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Saturday, March 14, 2026

Breaking Views Update: Week of 8.3.26







Saturday March 14, 2026 

News:
Gisborne councillors back Lytton Rd waste centre plan as mana whenua oppose it

Gisborne is a step closer to taking control of regional waste, but some district councillors expressed “discomfort” over the process.

Councillors voted on a preferred site for developing the regional Refuse Transfer Station and Resource Recovery Centre at a council meeting on Thursday.

However, a mana whenua group, Te Kuri a Tuatai Marae, opposed the site, which was close to their marae.....
See full article HERE

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi not set on rejoining Te Pāti Māori - despite court win
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is not set on rejoining Te Pāti Māori (TPM) despite successfully arguing in the High Court for just that.

The High Court this week ruled that Kapa-Kingi must be reinstated to TPM as her previous expulsion had been unlawful. The party then said it would move to “repatriate” her into the party.

Kapa-Kingi on Thursday said the decision to rejoin was dependent on discussions with her Te Tai Tokerau electorate, with questions over whether the party could be trusted by her rohe.....(paywalled)
See full article HERE

Articles:
Caleb Anderson: Critical Race Theory - At what price?

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 March 13, 2026 

News:
Government bails out Bay of Plenty kiwifruit project with second PGF loan

The Government has extended a second loan to a struggling Bay of Plenty kiwifruit development through the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF). It brings total Crown support for the project to $8 million.

An extra $3m loan was granted to Te Whānau A Maruhaeremuri Hapu Trust, which had already received a $5m loan through the PGF to develop 33.8 hectares of green kiwifruit orchards at Raukōkore Waihau Bay.

The move was approved at the end of 2024 but only came to light after an Official Information Act request, as part of BusinessDesk’s Business of Food series.....(paywalled)
See full article HERE

Elegant solution’ to Hopuhopu puzzle: Roads on returned land could stay under iwi control
A cultural sticking point around roads on iwi land in Hopuhopu may have found an “elegant solution”.

Waikato Tainui’s long-term plan is to build 250 homes in the north Waikato area, and normally the development’s roads would be vested in the council once they’re finished.

But this case concerns land once seized from Waikato Tainui and later returned, and the Māori Queen has decreed that no further land should be given up - including the Hopuhopu roads.....
See full article HERE

Federated Farmers challenge new Iwi cultural values
Federated Farmers say controversial new requirements for every farmer in Gore to have resource consents assessed against Ngāi Tahu cultural values are excessive and unworkable.

"Creating a parallel approval process will just increase cost, complexity, uncertainty and delays," the organisation’s Southland president Jason Herrick says.

"It’s the council’s job to manage resource consents, not Ngāi Tahu’s. Creating a parallel process through local iwi complicates the situation and divides the community.".....
See full article HERE

Crown progresses Ngāti Ruapani settlement at pace
The first reading for the Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana Claims Settlement Bill has passed today, just weeks after the deed of settlement was signed, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.

“It is good we can move forward with the Ngāti Ruapani settlement, after signing their Deed of Settlement in Tūwai on 25 February.

“It was an honour to welcome and host the people of Ngāti Ruapani today, so that they could witness Parliament passing the first reading of their Bill....
See full article HERE

Hobson’s Pledge Asks Minister To Explain Race-Based Planning Rules In Gore
Hobson’s Pledge has written to the Minister of Local Government, Simon Watts, seeking an explanation for controversial provisions in the Gore District Plan that could require farmers and property owners to satisfy iwi cultural values before undertaking routine land-use activities.

The provisions refer to Ngāi Tahu concepts including mauri, wairua, whakapapa, and utu when assessing activities such as earthworks and farm infrastructure.

Hobson’s Pledge trustee Dr Don Brash says the rules raise serious concerns about fairness and regulatory certainty.....
See full article HERE

Selwyn brings back Mana Whenua representative
Selwyn District Council unanimously voted on Wednesday to invite Te Taumutu Rūnanga to nominate a representative for the council.

The council has specified the “desirable criteria” for the Rūnanga to consider, and once a candidate is nominated, a report will come to the council to confirm the appointment.

The representative will have speaking rights but not voting rights at council meetings....
See full article HERE

Five Māori Students Awarded Te Waiu o Aotearoa Trust Scholarships
Five tauira Māori from across Aotearoa have been named recipients of the 2026 Te Waiu o Aotearoa Trust scholarships, recognising their academic achievements and commitment to contributing to their communities.

The scholarships are awarded annually to support Māori students pursuing tertiary study, with each recipient receiving $5,000 to assist with education costs. The programme was established in 1994 in partnership with Māori and iwi organisations to promote the education and advancement of Māori, particularly in areas such as business, banking and finance.

