maori - who gave you permission to speak

I didn't support using TPK money to bolster the Maori TV bid to provide free to air coverage for the Rugby World Cup. But i never expected coleman and co to do what they have done.

If you want to know where maori stand in our country this is a good example - they don't stand - unless they get permission!

It isn't about coverage, it isn't even about money - it is about elections, and racism and votes and sadly in this country if you back maori you get shafted by the voting public - or so national and labour think.

But we have been here before and we will keep fighting for right and our rights.

"Maori TV chief executive Jim Mather says the channel will continue to fight the Government for the rights to screen the Rugby World Cup, and will use money from wealthy iwi and corporate groups to outbid it.


The Government's last-minute financial backing of a rival TVNZ bid was an "affront to Maori", he said.

It was a much wider issue for Maori than just the television rights.


"What is on the line here is Maori aspiration and positioning in New Zealand in 2009 and beyond."


Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman said he was hopeful Maori TV could be part of the TVNZ led "consortium" bid, under which TVNZ and TV3 would broadcast the best games.


But Mr Mather said this was "throwing Maori TV the crumbs" and there was little chance of it being involved. The value to Maori TV was in having the exclusive rights, requiring viewers to switch over, rather than staying behind the major networks.

"It is deliberately structured to be wholly untenable and unattractive for Maori TV."


Mr Mather said its bid had been "kneecapped" by National ministers who had passed "commercially confident information" about its bid so TVNZ could outbid it. He refused to name the ministers."

I think minister coleman is about to get a big wakeup - he needs one especially after the melissa lee afair and his part in that and now this.

Can anyone tell me who they think is a decent minister in this cabinet? i cannot think of one. And these are the dumbarses deciding what happens with this country. LOL.

Good analysis from BB here and here the Standard here and here

My thoughts on the whole thing - well this is a comment i wrote on another blog a week ago.

I’m not worried about ‘taxpayers’ money but i am concerned about this. What is the point? I believe that the leverage maori have, should be used to boycott the rugby world cup and all maori activity around it, until maori get the recognition and actuality of their rights. I know some will hate that – what about the sport, what about our international reputation but i say – how long are you going to take being shafted by the ‘colonist’. How many chances do maori get to apply leverage? Most times the majority of the people here don’t give a stuff about maori. It is time to wake up and put the line in the sand and say NO MORE. Forget the rugby, forget the embarassment – this country should be ashamed of the way maori are treated. They steal, they lie, they laugh – well it’s time to put the boot on the other foot! It is time to make a stand FOR maori and maori rights, and the rugby world cup is the perfect spot to do it.

 They dig up our dead to extend the runway at the airport so more people can come to the rugby – did they care about our dead?