• On Sunday Ralph Hotere ONZ (acclaimed artist) passed away, aged 81 years. • Sir Michael Cullen has been appointed as an independent advisor to assist in implementing recommendations of the Waitangi Tribunal’s report on the Kōhanga Reo Claim (Wai 2336: Matua Rautia). The appointment of an independent advisor was a recommendation
Day: March 4, 2013
Last week Ngāti Hauā (a Waikato iwi) signed an Agreement in Principle to settle historic Treaty grievances with the Crown. The agreement includes financial and commercial redress of $13 million.
This week Tainui Group Holdings Chairman, Sir Henry van der Heyden, indicated that the holding company should manage the additional financial redress – circa $70 million – the iwi has received for its Treaty settlement. This redress arises from a relativity clause in the original 1995 settlement being activated late
On Thursday the Environmental Protection Authority released its final decision allowing New Zealand King Salmon consent for four additional salmon farms in Queen Charlotte and Marlborough Sounds. (By way of background, in 2011 New Zealand King Salmon applied for nine additional aqua-farm contents.) The King Salmon proposal attracted 1,400 submissions,
On Wednesday the Supreme Court released its decision to dismiss an appeal by the New Zealand Maori Council and Waikato River and Dams Claims Trust, which sought to halt the partial privatisation of Mighty River Power. The five judges were unanimous in their decision concluding that, “the partial privatisation of
A University of Otago study published last week has found differences in health outcomes between Māori and New Zealand Europeans in regards to hospital care. The study is entitled Ethnic disparities in the quality of hospital care in New Zealand, as measured by 30-day rate of unplanned readmission/death. The researchers
On Tuesday the Minister of Labour, Simon Bridges, announced that the minimum wage would be increased from $13.50 to $13.75 per hour, commencing 1 April. This is effectively a $10 per-week increase to $550 for a full-time worker on this rate; which is an additional $520 per annum (or $28,600
This week the Supreme Court has been hearing the claims related to the ownership of the Waikato riverbed in the Pouakani area. (Note there are three Mighty River Power dams within the area concerned.) This hearing follows a ruling by the Supreme Court in June 2012 that the Crown did
Yesterday the Minister of Corrections, Anne Tolley, announced that over the next two years 2,000 prisoners will be enrolled in a new educational programme, focused on the achievement of NCEA qualifications. The Open Polytechnic will deliver the programme, which includes coaching and distance learning. This is positive for Māori, given
On Tuesday Statistics New Zealand released Births and Deaths: Year ended December 2012. The statistics show a decrease in Māori infant mortality; dropping from 7.0 per 1,000 live births in 2011 to 4.7 per 1,000 live births in 2012. (In whole numbers, in 2012 82 Māori infants under one died,
On Tuesday Associate Minister of Health, Tariana Turia, announced the Government will introduce legislation to put tobacco products into plain packaging. The plain packaging policy has been led by the Māori Party and will be supported by the National Party, as agreed in the parties 2011 Relationship Accord. (This measure
This week New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, has questioned the appropriateness of the Ministry of Health’s funding of rongoā. (The Ministry spends circa $1.9 million on rongoā initiatives per year.) Mr Peter’s questions relate to both whether there is an evidential basis for rongoā practices, and the quality of