heard it all before and didn't believe it then

Call me cynical but I don’t think the threats by The Māori Party to walk out of its relationship with the National Government holds water. It is bluster, maybe to get credibility with Māori, maybe to put the pressure on for the decision on Cabinet posts.

It is easy to see this because the same lines used here were used in the past with the disgraceful legislation pushed through by that party and the gnats on the Foreshore and Seabed. Remember they were going to ask the people and then do what the people wanted - but what happened? They didn’t listen and they didn’t follow the wishes of the people and that is why this latest attempt at spin is fake.

RadioNZ

Mrs Turia says the party will take guidance from its constituents, as well as iwi leaders. She says the party will be vigilant and, if it comes down to the wire, the party will consider its position with the Government.

Her co-leader, Dr Pita Sharples later told Checkpoint that if the party's constituents tell it to walk away from its relationship with the National Party, it will do so.

He said the party was getting bombarded with calls about the matter.

I bet they are, but will they listen? We’ll find out soon enough and I expect they will squirm around and then get their cabinet posts and it will be business as usual. And if they do decide to represent Māori they still won’t get a pat on the back from me – too little, too late.

The prime mincer says he is confident nay extremely confident that The Māori Party will remain in the fold – that is a telling statement. And all of this coming so close to Waitangi Day – I don’t believe in coincidence in politics – that is deliberate.

The fact is that key and his mates will be selling everything they can this term, everything we value – the land, the infrastructure, and our environment – have no illusions they want to do it and they will do it – unless we, the people, stop them.

Morgan outlines who will be pushing the government line to iwi here and his take on The Māori Party drumming here.

Hone and Mana have come out with a statement which starts with

Scoop

"The Treaty is stopping the government from flogging off the nation's assets, so they're gonna throw the Treaty out"

To the point and excruciatingly accurate. Yep the year has started and the battle is on and we fight for ourselves and our children and our children’s children.

and our children grow

On a personal level it has been an eventful start to 2012 and most of the events have been difficult. A lot has also been happening in the real world too - here are some of my thoughts...


I've talked about TAG Oil before on this blog and at that time I highlighted their enthusiasm for exploitation of the East Coast, which they recently described as "the Texas of the south", "literally leaking oil and gas". Only the people can stop these exploiters - the government wants them to drill, but they will be stopped. It doesn't matter how many paid trips TAG Oil organise for the locals they will never win. The battlelines on this one are clear and everyone will have to make a decision about where they actually stand - I have faith that they will stand with us in opposition to their plans.


The Archdruid has put a great post up that really made me think about privilege and it relates to the paragraph above too because the decisions we make today ripple into our future.

... To understand the consequences of that awkward fact, it’s important to get past the rhetoric of victimization that fills so much space in discussions of social hierarchy these days. Of course the people at or near the upper end of the pyramid get a much larger share of the proceeds of the system than anybody else, and those at or near the bottom get crumbs; that’s not in question. The point that needs making is that a great many people in between those two extremes also benefit handsomely from the system. When those people criticize the system, their criticisms by and large focus on the barriers that keep them from having as large a share as the rich—not the ones that keep them from having as small a share as the poor, or to phrase things a little differently, that keep their privileged share from being distributed more fairly across the population as a whole.

We are community but we are also individuals and that is where change occurs. Reduction is the consequence of Peak Oil but we must begin to prepare and get used to less. To reduce. And for those of us bought up in western societies that is a difficult point to accept. Yet as JMG says everywhere else people do live with less. Always thought provoking and inspiring is JMG for me. Another writer and person that I hold in high esteem is Matt McCarten and he is writing very well in the NZH

The winners in our society have most of us convinced that they are financially successful because they are academically brighter, make the most of education opportunities and have superior personal qualities. Losers, on the other hand, are the opposite; with the added problems of criminal behaviour, addictions and family conflict.

But a major academic study that has tracked more than 1300 individuals was released this week. Children born to rich parents have a better chance in life to be happier, healthier and wealthier then those kids from poor backgrounds.

The mythology surrounding the poor is designed to perpetuate poorness.We must stand up for equality each and every time and I am pleased that the Mana Party are focusing on the poor. I see a real alignment with tino rangatiratanga in that approach. And great to see Hone and the Mana Party come out in support of the workers involved in the port dispute. The Standard has lots of posts on the dispute and well worth a read for the facts.


A brilliant article called 'The Exclusive Economic Zone: for sale' by Claire Browning

It says that if what you find out there in the EEZ is worth enough, it’s all for sale. What the Bill does is state its price. It does not set in place any bottom line – any fence, if you like, against risk of environmental destruction.

