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Saturday, August 10, 2024

Breaking Views Update: Week of 4.8.24







Saturday August 10, 2024 

News
The Local Government Minister says Palmerston North has no choice but to hold a referendum on its Maori ward, despite opposition

The council voted to keep its Maori ward, meaning it'll need to go to the public on the issue next year.

But some councillors don't want a referendum, asking lawyers to investigate what happens if they simply refuse.

Simeon Brown says they have to obey the law.

He says the Government expected this resistance, so ensured in the law that a referendum would go ahead even if a council refuse to facilitate it.....
See full article HERE

Fight on over Kaipara Māori seat
Kaipara Māori ward councillor Pera Paniora says the council has a fight on its hands over yesterday’s decision to scrap her Te Moananui o Kaipara ward.

Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara put the council on notice before yesterday’s extraordinary meeting that the decision would be subject to judicial review because it had not consulted with the community.

Ms Paniora says in an attempt to avoid protest mayor Craig Jepson had the meeting at the Mangawhai sub-office rather than the council chambers in Dargaville, so there was only space in the room for his supporters, media and submitters, with Maori forced to make their point outside through haka and waiata.....
See full article HERE

Gisborne District Council retains Māori wards; public poll to take place
Gisborne district councillors voted to retain Māori wards yesterday morning at Te Pāhou Marae in Manutūkē.

The vote means Gisborne will be keeping the wards and will be holding a binding poll at the local elections next year for Gisborne to decide on their retention.....
See full article HERE

Rotorua iwi group gets funding help to continue wallaby eradication work
A Rotorua iwi group has been given $30,000 to continue its wallaby eradication work.

Ngāti Tarāwhai Iwi Trust chairman Cyrus Hingston told Local Democracy Reporting last August about a new iwi-led project that aimed, in its view, to focus on things the existing programme was not doing. It received $228,000 from the Ministry for Primary Industries to train 13 Te Arawa men and women in pest control.

A total of $400,000 was allocated from the eradication programme for Te Arawa Wallaby Control Kāhui work last year.....
See full article HERE

Racism cited as Upper Hutt votes out a Māori ward
The Upper Hutt City Council has reversed an earlier decision to have a Māori ward, with opponents claiming it would be undemocratic and expensive.

On Wednesday, the council voted six to five against having a ward, after Tracey Ultra changed her vote.

Ultra told The Post it was a hugely challenging situation which she blamed on poor legislation.

“It was the hardest thing I have ever had to make a decision on. I did not like the other councillor’s references to racism.”....
See full article HERE

Axe understood to be hanging over Office for Māori Crown Relations
What's next on the chopping block? That's the cry from the Labour Party as the Government considers dismantling Te Arawhiti - The Office for Māori Crown Relations.

1News can reveal that other government departments could pick up the responsibilities of the organisation and the issue is being discussed amongst Cabinet.

Te Arawhiti was established in 2018 under the then Labour government.

Its work includes settling historic Treaty of Waitangi claims — including those regarding the Marine and Coastal Area — maintaining Crown commitments under the settlements, as well as other areas of national significance such as Waitangi Day and the Matariki public holiday.

Te Arawhiti Minister Tama Potaka acknowledged conversations were underway about whether the Government had the right configurations in the right place to meet their expectations regarding outcomes.

“What I'm really focused on, as you know, is making sure that this Government is absolutely ruthless around deliverance of the needs of Māori and making sure, of course, the historic treaty settlements process is carried out and closed out,” Potaka said....
See full article HERE

NZ Herald Added To Te Pāti Māori Whitelist
Te Pāti Māori will no longer engage with the New Zealand Herald after their disgusting attack on tangata whenua on the front-page of their 7 August tabloid.

“We will not tolerate the spread of anti-Māori propaganda in Aotearoa. The frontpage advertisement was full of deceitful misinformation designed to sow resentment of our people,” said co-leader, Rawiri Waititi.

