nah, the children stay with us

These proposed changes are the next step in the attempted obliteration of Māori culture

Scoop

Dame Tariana has spoken at a number of hui recently about her concerns regarding the Children, Young Persons and their families (Oranga Tamariki) legislation currently before Parliament.She is concerned the proposed amendments give Children, Young Persons and their Families (CYPFS) the legal power to determine who will raise tamariki Māori who have been uplifted from whānau. Under current legislation CYPFS must look to the extended whānau and hapū to place these tamariki. She says that will change under the new proposals.At the New Zealand Māori Council’s Waitangi Rua Rautau Annual Forum held recently said the devil is in the detail and concerned with amended Section 5 which includes the qualifier “wherever possible”.

Yep never mind that ANYONE has to be checked and ensured that they are safe to take the children - and that includes all caregivers. The facts are that this legislation is very, very bad for Māori.

Some background from "Hands off our tamariki Ōtaki hui, held 12 October at Te Wānanga o Raukawa and published widely including on He Hōaka

On Wednesday, October 12, a hui in Ōtaki discussed the changes Anne Tolley has proposed to the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act, removing the clauses that consider the effects of decisions on whānau, and that prioritise placing a child within their hapū or iwi. 
Those clauses came out of the 1988 report Puao-te-ata-tu. After extensive research around the nation, Puao-te-ata-tu found that ‘institutional racism’ was at the root of Māori social welfare problems, and predicted that the Crown would continue to fail Māori unless this was fixed. The report found that Māori succeed when rangatiratanga is recognised and supported, and recommended that Māori should be resourced to solve the problems Māori are facing...

Removing the clauses from legislation is simply another colonising act of control. The proposed changes are inconsistent with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to which New Zealand is a signatory. In particular, the changes are inconsistent with article 7.2 which recognises “the collective right to live in freedom, peace and security as distinct peoples and shall not be subjected to any act of genocide or any other act of violence, including forcibly removing children of the group to another group.” 

This issue is still there, is still hot.
Scoop

Dame Tariana said the legislation cannot be allowed to proceed and if need be she would march.“If we can walk for our land, (and) if we can walk for our foreshore, we can certainly act for our tamariki”.She is devastated with less than three weeks out from submissions closing the new legislation severely affecting the aspirations and ambitions for all tamariki and mokopuna have barely raised a mention in the media. The Bill has been referred to select committee and the deadline for submissions on the Bill is 15 February. 

The time has come - we cannot stay silent or still anymore - we will march and we will fight for our culture and we will win - WE WILL WIN!!!

sullied waters

So The Maori Party and John Key the Prime Minister had their meeting last night and the Maori Party are pleased. It is interesting to look a little closer at this.

NZH

Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples had previously indicated the meeting was called to discuss Mr Key's comments which they said undermined the Waitangi Tribunal which is currently hearing the Maori Council's bid to halt the sale of Mighty River Power until Maori rights and interests in water are defined.

However after emerging from the meeting late last night Mrs Turia said "the main issue was that this Government would treat our people in the same way the Labour Party did by legislating away their rights".

Hmmm they seem like totally different issues to me. Key's comments have morphed into something Labour did years ago - but what they did affected Tariana significantly. She continues to try and exact revenge but I'd suggest she go to New York and get into Helen if she is so hellbent on retribution.

Mrs Turia was asked whether that meant that should a court decision subsequent to the tribunal find that Maori did have proprietary type right over water, the Government would not legislate against that.

She said: "That was what they told us tonight".

'They' - not nice Mr Key, or The Prime Minister, or Johnny - no it is they. I wonder who 'they' are. The use of 'they' implies wriggle room to me but who will do the wriggling, I'm not too sure. To date I have not heard key say it or agree with Tariana's statement.

Meanwhile in a joint statement issued by Mrs Turia, Dr Sharples and Mr Key, they said that both parties had agreed that when the Waitangi Tribunal report on the Maori Council's claim was issued that, "as part of developing their respective responses, the two parties will jointly discuss the matter".

Nice, a joint statement and key is happy to put his mark to this one. I wonder why. Could it be the slamdunk statement that they will, "jointly discuss the matter" - jeepers expect the shit to fly NOT.


