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Saturday, February 20, 2021

Breaking Views Update: Week of 14.02.21







'Saturday February 20, 2021 

News:
Coastal land grab ignored burial history

Ngāti Awa is fighting the building of a subdivision on a spit of land between the Whakatāne River and the sea.

Whakatane District Council sold the Ōpihi block to developers who want to build 240 residential lots as well as a 250-unit retirement village.

Maanu Paul says the development is an attack on the tribe’s rangatiratanga and customary practices.....
See full article HERE

Mahuta’s Screwed Māori Wards Consultation Should See Bill Returned To Committee
Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “The Minister gave her allies a five-day head start to prepare submissions on the Bill to entrench Maori wards. Meanwhile, members of the general public were given just one day’s notice to prepare for the disgracefully short two-day submission window.”

“The Minister knew perfectly well what she was doing. The decision to warn her mates before blindsiding the general public can only be read as a cynical attempt to manipulate the consultation process and limit the contributions of New Zealanders opposed to the Bill.”......
See full article HERE

Wanganui iwi stop Gentle Annie bulldozing
Wanganui iwi turned out in force yesterday to protest road widening at the top of Pūnakewhitu/Gentle Annie, the bluff at the start of the Wanganui River Road.

Hapū member Kiritahi Firman says there had been no consultation about the work, which was being done to improve access so forestry could be harvested from a farm belonging to the Oskam family.

"Even though the regional council said the forestry company had supplied a plan and followed engagement with some local people, it certainly wasn't our hapū. So today we stood in solidarity to protect our mana, our rangatiratanga, our mana motuhake for Pūnakewhitu," she says......
See full article HERE

Long haul for Pahauwera fishing rights
Thirty years after she wrote her submission, a Ngāti Pāhauwera kuia is getting a chance to have her say on why the iwi’s customary rights over coastal areas in its northern Hawke’s Bay rohe should be recognised.

The High Court is sitting at the Napier War memorial Hall for the next seven weeks to hear the iwi’s applications for orders under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011.

Lady Moxon says unlike Ngāti Porou, which secured recognition based on its continued ownership of coastal land, Ngāti Pāhauwera lost its land by confiscation and unfair transactions.......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Nick Smith’s fairness questions (were Maori ward supporters given more time?) spark call for reopening of submissions on bill - by Point of Order

An Open Letter to Professor Paul Moon – by Bruce Moon 

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

Thursday February 18, 2021 

News: 
Four Maori seats needed for Auckland Council 
A Henderson Massey Local Board member says Auckland Council needs four Māori seats to ensure the super city’s growing Māori population is properly represented.

He says another law change would be needed to create seats in Tāmaki Makaurau, because the supercity has its own legislation.

But the 180,000-strong Māori population needs its own elected representatives, in addition to the oversight done by the Independent Māori Statutory Board......
See full article HERE

Unfair Process On Māori Wards Bill
“What’s more appalling is that Councils supporting the Bill were told on Friday February 5 of the Bill’s timeline, that the Select Committee process would be exceptionally short and to prepare to lodge their submissions by February 11.

“Giving those who support the Bill six days’ notice and those opposed just one day would be called insider trading in the business world.”.....
See full article HERE

Funding boost to enhance Maori mental health outcomes - Massey University
Massey University’s highly successful Maori mental health workforce programme Te Rau Puawai has been given boost in student numbers.

The Ministry of Health has funded an additional 46 bursaries for the programme this year which means 126 places are available to students studying in mental health fields at Massey......
See full article HERE

Kaumātua Intervene To Provide A Safe Space For Māori At Unitec
Representatives of Te Rōpū Mataara (Unitec Māori Staff Collective) and kaumātua, who have strong connections with Māori education and communities in Tāmaki Makaurau, met last Friday 11th February to discuss the pressing issues facing Māori at Unitec. The kaumātua unanimously agreed to establish a “tira whakaruruhau“, a body to “shield, protect and shelter” in the wake of a four member resignation from the previous Rūnanga and the departure of Te Tumu Māori from the executive management position last month.

This kaumātua led group, named Te Tira Kāpuia, unanimously agreed to condemn the poor decisions made at governance and management levels that impact on Māori staff, Māori students and Māori communities at Unitec. Te Tira Kapuia, chaired by Rangi Mclean, has offered their support and guidance to hold a safe space for Māori as they traverse challenging and difficult times at Unitec......
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
How the law on Māori wards was drawn up 

Wednesday February 17, 2021 

News: 
Kia tere call for Maori seat change 
The chair of the Māori Affairs select committee says people were able to have their voices heard on amending the Local Government Act, despite there being only a 48-hour window to get in submissions.

The Government is fast-tracking the Bill to remove the ability of just 5 per cent of voters to force a binding referendum if councils try to create a Māori ward or constituency.

"We’ve been having this conversation for a long time, whether it is at a council - councils have been through this before - but also Māori in terms of equal representation.....
See full article HERE

National wants more time on Maori ward Bill
National Party deputy leader Shane Reti says the way the Government is pushing through an amendment to the Local Government Act isn’t fair or democratic.

He says while councils need to consult when setting up new general wards, no such consultation will be needed for Māori wards.

"We want this to be a reasonable and balanced argument but the way the Bill is written, it's swung too much to one side so that is giving us some significant concern," Dr Reti says.