It is the Schedule 4 policy leftovers warmed up, in a more remote place, where the government hopes we will neither notice nor care.

Our environment is in serious danger and the government has opened the gate for the predators. They respect nothing except profit and they will try to eat us. That is what they do - they eat and shit money. But we can stop them, people can stop them and we will! Part of the way we can do it is communication and consultation - spreading the word, talking about it. Community is the answer but as I've noted earlier we, as individuals, must decide where we stand, what we believe in and what we love. It is not our place to exploit and desecrate Papatūānuku, Mother Earth - it has never been our place, yet here we are, today. And our children grow.

Jarawa Tribe used for trophy photos in human safaris

The Jarawa Tribe of the Andaman Islands (owned by India) have only recently had contact with the outside world (1998) and that contact has been abused since then and has now descended into human safaris, where tourists hope to get a photo of one of the 403 tribal members. Evidence is now there that some police, who are supposed to protect the Jarawa people from this, are actually assisting the tourists in getting their trophy photos.


The Guardian/Observer

"Dance," the policeman instructed. The girls in front of him, naked from the waist up, obeyed. A tourist's camera panned round to another young woman, also naked and awkwardly holding a bag of grain in front of her. "Dance for me," the policeman commanded... The role of the police is to protect tribespeople from unwelcome and intrusive outsiders. But on this occasion the officer had accepted a £200 bribe to get the girls to perform. "I gave you food," he reminded them at the start of the video.

The Observer reporter noted

Tourists threw bananas and biscuits to the tribespeople at the roadside, as they would to animals in a safari park.

Too little has been done to date to protect these very vulnerable people

In an attempt to reduce contact, the authorities have cut the number of convoys to eight a day, but they will not close the road completely – as the supreme court ordered in 2002 – because they say too many people rely on it.

In 2007 the government established a buffer zone around the reserve, hoping to protect the tribe from further interaction with the outside world, in particular a luxury resort being constructed on the very edge of the reserve by the Barefoot India tour company. The company hired lawyers to fight the zone and the case is currently with India's supreme court: in the meantime the resort stands abandoned in a clearing near the shore of Constance Bay, on the west coast of the island. But the safaris go on, four each way, day in, day out, and the police admit they are powerless to prevent some contact between the tribe and the tourists.

The human rights group Survival International, which has been campaigning for the Jarawa for nearly 20 years, believes the current situation is precarious. "The Jarawa could easily be decimated or reduced to a state of dependency, as has happened to so many other tribes worldwide," says spokeswoman Sophie Grig. Survival argues that closing the road would at least allow the tribe to decide whether it has contact.

Visit Survival International to see how you can help the Jarawa Tribe. Pressure must be applied to protect these people and it must be applied quickly.

I have posted about the Jarawa Tribe before here

underreported struggles 57

More essential underreported struggles from Ahni at Intercontinental Cry this month.

After more than 6 months of research and preparation, Intercontinental Cry launched "Indigenous Peoples of the World" an online directory for all Indigenous Nations ever mentioned on the website. The directory, which you can access here, currently features 412 distinct populations in 78 countries.

The Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), an Ogoni-based non-governmental, non-political organization for the Ogoni people of South-Eastern Nigeria, have announced the creation of a new Environmental Protection Agency to make sure that oil companies operating in Ogoniland, like Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell, are held accountable for their 'environmental crimes'.

Beowulf Mining, the British company behind the Kallak exploration project in Jokkmokk, Northern Sweden, was caught drilling on Saami lands in breach of the Swedish Minerals’ Act. Once this was pointed out to the Swedish Minerals Inspectorate by Saami representatives, the company had no choice but to stop drilling.

Traditional land owners won a major victory in their long-running battle against the proposed Woodside gas hub project at James Price Point on Western Australia's Kimberley coast. WA Supreme Court Justice Wayne Martin issued a ruling in favour of the Goolarabooloo Traditional owners, finding that the WA government acted illegally when it used 'compulsory acquisition' notices to take Goolarabooloo lands for the proposed gas hub. Unfortunately, the government does not seem the least bit phased by the decision.

The Tsilhqot'in people celebrated a B.C. Supreme Court judge's decision to grant an injunction against Taseko Mines Ltd, prohibiting the company from carrying out any more exploration work on Tsilhqot'in traditional lands for 90 days. Taseko had been seeking its own injunction and enforcement order to prevent anyone from blocking a road to the company's Prosperity mine project. The Supreme Court judge overruled the company's application.

