Breaking Views Update: Week of 27.9.26

Saturday October 3, 2026 

News:
Only Iwi Reps Keep Voting Rights On Taranaki Committees
Iwi representatives will be the only non-elected members still able to vote on Taranaki Regional Council committees - but farmers will lose their vote.

A fortnight ago local government minister Simon Watts had a law passed to ban voting by people appointed to council committees, saying limiting voting to elected councillors would strengthen democratic accountability.

Amongst those losing voting rights are iwi and hapū representatives appointed to councils across the country, most notably at Far North District Council.

Councils must bring the ban into effect within six months – but it doesn’t apply to appointments made under Treaty of Waitangi settlements.

Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) has three iwi representatives on its policy and operations committees, thanks to the Treaty settlement laws of Ngāruahine, Taranaki and Te Ātiawa.

The three 2016 settlement laws share identical clauses “to provide an effective mechanism for the iwi of Taranaki to contribute to the decision-making processes of the Council”.

The purpose is for the region’s eight iwi to have direct and effective representation in “a wide range of the Council’s policy, regulatory, and advocacy functions”.....
See full article HERE

Mayor Calls For Political Commitment To Restore The Chateau
Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton is calling for political commitment to restore the Category 1 heritage-listed Chateau Tongariro Hotel, citing strong public support and its potential to create jobs, stimulate growth and support much-needed regional development – demolition should be off the table. 

Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton is calling for political commitment to restoring the Chateau Tongariro Hotel, saying reports that demolition remains an option will upset the thousands of people who have supported saving the Category 1 heritage-listed landmark.

“The prospect that one of New Zealand’s few defining architectural landmarks may still be pulled down, despite a path to restoration at no cost to taxpayers and with significant public and economic benefits, will deeply trouble many people.

“There is an opportunity to work with iwi on a future that brings together heritage protection, Treaty partnership, cultural aspirations and economic development. A restored Chateau and revitalised village could demonstrate what that partnership can achieve for future generations.”.....
See full article HERE

EXCLUSIVE: New $11.5m sports facility named, blessed at dawn ceremony
East Auckland’s newest sports facility has received its official name and been blessed at a dignified traditional ceremony attended by more than 100 people this morning, October 2.

The Highbrook Regional Watersports Centre is located at Highbrook Esplanade Reserve in Lady Fisher Place and provides access to the Tamaki River.

It’s being built by Aspec Construction and will have cost about $11.5 million to develop by the time it’s ready to open.

Parts of the outside of the building are adorned with large artworks provided by local iwi Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki.

The watersports centre has been gifted the name Te Wai o Uru, or Te Waiouru, for the Waiouru Peninsula, which is another name for Highbrook.....
See full article HERE

Gisborne programme a pathway to creating waka hourua expertise, leadership
A $300,000 grant has allowed Tairāwhiti Voyaging Trust to launch a research programme aimed at expanding and sustaining kaupapa waka knowledge and expertise among rangatahi.

The Kia Rau Tāngata Ai programme is helping young people better understand how learning, leadership and responsibility are developed through mahi waka.

It has been made possible by a $300,000 grant from the National Centre of Research Excellence Coastal People: Southern Skies – a University of Otago-based collaborative initiative aimed at connecting, understanding and restoring coastal ecosystems of New Zealand and the Pacific through transformative research, local action and learning pathways.

Kia Rau Tāngata Ai – which translates to “so that we are many” – reflects Tairāwhiti Voyaging Trust’s (TVT) aspiration “to grow the people, knowledge and leadership required to sustain kaupapa waka in the region for years to come”.....
See full article HERE

Kawerau subdivision names honour iwi ancestors
The names used in a new housing development at Stoneham Park in Kawerau tell the story of the area’s history and whakapapa.

Tūwharetoa mai Kawerau ki te Tai gifted the names, with Kawerau District adopting them at a meeting this week.

The development is to be named Manaia.

Manaia is the name given to the iwi’s eponymous chief, Tūwharetoa, at his birth.

Street names Rākei Marama Road, Manaia Wharepū Drive, and Hinewhariua Place, reflect the firstborn offspring from each of Tūwharetoa’s three wives.....
See full article HERE

'Deeply sorry': Psychology groups apologise for racism towards Māori
Two professional psychology organisations have apologised to Māori for the harm caused by racism within the discipline of psychology.

The joint apology from the New Zealand Psychological Society Rōpū Mātai Hinengaro o Aotearoa (NZPsS) and the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists (NZCCP) is for the structural racism and monoculturalism inherent within the discipline of psychology, which has its origins in 19th century Europe.

