting to see in New Zealand agribusiness turning to kaupapa Māori principles and Māori agribusinesses like Ngāi Tukairangi Trust for horticulture, Miraka for dairy, and others really starting to come to the fore. The focus on te taio is really going to put kaupapa Māori principles to the fore,” Ms Houpapa says.....
See full article HERE

Police acknowledge claim against racial bias was false
Police figures have debunked claims made by the former police commissioner that there is no racial bias when it comes to deciding whether a suspect should be charged.

According to information supplied to RNZ under the Official Information Act, that statement was based on data collected from police's strategy to reduce Māori offending, Te Huringa o te Tai, which showed the number of pre-charge warnings for first-time adult offenders was the same for Māori and non-Māori, at 73 percent.

The discovery of "an analytical error" has however corrected the number of pre-charge warnings given to Māori as just 53 percent, compared to 59 percent for non-Māori.....
See full article HERE

Māori events boosted with new fund
Wellington's Kia Mau Festival, the Māoriland Film Festival, Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival, and Te Matatini 2021 in Tāmaki Makaurau will receive up to $100,000 each from the new Creative and Cultural Events Incubator fund......
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Māori farming businesses flourish: 'The world has to eat' 

Monday July 13, 2020

News:
Ngāi Tahu's next step in tribal developmentPhase one for Ngāi Tahu was about pūtea – amassing a $1.2 billion pot of gold as New Zealand’s largest corporate iwi. That describes the tribe’s first 20 years.

Phase two, agreed in principle last November, is going to be about a shift towards regional rangatiratanga, or local self-determination.

In what tribal elder Tā Tipene O’Regan calls a “reset”, a new investment strategy is being hatched – Haea Te Awa – that will see Ngāi Tahu devolve more money and control to its Papatipu Rūnanga, or 18 sub-tribes.....
See full article HERE

A 25-year resource consent granted for Levin treated wastewater discharge
A 25-year consent has been granted for the continued use of one of New Zealand’s original wastewater discharges.

It said the relationship of Māori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral lands, water were both recognised and provided for in this decision.

“Moreover, we consider that the agreement reached between the tangata whenua and applicant in relation to the term and conditions of consent is an expression of Tino Rangatiratanga as envisaged by the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”......
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Sir William Gallagher's 'wacky' history claims 'embolden racists'

Who owns the water?

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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