So what have we got really? Joint discussions and that is it. Until I hear the words out of key's mouth about not legislating against any decision I won't believe it - and if he does say it i will still be unconvinced - key will not do it - they will not let him, and he doesn't want to anyway.

the drip continues

It has indeed been interesting watching the debate about the indigenous rights of Māori and water. Key the prime minister calls the claim by The Māori Council, "opportunistic" and that shows what a dim he is - hey key, how long have Māori been fighting for equality? Don't bother answering bankster I wouldn't believe what you say anyway. Perhaps key should heed Annette Sykes advice that key should, "either get a law degree or stay quiet about Maori water rights issues". 

Yes STFU because this following comment from key is outrageous

NZH

and I think that there's no merit in the case that the Maori Council is bringing.

No merit? How the fuck would you know key. Read all the evidence already have you?

The pressure is building on The Maori Party.  Maanu Paul

Maori Council spokesman Maanu Paul said it was "crunch time" for the party and co-leaders Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples, who have argued they need to stay at the Cabinet table to make a difference.

and

“In a Maori world, they should act like Maori – defend their mana, not the money.”

and from Annette Sykes

I beg Tariana, who I've got the hugest respect for, to sit back and reflect and in the spirit of Che Guevera who obviously influenced her last week, position herself for freedom and the rights of our people rather than to take money as a Prime Minister's friend at the table.

Initially i thought they would never walk but now I dunno, they actually could and I hope they do - for all of us.

 

Key has made a blunder with this whole fiasco and part of that blunder was to insult Tariana and Pita by not seeing them sooner. But i'm not worried about them, they have made their bed and if they did resign from their agreement with national, well that would be good, a final positive to add to the mix.

 

The wheels are starting to fall off - time to up the pressure!

pretend happiness

Tariana Turia says she was pleased to see the Green Party on 10% in the latest poll and that Mana was on 0.5%. She says that The Greens are the true party of the left - this is a theme for her and i imagine it will be one of her 'lines' in the election.

waatea603am

“They are the ones that raise all the significant issues that the Mana Party says they have been established to take up here, the Greens do it on a daily basis. They are a great party when it comes to addressing the issues for the poor, for those who are part of the union movement, those who are out of work,” Mrs Turia says."

Yes the Greens are great but there is still a gap and Mana will cover that and work with the Greens to help the disadvantaged. The gap is Māori who are represented in the groups mentioned by turia and spurned by her party. Soon we will have two real parties of the left with good MP's in the House - and when that occurs the likes of turia will quake in their sheepskinned seats. Get ready it's already happening.

clash of cultures

The maori party have said that they will stand a candidate against Hone if a by-election is called. Good! As McCarten said on the radio - if they want to call Hone's bluff then go for it and we will hear what the people want. Exactly! - let's hear from the people because I don't put much weight in these polls saying that labour will come through the gap as the two main protaganists fight it out. Labour won't come through the gaps because their won't be a gap. The hui that the maori party have had over the weekend were fiesty with Hone's mum and sister distrupting by chanting and singing and insulting. I just don't know if that is tika or not - hopefully someone will blog on that aspect somewhere because tariana calls it psychological abuse and it sickened her. The maori party have to rebuild their base up north from scratch and that will take a lot of mahi. Their president says they are after the older voters not the young who are following Hone - perhaps the maori party should really consider deeply why that is. Turia says Hone is scared and that is why he sent his whanau to disrupt the hui but I would imagine Hone didn't send send them at all - they made their own choices and decisions. The maori party will have to get used to people being pretty pissed off with them because they will be hearing a bit of it this year.

look over there

Tariana has come out with a statement that it is 'tragic' that Hone is building a 'left' maori party rather than one built upon tikanga and kaupapa. She thinks the new party will threaten the greens because they represent the values of 'left' within the parliment. I don't agree with her view. The greens and Hone's new party will get on well and work together without conflict because their philosophy's are in alignment.

Waatea news

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says Hone Harawira's new party could be more of a threat to the Greens than to his former colleagues. Mrs Turia says it's tragic the Tai Tokerau MP is talking about setting a party of the left, rather than one based on kaupapa or tikanga. “I think that his party could have a huge impact on the Greens who of course are the most left wing party who do work quite hard to address what we would consider are left-wing issues,” she says. Mrs Turia says it has taken years for Maori to be able to sit at the table with Government to advance their aspirations.

hey Tariana our rangatira sat at the table in 1840 didn't they? Which side of the table would the maori party have sat on?