Administered by Westpac New Zealand on behalf of the Trust, the scholarships aim to support rangatahi who demonstrate leadership potential and a desire to give back to their communities.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
When Did Mythology Become “history”?

Geoff Parker: How Treaty Requirements Quietly Spread Through New Zealand’s Institutions

So Maori claim to be genetically superior

Peter Williams: Why can’t the public decide public interest?

David Farrar: Te Pāti Māori get slaughtered by the High Court

Propaganda:
Dame Naida Glavish Raises Concerns Over Ash Scattering and Calls for Greater Cultural Understanding

Pre-harvest karakia brings together team at Pukerau kiwifruit Orchard

Thursday March 12, 2026 

News:
Urgent Waitangi Tribunal inquiry into government's removal of schools' Treaty obligations
The Waitangi Tribunal has granted urgency to an inquiry into the government's decision to scrap school boards' legal duty to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and reset Te Mātaiaho, the New Zealand Curriculum.

Northland iwi Ngāti Hine and hapū Te Kapotai, alongside the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI), filed the claim in November last year, arguing the changes undermined Māori rangatiratanga, partnership and equity in education.

The claimants say the removal of Treaty obligations from school boards risks causing significant and irreversible harm to Māori learners and their whānau.

In the Waitangi Tribunal's decision, it said the changes had constitutional significance and met the threshold for urgency......
See full article HERE

Articles:
Geoff Parker: Kororareka Unmasked

John Robertson: Army’s Bicultural Policy

Propaganda:
Calls for National Shift Toward Prevention as Climate Risks Intensify for Māori Communities

Former i-SITE Building Set to Become Cultural and Recreation Hub in Rāhui Pōkeka Huntly

Wednesday March 11, 2026 

News:
Te Pāti Māori: Expelled MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi back in party after winning court case
Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa Kingi who was expelled last year amid party turmoil will be reinstated to the party after a winning a court case arguing the expulsion was unfair.

In a just-released decision, Justice Paul Radich said her suspension was unlawful “in the pure sense of that word” and breached “kawa”, the party’s protocols.

In a statement, Te Pāti Māori said it respected the court decision and “we will be moving forward with repatriating of Mariameno Kapa-Kingi back into the pāti”.....
See full article HERE

Army’s entire bicultural policy on hold amid apparent Defence Force confusion
The Minister of Defence and the Army paused the cultural framework. Now they are talking about pausing the entire bicultural policy. David Fisher reports.

A former Army officer claims there is confusion all the way to the top of the Defence Force over its bicultural policy.....(paywalled)
See full article HERE

Councillors shoot down Duncan Garner’s claims of ‘co-governance creep’
Marlborough councillors dismissed claims from commentator Duncan Garner that their recognition of an iwi environment plan is evidence of “co-governance creep” happening “by stealth”.

Garner’s comments came up at the council’s environment and planning committee meeting on Thursday, where councillors unanimously voted to recognise Ngāti Kuia’s iwi environmental management plan, Ngā Kanohi Kārearea.

The plans set out an iwi's values and priorities for resource management in their whenua. Under the Resource Management Act, councils had to take these documents into account when making planning decisions.....
See full article HERE

Charges dismissed against Te Wehi Ratana over Te Papa Treaty protest
Charges against activist Te Wehi Heketoro Ratana relating to a protest at Te Papa’s Treaty of Waitangi exhibition have been dismissed after the Crown withdrew the prosecution ahead of a scheduled jury trial.

Ratana had been facing charges of intentional damage and obstructing a Police officer, with the matter set down for a firm jury trial beginning on 30 March 2026.

He was one of two people charged in relation to the action and had previously been remanded in custody at Rimutaka Prison following the incident.

The Crown reviewed the prosecution and held discussions with defence counsel Julia Spelman about issues likely to arise at trial.

While prosecutors said there remained sufficient evidence to proceed with both charges, the Crown Solicitor ultimately determined it was not in the public interest for the case to go before a jury.

Both charges were dismissed this morning by the Judge under s 147 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011, bringing the prosecution to an end......
See full article HERE

Articles:
David Farrar: $156k of science funding for a Kumara patch!

Michael Laws: The NZ Medical Council’s Attempt To Impose Marxist & Racist Demands

Propaganda:
Our Changing World: Iwi-led conservation in the Kaimai Mamuku ranges

Growing Concerns Over Scattering Ashes on Whenua and Waterways

New Bilingual Alphabet Book Celebrates Strength of Wāhine

First Nations leaders head to England to raise treaty concerns with King Charles

Tuesday March 10, 2026 

News:
Wai Manawa Whenua Appeals High Court Decision On Crown Treaty Assurances
Wai Manawa Whenua says the decision leaves unresolved serious questions about the legal status of assurances the Crown provides to the courts when addressing Treaty obligations.

