Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Rongowhakaata wants dialogue on changes

Rongowhakaata lawyer Willie Te Aho is demanding better consultation from the Gisborne district council in the wake of the row over Alfred Cox Park.

Gisborne mayor Meng Foon has admitted the council was wrong to write a bill giving it greater control of the popular city reserve without consulting the iwi.

Mr Te Aho says the council needs to overhaul of the way it deals with iwi in its region.

"There's sending something out in the mail and noting you have a certain amount of time to respond, which people call consultation. We don't. Consultation is about engagement, and certainly the Gisborne District Council should know better," Te Aho said.

Willie Te Aho says there are other council and Crown properties around the region which Rongowhakaata feels should be returned to it, or which they want a say in managing

ROY SAYS WHANAU NOT ALWAYS BEST FOR WHANGAI

ACT List MP Heather Roy says the emphasis on finding extended family to provide foster care is ill advised.

Ms Roy Told the ACT regional cvonference this weekend there have been too many cases where children have been taken from one unsafe situation and placed in another.

She says the Child, Youth and Family Service must have the obligation to place children with whanau removed.

"What social workers need are access to temporary accommodation of that type. It buys them time to find the best option for thoise children. It may be with whanau and it may not be. We shouldn't automaticaly assume that one or the other is best for children, every case is very different," Roy said.

Heather Roy says welfare dependency is at the heart of the family violence problem.

MATAIRA NOVEL TURNED INTO TALKING BOOK

The writer of the first published novel written in te reo Maori, says Maori are not readers of the language, but like listening.

Kataraina Mataira says she's pleased her 2002 novel, Makorea has been turned into a talking book and a radio series.

Makorea is a historical drama based on epic journeys and conquests of nineeenth century Ngati Toa chief Te Rauparaha.

Ms Mataira says releasing the work in a number of formats will make it more accessable to more people.

"Maori are still not readers of Maori but they are listeners. That's why I did the talking book, I thought older people, many of them love to listen to korero. Certainly the many people who are learing the reo, one of the hardest things for them is to hear it in context," Mataira said.

NGATI MUTUNGA UNITES AROUND SETTLEMENT

One of the negotiators for Ngati Mutunga says negotiating its treaty claims has brought the north Taranaki iwi together.

The Ngati Mutunga Settlement Bill passed its first reading last week, and the tribe is now on track to get $14.9 million, an apology from the Crown and 10 sites of significance.

Lawyer Jamie Tuuta says the deal has taken 10 years to put together.

He says even though the tribe won't get full compensation for its losses, the deal was worth pursuing.

"We are one of the only tribes in the country which hasn't had a significant manadate dispute, and it has actually brought our people together in building that enthusiasm and passion for being Ngati Mutunga. We have always understood the settlement isn't going to provide what we want it to provide. At the end of the day it's our people," Tuuta said.

tau elitist reo

National Party MP Tau Henare says claims by Maori language commission heads that Maori leaders must be able to speak Maori is elitist and wrong.

The former minister of Maori affairs says Maori people look for the people who can best represent them.

He says commission chief executive Haami Piripi has an unrealistic view of Maori society.

"It's a lot of claptrap. It's elitist, it's this fundamentalist view. Is Haami saying all those who speak Maori are leaders and all those who don't, are not leaders? People who take that attitude are the losers, because people like myself made the committment a long tiome agio that we might have missed out, but our kids ain't," Henare said.

MASSEY TEAM LOOKS AT MAORI DRINKING

Massey University researchers have highlighted the impact of Maori alcohol abuse on children's welfare.

Research director Sally Casswell says there is a well known link betweeen alcohol and aggression and violence, so children in families where there are heavy drinkers are at greater risk.

Dr Casswell says while alcohol use is not Maori-specific, there is a culture of binge drinking which is a cause for concern.

Professor Sally Casswell says New Zealand is failing to properly protect its young people against alcohol and its effects.

BREASTFEEDING PUSH IN NORTH

A hikoi to raise awareness of breastfeeding is on its way around the north.

Health and iwi organisations have activities planned for every Northland centre this week to mark International Breastfeeding awareness week.

Organiser Waireti Walters says Maori woman are getting the message that breastfeeding is the best start for their babies.

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