This week the Wellington High Court ruled against the claim of the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust (Taranaki Whānui) relating to the proposed Treaty settlement between the Crown and Ngāti Toa Rangatira. The Trust had argued that they should have been offered the vesting of Taputeranga Island (not Ngāti Toa),
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This week legal proceedings were heard in the Wellington High Court relating to the Government policy to partially privatise power-generating companies – (via the Public Finance Mixed-Ownership Model Amendment Act 2012) – and the potential impact this could have on Māori rights and interests in freshwater. As background: these companies
On Thursday Statistics New Zealand released the Household Economic (Income) Survey for the year ending June 2012. This is a shortened version of the tri-annual Household Economic Survey, and reports on all people aged 15 years and over. The data shows over half of Māori (53% or 233,400 people aged
On Saturday the Māori Battalion Association will hold their final hui (a remembrance service) in Wellington and dissolve the Association. On Wednesday Statistics NZ published the first edition of ‘Te Waharoa’, which is a catalogue of official Māori social and cultural statistics. On Thursday the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment
Last Sunday the Tainui parliament, Te Kauhanganui, voted to remove their Chairwoman, Tania Martin. We also advise that the Deputy Chair, Bill Takerei has reportedly resigned. Ms Martin was removed both as Chairwoman, and as a member of the organisation. The reason was that she was found to have brought
Parliamentary matters Māori affairs select committee hold oral submissions for two settlement bills This week the Māori Affairs Select Committee heard oral submissions for two treaty settlement bills. Submissions were heard for the Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara Claims Settlement Bill on Tuesday, and for the Waitaha Claims Settlement Bill on
On Wednesday Justice Priestley of the Auckland High Court delivered his findings in relation to Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust’s legal challenge of the Ministry of Social Development’s decision to end its Family Start contract. Justice Priestley found in favour of the defendant (the Attorney-General on behalf of the Ministry),
Last week we advised that a media outlet had obtained, under the Official Information Act, an evaluation of part of the Whānau Ora policy programme which was said to be critical of the administration of the programme. This evaluation, by an independent consultancy, has now been made public, and is
This week one media outlet reported – incorrectly – that the Ministry of Primary Industries had advised the Government that changes to legislation to prohibit foreign chartered vessels from New Zealand might require compensation to iwi fishery quota owners, of up to $300 million. (By way of background, some iwi
On Monday the Māori Economic Development Panel released their proposed Māori economic strategy and action plan (two separate documents). The release included publicly providing the documents to the Minister of Māori Affairs, Dr Sharples, and the Minister of Economic Development, Steven Joyce – with both Ministers then immediately accepting and
Yesterday a media outlet advised that it had a copy of a report that evaluated the Whānau Ora policy programme. The report, prepared for Ministers, is said to be critical of the administration of the programme. The report was provided to the media agency under the Official Information Act. Pānui
Parliamentary matters On Thursday the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill passed its second reading. The Bill proposes ‘to improve’ the operation of local government in New Zealand by removing social and cultural purposes from the role of local councils. Refer to pānui E9/2012 for details. Māori news stories for
Two treaty settlement bills complete third reading On Wednesday the Ngāti Manuhiri Claims Settlement Bill was read in parliament for a third time. The Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Bill includes redress of $9 million, as well as the return of six culturally significant sites. On Thursday the third reading was completed
Yesterday the Land and Water Forum released its third report, Managing Water Quality and Allocating Water. [By way for background, this forum is a group of twenty-one organisations, which is a subgroup of a wider group of sixty organisations with interests in water. The forum includes five iwi entities. Established
On Monday the Climate Change Minister, Tim Groser, announced the Government would shortly be consulting on whether to prohibit some types of international carbon credit ‘units’ from the Emission Trading Scheme. Presently, New Zealand industries that are required to purchase these units to compensate for their emissions (greenhouse gases) can