“This is not about Hobson’s Pledge. Their racism is well-known. It’s about the integrity of the media and their moral obligation to the indigenous people of this land. It’s about their obligation to do their due diligence and uphold the truth,” said co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.....
See full article HERE

Māori wards question open for community feedback - Napier District Council
Napier City Council is checking back with the community for its views on whether to introduce Māori wards at the 2025 local elections.

The question is up for discussion again because of the Government’s new legislation requiring councils to revisit any decision made to introduce Māori wards without a binding poll. Napier City Council decided in 2021 to introduce Māori wards at the 2025 election. The proposed legislation means a new decision must be made by 6 September.

“This is an important conversation for our community. I encourage everyone to find out more about why Napier City Council supports Māori wards, and then get involved with this decision-making process,” says Mayor Wise.

The consultation is on sayitnapier.nz until 5pm, Thursday 22 August.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Barrie Davis: We the People find the Grail.

John Robinson: New Zealand Nonsense (one) - the Maori race

Propaganda:
Raw Politics: Politicians need a treaty on the Treaty

Forcing referenda on Māori wards is ugly politics

Gang patch law dumb says Jackson

Iwi Chairs oppose 7AA axing

Ngāti Whātua unity needed for Kaipara onslaught

ACT agenda driving division  

This Breaking Views Update monitors race relations in the media on a weekly basis. New material is added regularly. 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 August 9, 2024 

News:
Keep white veto on Māori seats says Peters
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says bringing back referendums for Māori seats is restoring parliament’s original intention.

Mr Peters says parliament as a whole supported the 2002 Local Government Act that both created the prospect of Maori wards and allowed them to be challenged by referendum.

He says the system was working for Maori before Nanaia Mahuta’s 2022 amendment scrapping the referendums.....
See full article HERE

Māori Wards Retained In Tairāwhiti
Under the roof of Te Pāhou Marae in Manutuke this morning, Gisborne District Council passed a majority vote to retain Māori Wards in Tairāwhiti.

Mayor Rehette Stoltz said, “our Māori Ward councillors bring a richness and different perspectives to the decisions made around the Council table.

“I see Māori Wards as a positive, it’s a plus plus and I am proud of how we’ve all come together.....
See full article HERE

Hamilton Māori seats decision due by early September
Decide to scrap the Māori ward by September or prepare for a poll in 2025.

Those are the options for Hamilton City Councillors, revealed in a briefing, and they were leaning towards the latter.

One way or the other, they’ll be making a decision at an extraordinary council meeting later this month......
See full article HERE

Māori Wards: Act blasts Palmerston North City Council move to keep Māori seats without referendum
The Palmerston North City Council has voted to keep the Te Pūao Māori Ward but seeks to retain the ward’s two seats without the required referendum.

The Act Party has criticised the council-supported amendment to find out more information on the implications of avoiding a referendum, labelling it as a “race-based” decision.

If councils vote to retain them, they must hold a binding referendum alongside the next local elections at their own cost.

Act local government spokesman Cameron Luxton said: “The council is playing with fire here. Coming from Tauranga I’ve experienced firsthand one option available to the minister – having the council replaced with commissioners.

“For Act’s part, we believe voters are capable of making decisions together as a community, not as two separate groups divided by race because the basic problems councils exist to solve are not race-based.”......
See full article HERE

Far North/Te Hiku gets country’s first conservation management strategy
Conservation in the Far North is in the spotlight with the Department of Conservation calling for submissions on the draft Te Hiku o Te Ika-a-Māui Conservation Management Strategy (CMS) – the first area in the country to get one.

The strategy, which opened for submissions on Monday, covers an area described in Treaty settlements as “Te Korowai”, extending from the Hokianga and Rangaunu Harbours northwards to Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua, including Manawatāwhi (Three Kings Islands).

