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Saturday, November 28, 2020

Breaking Views Update: Week of 22.11.20







Saturday November 28, 2020 

News:
Iwi wish for the stars in cliff-top reserve restoration

From a gondola across the river to a five-star hotel and restaurant, Rangitāne o Manawatū is aiming high, with aspirations to enhance an historic lookout over Palmerston North.

A joint committee of Rangitāne and city council appointees has revealed the first draft of the values it wants to bring to life as part of the restoration of Te Motu o Poutoa.

The joint committee and Māori appointments to four of the council’s standing committees were the council’s response to a promise to involve Māori in its decision-making.

Rangitāne o Manawatū working party chairman Peter Te Rangi has outlined “the wish list” of features Māori would like to be considered at Te Motu o Poutoa.

“We want to build a marae that serves as a multi-purpose cultural facility,” Te Rangi told the committee’s second meeting on Wednesday....... 
See full article HERE

Integrating Tikanga Māori into employment law can help address workplace conflicts, Lane Neave says
Integrating Tikanga Māori into employment law can help address workplace conflicts, Lane Neave says.

The firm cited a statement by employment law specialist Shelley Kopu which questioned the lack of Tikanga Māori and Te Ao Māori consideration in the Employment Relations Act 2000. Kopu had made the observation as part of her address at a recent employment law conference in Wellington.

“The lack of Tikanga in employment law is surprising, given New Zealand’s renewed commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the fact that, since the late 90s, the Law Commission has recognised the need to actualise the Treaty partnership within existing laws and constitutions,” Lane Neave senior associate Maria Green said in a blog post on the firm’s website......
See full article HERE

Kotahitanga partnership forged between AgResearch and Poutama
An important new partnership between AgResearch and Poutama will maximise the skills, networks, and capabilities of both organisations to help whenua-based (land-based) businesses and communities flourish.

Poutama is an independent charitable trust established to provide business development services to Māori, and shares with AgResearch the value of kotahitanga (unity) and a vision to support those communities and businesses, while also contributing to social, environmental, cultural, and economic outcomes for current and future generations. This includes a commitment to providing the right research solutions to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.

Fittingly, the partnership between the two organisations is called the Kotahitanga Agreement.......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Bob Edlin: The case for stability and security when deciding a child’s best interests 

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 November 27, 2020

News:
Te Hurihanganui trials begin in Porirua schools 
Te Hurihanganui is the successor to the Te Kotahitanga programme axed by the National-led Government and is based on evidence of what works for Māori in education.

It was launched off this week at Takapūwāhia Marae in Porirua, where it will be implemented in eight schools at secondary, intermediate, primary and early childhood level including Mana College and Tawa College

Mr Davis says Te Hurihanganui is a community-wide kaupapa that says tackling racism and inequity is everybody’s responsibility. 

It can only be achieved if ākonga, whānau, hapū, iwi and communities lead the journey alongside educators and policymakers......
See full article HERE

The Government will strengthen the Māori-Crown relationship
to ensure that the Crown can grow to be a better Treaty Partner and work in true partnership with Māori.

It will continue to work to settle historic Treaty of Waitangi claims.

It recognises the importance of te reo Māori as a taonga and the responsibility it has to protect it........
See full article HERE

Disagreement means hapū and iwi will not be on trust to run Te Mata peak park
Disagreement among Hawke’s Bay hapū has meant tangata whenua will not be part of the trust set up to administer a regional park on Te Mata peak as planned.

The trust was formed as a means of resolving a furore sparked by a track cut up the eastern face of Te Mata peak by Craggy Range Winery in late 2017.....
See full article HERE

Māori Party MPs walk out of Parliament in protest
The Māori Party's two MPs have walked out of the House in protest during this afternoon's debate.

Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi tried to secure a speaking slot today based on a standing order that such decisions do not discriminate against a minority party.

He told reporters he and co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer walked out after being blocked by Speaker Trevor Mallard......
See full article HERE

Government open to changing oath of allegiance new MPs swear as they enter Parliament
The Government is open to changing the oath of allegiance new MPs swear as they enter Parliament, after the Māori Party re-entered Parliament with a splash, refusing to swear the oath to the Queen alone.

But before any MPs can pass law, they must swear an oath. It can be alone or in pairs, in English or Māori, but it must be an oath either on the Queen or on the Queen and the Bible.