Visit Intercontinetal Cry to read about these issues and many others.

somebody

I have quite wide musical taste and I enjoy pretty well most music as anyone checking out my music video posts could attest to. This song is really addictive and I find the emotion, lyrics and apparent simplicity of the music really gets under my skin. The first video is a cover of the song and the second is the original. It deserves to be high in the charts (whatever they are nowdays).

what is happening

I am enjoying time with my mother and son over the holidays. I love watching the generations together, 76 and 4 and me closer to mums age than Kahu’s. Mum was born into a family that lived in the Catlins, in what would be called now, a shed. Where will Kahu be when he is 76. I do believe we are heading towards tough times but I have hope. I believe in my son and the world he is growing into. I will do everything to make that world the best it can be for him and his peers.

Part of that is highlighting aspects of our society that are detrimental to the benefit of everyone. I was shocked to read this report about dairy farms and their voluntary (non) compliance with the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord

Nelson Mail

Under the latest accord figures published last month, 69 per cent of Fonterra Tasman dairy farmers told the company their stock was totally excluded from all permanent waterways on their properties deeper than a Red Band gumboot and wider than a stride. However, a representative audit conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture of 35 of those farms found that the actual figure was just 17 per cent, the second worst result behind Marlborough with 8 per cent. Nationally, MAF found 42 per cent of 587 farms inspected excluded stock from waterways, just half of what Fonterra's survey of farmers suggested.

69% to 17% is a disgrace and should be investigated thoroughly. There is something really wrong that farmers can misrepresent what is happening to the environment within their farms. These waterways flow and carry any shit, silt and mud downstream.

Neil Deans, Nelson Marlborough manager of the environmental group, which has long been critical of the policing of the accord, said the gap between what farmers said they did and what MAF had found was too big to put down to a mistake and it was clear some farmers were "pulling the wool".

Sadly a lot of dairy farmers, for all sorts of reasons, are letting us all down. We want the rivers to be clean and alive with strong mauri and plentiful life. The dairy farmers who are actively working against that should be ashamed, and they are making life more difficult in the future for our children – that should be reason enough for them to change their ways. But to date they have made the problems worse and changed little for the better.

Scoop

The number of dairy cattle in New Zealand increased to 6.2 million at 30 June 2011, Statistics New Zealand said today. This provisional result from the 2011 Agricultural Production Survey was up 260,000 on the number in 2010. "This is the first time the number of dairy cattle in New Zealand has exceeded 6 million" agricultural statistics manager Hamish Hill said. "The dairy herd is now double the number it was 30 years ago."

Our environment should not be sacrificed for a small group to make money. The basic requirements are compliance even if it lacks teeth and is woefully inadequate. The fact that this simple requirement cannot be met should send shivers down our spines because what the hell is actually going on. How bad is it?

the rain came

Golden Bay/Mohua, here at the top of the south is a most amazing area. But today, after the rain there are slips and people who have had water streaming through their houses, there have been evacuations and roads cut. The road to town has a massive hole in it and is impassable and probably will be for a few days.

Stuff

Takaka township recorded 423mm of rain in a 24 hours period, making it "well in excess of a one in 100 year event", Civil Defence said. The previous 24 hour rainfall high was 256mm in August 1990.

Small communities have had their infrastructure lost and the cleanup has not even started yet.  I haven't heard of anyone hurt so that is good. A massive disruption just before the festive season. Yet on the world stage it wouldn't even rate a mention. Interesting to consider the macro and the micro - how a significant event for an individual is just that, same for a community too. When it all goes bad we will have each other, we will have community and connection and we will have to get on with the job, together. So we help pull people out of trouble - thanks mate, and we open our homes to people that need shelter, and we check up on people and make sure they are okay. We open up the marae and we hear about the people that have suffered loss and we prepare to help them. We are community.

We know about weather events related to global warming - they will become more severe, more random and more destructive. At every scale we will be going through more trials and tribulations and there is nothing we can do about that because the cycles and momentum of earthly change on ponderous scales have already started and they won't stop. But we can prepare and a big part of that is building community and connection. No doubt in calamitous times we are forced together but the more we practice, when we can, the better and we can learn from other communities about what works and what doesn't. Ultimately when it all hits the fan we do what we have to do to survive - we are all in this together.

back to reality

A year and a half ago I decided to take up fulltime extramural study. Just got my latest results back and I am pleased to say that I passed all of the last semester papers. Whew! I’ve completed 12 papers now, focused on Māori studies, and I have learnt a heck of a lot. Over summer I am going back to a job that I used to do and I am amazed that it has happened. There are some areas that are so special and tapu, unique and pristine, wild and untamed, so natural that it fills the heart to be allowed to interact with them. Farewell Spit is such a place. This nature reserve is known as Onetahua (heaped up sand) and as you can see from the map it looks like the head of a kiwi.