The strategy sets the priorities and direction for DoC and iwi in the management of Te Korowai lands and waters to deliver over the next 10 years. It includes aspects such as the care of special places and wildlife and outlines permissible recreational and commercial activities such as guiding, vehicle access, hunting and aviation....
See full article HERE

Could councils simply refuse to disestablish Māori wards?
A new law means dozens of local councils have a month to decide if they will disestablish their Māori wards or keep them and hold a poll on their future – and the issue has already been subject to varied responses.

Luxton said the legislation passed by the Government was very clear in its requirement for councils like Palmerston North to repeal Māori wards or put them to a referendum.

“Coming from Tauranga I’ve experienced firsthand one option available to the Minister – having the council replaced with commissioners. That would be an even bigger blow to democracy than the council refusing a referendum.”…
See full article HERE

Otago University to boost mana whenua links
The University of Otago’s new vice chancellor says upholding the Treaty of Waitangi is a key responsibility for tertiary education providers.

Former deputy prime minister Grant Robertson was formally appointed last month after retiring from politics in late March.

He says compared to his time in politics he probably has more freedom to set the path forward for the institution, and he intends to promote a tiriti-led approach.

“We need to be acting and behaving differently, making sure mana whenua are central to what we do and making sure our systems, our processes respect tikanga, respect all of the ways in which particularly Kai Tahu and Otakou who are our main mana whenua partner, how they work and how we can mutually reinforce each other,” Mr Robinson says.
See full article HERE

Articles:
Frank Newman: Councillor shows why Māori wards are not needed

Frank Newman: It's a Win! Of Sorts…

Barry Soper: The Māori Party's on a mission to stir up discontent

MACA Misinformation - Dr Muriel Newman.

Propaganda:
Challenging the Crown long overdue

Ward issue once again exposes racial tension in New Plymouth

Shilo Kino: Hobson’s Pledge front page ad is propaganda disguised as news

‘Appalling’ - NZ Herald faces backlash for selling front page to Hobson’s Pledge ‘ad’

Māori Journalists' Association call on NZME to review its advertising standards

Ngāti Toa Delivers A Strong Message On The Repeal Of Section 7AA

Māori wards making economic sense

Kaipara Council Feast Off Anti-Māori Govt Agenda  

Thursday August 8, 2024 

News:
New Plymouth councillor Murray Chong's car hit by gunshot
A gun has been fired at the distinctive orange ute of a controversial New Plymouth councillor leaving it pock-marked, as the Māori wards debate begins to heat up in the city again.

Murray Chong campaigned against the introduction of a Māori ward and yesterday abstained on a vote on whether or not the council should retain its Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori Ward.

The council voted to keep the seat, following legislation passed last week that required local authorities that had introduced a Māori ward without a poll to scrap it, or to hold a poll. A binding poll will now be held alongside the 2025 local body elections.

Fighting back tears, Chong told a two-thirds full council chamber "don't shoot the messenger" before saying that he would not be fronting any resistance to a Māori ward next year because he feared for his safety.

"I won't be saying anything because I believe you've won. You've won because of the tactics I've received over the past five years.

"I'm now scared. I've had my life threatened several times in letters. I now can't walk by myself at night because I've been told I will be king-hit and I'll wake up in a hospital. I've had people say they will grab my dog, chop it up into quarters and leave it on my doorstep. I've had my daughter hassled."....
See full article HERE

Condemnation Of Political Violence - Hobson's Pledge
“Today I reached out to Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi to suggest we release a joint statement condemning the harassment and intimidation New Plymouth Councillor Murray Chong is reported to have endured. Unfortunately, I did not get a response. However, what I wrote to them still stands and I share it below [see the link]......
See full article HERE

Kaipara District Council votes to disestablish Māori ward
Kaipara District Council has voted to disestablish its Māori ward, becoming the first council to do so under new rules, in a tense council meeting.

Councillors voted 6 to 3 in favour of disestablishing the Te Moananui o Kaipara Māori ward with one abstention.

