• 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
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• On Tuesday the committee stage of the Resource Management Reform Bill was completed, and the Bill was reported back, before being divided into three separate Bills. A third reading was then completed. As discussed in Pānui edition 4/2013, key provisions which relate directly to Māori are not being amended. That
Last week the Government released a consultation document on the Māori Community Development Act (1962). This Act sets out the roles and structural arrangements for: (a) the New Zealand Māori Council (including its various District, Executive and other Māori committees); (b) the Māori Wardens; and (c) Community Officers. The consultation
This week the Minister of Social Development, Paula Bennett, announced that she is soon to introduce new legislation into Parliament to enact parts of the Vulnerable Children policy reforms. These reforms were set out in a policy ‘white paper’ released by the Government last October. We have previously advised on
This week it was announced that four scholarships would be offered to Māori seeking training at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre. The scholarships are funded by ASB and Poutama Trust, and are valued at $10,000 each. Applications open on Monday 19 August. Maxine Moana-Tuwhangi has become the Chair of Te Kauhanganui,
On Tuesday Statistics New Zealand released a report on social well-being. The report is entitled The New Zealand General Social Survey: 2012 (NZGSS). The report groups together official statistics to provide an indicative picture of life satisfaction for people aged fifteen years or older. Four indicators are used to assist
On Wednesday Statistics New Zealand released the Household Labour Force Survey results for the quarter to the end of June 2013. The survey shows a slight increase in national unemployment from 6.2% to 6.4% of the labour force. For Māori, the unemployment rate fell from 13.9% to 12.8%. This makes
• Ngāti Kahungunu has indicated the iwi is presently against the construction of the proposed Ruataniwha dam. The dam is being proposed as a water storage scheme for the Heretaunga Plains, and forms a key part of the Government’s irrigation strategy. Ngāti Kahungunu have indicated that the consultation time period was
• On Wednesday the committee stage of the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill was completed, and now awaits a third reading to become law. Pānui edition E21/ 2013 provides a review of this bill and its implications for Māori. • On Wednesday the third reading of the Prohibition of Gang Insignia
Last Friday researchers from the University of Otago published a study on life satisfaction among injured Māori. The study found approximately one-third of injured Māori had low life satisfaction three-months after an injury. The researchers recommend that healthcare providers could work alongside Māori with injuries to address this matter.
Raukawa Claims Settlement Bill On Wednesday the Raukawa Claims Settlement Bill completed its first reading in Parliament. The redress package is valued at circa $63 million and includes the return of culturally historical sites along the Waikato River. The bill was referred to the Māori Affairs Select Committee for further
On Thursday the Ministry of Health published, The New Zealand Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study 2006–2016 (NZBD). This research draws upon data from 2006 to estimate how much ‘healthy life’ is lost across the population due to diseases, injuries and risk factors. The research shows health loss
This week the Social Services Committee reported back on the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Bill. The purpose of the bill is to allow the Government to work with local councils to identify priority areas in which to develop social and/or affordable housing; and then apply a new fast-track
This week the Corrections Minister, Anne Tolley, announced further details on an education strategy being developed for prisoners. Specifically the Minister confirmed four targets; (i) 1,200 youth prisoners to undertake studies contributing towards NCEA Level 2; (ii) 3,000 prisoners to be enrolled in literacy and numeracy programmes; (iii), 2,000 prisoners
Last Thursday the Primary Production Select Committee released its report on the Fisheries (Foreign Charter Vessels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2012. Amongst other items, this Bill seeks to implement the Government’s decision to ban, from 2016, foreign charter vessels (FCVs) from New Zealand waters. This follows incidents of mistreatment