The powers that be are very, very scared of Hone and his new Left Maori Party and those powers that be include the usual suspects and labour and their various fake-left supporters. I love the fact that they are scared - it shows we are on the right track. The compromisers and assimilationists can do their worst but it won't matter because it is all coming together nicely.

now we are all crying

The hikoi against the replacement for the Foreshore and Seabed Act reaches Wellington tomorrow - big day coming up. The hikoi has made good time and the opposition have stalled the government, so the 3rd reading has not happened yet. The goal is to shame the maori party into changing and not voting for the Bill. That won't work but it will be the worst day in the world for the maori party MP's - they will be crying inside and out. But they have had their chances, they have had plenty of chances and they still refuse to listen to the people, instead they fawn over key, they back racist and unjust legislation - it will be a hard day for them, as they deserve I'm sad to say.

Hone says

“Now unfortunately that hikoi is going to get to town before the third reading so I think what this is all about is maintaining pressure on the Maori Party, positive pressure I would like to think, positive and polite pressure,” Mr Harawira says. He’s written to his former Maori Party colleagues asking them to withdraw their support for the bill.

But there is more happening tomorrow for the maori party

A contingent of Kaumatua, Kuia, Pakeke,& Rangatahi from the Kaipara & Tamaki Makaurau will be arriving at Parliament tomorrow between 1-2 with the express purpose of uplifting, retrieving, and returning a 6ft hook (Matau) and anchor (punga) which was gifted to celebrate the Maori Party’s 1st year in parliament, and express support for their mangai MP Hone Harawira. The group has asked that the taonga be placed below the steps of Parliament so that they may ensure the easy return of these taonga.

This is part of their statement

“It was perhaps a HUGE error on our behalf to assume, that the party would uphold such values as manaakitanga, in order to respond to Taikokerau’s concerns re this bill. And that the party would also continue also to fight to restore our TINO RANGATIRA status (as guaranteed in article two of Te Tiriti 1840) but now recognise that , that will not be the case, being that the party, expelled our MP for merely voicing the Tai Tokerau’s concerns, and that they (The Maori Party) have blatantly ignored over 90% of the submissions re: this bill, and endorsed a piece of legislation that may well be the catalyst for TOTALLY nullifying and or extinguishing our ancestral rights of GUARDIANSHIP, CHIEFTENSHIP, AND TOTAL AUTHORITY over our taonga (Wenua, Ngahere, Moana Katoa!)

If that doesn't make them cry, nothing will. I appreciate that the maori party leadership thinks they are doing the right thing, but they promised to listen to the people and they haven't - and worse they have ignored and disrespected the Māori submissions, so it is just not good enough, not by a long shot. I think the maori party leadership should retire and that the other two members should step down and that new people who are not tainted can come in. But that is up to them - i am fully supporting a new left Māori party led by Hone and backed by all people, from any background, who believe in tino rangatiratanga, fairness, equality, kaitiakitanga and support for the less advantaged. Join us we are going to make history.

Hat tip - Waatea News and tangatawhenua com

commitment to promises

I suppose Tariana didn't like Hone's speech very much - why would she when it smashed her weak effort. So she has come out with these comments on Hone missing the vote on the 2nd reading of the bill to replace the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

TVNZ

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia says Hone Harawira should be embarrassed about forgetting to vote on the foreshore bill.

She said Harawira's failure to vote puts into question his commitment. "You're either genuine and you're here to represent a particular viewpoint and as such you're here to cast a vote saying that you support that viewpoint."

Yes so true, we remember all of the votes you have made Tariana supporting the gnats and making life harder for the people - yes your voting record says it all so I wouldn't be too indignant about Hone's mistake. Especially when a new poll of maori shows that only 11% support your Bill. That is not a mandate no matter how much spin you put on it. Will you keep your promise to follow the wishes of maori? Will you keep that promise?

tide receding

The māori party have supported the 2nd reading of the replacement to the Foreshore and Seabed Act as expected. I recieved an email before the 2nd reading saying,

Kia ora marty, nga mihi nui kia koe. Maori Party co-leaders Tariana Turia and Dr Pita Sharples will be speaking on the second reading of the Marine and Coastal Areas (Takutai Moana) Bill today. Mrs Turia is scheduled to speak between 3.50pm and 4.15pm or immediately after question time while Dr Sharples is expected to speak an hour after Mrs Turia. marty, if you have the time to tune in, please do so.