An extraordinary council meeting deciding the fate of the council's Māori ward was attended by councillors, members of the public and at least 150 demonstrators at the council's Mangawhai office....
See full article HERE

Kaipara Māori wards: Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua serves injunction to stop council vote
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua have served the Kaipara District Council with an injunction in an attempt to stop the planned vote on the future of Māori wards.

Kaipara District Council is holding an extraordinary meeting to decide the fate of its Māori ward.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua representative Deborah Nathan told people gathered outside the council building in in Mangawhai that Rūnanga legal representatives had served the council with an injunction on Wednesday morning.
See full article HERE

Kaipara’s Māori Ward Vote A Milestone For Local Democracy
Kaipara-based ACT MP Mark Cameron is welcoming Kaipara District Council’s vote to disestablish its Māori ward.

“ACT campaigned on repealing Māori wards, and in our coalition agreement with National we secured a commitment empowering local communities to do just that. Now we’re seeing the delivery.....
See full article HERE

Room for Māori priority says Reti
Health Minister Shane Reti says he’d like to see some of the work being done by iwi-Māori partnership boards be replicated in the mainstream health system.

Dr Reti has asked the boards to go to the community and analyse what their needs are, with the information used for commissioning of services

“What this talks to is our focus on better patient outcomes and when we start is where is the greatest need first of all , very quickly Maori and in some areas Pasifika become those areas that have the greatest need and so if you follow the principled approach form that it all falls out......
See full article HERE

Northport appeals decision to refuse consent for major port expansion
Northland's port company is appealing a decision to refuse consent for a major expansion, saying the commissioners made a series of errors when they ruled it would have serious adverse effects on cultural and recreational values.

In a decision released last month, independent commissioners said having a dedicated container terminal at Marsden Point, at the entrance to Whangārei Harbour, would bring economic and social benefits to Northland.

However, they also said the reclamation would have significant adverse effects on the cultural values of tāngata whenua, on recreation, and on public access to the coast - and those effects would not be sufficiently offset by Northport's proposed conditions.

The decision to refuse consent was decried as "disastrous" and "a terrible outcome" by Northland MP Grant McCallum, but hailed by local hapū Patuharakeke as "correct and clear" and a rare vindication of their concerns.....
See full article HERE

University to open second marae on city campus
The University of Auckland has announced it will reopen Tūtahi Tonu, tuākana of Waipapa Marae in its new home on 10 August.

The eagerly anticipated reopening of Tūtahi Tonu, the wharenui previously based at Epsom Campus, marks the start of a new chapter for Māori education, the University said in a statement.....
See full article HERE

Council unanimously backs Te Pūao Māori Ward amid public support - Palmerston North City Council
Today, in a meeting that saw a full public gallery, the Palmerston North City Council resolved to retain Te Pūao Māori Ward, which sees two of our 16 members elected by those on the Māori Electoral Roll. It also resolved to seek further information about the implications of refusing to hold a referendum alongside the 2025 local elections.

Mayor Grant Smith highlighted Palmerston North's exemplary relationship with Māori and mana whenua Rangitāne, stating:

"Palmerston North has nothing to fear and carries on a fine tradition of Council working together with Māori for over 150 years. Our Māori Ward system works for us and our Te Pūao Māori Ward Deputy Mayor Debi Marshall-Lobb and Councillor Roly Fitzgerald have enriched our Council and community through their advice and service. Our relationship with Rangitāne is exemplary in the country. We're one of three out of 78 councils that have tangata whenua on our council crest, and one of the few cities to have a statue of an indigenous leader – Te Peeti Te Awe Awe, which was erected in 1907 in our city centre. We have a great partnership with Rangitāne o Manawatū, and we're so proud of this."....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Toitū Te Reo nearly here; thousands expected

New research reveals wāhine Māori mahi boosts the Māori economy by billions

What you need to know about Māori wards

Reo bar bad look for treaty minister - Willie Jackson

Academy continues to shine light on tertiary studies for rangatahi

Kaumātua warn of ‘dangerous and disturbing times’ as Kaipara council dumps Māori wards

Nanaia Mahuta: A backward step into the NZ that used to be

Hobson’s Pledge spends up on beach lies - Willie Jackson  

Wednesday August 7, 2024 

News:
Minister removed te reo greetings from official Matariki invitations
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith personally intervened to remove te reo Māori greetings and references to "Aotearoa New Zealand" in official invitations to the formal Matariki celebration this year.

