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Saturday, February 13, 2021

Breaking Views Update: Week of 7.02.21







Saturday February 13, 2021 

News:
Flood of submissions on Maori seats bill

The Māori Affairs select committee will spend the weekend hearing submissions on the amendments to the Local Government Act so it can report back on Monday.

"You'd be surprised how many submissions have come in despite there only being a 48 hour window for people to write in. We have been flooded with submissions and so our clerks have been working after the submissions closed last night at 5pm, preparing them for a 9am start today,' he says.

The committee is hearing from councils today, and critics of the move are also slotted in to make their case......
See full article HERE

Te reo at all Sky Stadium events, starting with Six60 concert
Te reo Māori messaging at all Sky Stadium events will begin on Saturday with the Six60 concert in Wellington.

"We are delighted to see te reo Māori become a permanent part of Sky Stadium and look forward to other cities following suit."

"Bi-lingual announcements are the next step in our support toward Wellington becoming a te reo Māori city.".......
See full article HERE

Bursaries Grow Our Māori Mental Health Workforce
Over 120 Māori students who have received bursaries for their mental health studies have been welcomed at two-day hui at Massey University in Auckland today.

Funding for an additional 46 bursaries is available from this year for the Te Rau Puawai programme. This means there will be 126 places available on the programme each year. The funding for this programme is part of the Budget 19 investment into improving mental health and addiction outcomes......
See full article HERE

Campaigners plan to occupy key Northland land until it's made into a reserve
A land occupation in the Northland seaside community of Ōpua has united locals, who want to see the site – called the most significant headland in Ōpua – made a reserve for future generations.

But the council-controlled company behind the land’s sale and development said it went above requirements to consult the community, and never received any feedback.

But Anthony Williams​, of Ngāpuhi hapū Te Roroa, said the site is wāhi tapu (sacred) and has been of strategic importance to Māori since his tīpuna (ancestor) Punuka used it for its vistas of the Bay of Islands.......
See full article HERE 

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 February 12, 2021 

News: 
Ngāi Tahu leader says legal action comes after decades of government failure over fresh water 
Ngāi Tahu’s Dr Te Maire Tau has called for fewer hui and more moral backbone from the Crown as a big North Island iwi player joins the South Island tribe's freshwater court action against the Crown.

Tau, one of the iwi’s leaders, says the “problem of water” is caused by decades of governmental failure and that Ngāi Tahu expects some level of regulatory, economic and fiscal control over water.

The Crown’s sovereignty was not absolute, but was qualified by its responsibilities in Te Tiriti.

If made, the declarations would likely “give rise to a precedent in relation to other iwi, who should also be able to establish rangatiratanga over fresh water under Article II of the Treaty”.......
See full article HERE

The Resource Management Act is being binned and why that is a big deal
And why it matters the next three years of Parliament are about to be consumed all over again by the mammoth task of scrapping and replacing it.

Māori may get full Treaty recognition under the legislation this time around – something that would have to trigger a hard conversation about who owns freshwater in New Zealand first......
See full article HERE

RMA reform offers chance for Maori to shine
A collective of five Māori groups engaging with the government on reform of the Resource Management Act says the process creates opportunities for Māori.

It also wants to make sure the reforms will recognise the rights and interests of iwi and hapū in freshwater......
See full article HERE

The reason urgency is being used to make establishing Māori wards easier for councils
The Government is scrapping the ability for Māori wards to be overturned by a local poll and is rushing through the law change before any more polls can go ahead before the 2022 local elections.

Under the current Local Electoral Act, a decision to establish a Māori ward or seat can be overturned by a local poll with 5 percent support from ratepayers. The policy does not apply to general wards, which is why it has been labelled unfair.

The legislation was sent to the Māori Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday evening. Submissions opened on Wednesday and close on Thursday afternoon, allowing less than 48 hours for people to submit on it, which National says is unfair.

Local Government Minister Nanaia said in Parliament councils can still hold non-binding polls to test the sentiment of electors on a number of issues, including the creation of Māori wards.