There are two companies that take tours out to the lighthouse on Farewell Spit and I will be working for one of them. It is a good role for me as I enjoy meeting people, being in nature and interpreting what we are seeing and experiencing so that the interconnections become apparent. As you can imagine over a full 6 hour tour a lot of information can be covered, but it is maximising the enjoyment of the guest experience, not regurgitation of facts, which is the key. Everyone can connect with the spit in some way because we all have interests, and the subtle identification of those connections is part of the experience. So if you get to Golden Bay and want to do a tour, send me an email and we'll sort it out. It will be fun I assure you.

doing as a doomer

John Michael Greer is the Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America, and his blog The Archdruid Report is essential reading for anyone interested in the ramifications of peak oil and our society. His weekly postings lead the reader through layers of complexity via delightful writing. He weaves his narrative over many interrelated subjects and he doesn't flinch from the truth..As you can tell I am a fan.


His latest post really opened my mind to the interconnections of so many areas. This is the last paragraph - to see how this paragraph ties the whole post together please read the full post here.

I have begun to suspect that this will turn out to be one of the most crucial downsides of the arrival of peak oil. If the industrial economy, as I’ve suggested, was basically an arbitrage scheme profiting off the difference in cost between energy from fossil fuels and energy from human laborers, the rising cost of fossil fuels and other inputs needed to run an industrial economy will sooner or later collide with the declining cost of labor in an impoverished and overcrowded society. As we get closer to that point, it seems to me that we may begin to see the entire industrial project unravel, as the profits needed to make industrialism make sense dry up. If that’s the unspoken subtext behind the widening spiral of economic dysfunction that seems to be gripping so much of the industrial world today, then what we’ve seen so far of what peak oil looks like may be a prologue to a series of wrenching economic transformations that will leave few lives untouched.

I suppose i am a doomer. I do believe that peak oil has occured and the effects as the Archdruid explains, will affect us all. I also believe that climate change is happening and is having and will continue to have accerlating negative worldwide effects. I see Fukishima is still putting highly radioactive material into the sea - anyway the list of portents is endless. I do beieve we are heading for a major downgrade but i don't think it is a cliff necessarily. I enjoy the Archdruid's discussions on the topic because he is focused on the real issue and that is how it will affect people and communities. His viewpoint is very considered and compassionate. Whatever happens connecting people will be the best solution, building relationships and cooperation, building communities and looking after each other. And the time to start is now.

Discussing a book and the Mana Party

I have just finished rereading a book that I really enjoy - Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. I’ve read it a few times now and it’s a good swashbuckling fictional (yet based on historical truth) account of the early life of Miyamoto Musashi. As wikipediasays

The long epic (over 900 pages, abridged, in the English version) comprises seven "books" detailing the exploits of Miyamoto Musashi, beginning just after the battle of Sekigahara, following his journeys and the many people who become important in his life, and leading up to his climactic duel with Sasaki Kojiro on Ganryujima (Ganryu or Funa Island). Musashi becomes famous during the course of the novel as he searches for both perfection in swordsmanship and in consciousness. Innovating Japanese swordsmanship, he invents the style of simultaneously wielding both the katana and the wakizashi, something unheard of at that time in Japanese history.

As Samurai Warrior says

many of the important events depicted in Yoshikawa Eiji's famous novel Musashi have a basis in reality, to include his battle with the Yoshioka School, his defeat of the noted spearman Inei (chief priest of the Hôzô-in), and his duel in 1612 with Sasaki Kojiro, another famed swordsman.

This type of historical fiction is enjoyable reading and considering what we know about the past is as likely to be close to the truth as not. I spent some time learning the way of the sword in the past and I feel a great affinity for Musashi. I remember seeing a demonstration of cutting from a famed swordsman – it is impossible to describe the power, the mana involved to cut cleanly, with focus, to be in a place of oneness with the act, the action, and the intent.

Musashi was born around 1568 and fought his first duel at age 13. That is a wee while ago and his story has been recounted many times as befits the legend. Would he recognise his own story? Does it matter? The story in the book describes a man looking for his answers and not just with the sword – to perfect himself was to perfect every aspect of life and the arts were as important as anything – painting, poetry, calligraphy, the tea ceremony – these were the expressions of self, as much as the katana. The Japanese revere Musashi and his story is their story now. How does all this fit with us here and now?