Critics say the action is "shameful" and "contrary" to celebrating the indigenous language.

Documents obtained by 1News show Ministry for Culture and Heritage staff drafted a letter to Goldsmith's Australian counterpart, Tony Burke, using the salutations "tēnā koe" and "nāku noa nā", as well as "Aotearoa New Zealand".

But in an email an official noted changes directed by Goldsmith: "Following the changes made to Hon Burke’s letter from the Minister last week (i.e. removing all te reo Māori salutations and the removal of any references made to Aotearoa, New Zealand) please find below the updated email", the official wrote.

The updated invitation showed a template for the Minister's official invitations to dignitaries, which removed te reo Māori greetings, and the word "Aotearoa".....
See full article HERE

New Kāpiti Coast Māori Ward Re-affirmed
At an extraordinary Council meeting today, Kāpiti Coast District Council re-affirmed their decision to establish a Māori ward.

Kāpiti Coast District Mayor Janet Holborow says re-affirming the decision to establish a Māori ward today supports the position of Council’s mana whenua partners, and will ensure Māori have greater access to decision-making at a local level.

“It also supports the position of Local Government New Zealand who have stated that reversing councils’ ability to decide on Māori wards without polls is an overreach by central government and unfairly singles out Māori voters,” says Mayor Holborow....
See full article HERE

Government under fire as NPDC vote to retain Māori ward
Disdain for the coalition Government’s decision to introduce binding polls on the future of Māori wards echoed around New Plymouth’s Civic Centre on Tuesday as councillors and iwi leaders united to make their feelings clear.

Te Kahui o Taranaki iwi chair Jacqui King was first in line to take aim at the Government as she laid out her feelings to councillors before they voted on retaining the Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori Ward.

“We are beyond frustrated with this current Government’s approach,” she said.....
See full article HERE

Ushering in a new era of Te Tiriti leadership and partnership - Massey University
Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i Te Tiriti o Waitangi i Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa has been established to provide a high level of Te Tiriti o Waitangi expertise and Te Ao Māori leadership for the university’s Te Tiriti o Waitangi goals and commitments.

Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau comprises representatives from the university’s three mana whenua iwi, Ngāti Whātua, Rangitāne and Te Ātiawa, as well as a member representing Ngā Iwi nō Ngā Hau e Whā (iwi from throughout Aotearoa New Zealand) and a representative each for Māori staff and ākonga.

Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau met on the Pukeahu campus in Wellington for a pōwhiri at Te Rau Karamū Marae before taking part in their first official hui.....
See full article HERE

Māori aids ready for maths push
Ms Stanford says the Government is more committed to resourcing kura kaupapa than its predecessors.

“So you saw in structured literacy we are rolling out the professional learning and development to our kura kaupapa teachers. We are also having all of the resources in te reo Maori for them. We’re doing the same thing in mathematics. The teacher guides and the workbooks will be produced in te reo Maori and also the professional learningm and development will be targeted and adapted for those teachers in kura kaupapa so we have thought very long and hard and carefully about that,” she says.....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
New Waikato River Authority boss Antoine Coffin seeks connections for Waikato rivers

Celebrating 100 years of the Māori Trustee

Māori leader calls for Kaipara mayor's resignation over Māori ward move

Former Children's Minister Tracey Martin tells government to stop 7AA repeal

Ngāpuhi ready to come out fighting  

Tuesday August 6, 2024  

News:
Waikato Māori health provider racks up $123,000 employment compensation bill
Now the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has ordered Raukura Hauora o Tainui Trust to pay Telisa Jacobsen, general manager of people, culture and capability, $87,000 after she won her grievance claim for what she says was a mishandled investigation and prolonged suspension that left her with no option but to resign.