I was not able to listen but I have read the speech now and it is similar to the video. One series of statements needs clarification

There is also a very interesting provision, tucked away in clause 105, the burden of proof clause which states explicitly that “it is presumed, in the absence of proof to the contrary, that a customary interest has not been extinguished”.

In other words, it will be up to the Crown to prove that any interest has been extinguished- rather than placing the onus for proof on the whanau, hapu and iwi.

Is this a panacea for all ills? I think not.

I think not too and I think this point needs to be analysed because it is not my understanding and I hope I am proven wrong.

These points in the speech were interesting too

We have vigorously fought the case against too high a threshold being applied to the tests for customary marine titles – a concern which whanau, hapu and iwi have consistently raised with us. And we appreciate also the concern of many Maori who seek a new Treaty based ‘longer conversation’ to safeguard the mana of hapu and iwi. This was a resounding theme of the 72 submissions received by the Maori Affairs select committee from marae, hapu, iwi, Maori land owners, organizations and collectives. It is a theme that we have certainly heard, and we will continue to give voice to, in every sphere of political activity that we are engaged in.

There has been some statements made in public about the ‘overwhelming opposition’ to the Bill demonstrated in the select committee process. I think that comment should be balanced by the fact that less than 2% of the 5700 submissions received were in fact from Maori – the great majority of submitters coming from within lobby groups the like of the Coastal Coalition

The opposition is mainly from Pākehā - who'd have thunk it.

I notice that Hone didn't vote - that was a mistake, he should have voted against it IMO. It appears he gave his proxy to the greens and it wasn't used ??? He forgot to vote - and whilst mistakes can happen, this was a big one.

The finalish word to Tariana

This is our bill – a Bill which the National Party was prepared to back.

I wonder why.

This is an excerpt from Hone's speech

"With all my heart and soul I beg the Maori Party to recognise the fact that they have been sold down the river by the National Party and to accept the reality that they occupy a cold and lonely place in the hearts and minds of their people," he said. "This is racist legislation and thousands will walk away from the Maori Party."

Very powerful - "a cold and lonely place in the hearts and minds of their people" - whū! That is very hard hitting.

retrospective promises

When I posted about maori boycotting the rugby world cup I envisioned a different scenario than the one we have now. For instance in my version I had the maori party leading the hikoi and the protests at the rugby world cup - but the maori party are leading nothing. I thought that the maori party would lead but that is not how they see themselves. Tariana recent video entilted "Keeping our Promise", is professionally made and she talks of the

"two things that maori party supporters asked the maori party to achieve in their first term of government - to repeal the foreshore and seabed act and provide a way for maori to go to court" 

Tariana declares that they have achieved that and the problem is that the bar has been raised.

Tariana also is keen to describe how the Bill abolishes crown title and introduces recognition of customary interests. Customary title is described as "giving iwi development rights" - and she talks about those rights pertaining to, say - "sand mining and further oil exploration"! Thanks for letting us know your agenda.

Without bating an eyelid she praises the select commitee process, saying,

"people will be able to have a say" 

The body language just after these lines tells the story.

Iwi leaders have said the hurdle of customary title is a biggie and Tariana explains that because of the racists the

"government gets incredibly nervous from their polling about what it means for them, if an election were to be called."

What the - who calls the election? But don't worry all of that is just "political realities".

and Tariana also says that the maori party job is to open the doors to enable whanau, hapu and iwi to negotiate their own positions on this issue (the foreshore and seabed repeal) and the maori party have done that. -

"so, we've kept our word to keep the door open  and allow people to get in here basically to negotiate their own deal" 

Tariana states that the Bill has to go through or it will revert and all of the new rights will be lost and it will be much harder for iwi because,

"the government won't be under any obligation to in fact listen to them, or to put anything in place".