How many of our famous stories are unknown to the general population I wonder. How many Māori heroes who worked to perfect themselves and help their people. How many famed warriors who developed their own techniques and pursued perfection. The general public sees very little of this and the little they do get is often interpreted for them by non-Māori. Don’t be under any illusions, the stories and histories are there, but they are kept safe because the environment is dangerous for them. The environment won’t be safe until we have true equality for Māori. When that happens imagine a great industry around telling the stories, film, television, plays, graphic novels, the list is endless and they would be our stories and they would bind us together.

Musashi’s story in the book is wider than just him of course, it covers many aspects of culture and human interactions. It discusses politics, leadership, friendship, honour, whakapapa, forgiveness, and love. It looks at a changing society and the breakdown of traditional values. It speaks to our times as it flows over the past. The Mana Party and Hone have a kaupapa that must be delivered, despite distractions and the disastrous direction this country has decided upon. They must be as steadfast and true to their vision and values as Musashi, and I believe they will be. They must cultivate all aspects of the way, not just the sword. As Musashi often kept his opponents waiting before the clash to unsettle and disturb them, so must Hone and the Mana Party hold the space and make them wait. Let us choose the site and time of the battle not them. Musashi often fought against multiple opponents at the same time and he developed a two sword technique not seen before but very effective. He stated that once you have learnt to win against one then you can win against ten. Mana can win against multiple opponents it just has to develop a two sword technique that cuts through the dross and I believe they can and will do it.

the deluded and the deranged

Danyl at The DimPost cuts to the core with this post about the revised treasury forecast. Already their unrealistic pre-election forecasts have been revised downwards - apparently they have decided to factor in the european economic crisis. As danyl notes the major parties fought the election with these unrealistic projections and that shows the value of all of their promises - vacuous and a waste of time.

Right. So just to recap: Treasury made these very optimistic growth predictions in the 2011 budget, and everyone said they were delusional. But Treasury stood by their forecasts, and a month out from the election they repeated their insanely optimistic outlook in the PREFU.

The government and opposition parties based all of their fiscal policies on the Treasury forecasts. Both main parties claimed they’d get the country back into surplus in a few years, because of all the additional revenue from all that economic growth. Jobs weren’t a big topic of debate in this election, because Treasury promised us that all the growth would create 170,000 new jobs!

Now here we are, just over a week after the election and whaddya know? Treasury has announced they were too optimistic. Growth is going to be less than they said it would a month ago – even though nothing substantive has changed since then. The European crisis didn’t just emerge on Sunday the 27th.

 All very true and this is what john keys says

Stuff

'Forecasts are wonderful things and they are a prediction of what may or may not occur. We are the government and so we will get on and run the operation as best we can ... yup, it might all go to hell in a handbasket and if it does we'll manage it. ''But at the moment we are more confident than others.'' The Government is committed to getting the books back to surplus in 2014/15.

''If there is some catastrophe in Europe and the place melts down, that changes the global economic outlook, there are always things that are beyond our control. But we are totally committed to trying to get back to surplus,'' he said.

How exactly key will manage everything going to hell in a handbasket is not known, probably the same way he deals with everything else - smile and spin. Same with dealing with the catastrophe of the global economic collapse - she'll be right mate - have a beer. Is this responsible government? Is this what we want or need? Apparently the answer is yes, based on the election. This really is the deluded leading the deranged.

Hattip - DimPost

adversity binds us together

I have not really been too interested in who the next leader of the labour party will be – shearer of cunliffe. Both too similar for me but it has been interesting watching the twisting and turning I suppose, following the memes and the propaganda. The leadership of the Māori Party is also under review – who would have thought so soon after the voters have just spoken. It makes a mockery of the whole process and shows the personal issues relating to Hone’s departure because just who do you think would have won between Hone and Te Ururoa. Tim at Tumeke is of the same view. The coyness of Te Ururoa is not needed – he is the only other party MP who isn’t the co-leader – who does he think is going to get the role? So he will get to play with the big boys as a minister outside cabinet, but what will Pita do? The Māori Party say they are bringing out the new faces but I can’t see it and Tariana will retire this term too. So a heavy load for Te Ururoa to carry – I don’t wish him ill-will but I am not confident that the burden is carryable, still good luck to him.

I think Mana is in a good position to build the kaupapa and support. Hone is in parliament and can raise issues. The issues will have supporters from most parties and from the community. As the situation for people becomes much worse than it is now, they will look for someone with solutions to their real problems and Hone and Mana will be offering solutions and talking about the real issues. On one hand I feel sad about the hardships to come and on the other I feel optimism. Adversity binds people together. And we will need to bind together, as whānau, as communities, as people to ensure everyone is looked after.