It is the second time this year the healthcare provider, which operates four medical centres across the Waikato region, has been ordered to pay up after having a grievance claim taken against it.....
See full article HERE

Ngāpuhi gather at Parliament to oppose Section 7AA repeal
More than 200 people have gathered outside Parliament in support of Ngāpuhi opposition to the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.

The country's largest iwi will deliver its submission to Select Committee against the removal of 7AA which legally binds Oranga Tamariki to improve and report on outcomes for Māori in care.

Iwi representative Hinerangi Himiona said Ngāpuhi are taking a stand against a government it believes is running roughshod over Māori.....
See full article HERE

Māori seabed claims defying gravity
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says a proposed change to the Marine and Coastal Areas Act will bring the test for Māori customary rights back in line with longstanding practice.

Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith intends to introduce an amendment to overturn a Court of Appeal judgment that lowered the threshold that to get customary marine title an iwi or hapu must prove it exclusively used and occupied an area from 1840 to the present day, without substantial interruption.

Mr Peters says that test was in Labour’s original Foreshore and Seabed Act, which he supported, but the current Act cooked up by National and Te Pati Maori had proved expensive and divisive, pitting iwi against iwi for control of the coast.....
See full article HERE

Government looks at limiting public access to Hira Forest, Nelson after safety concerns from iwi
Treasury is asking for people’s views on limiting public access to Hira Forest in Nelson, a popular area for local mountain bikers.

In 2020, the Crown transferred Hira Forest to the Ngāti Koata Trust as part of the Treaty settlement with Ngāti Koata. The forest is currently owned by Koata Limited,which is wholly owned by the Ngāti Koata Trust, however forestry activities are managed by a separate firm Tasman Pine Forests Limited, which has Japanese ownership.

Public access easements in Hira Forest were issued in 1994, prior to the forest being transferred to the iwi. Those easements force the occupier of the land to allow the public to travel “over and across the access areas”, although the forest owner can close off access at night, and at certain times for safety reasons.

When Crown forest land is returned to Māori ownership, the new owners can request the Government to review existing access entitlements to have them changed, which is what Koata Limited has now done. The firm wants public access entitlements in the forest partially cancelled, although only in areas which are not currently well-traversed.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
JC: The Maori Party Should ‘Get Their Heads Out of the Sand’

Propaganda:
Joel Maxwell: Will Luxon become boss of a South Pacific Alcatraz?

What Christopher Luxon didn’t want to hear from Māori at iwi leaders forum: Marama Royal

Conservation workers’ te reo journey celebrated

The War on Māori continues  

Monday August 5, 2024 

News:
National Party conference: Sir John Key’s call to ‘take the temperature down’ on race relations, verdict on the National coalition with NZ First and Act
Former National Party leader Sir John Key has called on people to “take the temperature down a wee bit” in the debate around race issues, saying it is an area any government needs to “tread carefully” in.

“You should always treat race issues carefully because in the end, we all want to live in a harmonious society, and Māori are the indigenous population of New Zealand and Treaty partners. So you have to treat them with respect and carefully, I think.”....
See full article HERE

Revealed: Auckland Council sued by Māori advisors over vote for Watercare boss
Auckland Council is in a legal stoush with its independent Māori advisory board over the appointment of the new chair of Watercare. Houkura claims the council subverted democracy by stealth with a surprise vote. But the council says due process was followed. Amelia Wade was in court.

It doesn’t get much bigger than the relationship between Māori and water so who heads up Watercare is incredibly significant. That’s the argument of Auckland Council’s Māori advisory board which has legally challenged Watercare’s latest top appointment, claiming a vote to install the new chair was part of an “under the radar strategy”.....
See full article HERE

Electoral Commission, police and Stats NZ warned of marae census allegations last year
Three government agencies were alerted to allegations of misuse of census data at Manurewa Marae last year.