Umm Tariana isn't that the party you support - even against the wishes of the people?

The message is clear. Tariana says expectations are too high and that

various iwi have been prepared to accept settlements of between 1% and 3% of what has been taken from us ... when measuring achievements of what has happened with the foreshore and seabed has lifted the bar... and created, not only an opportunity, but the maori party has set a precedent that for the first time ever, our people in numbers, have been able to access ministers of the crown in a way that they never have been before - when you're in opposition you get no opportunity... we have to build relations in this place because unless we do that, the door will always be shut to us.

Of course Iwi have been prepared to accept whatever crumbs they have been offered - a good analogy with the maori party position. So, the lines have been set and the "We've kept our promise" is the big theme for this and probably the election. It is an interesting framing because I cannot recall the big promises as such - but if you want to present your argument, you create strawmen and then proceed to argue - the "promise" line is in that catagory. It is made up and irrelevant. My view remains unchanged - the Bill is a farce and reduces maori rights and the maori party should listen to their people and not support it.

the point is sharp

Titewhai Harawira has the right to say what she likes and her words will be weighed with everyone elses words. Yes she is Hone's mother but as she says, "I have the right as a kuia of Nga Puhi... I am an executive member of the New Zealand Maori Council. I have been there for the last 40 years." The anger is growing and strong words often flame anger - I cannot say whether it is a good or bad thing to call Pita Sharples a "gutless dog" and also accuse Tariana Turia of using the party to make herself "look good". But Titewhai has the right to say it and I agree with much of what she says as anyone reading this blog knows. The time for worrying about hurt feelings is past - there is too much at stake - we need to be brutally honest now because we are not fighting to the death - we are fighting for life - the life and mauri of the maori party.

Footnote - Titewhai has said sorry to Pita Sharples for her insult to him. He has accepted it. Good mana from Pita and I am pleased the apology has been given.
I have just watched this interview with Hone - It shows the man, his mana, and his heart - he is a leader.

painted on ears

How long will the leadeship of the maori party keep their heads in the sand regarding their bogus repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act? Well they have both come out in support of the process and the reporting back without amendment but they are up against it because the membership are not happy.

Te Paati Maori Ki Waitemata -

Yesterday the Maori Party members of Waitemata hosted a public hui where the Te Taitokerau MP, Hone Harawira, addressed the electorate. In response to the MP's address the hui stated: 1. We have total confidence in the elected Te Taitokerau MP, Hone Harawira. 2. Further, we request that our Te Taitokerau MP, Hone Harawira, be returned to caucus without further ado. 3. Finally, we are appalled at how the mana of our Rangatira has been treated in the isolation process, excluding him from important matters and issues that affect Te Iwi Maori katoa ie: Te Takutaimoana; Mining on our whenua; Privatisation; G.S.T increase; and other legislative bills before the house. The Te Taitokerau members in attendance will be attending the Maori Party Council hui to lodge their dissatisfaction at the lack of proper process taken without proper consultation and communication to the Te Taitokerau electorate.

Tamaki Makaurau say

Maori Party leaders are facing a vote of no confidence from an Auckland iwi over the Foreshore and Seabed replacement bill. Tamaki Makaurau elders likened the party's support for the new legislation, in the face of substantial objections, to trampling on the mana of their ancestors. Spokeswoman Ngaire Te Hira said the bill was not what people marched the length of New Zealand for back in 2004. Kaumatua and kuia of Tamaki Makaurau are preparing for a hikoi to oppose the bill.

Another hikoi - yes maybe that will get the message through but I am not optimistic about that because of these type of delusional statements from sharples and turia.

Pita Sharples says “We've been negotiating every way right up until last week and we actually won a little clause which lightened one of the tests and right up until last week also iwi were making submissions on it so it’s sort of been the Maori people's bill in a way.” Yes Pita that is the opposite of what the people are saying

Tariana Turia says about Hone (without irony) that, "He has no respect for our authority. He has no respect for this environment. He doesn’t have any respect for the coalition agreement that we all signed up to and that we all agreed to. And he has no respect for the party itself.” That seems similar to what people said about her when she left labour doesn't it?