I am looking forward to seeing the Greens make an impact. There are major environmental issues that the gnats want to go hard on, including mining and exploitation of our resources. The Greens will be holding the line and I wish them well. We need them to be strong and true.

Winston will be very annoying for the gnats and that will be good although I can never really trust or like him. And for the gnats and john key – a bit of a honeymoon period of congratulations, and then back into their agenda. This election has set this country on a dangerous course.

underreported struggles 56

More essential underreported struggles from Ahni at Intercontinetal Cry this month.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a controversial "land swap" bill giving the UK-Australia mining giant Rio Tinto direct access to places considered sacred by the Apache and other Indigenous Peoples in southeastern Arizona. In exchange for the U.S. House of Representatives' "gift", Rio Tinto will hand over some other land that isn't mineral rich. That is, land to the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

The World Bank is preparing to steamroll ahead with a new funding program that would virtually eliminate 26 of the Bank's safeguard policies, including those meant for Indigenous Peoples, Environmental Assessments, Physical and Cultural Resources, Forests, Natural Habitats, and Involuntary Resettlement. At this point, the World Bank has not consulted any Indigenous Peoples about the proposed "Program for Results (P4R)" - and it likely will not do so, unless the international community can pressure them into it.

An alliance of the Unist'ot'en (People of the Headwaters) and the Likhts'amisyu (Hereditary Chiefs) of the Wet'suwet'en Nation have evicted a group of pipeline drillers from their traditional territory, sending a clear message to Enbridge, Pacific Trails and the entire oil industry: "We cannot and will not permit any pipelines through our territory."

With the Wixarika People continuing to struggle against the threat of mining within their sacred landscape in the Mexican region known as Wirikuta, another area considered sacred by the Wixarika has been licensed out in concessions by the government. According to the Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), approximately 250 acres of beachfront property including the sacred area of Tatéi Haramara will now be developed for tourism.

The Tribal Council of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians has passed a resolution that would ban hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" on the North Dakota reservation. The resolution also calls for the council to protect "Mother Earth from any pollutants that may cause harm to its citizens, land, water, and air."

At least four Saami communities are standing up to mining companies that want to exploit their customary reindeer grazing lands in Northern Sweden. Last week, two communities warned that the British mining company Beowulf is in breach of its own ethical guidelines for failing to engage them meaningfully, while it pursues a new iron mine on the grazing lands. Meanwhile, two other communities continue speaking out against Scandinavian Resources' (SCR's) proposed iron mines in the Kalix River Valley, less than 200km away from Beowulf's proposed project.

Visit Intercontinetal Cry to read about these issues and many others. There is much connection between all of our struggles.

a ramble on asset sales and Iwi

There are many people that oppose the sale of state assets, partial or otherwise. National have been elected and are forming the government and that government will be pushing the asset sale agenda. Iwi are beginning to come out with their views and Mark Solomon, Kaiwhakahaere of Ngāi Tahu has stated the iwi position. I am opposed to the sale of any state assets and I also have doubts about Iwi buying into state assets. This post outlines some of my reasons for those doubts, please note it is a bit of a ramble and some of the thoughts need polishing.

Radio NZ

Mark Solomon says that Ngāi Tahu have never advocated for the outright sale of state assets. And he explains that at a meeting in Feb 2009 with John Key and Bill English when Iwi leaders were told that the government books were rough and ‘cash strapped’ he suggested at that meeting, “When it comes to the settlements have you ever considered a shareholding in some of the SOE’s as part of settlement packages.” Solomon then says that “the government said that they would not consider it in their first term but they would put it up as a question leading into the next election, and have come back with their model of selling off 49% of the asset.”

My opposition to selling these state assets is that - they are already owned by the citizens, and that they are strategic assets which should never be sold, and that the price they think they’ll get is wildly overrated, and that they have already factored in the price they think they will get, and that overseas ownership is inevitable in this type of scenario, and that it leads to higher prices, and that it leads to further privatisation and commodification of natural resources which is designed to increase profit for shareholders, and that profit comes largely from price, but cost cutting is also there. So selling assets just doesn’t stack up, it doesn’t make sense. But that won’t stop national or their support parties.

Buying shares in these companies is an investment decision. As noted by Mark Solomon, “the returns – simple business decisions – good long term investments and allowing us to invest in our own country.”  At no meeting that Solomon has attended has their been any mention of Iwi having preferential shares. No added benefits to Māori like lower power prices because as Solomon says they would be buying a shareholding in a company and they would be a minority shareholder. It is a business deal. As a minority shareholder Iwi won’t be able to influence pricing decisions – or profit. They will reap the rewards and spread that reward amongst their beneficiaries, even though they are the same people that have paid the higher price to get the profit.