The Electoral Commission, which received a complaint three days before the election, passed details to Stats NZ, which runs the census.

Police, who were also sent the email, nor the official data agency will confirm what — if anything — they did in response.....
See full article HERE

Marlborough council to decide if public votes on Māori ward
Marlborough councillors are to vote on whether to hold a referendum on keeping the council’s Māori ward.

If they don’t agree to hold a referendum, the ward must be abolished.

It has been described by the region’s first Māori ward councillor as frustrating and heartbreaking.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Caleb Anderson: Our parliament needs more people like Ms Chhour

Geoff Parker: John Key's short-term, wheeling dealing perspective

Propaganda:
Valmaine Toki: A leading light in Indigenous rights

Going backwards on Māori wards

Kia ora, Mayor Tim  

Sunday August 4, 2024 

News:
Kaipara council poised to become first to can Māori ward
Kaipara District Council could become the first council in New Zealand to can its Māori ward under new legislation.

The council is expected to “disestablish” its first-term Te Moananui o Kaipara Māori ward at a short-notice extraordinary meeting in Mangawhai on Wednesday

This means the ward, set up in October 2022, will be gone before the next local elections in October next year.

Should Kaipara District Council (KDC) vote to get rid of the ward, on Wednesday, it will become the first council to do so after the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act became law this week.....
See full article HERE

Māori duo advocates for indigenous data sovereignty in prestigious science journal
A Māori research duo, University of Waikato Professor Tahu Kukutai and Lincoln University Professor Amanda Black have had their commentary on indigenous data sovereignty published by a prestigious international science journal.

“Contrary to popular belief, Māori data sovereignty doesn’t mean data gets locked away,”

“Instead, it means that Māori retain responsibility (a responsibility that we take very seriously) for ensuring that our data is used in an ethical way that benefits everyone,” she said.....
See full article HERE

Hundreds turn out for rally against Māori children in state care
The organisers of a rally in Kaikohe organised by Ngāpuhi iwi say their kaupapa is clear: enough is enough when it comes to Māori mokopuna in state care.

About 200 people - both iwi and tauiwi - braved heavy rain and cold conditions to attend this morning's rally at the Kaikohe memorial hall.

One of this morning's speakers, Iwi Social Services chief executive Dr Moana Eruera, said she was "really pleased" with the turnout, which comes ahead of a hikoi to Parliament on Monday....
See full article HERE

Watch: Ngāti Wai puts Paul Goldsmith and government on notice over MACA Act changes
Ngāti Wai has taken the chance to put government ministers on notice at the Iwi Chairs Forum, in a frank conversation with Māori-Crown relations minister Paul Goldsmith - part of which was caught on camera.

In a video published to Instagram, Ngāti Wai leader Aperehama Edwards confronts Goldsmith about proposed changes to the Marine and Coastal Area (MACA) Act....
See full article HERE

Taranaki’s new mental health facility named and progressing
Taranaki Base Hospital’s new mental health facility is taking shape and has been given a name.

“It’s exciting to be able to announce that Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora has been gifted a Māori name Te Puna Wai Kātea for the new facility,” senior responsible officer for Project Maunga Rosemary Clements said.

“The name Te Puna Wai Kātea is a celebration of Te Reo and a reflection of this project’s commitment to Taranaki tikanga.”....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Fiona Mackenzie: Legacy Media Commentators Display Their Ignorance

Professor Jerry Coyne: Science or not science? Geology in New Zealand

Propaganda:
Upholding te ao Māori not a zero-sum game

Allegations of Te Pāti Māori election day bribery at Manurewa lack substance - Rawiri Taonui

ACT: the party of crybabies

Should they stay or should they go - to a referendum: Māori wards under spotlight  

This Breaking Views Update monitors race relations in the media on a weekly basis. New material is added regularly. If you would like to send Letters to the Editor in response to any of these articles, most media addresses can be found HERE

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

John Key is saying that the maori issues need to be toned down, as reported by nz herald today. It is actually partly john's fault that we have activists in nz, as it was him who allowed nz to sign up to the UN when Helen Clark knew that would be a bad idea.