The words can't be changed and the Māori Party says it fails to acknowledge the Treaty of Waitangi partnership.

Some MPs liked the idea so much they borrowed it, including re-elected Speaker Trevor Mallard.

"Trevor Mallard, who just happened to be sitting behind me, came up behind me and asked if he could take one as well," Dr Kerekere said.

With Labour interested, change could well happen......
See full article HERE

New mural brings te ao Māori to vibrant life on Wallace St
A new mural by artist Xoë Hall (Kāi Tahu) has been unveiled at Massey University’s College of Creative Arts showcasing the creative spirit on the Pukeahu Wellington campus.

The colourful mural Ka Mua Ka Muri, meaning “walking backwards into the future”, covers the Wellington Electricity substation building on Wallace Street and spreads onto the adjacent Massey gym building......
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Why such resistance to finding whānau-led solutions for at-risk children? 

Thursday November 26, 2020

News:
National and Labour clash over councils introducing Maori wards
A National MP is suggesting it's undemocratic for councils to decide whether we should have Maori wards. 

National MP for Whangaparaoa, Mark Mitchell told Mike Hosking councillors who bring in the wards should be voted out.

"I like to leave decisions with the community - and stop elected officials grabbing more and more power." 

Labour's Stuart Nash says he's not against the idea of Maori wards.

"I am in favour of having them, but its up to local councils to determine, not the government."......
See full article HERE

Shane Jones: Maori seats inevitable.
Former New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says Māori wards in local government are inevitable.

"Unless you integrate and involve Māori and participate and try and broaden the base of acceptance for a lot of what local government is doing it just leads to bitterness and it leads to far too much divisiveness so I just see it as an inevitability," he says......
See full article HERE

Expert independent advisory group appointed to strengthen future of Māori broadcasting
A panel of seven experts are adding their support to help shape the future of Māori broadcasting, Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson has announced today.

“Today I will meet with some of the most experienced Māori broadcasters, commentators and practitioners in the field. They have practical insights on the media landscape that will be important as we look ahead. I am excited to have their input as we look to support a capable and sustainable Māori broadcasting sector”.

The independent advisory panel members are Peter Lucas-Jones, Scotty Morrison, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Nicole Hoey, Ella Henry, Jason Ake and Bailey Mackey. They span the fields of iwi radio, television broadcasting, journalism, production and language revitalisation. The panel will be appointed until 30 June 2021.......
See full article HERE

Oranga Tamariki boss makes stunning concession of 'structural racism' to Waitangi Tribunal
Oranga Tamariki boss Grainne Moss has told the Waitangi Tribunal that structural racism “at all levels” in the child welfare agency has made life worse for Māori children.

Appearing in Wellington, Moss said she believed the Crown needed to make certain concessions to allow iwi, Māori and the general public to “move forward together”.

She said structural racism was a feature of the care and protection system, with adverse effects for tamariki Māori, whānau, hapū and iwi......
See full article HERE

Māori Party's Rawiri Waititi delivers haka for Te Tiriti before being sworn in to Parliament
Prior to swearing the standard allegiances in his oath at Parliament, Waititi performed a haka in relation to the oath raising Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Waititi has been calling for it to be included over the last few days. The current oath requires MPs to swear their allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

"But it's very unfair at this particular time to be swearing an oath to one partner of that Tiriti."

"We're going to do things different, we've started to do things different and we will continue to do things different."......
See full article HERE

Time for MPs' oath to sit the Treaty next to the Queen?
The Māori Party is committed to changing the oath MPs have to swear before they can join Parlament to have the Treaty of Waitangi included.

Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngawera-Parker say that the traditional oath doesn't recognise Māori and their place as the treaty partner.

Earlier today MPs met at Matangireia, the Māori meeting room in Parliament, to pray before a copy of the Treaty. The room was full of Māori and non-Māori, all showing respect to the country's founding document......
See full article HERE

Digital turbocharge for iwi
Governance entity Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the 68,000-member iwi, and digital services company Vodafone have signed a strategic agreement to increase digital connectivity across the iwi, addressing under-representation of Māori in the industry and fostering positive outcomes for young people in the region.