The maori party have obstacles and they are Pita and Tariana. Tangata whenua are not happy and they will show it.

we know better than you

The maori party are really disappointing at the moment. Many people are outraged about the truncated deliberation process and the early reporting back of the Bill replacing the Foreshore and Seabed Act but not Tariana Turia. Apparently she says, the decision to fasttrack this was "made last year". What? That seems very strange to me. Attorney General finlayson has made some big calls too, such as this one -

Members of the committee had also wanted to see legal advice about tests for customary title the Government received on the bill but Mr Finlayson said it was his choice to refuse to release that.

I bet you don't want that information coming out.

The most contentious part of it is the test for customary title -- continuous use and occupation since 1840 -- which Maori critics say is too hard to meet. Mrs Turia said her party had campaigned on repeal and for the right to go to court and it achieved those things, even if it remained unhappy with the tests. Mr Finlayson told reporters he did not intend to move on the test issue, which he considered honest and objective.

Finlayson laughs off the outrage saying there is no point in further deliberation because, "Well everyone's position was very well predetermined" why bother asking for submissions then - a big fake process leading to a predetermined decision. No one is fooled - it isn't even subtle. This is a foul brew concocted by these weaklings.

the belly is ripped

The reason given by sharples for why Hone has been suspended by the maori party is strange. he says the maori party wanted to start the new parlimentary year off with everyone in agreement and "... Tuesday's sitting is the beginning of the parliamentary year and the party wanted to make sure the speeches given in the general debate are those of the caucus, and not what Mr Harawira "might like to dream up"." So this is a decision made to keep Hone quiet, to keep a pleasant face, to not make waves. And somehow this decision has nothing to do with the upcoming disciplinary hearing - yeah right. After years of dealing with Hone and "dreading the day" when he was supposed to suspend him, sharples now expects us to believe it is just coincidence that the day after waitangi day and 3 days before the hearing, somehow the straw that breaks the camel's back lands. Sorry pita that is bullshit. The instructions were given and then carried out - simple really. And pita should realise that Hone isn't dreaming his concerns up - you are delusional pita.

As for Hone - the time has come. Do not let this foolish bunch dictate the game but also do not leave - let them expell you and then when you come back they will be revealled in their true form. Stand strong and continue to represent the people. These events will rip the belly of the maori party and people will need support. Focus on the issues that are affecting the people - that is the kaupapa and important. Keep the angerpot simmering but don't boil it too hard. Smile at them often.

sharples and turia have already lost - they just don't know it yet.

I have just listened to maori party president bird say that they are following the advice of chen and they are correct. One of the recommendations is to fix the problem quickly - whose kaupapa is that? Who says that things have to be sorted quickly - why? Why not take some time so that views can be sought and people can have their say?

step aside love

News that The White Stripes are no more is sad but inevitable. Jack White is amazing and Meg is too. As a team they surpassed anything that could be imagined.

It is for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve What is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way

Some thoughts on the maori party and how they could learn from The White Stripes.

Sometimes it is just time to go seperate ways and to go with those sentiments is the way to go. The maori party should consider this duo's example - it preserves what is "beautiful and special" - hasn't the maori party said that they have achieved what the wanted this term and that couldn't have happened without them being there. They had the courage to set the party up and go forth into no-mans land and even though I disagree and have been horrifed at some of the things they have supported - I still respect them for what they have done. The hope and aroha the formed the maori party and made this historic advance is beautiful and special and should be preserved.

The leadership have led the way and now it is time to step aside and allow the next leaders to come through. Age is a factor and even more importantly it is time to have a break, to put your feet up a bit and spend time with your whanau and teaching our young. Yes things will change within the party and the direction will be different but that is okay. You did what you did and now it is time for others to do what they will do. You have done your bit in this sphere and your voices and knowledge would be much more valuable out with the people. You could be very powerful voices. The new leadership will invigorate the maori party and you will be able to watch with pride as your party matures and grows and becomes effective in helping our people and eveyone in this country. Think it through Pita and Tariana - another 3 years? With all the changes the gnats have forecast? - do you really want to go through that. I ask you to not destroy what you have built but preserve it for all of us, for our children and everyone in this country - be special and beautiful - let the new shoots come forth.