The argument is always put that if iwi don’t get into it, someone else will or why shouldn’t Iwi participate. My answer is of course it is up to Iwi to make their own decisions. And those decisions must be made after full discussion, with all points of view noted. For instance – if the benefits to Iwi members are just around the shareholding, why do it? why should generational striving for justice, paid out as a small percentage of the loss, be used to buy shares in companies, could it not be used in better ways. how is tino rangatiratanga advanced when we buy into the system and its values and place profit at a premium.

Māori should own the assets of this country, from within a Māori worldview and through the front door not the back door - through partnership not fakery and tokenism. Iwi that buy state assets will be minority shareholders and as more state assets are sold the more Iwi will dissipate their power, to ensure they have shares in those assets. This will bleed the power of Iwi and dilute their ability to do anything other than sit there and take their profits. They could sell but who to? Whoever has the money is the answer. There are other ways of growing the pūtea – the rebuild of Christchurch being one, anyway the investment team will decide – based on their objectives. I’d like to see the arguments framed around tikanga and illustrating the lessons from our ancestors and highlighting the benefits to the people and alignment with our values, not just the balance sheet.

If the decisions are investment decisions then that is how it will be assessed, no sense in trying to dress it up differently – there is no preferential treatment in allocation of shares or advantage for Māori in their power bills. There is nothing other than an investment decision – to my mind this is a pivotal point because the investment decision may disadvantage the overall group and therefore would be in conflict with our values. If you invest in a company that gets profit from a basic service like power, and if the price is raised then there is more profit but that profit comes from the higher prices paid by the consumers. They are worse off. The overall group has been disadvantaged. The investment decision assumes a position of dominance to the strengthening of the collective. Anything that assumes dominance against the benefits of the group is rejected, at least in my view. The counter is that the profit goes back to the collective but that profit has to come from somewhere and it comes from the collective itself. Another view is that it will happen anyway so at least some profit is made but that is defeatist IMO because it is giving away our power.


It may be that the Iwi has considered the small points I am making - it just seems to me that the debate must be widened. My opposition to Iwi investment is that the overall benefits to Iwi members cannot be guaranteed and that the decision is just a straight investment decision where other considerations relating to te Āo Māori do not impinge and because of that there is a dominance that does not align with our value of protecting and strengthening the collective, the community. When those reasons are added to the long list of other reasons for opposing asset sales, the case for selling and buying them thins out even more.


Now just to be clear I am a proud member of Ngāi Tahu whānui and I know that there are no clear right and wrong answers much as we would like them. I am not disrespecting the efforts to date to secure mana for the Iwi. I am simply putting up some counter views, constructively, so that wider points can be considered.


Everyone sees things differently, these are just some of my thoughts and I realise they may not attract much support but they come from an iwi member who cares.

Hattip - Pip and Maui St

some right some wrong

Well the people have spoken

My predictions and how they turned out

My pick		What happened	MP’s
ACT gone	Wrong	Banks elected in Epsom, 1.2% Party vote	1 MP
United Future gone	Wrong	Dunne elected, below 1% Party vote	1 MP
NZF and Winston back 6%	Correct	6.8% Party vote	8 MP’s
Greens 13%	Mostly correct	10.6% Party vote	13 MP’s
Labour 28%	Correct	27.1% Party vote	34 MP’s
National 47%	Correct	48% Party vote	60 MP’s
Maori 2% (3 electorate)	Correct	1.4% Party vote	3 MP’s
Mana 4% (2 electorate)	Wrong	1% Party vote	1 MP

So I picked part of the mood but overestimated how much influence Mana could exert for a brand new political movement.

The fact that goff didn’t resign on the night says everything about him – still in denial, still delusional. All of the deadwood Labour caucus should resign and give the party a chance to rebuild and get some credibility.

Key has got enough to govern and it doesn’t matter if the Māori Party vote with him or not – but they will.

I am very happy for the Greens – 13 MP’s that is amazing and will really make a difference – but the numbers are against them and we must remember that the agenda of National is very destructive indeed.

Go after beneficiaries and solo parents

Sell our assets

Mine and exploit our land and water

And so much more – I’m afraid we are in for a very bad time, a horrible time and 48% of people that voted, voted for it.

What to do?