Vodafone New Zealand chief executive, Jason Paris, says the partnership ties into Vodafone's overall aim to collaborate with Māori business: "The multi-billion dollar Māori business sector is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy in Aotearoa, and is increasingly using digital technology as the sector expands. We want to turbocharge this.....
See full article HERE

Cook essay act of indigenous rebellion
A Waikato essayist is urging indigenous writers to break out of western styles

The associate professor of Māori & Indigenous studies at the University of Waikato has compiled indigenous research and insights to challenge readers to think differently about Cook's global colonial legacy and also to inspire other writers......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Mike Hosking: Push for Maori wards on councils is racist and undemocratic 

Wednesday November 25, 2020

News:
Māori, Crown must work in partnership for children - Kelvin Davis
Minister for Children Kelvin Davis says he is "not into separatism" and that Oranga Tamariki needs to work in partnership with Māori while the Crown still retains a role. 

Davis welcomed the report by Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft who is calling for the transfer of Māori children and babies in state care to Māori groups.

"If we move to a by Māori for Māori system we have to make sure that we get it right....... 
See full article HERE

Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis launches $42 million fight against school racism
Everything from class streaming to racism, “sown throughout” the system, could be kicked out the school gate in a $42 million programme launched by Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis.

The Minister launched Te Hurihanganui at Takapūwāhia Marae in Porirua – kicking off an anti-racism initiative for schools and communities, aiming to help Māori students......
See full article HERE

Chris Finlayson QC To Receive Honorary Doctorate in Law After Fighting for Maori Rights
Former Attorney General Chris Finlayson QC is to receive an honorary doctorate of Law from Victoria University at the December graduation week.

A National Party Cabinet Minister for nine years, until 2017, the former Bell Gully partner had extensive experience representing Maori interests, principally Ngai Tahu, before becoming a distinguished Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations. He received widespread praise for overseeing 59 Treaty settlements during his time as Treaty Minister.......
See full article HERE

Local Govt Workers' Union Supports Repeal of Racist Maori Ward Legislation
The Public Service Association supports Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahutas plans to repeal racist provisions in the Local Electoral Act that obstruct the creation of Mori wards. The Ministers plans acquired new significance this week when …

The Public Service Association supports Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s plans to repeal racist provisions in the Local Electoral Act that obstruct the creation of Māori wards.

“There’s a long way to go yet before Māori are seated equally at the table.......
See full article HERE

Councillor calls for Royal Commission into local government
Councillor Gwynn Compton said the sector was reaching "crisis point" and needed to be overhauled so it was fit for purpose.

The terms of reference for the Royal Commission would ideally cover the role, structure, and financing of local government, ensuring a consistent approach to Māori wards and iwi participation across the country, and include a review the role of the Local Government Commission, Compton said......
See full article HERE

Law Commission calls for overhaul in DNA use for criminal investigations
The Law Commission is calling for a radical overhaul of how DNA is obtained, used and retained by police.

A new report from the commission found the current way DNA is used in criminal investigations ignores human rights values, tikanga Māori and the Treaty of Waitangi......
See full article HERE

Dome Valley landfill plan: Ngāti Manuhiri vows to continue fight against dump
Mana whenua today made their case to independent commissioners against a controversial dump proposed for the Dome Valley, north of Auckland.

"We are not going to be the victims of something that allows the pollution to go down our awa, down our beautiful river and down into Kaipara, impacting all our people down there.

"We're going to fight, because at least if we fight - whether we win or lose - at least we've stood up for what those tīpuna up there have told us to.".....
See full article HERE 

Tuesday November 24, 2020

News:
Majority on Taupō council vote for Maori wards for next election
Local body elections in Taupō will include Maori wards in 2022. 

In what Taupō Mayor David Trewavas described as a “landmark decision”, the Taupō District Council voted on Monday to introduce Māori wards for the next vote.

The extraordinary meeting rejected the option of holding a poll of electors, with seven councillors to three favouring the direct introduction of wards. 

But the decision is not set in stone, as it hasn’t been for other councils around the country, with a poll of electors able to be called for by petition......
See full article HERE

Unanimous vote for Maori wards
There were tears of joy, hugs, and applause from the crowded public gallery after the vote which took place at an extraordinary meeting at the Gisborne District Council this morning.

Mayor Rehette Stoltz said she had been asking herself whether the current representation model was “fit for purpose”.

“I think the obvious answer is no.”

This was the opportunity to work with the community to address that, Mrs Stoltz said......
See full article HERE

National looks set to return to Māori electorates after two decades
The National Party looks set to run candidates in the Māori electorates in the 2023 election.

Leader Judith Collins confirmed the party’s board is keen on the idea, although a formal decision has yet to be made.