NZCCP president Clare Couch said that research over the past 40 years has found evidence of the negative effect of applying the assumptions and methodologies developed for a Western population to Māori, that this has often caused harm to Māori wishing to train as psychologists, to Māori who work as psychologists, and to Māori who wish to access psychological services.

"For this we are deeply sorry and apologise without reservation for the harms done to Māori by the discipline, as well as our failure to prevent these," she said.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Clive Bibby: The Nation Building Conundrum

Simon O'Connor: Apparently Fingernails Are Colonialist

Propaganda:
Who Owns the Future? Māori Leadership Takes Centre Stage in the AI Revolution

‘They killed the case before it was heard’: Smith backs EU climate complaint

Waititi Turns Hobson’s Pledge Attack Into Election Rallying Cry

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 October 2, 2026
News:
New poll of Māori voters shows strategic voting may be sinking in
A new poll suggests the call for strategic voting from Te Pāti Māori may be working, for about half of its supporters.

Support for the Green Party from voters on the Māori roll has surged, according to a new poll.

The party's support from Māori roll voters has increased 17 percentage points since the 2023 campaign, making it the most popular party for voters to give their party vote to, according to the Horizon research poll commissioned by Mata Reports.....

See full article HERE

Articles:
Pee Kay: It has now ballooned out to a massive $1.093 billion!

Propaganda:
This has been the most anti-Māori and anti-Treaty Government in living memory

Poll says Māori are turning to the Greens for their party vote

Thursday October 1, 2026 

News:
Name for new joint Water Organisation confirmed
Tāheke – Bay Waters Limited has been confirmed as the name for the new joint Water Organisation being established by Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council to deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services across the sub-region.

Tāheke speaks to the flow of water descending or flowing down. From drops of rain, to mighty rapids and powerful waterfalls, Tāheke describes the flow of water across our natural environment and landscape.

For tangata whenua, wai is a living taonga -an ancestor with its own mauri and mana - woven through our whakapapa and inseparable from the health of our people and whenua. Tāheke speaks to the journey of wai ki uta ki tai, from the mountains to the sea, connecting communities and ecosystems along the way. The name calls us to make decisions that honour those who came before us and safeguard the wellbeing of generations yet to come…
See full article HERE

Mount Egmont or Taranaki Maunga?
The mountain is Taranaki Maunga (formerly Mount Egmont). Since 1 April 2025 Taranaki Maunga has been its official name, and Mount Egmont is the former one.

James Cook named the mountain Mount Egmont on 11 January 1770. From 29 May 1986 its official name was “Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont”, and I grew up in Stratford hearing both. The Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Act 2025 settled it. Since 1 April 2025, Taranaki Maunga and its neighbouring peaks have been recognised in New Zealand law as a legal person, Te Kāhui Tupua. The national park, formerly Egmont National Park, is now called Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Kerry Butler: Should Our Country be Named Aotearoa

Bob Edlin: Yes, voters favoured scrapping the Maori Health Authority....

Propaganda:
Researcher explores perception of rāhui in tourism

A constitution in question: new book argues case for reform

Members emerge from NZNO conference vowing to ‘fight, fight, fight’ for a safer health system

Wednesday September 30, 2026 

News:
Former Kaipara Mayor pushes for district to quit key Northland climate committee
Councillor Craig Jepson has lodged a notice of motion for Kaipara District Council (KDC)’s extraordinary meeting on Wednesday , arguing the governance structure of Northland’s Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee (JCCAC) undermines democratic accountability by giving voting rights to unelected members and allowing the body to continue across election cycles.

Stratford said iwi/hapū representation had been part of the committee from its outset when established by Northland’s four councils, rather than a later add-on.

Meanwhile, the committee’s iwi and hapū representatives include deputy chairwoman and FNDC representative Nyze Manuel, WDC representative Delaraine Armstrong and alternate Hinemoa Apetera, and NRC representative George Riley and alternate Rowan Tautari......
See full article HERE

Ngāi Tahu recruits Movac to boost its $40m-and-counting investments in tech start-ups
Ngāi Tahu – the iwi economy’s second-largest player by assets – has recruited New Zealand’s biggest venture capital firm, Movac, to scout for tech investments and manage deals.

Movac will lead the “sourcing, management, and execution of high-growth, disruptive investments” as the South Island tribe’s commercial.....(paywalled).
See full article HERE

Nelson Airport declares robust annual result
The unveiling of cultural design installation Aorere Ararau in March was a significant milestone for the airport's relationship with iwi, and its evolving approach to representing the character and stories of the region. "Customer experience remains central to what we do, and initiatives such as the waka installation bring a uniquely Whakatū-Nelson essence to that experience."....
See full article HERE

Ending the Waitangi Make-Work Industry - NZ First
New Zealand First will table legislation within the first 100 days after the next election to immediately abolish the Waitangi Tribunal, and replace it with the Treaty of Waitangi Completion Commission.

The Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal has become a make-work organisation – now hearing any and all claims that in a former time would’ve been dismissed on application as being inappropriate.

Many claims before the tribunal are directly contesting the right of a mandated parliament to pass laws.

That is a direct semi-judicial threat against the very essence of our democracy....
See full article HERE

The economic value of te reo Māori - BERL
Te reo Māori is strengthening workforce participation, income outcomes, and economic opportunities across Aotearoa New Zealand

Te reo Māori has long been recognised as a taonga that strengthens identity, culture, and connection across Aotearoa. Research commissioned by Te Māngai Pāho suggests it is also becoming an increasingly important economic asset. Speakers of te reo Māori are becoming more visible in the workforce, income outcomes are improving, and demand for reo Māori capability is growing across a range of sectors.....
See full article HERE

'Cultural centre': Iwi keen to demolish Chateau Tongariro, build something new
Talk around the future of Chateau Tongariro appears to be at a crossroads as iwi favour demolition, while the Department of Conservation (DoC) recommends further work on a long-term lease.

DoC has spent more than $4.5 million maintaining Chateau Tongariro since it shut in early 2023, after seismic assessments raised safety concerns about the hotel.

To date, feedback from Treaty partners indicates concerns regarding insufficient DOC process, not upholding Treaty settlement commitments, and constraining a future Treaty settlement, as well as a general preference for demolition and possible replacement,” the briefing read.

Officials said Treaty partners wanted to “reimagine the future” for Whakapapa Village, including requests for a “master plan” from Patutokotoko, Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro, and Whakapapa Holdings, the latter of which runs the Whakapapa skifield on Mount Ruapehu.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Geoff Parker: The NZ Herald's Cherry-Picked History.

Propaganda:
Coalition parties want to 'bury' Waitangi Tribunal for exposing Treaty breaches - Lady Tureiti Moxon

Chris Hipkins on Te Tiriti and Labour’s position on a Treaty Commission

Tuesday September 29, 2026

News:
PM Christopher Luxon says ‘very legitimate question’ about Waitangi Tribunal
The Prime Minister is refusing to be drawn before the election on whether National would get rid of the Waitangi Tribunal.

It follows Saturday’s announcement from National’s coalition partner NZ First that the party would abolish the tribunal if re-elected, replacing it with a body tasked with completing historical treaty claims.

The proposed Treaty of Waitangi Completion Commission would finalise all claims made before 2008 before being disbanded.

Asked for National’s take during his appearance on Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast, Christopher Luxon said once Treaty settlements had been concluded there was “a very legitimate question” about the tribunal’s role.

“Our election policy is the role of the Waitangi Tribunal will have to change because post-Treaty settlements, the purpose it was originally created for will no longer exist.”

But National was not in a position to say whether it would be completely dismantled, Luxon said.

He referred back to a review of the tribunal, which has been completed but will not be released before the election. The review was part of the coalition agreement between NZ First and National.

“I want to see that review and I want that to be understood and talked about in Cabinet properly.”.....
See full article HERE

$2 million to complete Rotorua museum makeover
The Government has announced a further investment in Rotorua’s well-known Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa, with $2 million to progress the facility’s ongoing restoration.

Regional Development Minister, Shane Jones, joined other dignitaries, stakeholders and the community at an event in Rotorua today to mark a milestone in the journey of the museum.

Restoration and seismic strengthening work on the museum is now complete, with its reopening on track for August 2028.

“The Government backed this project when the future of this grand building was uncertain, and we’re backing it again with a further $2 million grant through the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to complete the permanent exhibition fit-out phase ahead of reopening,” Mr Jones says.

“This final investment will help bring the museum back to life, ensuring local and international visitors can once again experience around 1600 taonga Māori and 60,000 collection items held within these walls.”.....
See full article HERE

‘Time To Grow Up’: Rotorua Councillors Clash Over Reserve Transfers
Administration of a popular Lake Tarawera reserve will be transferred to iwi as Rotorua Lakes Council approves a long-running proposal after a spiky debate.

But a decision on whether to do the same for Centennial Parkland occupied by the Rotorua Thermal Holiday Park was delayed until next month.

Waitōharuru, better known as Tarawera Landing, provides public access to Lake Tarawera and includes lakeside facilities and The Landing cafe.

The issue has been bouncing around council, iwi and government agencies for years.