What we always do, rebuild our strength and then go forth into the battle to fight for the rights of the oppressed and disadvantaged, to fight for equality and fairness, to fight for community and cooperation. That we will fight is a given – rest now friends, for your strength will be soon enough be called upon.

holding the heat

I've talked about my voting intentions before - I am going to give both my votes to Mana and I'll also be voting for MMP. It may sound strange but I don't really care what happens at the election - whatever the result - that is what we will deal with. If people vote for john key and the right wing policies - it won't surprise me, after all I live in this colonised country and I know the mentality of the people - that is why i blog.

So I'm not too attached to the result - the type of policies that I want take time to bring to fruition and they are resisted by the powers that be at every turn - ho hum - that is the reality.

My prediction

ACT gone
United Future gone
NZF and Winston back 6%
Greens 13%
Labour 28%
National 47%
Maori 2% (3 electorate)
Mana 4% (2 electorate)

who governs is anyones guess but it will be interesting to watch the machinations as that poisoned chalice bounces around like a hot potato.

their swords are sharp

Maps has some awesome posts up at the moment and this one which outlines a discussion between Labour candidate Carmel Sepuloni and Maps, was especially interesting.

Carmel, who had parked a car emblazoned with campaign slogans beside the cafe, was initially very friendly, asking me about myself and about my voting intentions. When I went beyond pleasantries, though, and began to ask some questions about Labour's policies and election strategy, she quickly became defensive. Although Carmel talked with me for five or so minutes, she asked me not to repeat some of the things she said. This request seemed to me very odd: we were talking, after all, about the details of a general election campaign, not about some sensational murder trial or international spy ring.

and for some humour Rob Guyton is constantly exercising his wicked sense of that quality and this post from him, entitled "this man suffers from worms" is a good example. His blog is aways interesting and offers strong green perspectives - plus that sense of humour.

song in my head

I woke this morning with this song in my head - don't know why. After checking out some videos and discarding the Hole version, which I quite like, I decided to put up this one by Julie Driscoll. The video is beyond cool and there are many super funny aspects - like the massive solo and very quiet moments. Julie can sing, although i am concerned about her coat and, well, the dancing - it is difficult to dance in front of the camera like that I am sure so I'll not be too harsh. Great video and great song.

representing us

It could be argued that Hone Harawira, Mana Party leader ripping into Phil Goff the labour leader is a bit of a waste of time, but when Labour are contesting seats against Mana, it is fair and necessary and the points Hone has raised are the same ones I have wondered about.

NZH

"... many people remembered Phil Goff being a willing participant in the days when Labour was selling state assets and introducing GST "and I think that lack of credibility is coming back to haunt him now"

I know that goff has said he made a mistake dah dee dah - he did and it was a very, very big one IMO - selling those assets - apology and all made up now? - no! because the tenor of goff has not changed. Sure he may have regrets about this issue but he is still of the same mindset regarding many things. Hone relates it like this

"An old lady from down south told me that 'MANA is where Labour should be'" said Mr Harawira "and a lot of Labour voters are coming to MANA now because they don't see Phil Goff as the one to stand up to National"

Yep - look at the Mana lineup

"Annette Sykes - the best Maori rights lawyer in the country, John Minto - the 1981 anti-apartheid leader and worker's rights advocate, and Sue Bradford - the country's most well-known beneficiaries activist" "I'd put my crew up against any other team in the house, especially on the issues of Maori rights, human rights, workers rights and the rights of the poor"

and Hone sums up well with

Mr Harawira said that the choice was simple "the Labour leader who is leaving town or the MANA team, fresh for the battle and with the experience and the courage to do the business"

The courage to do the business and what is the business?

to oppose the National / Act / Maori Party government selling off state assets, and slashing funding in health, education and welfare.

It's a family business, a whānau business - everyone's welcome - join the waka.

past actions more important than future promises

We know that the gnats want to sell our assets and the weasel words about mixed ownership and so on are just smokescreens. Pita Sharples has clarified the position of the Māori Party

NZH

Dr Sharples issued a statement this morning saying the party did not support any asset sales at all.

there you go - quite clear - but what's this?

"While our party position is that we oppose the sales of assets, we are also placed with the responsibility of advancing the best position for our constituency - and unlike other parties - that means we need to listen and respond to the proposals our constituents put forward to Parliament."

Listen and respond - sadly I cannot take Pita seriously because when it came down to it last time over the Foreshore and Seabed the 'listening' was not there, not even slightly. In fact the evidence was there that most Māori opposed the solution but they still rammed it through. So i don't trust your assertions Pita and I don't trust that you would hold the line in any meaningful way.