The last election National ran candidates in the seats was 2002. It didn’t run candidates in 2005 and has continued to stay away from the Māori seats since then.

Collins told Stuff that there had been ongoing discussions with the National Party board about running in the seats, and the board was broadly supportive. If the board gives the go-ahead, the party could start looking for candidates who would run in the seats in 2023......
See full article HERE

Waitangi Tribunal claim alleges laws breach Te Tiriti
he remand crisis is disproportionately affecting Māori - now one wāhine has mounted a legal battle against the bail laws exacerbating the problem, Laura Walters reports

A former prisoner, turned justice reform advocate, has mounted a Waitangi Tribunal claim, alleging the 2013 bail law changes breach Te Tiriti o Waitangi and are causing significant prejudice to Māori.......
See full article HERE

Turn child protection over to Māori
The Children's Commissioner wants a "total transformation" of the country's system of care and protection for children - transferring resources and power from the state to appropriate Māori authorities.

"History has shown us that this task, so far, is beyond any state structure," writes the commissioner, Judge Andrew Becroft, in the second instalment of his two part-report into the care and removals of Māori babies.

While calls have been made before for a system "by Māori, for Māori" to end generations of injustice, he believes the Crown was not ready in the past to hear such proposals.

"I believe we are ready now. It will be unsettling and it will be challenging. Our statutory care and protection system is one place where the issues of colonisation, modern day racism and systemic bias clearly collide with te ao Māori.".....
See full article HERE

Mihingarangi Forbes Challenges For Māori News In Prime Time
“Mihingarangi is so deserving of this award. Her dedication to bringing our stories, our reo and our tikanga to the mainstream has been acknowledged by her peers which is brilliant. Then she used her opportunity to challenge the fact that we are still not in prime time slots.” Anahera continued, “As Mihi said, ‘We are still in the gang lands of Sunday morning scheduling......
See full article HERE

Ministry Of Education Figures A Disgrace – 3285 Maori Children Leave School With No Qualifications
The New Zealand Maori Council has taken aim at the Ministry of Education and said they need to have a Maori led design of a plan that ensures Maori are leaving school with qualifications – anything less and they are in breach of the Treaty of Waitangi......
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Māori values continue to resonate with Asian counterparts

Māori babies 'doubly colonised' by closed adoption process - researcher 

Monday November 23, 2020

News:
Tauranga City Council decides not to hold referendums on a Māori ward, rubbish, STV
The Tauranga City Council has decided not to hold a referendum on whether to establish a Māori ward after a heated debate this morning.

Fireworks erupted early.

Richard Prince was among the first to speak in a public submission to the council, pleading to elected members to vote for a referendum regarding
Māori wards in front of a packed public gallery.

"You have 90,000 people as your voting public, about 60,000-odd ratepayers. Where do they fit in this?" Prince asked......
See full article HERE

Iwi places rāhui over Urenui River in the wake of sewage contamination
A rāhui preventing swimming and shellfish gathering has been put in place at the Urenui River in North Taranaki, as investigations into human waste in the stormwater continue.

“The rāhui has been placed over the Urenui Awa from Okoki Pa (Te Rangi Hiroa/Sir Peter Buck Memorial) to the river mouth to take effect from Saturday 12th November 2020," Ngāti Mutunga, the kaitiaki (caretakers) of the area, said in an emailed statement.......
See full article HERE

Refund expected after editor’s Maori ward advert whinge
Stuff should refund money paid for an advert after the editor of the newspaper in which it appeared publicly criticised it, Hobson’s Pledge spokesperson Don Brash said today.

The advertisement, paid for by the controversial lobby group Hobson’s Pledge in the North Taranaki Midweek newspaper, asked readers to collect signatures calling for a referendum on the establishment of a Maori ward at the New Plymouth District Council......
See full article HERE

Shelly Bay protester warns he is ready to stick it out till March
Mepham, from the group Mau Whenua, which opposes the proposed $500 million development at Shelly Bay, sees himself as a sentry for protesters who are standing by to join him if the bulldozers move in.

Wellington City Council earlier this month voted nine votes to six to sell and lease its land at Shelly Bay to Shelly Bay Taikuru, owned by developer Ian Cassels and his partner........
See full article HERE

Articles:
Governing for Every New Zealander

Propaganda:
The Pākehā who became the face of a movement to give Māori a voice at the council table 

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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