Mahuta has argued that the current law is "discriminatory" and has impeded on local councils being able to establish Māori wards so that Māori can have better representation at a local level.......
See full article HERE

Crash courses needed for teachers of Maori history
There's a warning kura are woefully under-resourced for the roll out of the new Aotearoa history curriculum.

Māori Principal's Association Te Akatea president Myles Ferris says many teachers lack the training and knowledge to effectively teach the history of Māori in their local area.....
See full article HERE

Greenpeace finds common cause on Waikato water grab
Greenpeace New Zealand head Russel Norman says Māori perspectives on conservation are vital in the fight against corporations.

He wants concepts like Te Mana ō te Wai and Te Mana ō te Taiao be considered when taking from the river.

"When you look at those principles they are about kaitiakitanga, guardianship, looking after the natural world.

He believes the Treaty of Waitangi gives tangata whenua the right to a share of commercial interests in water.....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Why two iwi are claiming rangatiratanga over water

In the pressure cooker of local politics, no one's going to be oppressed by Māori wards 

Thursday February 11, 2021 

New: 
Simon Bridges leads National's angry response to Māori wards legislation 
National MP Simon Bridges has railed against the Government's move to protect Māori wards, describing it as insulting as a Māori man.

Labour has begun rushing through legislation under urgency to do away with a public veto on Māori wards.

The Māori Affairs Select Committee will now consider the legislation and hear from the public, before reporting back next Monday......
See full article HERE

Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill - Submissions
The Chairperson of the Māori Affairs Committee has invited public submissions on the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill without a closing date. The date must be confirmed by the committee at its next meeting......
See full article HERE

Shelly Bay dispute: Police called out as occupation continues
Wellington police say they continue to work with all the parties involved in the land dispute at Shelly Bay.

Officers were called out this morning by Mau Whenua - a group of Taranaki Whānui iwi members - who are occupying the land, after police did not remove engineers and a property manager.

A police spokesperson said they did attend the site, but no action was required.

"The role of police is to ensure safety and uphold the law, while recognising the lawful right to protest.".....
See full article HERE

HIV report reveals Treaty breaches
A new HIV report is calling on the government to urgently implement a sexual health framework to eliminate stigma and discrimination.

This comes following the release of the People Living with HIV Stigma Index report by Te Whāriki Takapou, a Māori sexual and reproductive health research organisation.

Te Whāriki Takapou chief executive Dr Alison Green says the report shows a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as Māori people living with HIV should have the right under the Treaty to live free of stigma and discrimination. For that reason, the report was launched at Waitangi Weekend.......
See full article HERE

Rawiri Waititi allowed to speak in Parliament without neck tie
Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi was allowed to speak in Parliament this afternoon, despite not wearing a tie.

Waititi said he was pleased the Speaker had changed his stance and that it was a big win for Māori.

"This is a huge win for the future of our mokopuna. They can come into this space feeling comfortable about who they are and to express their cultural identity, without discrimination and without prejudice.".......
See full article HERE

Ties dropped from Parliament dress code after Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi's stand
Parliamentary speaker Trevor Mallard has announced that ties will no longer be considered required as part of “appropriate business attire” for male MPs.

On Wednesday, Mallard said a meeting of the Standing Orders committee had been held to discuss the issue and hear a submission from Te Paati Māori.

“The committee did not reach a consensus but the majority of the committee was in favour of removing the requirement for ties to form part of ‘appropriate business attire’ for males......
See full article HERE

Articles:
On Magic Talk and Maori wards - Karl du Fresne 

Wednesday February 10, 2021 

News: 
New $5.7 million fund to help Maori protect taonga on marae 
A new $5.7 million contestable fund has been launched to support Māori to protect marae taonga.

