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Saturday, August 2, 2025

Breaking Views Update: Week of 27.7.25







Saturday August 2, 2025

News:
Auckland's tourism sector embraces Māori and Pasifika culture

Auckland's tourism sector is embracing Māori and Pasifika culture as the city's cultural agency aims to build a more distinct international brand.

The recent State of the City report warned Tāmaki Makaurau was falling behind other international cities and recommended a stronger "Auckland brand" to attract visitors.

Auckland is the City of Sails, it's the supercity, it has a world-class airport and is a popular cruise ship pit-stop.

But the label resonating with many tourists is Tāmaki Makaurau, that is, an Auckland embracing its Māori heritage.....
See full article HERE

Māori role in new Northland water services company sparks concerns
Two Northland councils with markedly opposing views on Māori involvement must now successfully work together to deliver Te Tai Tokerau’s biggest water services change.

Kaipara District Council (KDC) axed its Māori ward and its mayor banned karakia from meetings, whereas FNDC promotes the use of te reo in meetings and Māori practices, and voted to retain its Māori ward.

FNDC councillor Tāmati Rākena said he didn’t look forward to working with KDC after it canned its Māori ward and other changes.

Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson said he disagreed, and he and his council had a good working relationship with Māori.

Jepson said water belonged to all and creating the CCO was about equal access....
See full article HERE

NZ First seeks to legislate ‘New Zealand’ as country’s official name
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that aims to formally establish “New Zealand” as the country’s official geographic name, in law.

Party leader Rt Hon Winston Peters said the New Zealand (Name of State) Bill was designed to push back against what he called a “stealth” campaign by bureaucrats, departments and politicians to change the country’s name without public consent.

“Over the past few years, we have had a bunch of unelected bureaucrats, officials, government departments, and politicians trying to change our country’s name by stealth — with no permission or consent from the people,” Peters said in a statement.....
See full article HERE

Te Pāti Māori pursuing two-pronged legal action
Te Pāti Māori's lawyers have clarified exactly what legal action it's taking over reports of missing enrolments from the Māori roll.

The party has now advised Crown Law it is also "seeking a full explanation" of reports of missing enrolments from the Māori roll, as part of this judicial review.

"This is central not only to the present proceedings and the issues they raise, but also for Māori participation in Aotearoa's democracy," the letter said.

"We intend to pursue these issues via the present proceeding, and to determine the propriety of any changes made following service of this judicial review....
See full article HERE

Electoral Commission rejects claims of Māori roll tampering
The chief electoral officer is adamant his commission is not changing people's enrolment details without their consent and is pleading with people struggling to access their enrolment details to get in touch.

His comments come amidst a flood of claims on social media from Māori who allege their enrolment details have been changed, or erased, without their knowledge.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
A.E. Thompson: Encouraging the Survival of Te Reo

Propaganda:
Youth MP calls for stronger focus on te reo and Māori history education in rural schools

Shotover Jet marks six decades of tourism thrills with doco, events

Māori māmā finds strength in tikanga care

Te reo Māori - our translation - Tertiary Education Commission

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 1, 2025

News:
Te Pāti Māori files urgent High Court proceeding over electoral roll concerns
Te Pāti Māori says it has filed urgent proceedings in the High Court over reports people have been removed from electoral roll or shifted off the Māori roll.

It's not yet clear what the nature of the legal proceedings are - the party has been approached by RNZ for clarification.

RNZ has spoken to several affected people, including Taryn Utiger, who could not find herself on the Māori roll despite switching to it last year.....
See full article HERE

Taupō council defers debate over draft water management agreement with iwi
The Taupō District Council has voted to defer consideration of a draft water management agreement with local iwi Ngāti Tūwharetoa until after the next local government elections.

The draft Joint Management Agreement (JMA) has drawn controversy with one councillor, Duncan Campbell, calling in lobby group Hobson's Pledge to raise his concerns to a wider audience.

The purpose of the draft JMA is to protect the water of Lake Taupō (Taupō Moana) and the Upper Waikato River. It would see the council and Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board collaborate on work such as monitoring and enforcement, district plan reviews, resource consent application assessments, and enabling customary activities....
See full article HERE

Taupō Water Deal Undemocratic and Unaccountable
The Taxpayers’ Union is urging Taupō District Council to reject a proposed cogovernance agreement with Ngāti Tūwharetoa over Lake Taupō and the Upper Waikato River, warning it hands control of major public resources to unelected decision-makers

“This is more than a consultation framework, it gives real authority over water management to a small group without public oversight. That’s a dangerous precedent.”