He says National supports the intent of Māori being represented on local government......
See full article HERE

Iwi joining police to control checkpoints on Northland's southern boundary
Tai Tokerau Border Control (TBC) wants to be in control of police checkpoints on Northland's southern boundaries to help enforce alert level 3 restrictions following the new Covid-19 cases in Auckland.

Spokeswoman Nyze Manuel told Stuff on Tuesday the group would be monitoring checkpoints on Northland's southern boundary, after reports people were "just flooding through”, on Monday......
See full article HERE

Tribunal wraps up Oranga Tamariki claim
One of the claimants to the Waitangi Tribunal challenging the crown’s child protection system says a powerful case has been made for change.

Lady Tureiti Moxon says claimant lawyer Annette Sykes pointed out the Treaty of Waitangi guaranteed Māori rangatiratanga or authority over their own kainga, and the crown has taken that away and put itself between Māori and their children.....
See full article HERE

Council's petrol station consent breached iwi commitment - High Court
The High Court has found the Whakatāne District Council breached a commitment to engage with iwi before making a decision to grant consent for a petrol station.

The judge ruled that the council set aside its decision to grant a non-notified consent to build a petrol station on the outskirts of Whakatāne.

In a statement, the Whakatāne District Council said it would abide by the court's decision and would consider what this meant in terms of notification for the consent.....
See full article HERE

Hearings into wahi tapu Opihi subdivision begin
An ancient urupa where bodies are ferried by waka is at the centre of resource consent clash in Whakatane.

Iwi are attempting to prevent the granting of a consent by Whakatane District Council for a residential subdivision next to the ancient coastal urupa Opihi Whanaungakore, which is still in use today.

Ngati Awa kaumatua Maanu Paul said the proposed development undermined hapu mana whenua, threatened its whakapapa and would destroy its rangatiratanga.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
‘Public will reject blatant power grab’

Propaganda:
Living up to our founding principles 

Tuesday February 16, 2021 

News: 
Northland Regional Council working party wants three Māori seats 
Northland Regional Council's Te Tai Tokerau Māori and Council Working Party says the council should have three Māori seats.

Pita Tipene (Ngāti Hine), newly-elected Te Tai Tokerau Māori and Council Working Party (TTMAC) co-chair, said three Māori seats on the Northland Regional Council (NRC) would be a good start in a journey of incremental change.

The Māori seats would be part of an NRC representation review. NRC would continue to work on an initial review proposal which it had to adopt by August 31......
See full article HERE

Wellington councillors threatened over Shelly Bay: 'You'd both have been necklaced with a burning tyre
Police are investigating after two Māori Wellington City councillors were threatened on social media for voting in favour of the contentious Shelly Bay development.

Dr Catherine Love – from Mau Whenua, which opposes the $500 million development – took to Facebook on February 5, leading to other inflammatory comments and a subsequent complaint to police, who on Sunday confirmed an investigation had been launched.

“Jill Day and Tamatha Paul ... hoki ki ō maunga [return to your mountains] and let your own people deal to you,” Love wrote, then quoted from a Mau Whenua supporter who said Day and her “gal pal councillors” were “turncoats”.

“You will fail to make yourself safe in our lands until you do right by [Shelly Bay],” the quote said......
See full article HERE

Board fully supports proposed Kapiti Gateway Centre
Kapiti iwi, Te Ätiawa ki Whakarongotai and Ngati Toa Rangatira have combined to signal their strong support for the proposed Kapiti Gateway by gifting (koha) the following name - Te Uruhi

The gifting by mana whenua of the original name Te Uruhi to this site is also hugely significant to iwi in the spirit of partnership between iwi and the Council as Treaty partners.".....
See full article HERE

Reform new start for Maori in planning
The Environment Minister says reform of the Resource Management Act is a chance to improve the status of the Treaty of Waitangi in planning laws.

"They thought the treaty clause should be elevated. It currently says the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi have to be had regard to. That test should be elevated to 'give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi'," Minister Parker says.

The new built environment and strategic planning acts will involve Māori in planning at an earlier stage.......
See full article HERE

Oranga Tamariki beyond repair, but care needed over replacement, Waitangi Tribunal told
There is no other way to stop tamariki Māori being disproportionately taken into state care than to disestablish Oranga Tamariki, the Waitangi Tribunal has been told during closing submissions for the urgent inquiry into the child protection agency.

Former chair of the Māori Council Tā Taihākurie Durie proposed in his closing submission that the new organisation draw on the Māori council model, as set out under the Māori Community Development Act 1962.

"What we had ... was a Māori structure for Māori governance based on the opposite to the European structure where the power sits with the community and everything ascends up from the community," Durie said.......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Graham Adams: Nanaia Mahuta and the Māori wards


Monday February 15, 2021 

News: 
Multi-iwi project aims to protect Northland kauri, create jobs 
A government-funded collaboration between Northland iwi aims to stop the spread of kauri dieback and create up to 30 jobs.

Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan announced the initiative, which is part of the Jobs for Nature programme, during her visit to Northland for Waitangi Day commemorations.

The $3.5 million project will cover about 50 per cent of the region's kauri forests.

The iwi involved are Te Roroa, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Wai and Ngāti Kuri......
See full article HERE

Māori wards: A voice on local council grounded in the Māori world view
Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer wants to go one step further than wards to "guarantee" Māori representation by making mana whenua representation on councils compulsory......
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Jack Tame: Opposition to Maori wards "extraordinary"

Ending discrimination against Māori wards

“We can have both. We can have learning of Western knowledge alongside our indigenous knowledge.” 

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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