In 2017, the council backed the return of reserve land occupied by holiday park to the Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust, which represents the interests of Ngāti Whakaue.

In 2020, it also agreed to pass administration of Tarawera Landing to Tūhourangi Tribal Authority, as mana whenua for the Tarawera area.

The Crown-owned land is administered by the council under the Reserves Act.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
David Farrar: ACT’s Waitangi Tribunal policy

Propaganda:
Alliance Party Backs Te Tiriti Centred Constitutional Reform

RMA Overhaul: Linda Te Aho Puts Te Tiriti, Taiao And Kaitiakitanga Under The Microscope

'Very short-sighted' - Lady Tureiti Moxon hits back at rejection of stand-alone Māori Health Authority

Monday September 28, 2026

News:
Waitangi Tribunal finds Crown had no clear plan for Māori health after scrapping Te Aka Whai Ora
The Waitangi Tribunal has found the Government had no clear alternative plan for Māori health when it scrapped Te Aka Whai Ora - the Māori Health Authority.

The second part of the Hautupua: Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) Priority Report was released on Friday, and examined the Crown’s process for developing plans to address Māori health in place of a Māori health authority.

The Tribunal found the Crown:....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Bob Edlin: Maori Party announces a pot of gold....

Video:
Pee Kay: A vote for TOP is a vote for even more division!

Propaganda:
There’s room for everyone on the reo waka

Sunday September 27, 2026 

News:
NZ First vow to 'immediately abolish' Waitangi Tribunal if elected
New Zealand First has pledged to replace the Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal if elected, calling the board a "make-work organisation".

Speaking from Tauranga's Holy Trinity Church at a public meeting this afternoon, Winston Peters said the party would "immediately abolish" the tribunal, creating the Treaty of Waitangi Completion Commission as an alternative.

The Completion Commission would review all claims made prior to 2008, "after which time its work will be finished".

During the first 100 days in government, NZ First would table all legislation in order to focus on the Waitangi Tribunal amendments.

Peters said the current organisation was not fit for purpose or appropriate in today's political environment.....
See full article HERE

$2m grant secures Matakana Island lifeline
The Government is investing $2.01 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund to upgrade Matakana Island’s Opureora Wharf, the island’s only vehicle and freight gateway, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson say

The total $2.9m project will extend the existing seawall, widen and seal the loading area, formalise loading and parking, improve stormwater management, and install safety barriers and associated roading improvements.

“This combined investment will mean the coastal edge below Opureora Marae is protected from erosion, safeguarding both the marae and critical transport infrastructure,” Mr Patterson says.

Championed by the Opureora Marae Committee, the project will be delivered by Western Bay of Plenty District Council in partnership with the committee and relevant landowners.

Matakana Island lies within the rohe of Ngāi Te Rangi and is closely associated with Ngāti Tauaiti and Ngāi Tūwhiwhia.

The Māori Climate Platform, administered by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport, has previously announced funding of $700,000 towards the seawall works. Western Bay of Plenty District Council has also committed $200,000....
See full article HERE

Government has no plans to revisit stand-alone Māori health authority, Doocey says
The Government says it has no intention to revisit a stand-alone Māori health authority in the wake of a critical Waitangi Tribunal report.

The tribunal has found the Government had no clear alternative plan for Māori health when it scrapped Te Aka Whai Ora.

Associate Minister of Health Matt Doocey said the Government had continued to progress its approach to Māori health, including through Whiria Te Ora / the Māori Health Strategy, since the period the tribunal considered....
See full article HERE

Historic Tairāwhiti Poukai: 800 visitors expected at Te Poho-o-Rāwiri Marae
A local iwi is preparing for a “once-in-a-lifetime” event for Tairāwhiti.

Two years after an initial tono (request), Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki received confirmation in October 2025 that five marae would be part of the Poukai circuit.

Poukai is the travelling court of Māori Queen Te Arikinui Kuiini Nga wai hono i te po, featuring more than 30 annual gatherings throughout Te Ika-a-Māui for shared kōrero and kai.

The tono was put forward after rangatahi approached Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki elders, wanting to know how they could support the new Kuīni.....
See full article HERE

Articles:
Rodney Hide: The model you can’t read

Geoff Parker: Wangarei, Wangaree Or Whangarei?

David Round: Forest and Bird Drift Left

Video:
Dame Elizabeth Rata: Episode 4 - Secularism and Moral Instruction

Propaganda:
Report Card: The policies which the Government didn’t campaign on but did anyway

Three Years Later — What Did The Coalition Years Mean For Māori?

The RMA Is Gone — But What Does Its Replacement Mean For Māori?

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.