“Ratepayers are being signed up to a long-term deal with unknown costs, unclear governance structures, and no opportunity to vote on it.”“Iwi involvement should not come at the expense of democracy. Decisions about public water must remain accountable to the public, not locked away behind closed doors.”.....
See full article HERE

Ten sites of cultural significance to mana whenua recognised in Auckland’s planning rules
Ten places with significant mana whenua values have been added to Auckland’s planning documents (the Auckland Unitary Plan and the Hauraki Gulf Islands section of the Auckland Council District Plan).

At its July meeting, Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning Committee voted unanimously to enhance protection of the sites to honour their historical and cultural importance and help prevent inappropriate use and development.

Councillor Richard Hills chairs Auckland’s Policy and Planning Committee and says this mahi is an example of a strong partnership between Auckland Council and mana whenua......
See full article HERE

Putting kaupapa Māori at the centre of health investment
Health is holistic: tinana, hinengaro, wairua, whānau, and taiao are inseparable in te ao Māori.

Conventional cost‑effectiveness studies miss vital gains such as cultural continuity, whānau cohesion, and the preservation of mana and mauri.

Kaupapa Māori initiatives already cut hospital admissions and strengthen community resilience in one move.

Aligning evaluation with Māori values is both a Treaty obligation and a smarter way to allocate scarce health pūtea....
See full article HERE

RBNZ launches new indicators to track financial inclusion
We have created a series of financial inclusion indicators, designed to improve understanding of how well the financial system is serving the diverse needs of our communities and how it evolves over time.

Key findings from the report include:

97% of adults in Aotearoa New Zealand reported having at least one deposit account. However, access varies by age, income, and ethnicity.

70% of adults have at least one regulated credit product, though this drops to 64% among Māori. Regional disparities are also evident, with Gisborne showing notably lower access relative to its population size than other parts of the country.

Rural residents, particularly those over 60, are less likely to find it easy to deposit cash than urban residents.

Māori-owned businesses received $3.5 billion in lending from the four largest banks, just 2% of total business lending (of $185 billion).....
See full article HERE

Articles:
John Robertson: New Zealand is being culturally hijacked......

JC: We Are Well and Truly ‘Browned’ Off

Thursday July 31, 2025

News:
Māori Have Highest Increases In Life Expectancy
Life expectancy at birth for people identifying with the Māori ethnic group increased more than that of other broad ethnic groups between 2005–2007 and 2022–2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

However, life expectancy for Māori remains lower than that of other ethnic populations.

Life expectancy at birth for people who identify as Māori was 75.8 years in 2022–2024, up 3.1 years from 2005–2007. Over the same period, life expectancy at birth for people who identify with ‘European or Other’, Pacific, or Asian ethnicities each increased by 1.5–1.6 years.

In 2022–2024, life expectancy at birth was:

> 81.8 years for the population of Aotearoa New Zealand as a whole

> 82.8 years for people who identify with European or Other (including New Zealander) ethnicities

> 76.9 years for people who identify with a Pacific ethnicity

> 86.3 years for people who identify with an Asian ethnicity....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
‘Keep our Māori wards’ campaign kicks off with security caution

Māori tourism has emerged as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s greatest assets

Wednesday July 30, 2025

News:
Mātauranga Māori and indigenous knowledge in research
At the University of Canterbury, Mātauranga Māori—the traditional knowledge and worldview of Māori—plays a vital role in shaping biological sciences research. This integration of Indigenous knowledge with Western science enriches our understanding of the natural world and supports more holistic, culturally grounded approaches to environmental stewardship.

UC offers courses like SCIM101, which introduces students to Mātauranga Māori in the context of natural sciences. These courses explore traditional ecological knowledge, cultural practices, and ethical frameworks, helping students understand how Indigenous perspectives can complement and enhance scientific inquiry.

Research projects at UC often involve collaboration with iwi (tribes) and hapū (sub-tribes), ensuring that Māori voices and values are central to the research process. For example, the Ridge2Reef initiative is a Mātauranga Māori-led, science-informed project focused on the sustainable management of coastal reef ecosystems. It exemplifies how Indigenous knowledge systems can guide scientific research to achieve more resilient and ecologically sound outcomes....
See full article HERE

Māori Affairs Committee Meeting At Ngāpuwaiwaha Marae, Taumarunui
The Māori Affairs Committee is meeting at Ngāpuwaiwaha Marae, Taumarunui, to hear submissions from people on the Ngāti Hāua Claims Settlement Bill. The meeting date is Tuesday 5 August 2025 and hearings will start at 9.00am.

