This week the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services released its quarterly report on vulnerable families. The fifteen page report compiles official statistics relating to wages, unemployment, social welfare and housing. It also offers a commentary on various trends in these sectors. Although all data in this report is
Day: August 6, 2012
Charter Schools – Kura Hourua On Thursday the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, and Associate Minister of Education, John Banks, provided further information on protocols for establishing charter schools (which will be known as ‘Partnership Schools’ or ‘Kura Hourua’). Salient features, from a Māori policy perspective, are that the sponsoring
Last week the Māori Affairs Select Committee released its report-back on the Ngāti Manuhiri Claims Settlement Bill. A key feature of this proposed settlement is the vesting of Te Hauturu-o-Toi (Little Barrier Island) for seven days with Ngāti Manuhiri, before the island is gifted back to the people of New
Last week, a private members’ bill proposing an increase to the minimum wage was selected at ballot. The bill, from Labour Party member, David Clark, proposes gradually increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour (it is presently $13.50 per hour). Using Department of Labour and Statistics New Zealand data,
On Thursday the Waitangi Tribunal released its urgent report on Port Nicholson Block (WAI 2235). (This claim was also accepted as urgent in February, and was then heard in mid-June.) The claim was made by the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, representing the interests of Taranaki whānui in the Wellington
On Monday the Waitangi Tribunal released a ‘memorandum-directions’ on WAI 2358. [By way of background this claim was brought by the New Zealand Māori Council, on behalf of five Māori groups. Stage one of the claim was heard last month. This focused on two primary questions. (A) What rights and