Wai Manawa Whenua has lodged an appeal to the Court of Appeal following the recent High Court decision in its freshwater case against the Crown, saying the ruling raises significant constitutional questions about whether assurances given by the Crown to Māori can be legally enforced.

The High Court found that assurances given by the Crown during the Mixed Ownership Model (MOM) litigation were limited to that programme and did not mean the Crown was legally obligated to recognise Māori rights and interests in freshwater. The Court also found that the remedies sought would interfere with Parliament’s role in developing policy and the introduction of legislation.

Monday March 9, 2026 

News:
203 New Rental Homes Planned for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Land in Mount Albert


For Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the project forms part of the iwi’s broader strategy of developing land assets across Tāmaki Makaurau to generate revenue and support social, economic and housing outcomes for the hapū. Tribal property developments are designed to create long-term income streams while contributing to housing supply in the region.

The Mount Albert development highlights the growing role of iwi partnerships in addressing housing challenges across Auckland, particularly as demand for long-term rental accommodation continues to rise.

Once completed, the project is expected to deliver more than 200 new homes to the city’s rental market while strengthening collaboration between Māori landowners and private housing developers in delivering large-scale urban housing solutions.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Geoff Parker: New Zealand’s Land History - Beyond the ‘Stolen Land’ Slogan.

Propaganda:
How university became home

Sandy Morrison: Bringing Indigenous thought to the IPCC

Te reo Māori boom in schools fuels staffing shortages and long waitlists

Sunday March 8, 2026 

News:
Department of Corrections aims for rongoā Māori services in 14 priso
ns
Rongoā Māori services could be rolled out at prisons across the country, including the Whanganui site at Kaitoke.

On February 24, the Department of Corrections posted a “future procurement opportunity” notice on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) website, saying it planned to procure services to be delivered at 14 prison sites for up to five years.

Rongoā is traditional Māori medicine, including herbal remedies, physical therapies and spiritual healing.....
See full article HERE

Bunnings to introduce facial recognition tech in all stores
Hardware retailer Bunnings is introducing facial recognition technology across stores to target repeat offenders, and reduce violence against staff and customers.

Bunnings will begin a phased rollout of the technology, starting with two Hamilton locations — Te Rapa and Hamilton South — by mid-April, the retailer said in a statement on Saturday.

The assessment process included consultations with a Māori sovereignty expert, and tikanga Māori principles had been built into the framework, the Bunnings statement said.....
See full article HERE

Propaganda:
Global Conflict Raises Economic Concerns for Māori Businesses and Whānau

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

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not only have Bunnings management gone extremely woke by getting permission from Maori to install security cameras, but look at the labels on rows within their stores in synthetic te reo.

Why have the Australian owners gone the brown way ?

I have told my local bunnings that I will swap over to supporting Mitre 10 unless they stop this bullshit.

Anonymous said...

So, Bunnings have now gone all 'woke', too? Why on earth are they consulting a "Maori sovereignty expert", or are they bowing to the lie that Maori didn't cede sovereignty and therefore conventional laws of the land may not apply? With tikanga included, does that mean utu is all good if a product fails, and will the ' store policy' differ depending on location? And, did they consult the Waitangi Tribunal, and is this not systemic racism/unconscious bias in action - suggesting it's Maori that do most of the theiving and therefore they need to be "consulted"? Or perhaps, is it that recording facial tattoos may invoke copyright and cultural appropriation issues? Whatever - but the person in Bunnings who thought this 'consultation' was 'all good and appropriate' needs to be demoted or, better still, sacked.

Anonymous said...

Never mind the woke bit - the customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Having paid, was leaving store today complete with two bags and a large, long, unwieldy 11kg ladder. Was stopped by young male employee. Was he offering to help me to the car with my load of purchases? No - he made me drop everything, fish in my wallet for my till receipt so he could scan it to see I wasn’t nicking anything and then sent me on my way again! Thanks a bunch Bunnings! I’d been only a couple of metres away from this guy when I’d paid just moments before - obviously no eyes in his head, just a scanner in his hand🙄

Anonymous said...

I am avoiding purchase at Bunnings now. Mitre10 Mega for moi!!!

Anonymous said...

Westpac, if you are listening - I find your advertising promoting Scholarships for Maori only offense - I don't know how you manage to legally gift that privilege and money on a racist basis.
Knowing that it could be some of my money, I will never bank with Westpac.

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