The Ngāti Hāua Claims Settlement Bill seeks to give effect to certain matters contained in Te Pua o Te Riri Kore, the Ngāti Hāua deed of settlement of historical claims that was signed on 29 March 2025. The deed seeks to settle historical Treaty of Waitangi claims and address breaches including loss of land, economic opportunities, and cultural disenfranchisement.

Ngāti Hāua will receive cultural redress that includes the return of 64 culturally significant sites and a $6-million cultural revitalisation fund. The iwi will also receive a range of financial and commercial redress that includes property-purchasing rights and rights of first refusal.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Ani O'Brien: It's just a passport cover... except it's not

Propaganda:
Govt Steals Voting Rights from 100,000 People - Maori Party

Sir Ian Taylor: Do we really need this passport debate?

‘Keep Our Māori Wards’ Campaign Kicks Off With Security Caution

Wāhine Māori gather in Ōtautahi to reclaim, protect sacred taonga of karanga

Kaipara Māori Ward Councillor: District Should Get Its Say

NZ's Youth Parliament erupts as Māori, Pacific MPs unite against race-based scholarships

Tuesday July 29, 2025

News:
Taranaki Mayors Want Hydrogen Kick-start From Wellington
“The Mayoral Forum supports a regulatory regime that provides mana whenua with early and meaningful engagement,” their submission said.

“Treaty settlements in Taranaki have clear provisions around oil and gas developments, and [we] recommend that the Government consider how best to honour those commitments in regulating hydrogen, even if hydrogen may not strictly fall within definitions in Treaty settlements.”

The mayors’ submission said mana whenua must be part of talks whatever officials decide.....
See full article HERE

From maunga to lagoon, wind breathes light into footbridge
Opening last weekend with a dawn karakia, two sides of the lagoon are connected again with an architecturally exceptional walking and cycling bridge. This replaces an old bridge taken out of service in July 2023.

The shared vision and partnership of Ngāti Pāoa Iwi Trust and Maungakiekie Tāmaki Local Board were central to the delivery of the new bridge, with Auckland Council Public Art expertly integrating art into the infrastructure.

Gifted by Ngāti Paoa, the bridge’s name is Te Kōpua o Hiku. The story behind the name is shared by Drina Paratene:....
See full article HERE

Bay of Islands hapū achieve Ngāpuhi-first Treaty of Waitangi milestone
A Bay of Islands trust representing four Ngāpuhi hapū groupings has achieved a major milestone in its Treaty of Waitangi negotiations.

The Trust received its Crown Deed of Mandate recognition on 16 July - the first for a group of Ngāpuhi hapū.

Te Whakaaetanga Trust chairperson Herb Rihari (Ngāti Torehina ki Matakā) said the milestone was of "historical significance".

"Te Whakaaetanga is looking forward to discussing and negotiating the full spectrum of their redress options," Rihari said....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Pee Kay: Civil Wars Tend to Happen Gradually, Then Suddenly!

Monday July 28, 2025  

News:
No penalty clauses paid on stalled Waiouru army base housing project

The Defence Force (NZDF) says it has not paid any penalty clauses associated with its housing project at Waiouru army base.

The $50 million-plus project has stalled, though both defence and Ngāti Rangi iwi consider it urgent, and the force issued a tender over a year ago for 50 new homes.

The NZDF once again refused to tell RNZ why it was still in negotiations with the iwi over the housing. It had appeared the talks were settled before it issued last year's tender.

"Negotiations in relation to this matter remain underway. Accordingly, this information is withheld in full... to enable negotiations to be carried out without prejudice or disadvantage," it said in a response to a request under the Offiicial Information Act.

"The NZDF's relationship with local iwi has not changed and remains vital to our use of the Waiouru Military Training Area," it added.....
See full article HERE

ACT Party takes Anti Māori narrative on the road
The ACT Party is turning its attention to the private sector with Dr Parmjeet Parmar, the party Spokesperson for Tertiary Education saying in a statement:

“We must not let the rot that is so pervasive in our public institutions spread into the private sector,” says Dr Parmar.

“ACT is working hard in Government to remove race-based requirements from our public institutions. Businesses need to get the memo that they no longer need to engage in identity politics to secure Government contracts.

“Last year the Government ditched race-based requirements from procurement rules, including the 8% quota for contracts going to Māori-owned businesses and the requirement that when procuring agencies must consider how they can create quality employment opportunities specifically for Māori. Councils should follow suit.”....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Is a blanket enough?