The Mātauranga Māori Marae Ora is part of a wider $20m programme annnounced in December to support indigenous arts from the threats of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni announced the new fund on Tuesday, saying already dwindling mātauranga (Māori knowledge) and taonga held on marae were at further risk because of the increasing financial impact of the pandemic.....
See full article HERE

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei holds a hīkoi ahead of court proceedings against the Crown
More than 300 members of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei have gathered to hold a hīkoi on their way to the High Court at Auckland.

The peaceful hīkoi started at 6am on Tuesday, from the Ōrākei marae and followed a route along Tamaki Dr, ahead of their proceedings against the Crown at 9am.

The court case brought by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei challenges the Crown’s approach to the rights of mana whenua in their rohe (territory).......
See full article HERE

Art approach can help teach Maori history
A group of Tai Tokerau rangatahi wants to partner with government to develop a profession development programme the help teachers deliver the new history perspective.

HĀ already runs Kākāno - a five day high school programme where students are taught a history of Aotearoa from the arrival of Māori through to colonisation and asked to interpret it through art.

She wants the government to fund similar programmes so teachers can safely enagage with mātauranga Māori......
See full article HERE

KiwiRail Asked To Get Its House In Order
Te Rūnanga o Raukawa has written to KiwiRail today asking that it re-engage Ngāti Kauwhata over the rail and road freight centre it hopes to build between Palmerston North and Bunnythorpe.

"This project will be the largest infrastructure project in Manawatū for generations. It is on land with complex layers of iwi history, and the outcome must provide for Māori values in a mana enhancing way......
See full article HERE

Maori critical for COVID vaccine roll out
National Party health spokesperson Shane Reti says Māori health providers will be critical to the successful roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine.

He says when it comes to the vaccine roll out, Māori providers have a unique reach into communities the mainstream struggles to reach, including rural and remote communities.

"I think this a golden opportunity for the iwi and iwi providers to demonstrate the resources they can bring and the reach they can have. To do that they need to be well funded,.....
See full article HERE

'The Govt must address water rights': Iwi appeals against Otakiri Springs bottling plant decision
The fight to prevent a water bottling plant expansion near Whakatāne is far from over, with iwi seeking to appeal against a recent High Court decision dismissing their opposition to the plant.

"As kaitiaki and mana whenua we have a responsibility to act when decisions impact the natural resources within our rohe," she said.

Successive governments have failed to address the very real issue of water rights in New Zealand. It is only fair that Government work with Māori as partners to address the issues of water quality, allocation and broader issues that impact our environment......
See full article HERE

New bill rids Māori ward veto
Māori ward campaigners are thrilled the Labour government is using urgency to push through a bill to get rid of a public veto on Māori wards.

Labour's bill, which had its first reading yesterday, seeks to remove this poll provision.

If the bill passes it would mean the nine councils seeking to install Māori wards before the next elections would not be subject to a poll.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
The abuse of power – Dr Muriel Newman.

Nanaia Mahuta reminded me of Rob Muldoon – Don Brash

Clive Bibby: The Maori ward debate 

Tuesday February 9, 2021 

News: 
Labour to rush Māori wards change into law, National's Judith Collins says 'undemocratic' 
The Labour Government will use urgency on Tuesday to rush in a bill to get rid of a public veto on Māori wards - a step National Party leader Judith Collins says is undemocratic and cuts out voters.

Labour has confirmed it will use urgency in Parliament for the first reading of the law change, and will then have just a one-week select committee process for public input before passing the law.

Most law changes spend six months being considered by a select committee of MPs, which includes considering public submissions......
See full article HERE

Law change needed for Auckland Maori seats
An Auckland Councillor says the super city would need a change to its Act if it is to establish Māori wards.

But he says Auckland is different because the number of councillors is set by statute at 20.

"I want Māori awards in Tāmaki Makaurau but if that comes about with a vote, whether it be one ward or two, the number of councillors we currently have will be reduced by that number," Cr Filipaina says.

