historic moments

Sometimes it's good to stop and take stock and I am optimistic at the moment. Mana has been registered and Hone has won Te Tai Tokerau and will be sworn in as the new member for Mana on Thursday 14 July 2011 at 2pm. Historic days indeed. I have been a bit picky with the Wai 262 report from the Waitangi Tribunal but the significance of the report cannot be underestimated - wouldn't it be great if the powers that be said, " yep! okay we will implement all of the recomendations in total". Imagine how great that would be.

NZH

New commission to hear objections to commercial uses of intellectual property such as the haka. Registrar of haka to be established. Resource Management decisions between tangata whenua and local authorities to be compulsory, formal and proactive. Iwi and hapu would not have ownership rights to indigenous species, but reasonable protection would be given to knowledge of flora and fauna. Maori advisory committee to work with Commissioners of Patents and of Plant Variety Rights. Commissioners would have right to refuse patents which interfere with relationships between "kaitiaki [Maori] and taonga". Decisions about any prospecting activity in DoC areas would be made jointly by the department and tangata whenua. New national and regional partnership structures to give Maori an equal voice with the New Zealand Conservation Authority in setting conservation objectives and priorities. Wildlife Act to be amended to give Maori and Crown shared management of protected species. Expand the role of Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Maori (the Maori Language Commission) to deal with the crisis the Maori language is in. Maori health is in crisis. Urgent action needed. Expand health system to include rongoa (traditional healing) services. Amend Crown strategy for engagement with Maori on international treaties to require engagement over both binding and non-binding instruments.

Dreams are certainly free. Is it possible to realise that you are part of a historic moment? I suppose the berlin wall breakers knew - I wonder if we know. Notwithstanding arguments of what actually is a 'historic moment', we are part of a historic moment in time that really will create change. Mana is a Party that will effect change and we are part of the beginnings. Just like this crowd were part of the beginnings of Oasis. 

A historic moment and we are there.