I'm not voting for you

There are some facts of life around the maori party that we have to accept. sharples and turia have wedded themselves to the gnats and they aren't going anywhere. They should stand down - but they won't. The lines that the maori party have achieved much more by hanging with the gnats than by being in opposition, is true - to a point. Yes there have been some gains but the cost has been too high - the cost to mana and independence and the cost in votes - coming up. The maori party have stood by while iwi and maori have been insulted and ridiculed and they have done this deliberately so that they didn't upset the gnats. They have supported moves that disadvantaged maori and made life harder for many. sharples and turia have been sucked in and they don't even realise it. They actually think the gnats like them but the gnats like the support and the votes and they would scrape them off like shit from a shoe given the opportunity - like nearer the election for instance after a poll comes out. What will sharples and turia do then apart from cry and knash their teeth? Too late - who cares.


The smiley leadership of the maori party think it is all a big joke - the opposition to them via Hone, the multiple submissions on their shit replacement for the F&S Act but they are in for a big shock because they will shed votes as maori realise what a disappointing joke they are.


As a previous maori party supporter I will not give any of my two votes to them.

I have completed the maori party survey so that are fully aware of my views.

Strong speech by Tariana

The maori party have felt my anger regarding the repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act. I am opposed to the new Bill but the Maori Party and Tariana Turia specifically are still supporting it and still saying it is a movement forward for maori.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the New Zealand Human Rights Commission Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People has just started and Tariana gave the opening address. It is a very good speech and within it Tariana outlines her view on the Foreshore and Seabed Act repeal and the new Bill. Good discussion is about understanding others point of view, so in that spirit i will reproduce some of Tariana's statements.

From Scoop

Ngati Apa asked whether the Court had jurisdiction to consider whether land in the foreshore and seabed had customary land status. The Court of Appeal upheld the finding of the Maori Land Court that yes, the Court, did indeed, hold that jurisdiction; and Maori had every right to go to Court to seek or protect common law property rights – customary title.

In lightning-quick time the former Government passed the Foreshore and Seabed Bill Act in 2004 which extinguished customary title – meaning no whanau, hapu or iwi could seek customary title.

And then the floodgates opened.

A hikoi of approximately 40-50,000 marched against the legislation outside Parliament. There was national criticism of the legislation by the Waitangi Tribunal who found the policy breached the Treaty of Waitangi and various representatives of the United Nations criticised the Act for its discriminatory effects.

Six years down the Track, we are on a path determined to repeal that 2004 Act, but also to restore the ability for customary title to be recognised.

And so the 2010 Bill explicitly recognises the enduring mana-based relationship of iwi and hapu to the marine and coastal area in their rohe through the automatic award known as mana tuku iho. Maori do not have to prove anything in order to achieve this recognition, it is theirs by right as tangata whenua; people of the land.

But the Bill goes further, to incorporate tikanga as a key element in the test for customary title and allow for differences in tikanga from group to group.

The inclusion of tikanga in the Bill allows a protected customary rights holder to delegate or transfer the rights in accordance with traditional practices. The Bill also explicitly allows for customary practices to evolve over time. Both of these developments recognise and allow for the evolving nature of customary rights.

There are other initiatives in this Bill which set out a new expectation of how indigenous rights can be considered in the statute. One in particular, is around the burden of proof.

The 2004 Act required Maori to prove extinguishment of customary title had not occurred. Proving something had not happened over a 170 year period was a significant burden on Maori. The 2010 Bill places that burden on the Crown. If the Crown cannot prove extinguishment then customary title will be recognised (provided the other elements of the test are met).

I wanted to set out this example in some depth because I think it comes back to that spirit of self-determination.

We wanted to see the shared burden of proof, and the notion of customary jurisprudence embedded within the bill because it is inherently setting out a new way of indigenous interaction with the state, based on principles of justice, democracy, and the promotion and protection of indigenous rights.

This is, however, just one of many legislative and policy challenges which we must apply ourselves to in upholding the aspirations of the Declaration.

I have left that section in, in full because it shows the thinking. There are many excellent passages in Tariana's speech - go and have a read here.