He says having Māori should not replace the Independent Māori Statutory Board, which has the specific task of ensuring the council meets its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.
See full article HERE

Māori Ward Urgency Erodes Democracy
“The Government’s decision to legislate away democratic rights under urgency does damage far beyond the question of Māori wards,” says ACT Leader David Seymour

“If the Government thinks it is important to change how people elect their local councils, it should be prepared to let people have their say. Put another way, if laws are important enough to make, they are important enough to make well.

“The Government is dividing the community and eroding fair in our democratic institutions. It's doing so to solve a a problem that, if it took the time to ask, it might recognize does not exist......
See full article HERE

Councillor calls for Tino Rangatiratanga flag to feature permanently on Harbour Bridge
An Auckland councillor is calling on the government to keep the Tino Rangatiratanga flag flying from the Harbour Bridge permanently.

The red, white and black flag - commonly known as the Māori flag - has flown alongside the New Zealand Ensign each Waitangi Day since 2009.

North Shore councillor Chris Darby said only having it on certain days felt tokenistic.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Honour the Treaty - By Roger Childs

Robin Grieve: Inside the Waitangi Tribunal

Propaganda:
2021: The year of rangatiratanga, Māori sovereignty

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei challenges other iwi to stop coveting their land in central Auckland 

Sunday February 7, 2021 

News: 
Constitutional transformation needed to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi - NZ HRC 
Constitutional transformation is required to enable the full implementation of Te Tiriti across Aotearoa says the Human Rights Commission.

A written Constitution that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi is needed says the Chief Commissioner.

"New Zealand is one of few countries without a written constitution. This means the government’s human rights promises are less secure than they should be. A constitution founded on Te Tiriti o Waitangi will help us build a vibrant inclusive democracy that protects everyone’s human rights. Matike Mai should be starting basis for this new constitution.".....
See full article HERE

Law changes lift barriers to Māori building on their land
Law changes come into effect today, Waitangi Day, changes that will solve many of the hurdles that have stopped Māori from building on their own land for decades.

Amendments to Te Ture Whenua Māori Act intend to make developments cheaper, faster, and hopefully, less stressful.

There would continue to be amendments over the next couple of years, along with working through some technical issues like making whāngai adoptions and land succession fair......
See full article HERE

Unitec racism claims: Institute not upholding Treaty principles, Chris Hipkins says
A newly-formed vocational education group has fallen short of expectations to show genuine commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the education minister says.

The principles that underpin the relationship between the Crown and Māori were not being met, he said.

“This is more than consultation with Māori,” Hipkins said.....
See full article HERE

Crown has breached Treaty of Waitangi numerous times - Reddy
Reddy said the Crown breached the Treaty of Waitangi numerous times and many of the issues raised by Māori since it was signed 181 years ago have still not been resolved.

But Patsy said during her term as the Queen's representative she has seen increased momentum for change.....
See full article HERE

Nga hapu o Ngati Porou are committed to seeking further areas of customary marine title
“These areas are the first customary marine titles recognised under the Nga Rohe Moana o Nga Hapu o Ngati Porou Act 2019. Nga hapu o Ngati Porou are committed to seeking further areas of customary marine title via direct engagement with the Crown.”.....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
The many uncomfortable truths of the Wairau Affray 

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
 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Glen Loury at Quilette:
Unspeakable truths about racism:
https://quillette.com/2021/02/10/unspeakable-truths-about-racial-inequality-in-america/

One risks cancellation for saying this, but the right idea is the idea of Gandhi and Martin Luther King: to transcend our racial particularism while stressing the universality of our humanity. That is, the right idea—if only fitfully and by degrees—is to carry on with our march toward the goal of “race-blindness,” to move toward a world where no person’s worth is seen to be contingent upon racial inheritance. This is the only way to address a legacy of historical racism effectively without running into a reactionary chauvinism. Promoting anti-whiteness (and Black Lives Matter often seems to flirt with this) may cause one to reap what one sows in a backlash of pro-whiteness. Here we have yet another unspeakable truth which, as a responsible black intellectual, it is my duty to apprise you of.

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