Robert Arthur said...

Mayor Jepson is to be commended for his boldness in risking/inviting cancellation in his opposition to maori favouritism, in effect defence of democracy. Whether councillors, even in the changing politicalm climate, will be equally principled and bold remains to be seen.
The maori demonstrations about Oranga Tamariki taking control of maori children is ironic. They should be demonstrating about irresponsible maori parenthood. If they focussed their energy and apparently endless idle time on reshaping attitudes to parenthood they might acheive some positive results.

Anonymous said...

Mayor Jepson is quite right in supporting democracy which is more than can be said for the Far North Mayor who is charging on with the Maori Wards and messing with speed limits, all on our dollar.

Anonymous said...

Well done to Paul Goldsmith for upholding the coalition agreement - now when are the rest of National going to get stuck in and have the guts do the same?

Robert Arthur said...

Mnister Goldsmith has got it. A te reo invitation directed to an Ocker is absurd.
I have always suspected an element of leg pull in many of the long convoluted te reo names now regularly contrived and inflicted. From the Massey group photo seems it may be a literally correct assumption. I wonder how many of the vast group can write out the ridiculous title without error or long pause. Are such absurd titles truly in keeping with tikanga? Did stone age maori devise and remember similar convoluted names? On top of remembering genealogy back to Maui.

anonymous said...

Goldsmith has all the complex Maori-related dossiers .
These should be handled by Potaka, Minister of Maori Development, ( who is quietly - and surely - advancing these causes in the wings.)

Maybe Goldsmith senses Luxon must be rolled - he could take over.....

This is politics!

ross meurant said...

Though bound by collective subservience to cabinet aka job retention, Mr Goldsmith nevertheless displays fortitude and respect for the majority (who voted Labour's policies out - in 2023).

Robert Arthur said...

Aug 8 The Chong situation illustrates the degree of cancellation, real or imagined, experienced by any who dare not be subserviently pro maori. The situation renders the objectiveness of most Council decisions to adopt wards to date as highly dubious. Influence of maori ward councillors so far has been relatively benign, limited to leg pull umpteen syllable street and park names inflicted everywhere. While the adoption of maori wards is in its infancy any maori councillor with an ounce of maori cunning will have moderated their demands. Had maori wards become fixedly established everywhere all manner of obstructive demands would have emerged from.
The rabble demonstrators at Kaipara would have convinced any wavering voters that disbandment of the maori ward the most appropriate action.

Anonymous said...

Have to agree with Robert Arthur, it is the enactment of the "How to boil a frog" analogy (sorry Freddie). "The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death." The whole point is that having Maori wards on Councils and seats in the Parliament is statistically undemocratic and purely "race based" - divisive by definition. It has taken the balance out of our so called democracy completely and is proving nigh on impossible to correct when we have twerps like John Key emulating Chamberlain. Dare one also one say that Key is influencing a very impressionable PM Luxon with the partnership nonsense.

ihcpcoro said...

In 1835 Britain had a steam passenger rail;way service running between Liverpool and Newcastle, over difficult terrain. I'm sure any concept of partnership between Britain and Maori (who were not united in any way), would have been seen as preposterous. In my view, the Treaty was a very generous agreement on the part of the British, in those days of rampant global exploitation and colonisation.

Robert Arthur said...

The Gisborne decison as expected. I suppose some maori retian mere slug guns (for the discreet harvest of kereru) but maori generally run to more formidable arms, especially as near the Ureweras and rebel and Iti territory

Doug Longmire said...

As a Palmerston North rate-payer, I am outraged at the arrogant attitude of our council and mayor.
They are legally required to hold a referendum, and are simply refusing to obey the law !!

Ellen said...

Indeed - I am gobsmacked at the people demonstrating about the safety of Maori children when it is their own families who endanger them! How bizarre!