Waatea News Update

News from Waatea 603 AM, Urban Maori radio, first with Maori news

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Sky feed needed for Maori tv

Maori Television head Jim Mather hopes to resolve new transmission arrangements with Sky in the next few days.

The Maori channel was forced to go to Sky in December after TVNZ shifted its signal from the Optus B1 satellite to another satellite in preparation for the launch of the Freeview digital broadcasting service.

Mr Mather says transmitting on Sky is likely to cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, depending on technical issues relating to the satellite transponder.

He says the majority of viewers get Maori Television on the Ultra High Frequency band, but a significant number rely on satellite cover.

“Almost a third of our audience do watch Maori Television by Sky and we do obviously want to ensure that access to our programming continues,” Mr Mather says.

Maori Television will also broadcast on Freeview when it becomes available later this year.

BUPPIES SEEN AS NAT VOTERS

The National Party believes it can make inroads with a new generation of young Maori.

Maori co-spokesperson Georgina te Heuheu says new leader John Key has shown he is willing to reach out to Maori, but he's not chasing every vote.

Mrs te Heuheu says there is a strong element of self development in National's principles, and that will appeal to many younger Maori.

“There is a large segment of the Maori community, 25 to 40 year olds who’re qualified or got some experience. They’re less focused on the grievance, which is probably what those of us before them have been focused on, and they’re more interested now in going forward and developing businesses and moving forward,” Mrs te Heuheu says.

Later this week Mr Key will visit Maori on the East Coast, where there has traditionally been strong support for National among some leading families.

HELPING HAND ACROSS TASMAN

A King Country Maori forestry company has offered to help indigenous forestry ventures across the Tasman get up to speed.

Kokakotaea Forestry Corporation chief executive Glen Katu says an Aboriginal trade delegation from Queensland has just spent a week in the King Country as guests of Ngati Maniapoto.

Mr Katu says the Gurang and Goreng Goreng tribes of Bundaberg have 15 thousand acres of forest nearing maturity.

He says while they have experience in planting and tending trees, the harvesting and marketing phases of the business are new to them.

Mr Katu says that's where the Kokotaea group of companies can help.

“In New Zealand we’re a bit lucky because we’ve got 70 odd years in forestry experience. We’re hoping that some of that experience will be able to help our brothers and sisters across the Tasman in Queensland,” Mr Katu says.

A team from Kokakotaea will go to Queensland to help put together a business and training plan.

COMMISSIONER IN AT WAIRARAPA KURA

The whanau and wider community of troubled Masterton Maori immersion school will gather today to discuss its future.

A commissioner was put into Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Wairarapa after the Education Review Office reported the school was in debt from years of overspending, and students were at risk of daily violence from fighting and bullying.

The school has 12 fulltime staff and just over 100 students.

Commissioner Hineihaia Murphy says the hui will discuss her role in returning the kura to a safe state.

Mrs Murphy says she is likely to stay in the governance role for up to 18 months.

The ERO report said whanau governance systems at the kura were ineffective, and it was hampered by the failure of the sacked board to appoint a permanent principal.

POLICE SEEKING MAORI FEEDBACK

The police commissioner is in Auckland today to hear from Maori what they expect from the police.

The hui at Orakei Marae is part of a series on the service's Maori responsiveness strategy.

Glenn Mackay, the Maori liason officer for the Auckland district, says it's a chance for the police to say what they are trying at community level.

Mr Mackay says the police want to know what's working and what's not.

“Our networks will have an opportunity to stand up and say what we are and what we aren’t doing as well. Commissioner needs to hear it, and we need to hear it, because for us to move forward and for us to get better at what we are doing regards service delivery to Maori, we need to be hearing from all our networks, internal and external,” Mr Mackay says.

ROLE FOR ELDERS CONTROLLING DRINKING

The kaumatua for the Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council says koroua and kuia could be doing a lot more to tackle binge drinking among young Maori.

Pihopa Kingi from Te Arawa has welcomed the government's review of the sale of alcohol to under 18s, which will be tied in with a Justice Ministry review of the Sale of Liquor Act.

Mr Kingi says Maori communities are concerned at the level of drinking among young people, but they haven't received any official support when they have come up with strategies to address it.

HELP SOUGHT WITH MARAE INSURANCE

The custodians of Wairoa's Takitimu Marae have asked the Wairoa District Council to cover their 7 thousand dollar insurance bill.

Deputy mayor Denise Eaglesome says insurance cover for Takitimu will lapse in March, and the small group who look after the marae can't afford the premium.

The wharenui is insured for $3 million, but its carvings are said to be irreplaceable.

Ms Eaglesome says there is some sympathy among council members.

“Takitimu is an asset. It’s an asset of this community. And quite frankly, we should be getting this assistance form the Wairoa District Council a part of the community assets. This is our whakapapa. This is a national treasure,” Ms Eaglesome says.

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