This week the Waitangi Tribunal continued its Te Rohe Pōtae District Inquiry, with the sixth week of hearings held at Aramiro Marae, in Raglan. (The Rohe Pōtae inquiry district ranges from Whaingaroa Harbour in the north, east to the Maraeroa and Wharepuhunga blocks, and south to Taumarunui.) Major issues in
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This week Ngāti Raukawa and five district councils agreed to a management accord which is designed to assist in improving water quality in the Waikato River. This follows the existing agreement between Ngāti Raukawa and the Waikato Regional Council; and parallels similarly-intended agreements between Waikato-Tainui and various Councils.
In accordance with its co-management arrangements with Waikato-Tainui, the Ministry for Primary Industries has now commenced consulting on commercial fishing of tuna (eels) from the Waikato River. The proposals include establishing rules for rāhui, and increasing the minimum size limits for commercially harvested fish. Consultation closes on 23 October.
This week a number of Māori media outlets have reported concerns relating to the operations of the Kōhanga Reo National Trust (‘National Trust’). The concerns have have been raised by some Kōhanga Reo associated to the National Trust. This follows the dismissal of the National Trust’s former Chief Executive, Titoki
On the 29 August the Ministry of Education updated its website to include a ‘refreshed’ Māori education strategy entitled, Ka Hikitia Accelerating Success 2013-2017 (‘Ka Hikitia II’). This was followed by a second document, Tau Mai Te Reo – The Māori Language in Education Strategy 2013-2107, which was released on
On Wednesday the Māori Women’s Welfare League 62nd annual conference commenced in Whakatāne. The focus of the four-day conference is ‘Wellbeing for Women and their Children’. The League will also discuss a new draft constitution. Last Thursday Ngāti Porou and 2degrees agreed to establish a community fund that will utilise
• Tina Porou has been appointed to the Waste Advisory Board. • Rahui Papa has been appointed chairman for the Waikato-Tainui executive committee Te Arataura. • Darcy Nicholas has received the 2013 National Creative Māori Art Supreme Award, at the Creative New Zealand – Te Waka Toi awards.
• On Tuesday the Vulnerable Children Bill was introduced in parliament. This bill “forms part of a series of measures to protect and improve the well-being of vulnerable children”. Refer to pānui edition 28/2013 for further details on this policy area. • On Wednesday the third reading of the Gambling (Gambling Harm
Last week the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, announced funding changes for various educational initiatives within the school sector. This is essentially the allocation of existing funding within Vote: Education. A number of the programmes being resourced will focus on Māori. We advise key items to note are listed below.
Yesterday the Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister, Steven Joyce, announced three significant changes in the tertiary education sector. First he announced, jointly with the Minister of Social Development, Paula Bennett, that from the end of this year the Government would no longer fund training opportunities programmes. These programmes are
Last week a report entitled, Addressing the Drivers of Crime¸ was released by the Government. This followed a joint media statement about this work which was released a week earlier by the Minister of Justice, Judith Collins, and Minster of Māori Affairs, Dr Pita Sharples. Their media statement was essentially
Last week the Minister of Finance, Bill English, released a consultation document on ‘flexi-superannuation’. This is a policy proposal of the United Future Party, and the National Government had agreed to consult on the topic. By way of background, presently all New Zealanders become eligible for superannuation at age 65.
• Last month Sealord sold its unsuccessful and unprofitable Argentinian fishing subsidy, Yuken SA. The result is an asset write-off said to be circa $35 million. Sealord is effectively 50% owned by Māori – via iwi ownership of Aotearoa Fisheries Limited. This is a major economic setback, and we will therefore
This week the Chair of Sealords, Matanuku Mahuika, indicated that the company may need to abandon its Argentinean subsidy, Yuken SA, as the Argentina fishing operations are not profitable. This could result in an asset write-off of circa $35 million. Sealords is effectively 50% Māori / iwi owned.
• Last Friday Te Puni Kōkiri began seeking proposals from organisations interested in becoming one of the three Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies. For details on this matter refer to Pānui edition 25/2013. Proposals are sought by 20 September. • On Monday Shane Jones (Ngāpuhi) announced his candidacy for the forthcoming Labour Party