This week the Māori Affairs Select Committee has been hearing oral submissions on the proposed Te Ture Whenua Māori legislative reforms. As a part of this process, written submissions made since the Bill was referred to the Committee in May have now been uploaded onto the Parliamentary website. We
Author: Seattle Ropiha
This week Koroneihana celebrations have been held to mark the tenth anniversary of King Tuheitia’s leadership of the Kingitanga movement. A key event within the celebrations is today’s returning of the Rangiriri Pā site to Waikato/Tainui (where a historic New Zealand war battle occurred). Nominations are open for appointments
Last Friday a Manawatū-Whanganui Economic Action Plan was released. The document, entitled Accelerate25, sets out nine thematic areas for economic growth in the region. As with the other regional economic action plans published this year, it has been prepared within the community with local government leadership, and with iwi/Māori
On Thursday the annual report for Te Tumu Paeroa / the Māori Trustee was tabled in Parliament. (This is to the year end 31 March 2016). [By way of background, the Māori Trustee is appointed by the Minister for Māori Development to administer Māori lands on behalf of Māori
This week the Ministry of Health uploaded a one page analysis of funding provided by District Health Boards (DHBs) to Māori health providers, for the five-year period 2010/11 to 2014/15. The Ministry points out that in 2014/15 DHBs collectively allocated circa 1.5% of their Government funding to Māori health
Yesterday the Government reconfirmed that it will establish a new entity, the Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki, which will be operational by next April. This new Ministry will replace the Child, Youth and Family (CYF) service, which is a business unit within the Ministry of Social Development.[1] The
This week Statistics New Zealand released the Household Labour Force Survey results for the quarter to the end of June 2016.[1] The survey shows the national unemployment rate is now 5.1% (it was 5.2% at the end of March.)[2] For Māori the unemployment rate is now 11%, (down from
The trial against Sir Ngatata Love for alleged fraudulent activities continued in Wellington this week. A former Wellington businessman, Shaan Stevens, (who has been convicted of fraud), advised that he received instruction from Lorraine Skiffington to transfer property development funds relating to the business of the Wellington Tenths Trust into
Tony Dowling has been appointed as Chief Executive of Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O Ngāpuhi. He will commence the role in November. Warwick Tauwhare-George (Ngai Tahu, Tainui) has been appointed as Chief Executive of Parininihi Ki Waitotara. Charlie Tepana has been appointed to the board of Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo
On Saturday Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua signed a Deed of Settlement with the Crown to settle all of their historic Treaty of Waitangi claims. The settlement includes commercial and financial redress of $32.5 million. In addition, cultural redress includes the vesting of eight sites of
On Wednesday the final report of the Ngāpuhi Engagement Group was released. The report proposes a new structure to oversee the settlement of all Ngāpuhi historic Treaty of Waitangi claims. The report is entitled, Māranga Mai, and follows on from a draft released in April (Pānui 11/2016 refers), and
This week the Ministry of Education released its Public Achievement Information (PAI) on education participation and outcomes. This is a succinct collection of info graphics which summarize trends in education. The info graphics are easy to read and contain some new Māori specific data from 2015. (Note the Ministry’s
Last Friday members of the iwi leaders’ forum became the first group of signatories to a new ‘Covenant for the Nation’s Children’. This is a non-government/non-legislative bilingual document prepared by Judge Carolyn Henwood. The document promotes a commitment to protecting children from harm, ensuring they are treasured and can enjoy
On Wednesday Parliament voted down the first reading of the Oaths and Declarations (Endorsing the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi) Amendment Bill. This was a Member’s Bill introduced by Māori Party Member, Marama Fox. The desired purpose was to allow provision for people to swear alliance to the
This week Māori Party Member of Parliament, Marama Fox, has indicated that she (and her party) no longer support the bid by former Prime Minister, Helen Clark, to become the Secretary-General of the United Nations. This is a change of political position for the Māori Party. The change is