I am not sure about the paragragh above where Tariana says that the crown has to prove extinguishment of customary title - that is not my understanding at all - but perhaps the line - (provided the other elements of the test are met) tells the real story.

a tree is green and brown

I have recently been placed on the māori party press release list and I'm really pleased to recieve the emails detailing what the māori party have been up to. I'm going to post the ones that resonnate because it is important to get a full view of the goings on rather than just the MSM spin - sure these are spin too, but they record what's happening.

For instance this is a good stance by Tariana and the māori party

"Maori Party MP for Te Tai Hauauru Tariana Turia is disappointed that the South Taranaki District Council has dismissed iwi and backed a move to give control of a major water supply to farmers.

"The decision goes against the spirit of this country's most significant freshwater report that was handed to the Government just last week," said Mrs Turia who was referring to the council's decision last night to back a local bill, sponsored by Chester Burrows, giving local landowners control of the Cold Creek Rural Water Supply Scheme.

"The report [from the Land and Water Forum] recommended that councils must engage with iwi about the way in which their water bodies are valued, and to work collaboratively with them and other relevant land and water users.

"I am very sad to hear that the council has sidelined Ngati Ruanui and not engaged them properly.

"The water that ends up in the creek runs from the head of Ngati Ruanui's ancestral mountain, Maunga Taranaki, so they must be included in all major decisions concerning the resource.

"I will be talking to the Minister of Local Government and the Minister for the Environment, to ensure Ngati Ruanui is not left out and that the recommendations of the report are upheld."

The report Land and Water Forum: A Fresh Start for Freshwater looked at freshwater management at local, regional and national levels."

Fighting for the right of māori to be heard and respected, protecting the mana of the people and the mauri of the waterway, showing the hypocracy and injustice around disempowering decisions - this is the role of the māori party. Well done.

 and now, while the pressure is building is the time to take it up a notch - put some olive branches out to the greens and work together on a bill or amendment or protest and opposition. Use the values of manaakitanga to build relations and support. I can't really see much downside - it puts pressure on the gnats thus increasing bargining power, it strengthens a relationship with a potential partner with many shared values, it creates more opportunity to make positive changes in whatever is focused on by using two sets of resources and activists, and it increases mana.

It's time to focus on similarities and connection not differences.

the measurement will be unpleasant

There is a saying that if you lie down with dogs you will get up with fleas.

From Waatea news

"Maori Party leader Tariana Turia is expecting tough talk from the UN's top official on indigenous issues about Maori poverty and access to justice.

UN Special rapporteur James Anaya spent last week in the country talking to Maori groups and Crown ministers and officials.

Mrs Turia says while Professor Anaya was measured in his comments before he left, she is confident he won't shy away from highlighting the areas that need action.

“I know he has been stunned about the high Maori incarceration rate, poor health stats, poor educational achievement. One has to take responsibility for it. Those of us who are part of government, we are the ones that have to stand up and be counted on these issues,” Mrs Turia says." (my emphasis)

Yes the measurement is beginning and it will be unpleasant. You cannot support right-wing policies that directly negatively affect maori, that reduce maori aspirations, that tread on maori mana and then believe that you are supporting maori rights and tino rangatiratanga. They are mutually exclusive.

agreement from most - but not the Tariana haters

I am concerned for low income maori families and the increase in GST coming up and now the rise in excise on tobacco. Don't get me wrong - tobacco are maori killers and I am all for reducing their harm in society. Getting rid of tobacco altogether - well I am not sure I would go that far.

From Stuff

"Parliament has given overwhelming support to a tobacco tax increase that will raise the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes by about a dollar to around $11, effective from midnight, with two more hikes in the pipeline.

After a debate under urgency tonight the bill was passed into law on a vote of 118-4 with all parties except ACT giving it full backing. ACT split its vote with one MP supporting the bill - John Boscawen - and the other four opposing it.

So strong support from most parties.

Interesting to see The Standard with this post and this line within the post.

"Associate Health Minister with responsibility for tobacco harm reduction, Tariana Turia, once considered getting rid of the displays a priority. But she’s too busy reprinting her business cards with ‘Minister for Whanau Ora (don’t ask what it is)’ to worry about stuff like Maori dying of lung cancer any more."

 
That shows the hatred that some labour people have for Tariana. We cannot trust labour - they will sell us all down the river for the mythical middle vote as soon as look at us. They have done it before and they will do it again.