Our people didn’t sit back and accept silence

Business as usual for racism in schools

Sunday July 27, 2025

News:
Kāpiti Coast iwi fear historic urupā could face further desecration under government planning freeze
Kāpiti Coast iwi Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai say the Government’s decision to freeze all council plan changes until 2027 threatens to reopen deep wounds over the desecration of one of their urupā.

The announcement by Resource Management Reform Minister Chris Bishop means a proposed plan change by the Kāpiti Coast District Council to protect Kārewarewa urupā as a designated wāhi tapu is now on hold.

That change was intended to reinstate protections removed in 1970 when the site lost its official cemetery designation, paving the way for housing development on ancestral graves.....
See full article HERE

Te Pāti Māori, Greens outraged at 'marginalising' passport changes
Te Pāti Māori says the government's changes to passports are an attempt to whitewash the national identity.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the change diminishes the visibility of tangata whenua.

"Our passport is not just a travel document, it's a statement of who we are as a nation. So, the stripping down of te reo Māori, or marginalising our indigenous identity, reflects this government's sad obsession with erasing Te Tiriti o Waitangi and dragging us back to a monocultural past," she said.

Ngarewa-Packer said the move undermined Aotearoa's reputation as a leading nation in recognising indigenous rights.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Perce Harpham: Renewing New Zealand - Part 1

Peter Williams: The Great Aotearoa Debate

Bob Edlin: Sean Plunket breaks news of Fire & Emergency Services’ new Kaupapa Māori Proposal

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

11 comments:

Robert Arthur said...

It does seem somewhat absurd that a few battle casualties buried eons ago over a vast area should preclude land use forever. Applied to Europe hardly any land would be available. Very many recorded, structured and maintained graves were disturbed to allow the motorway through Wellington. Should we have gone without that? Polak noted that maori had no regard whatever for burial sites of othr tribes, so any universal maori grief is contrived.
And as for the passports how on earth was the present situation allowed to develop in the first place? Politiciams have been asleep for decades. The proficency of speeches of objection from maori often intrigues. When themes are glibly learned by heart even fools can trot out grand standardised statements.

Anonymous said...

28 Jul: What “anti- maori narrative”? In the wise words of Thomas Sowell: “When people get used to preferential treatment, equal treatment seems like discrimination.” Grow up waatea news. Maori are perfectly capable of winning business on their own merit.

Anonymous said...

Re: the Bay of Islands ToW negotiations 29 Jul - What precisely does this mean, is Goldsmith busily giving away the power of life & death in the area or what? Will we see all the boaties paying rent to the hapu to transit anywhere?

Anonymous said...

At the University of Canterbury, are the academic staff capitulating to the administration staff, or are they both so indoctrinated that they can't see how absurd this matauranga Maori crap is, and how the rest of the world universities are in disbelief at their stupidity for allowing this cultural override of universal standards?
It sure as hell makes UoC papers useless in the real world.

Robert Arthur said...

1 Aug. With all the electoral hgh jinks at mManurewa it is ironic that TPM are so quick to challenge the latest govt actions/non actions.

Anonymous said...

Aug 2 - Why a members bill for formalising the name of our country? Why can’t the govt just introduce law and vote on it? A members bill may never get pulled from the biscuit tin. Winston just scored a headline many people will like, but we don't actually get any change whatsoever.

Ray S said...

I wonder who is paying for the Te Pati action in the high court.
Silly question maybe?
Auckland tourism celebrating maori and pacifica heritage.
Surely the one million "others" warrant a mention about their heritage. After all, most of the "others" built the place from the ground up?
Far North District Council promoting use of Te Reo and other Maori practices at meetings. Council going all woke up there.
All this crap is like a cancer spreading and there is no cure apart from excising.

Ray S said...

I visited a Westpac branch bank on Friday and while waiting in the ever extending queue I noticed a large sign on the wall behind the tellers offering scholarships to Maori and Pacifica students,
I started to take a photo but quickly advised to stop and leave.
No mention of scholarships for "other" students.

glan011 said...

I am SO OVER all this proMori rubbish.

anonymous said...

This issue - though important - is not part of the formal Coalition agreement between National and NZF or ACT. Maybe Winston knows Luxon would not support it as a Coalition bill now as it could " offend" Maori" - which is to be avoided at all costs for the PM. This is the probable explanation. This issue will never be resolved till NZF and ACT hold the reins of power as a majority.

Anonymous said...

Ray S, the Westpac have been offering exclusive scholarships on a racist basis for some years.

On that basis, I will never use any Westpac services for anything.
I suggest everyone boycott Westpac until they stop this obnoxious apartheid practice.