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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Crown negotiators blocked ears to altenatives

The Waitangi Tribunal has been told the Office Of Treaty Settlements refused to listen to other tribes challenging the way it negotiated only with Ngati Whatua o Orakei over Auckland claims.

The tribunal is sitting in Tamaki Makaurau until Thursday to review the Government's settlement process.

Ngati Maru general manager David Taipari says when the talks started five years ago, the Marutuahu tribes were worried any settlement would involve land in central Auckland and North Shore they had historical associations with.

Mr Taipari says the agreement in principle reached last June confirmed their worst fears, which is why they're asking for a rethink.

“We can only hope that the government take heed of the evidence provided today, that the tribunal will recommend strongly that this process needs to go back to stage one, and that all parties are brought ot the same table and at the same time to put the korero on the table so the agreement in principle can be established for Tamaki, not necessarily for a tribe,” Mr Taipari says.

He says Ngati Maru's challenge is to the Crown and not to their relatives in Ngati Whatua.

BRADFORD WELCOMES MAORI PARTY BACK INTO ANTI SMACK FOLD

Green MP Sue Bradford is welcoming the Maori Party's decision to continue its support for her anti-smacking bill.

The party appeared to be wavering over an amendment by National's Whanganui MP Chester Borrows aimed at gutting the bill, but today said it was time for society to be brave and vote down the use of force against children.

It is expected Mr Borrows' amendment will be put when the Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Bill reaches its committee stage on Wednesday.

Ms Bradford says the news is a relief.

“The four Maori Party MPs had come under heavy pressure from some quarters to try to undermine my bill to repeal or amend section 59 of the Crimes Act but since this morning of course we’ve heard the tremendous news that the four Maori MPs are staying staunch in their defence of the rights of children to grow up free from violence, and I’m absolutely thrilled with that tautoko coming through,” Ms Bradford says.

EAGLE VS SHARK TAKES COMEDY PRIZE AT ASPEN

Filmmaker Taika Waititi's first full length production is on a roll, picking up the prize for best screenplay at the 13th Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen Colorado.

Co-producer Ainsley Gardiner says it all helps build up the buzz for the romantic comedy Eagle vs Shark, which will be released in the United States mid-year.

The romantic comedy about two misfits premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and has been selected for the Berlin and Rotterdam film festivals.

Ms Gardiner says Waititi is taking Maori humour to the world.

“The stories that he tells are so recognisable. It’s not high art. These are stories about Maori made by Maori, and that’s what makes them so accessible,” Ms Gardiner says.

UPHILL BATTLE TO DERAIL TAMAKI DEAL

Waitangi Tribunal claimants are facing an uphill battle to get the Government to taihoa on its settlement of Auckland land claims.

The tribunal is in Auckland this week conducting an urgent hearing into the Tamaki Makau Rau Settlement Inquiry.

Several iwi groups with historic links to the Auckland isthmus say the way the Crown went about negotiating with Ngati Whatua o Orakei shut them out.

They says the agreement in principle signed last June by the late Sir Hugh Kawharu will give the Orakei hapu assets they have better claims to.

But Prime Minister Helen Clark says the Government has conducted an exhaustive process.

“That agreement in principle that was signed while Sir Hugh Kawharu was still alive had been worked on for a long time, and normally the Crown doesn’t get to that point unless it’s satisfied with the mandate,” Ms Clark says.

HOUSING SELL OFF URGED

National's Maori Affairs co-spokesperson Georgina te Heuheu says Maori state house tenants should be given the chance to buy their own homes.

Mrs te Heuheu says too many tenants believe they will be in a state house for life.

She says home ownership is a way to break the cycle of dependency.

“Having a stake in your home, having a stake in what you’re paying out every week, those rent payments can be converted to mortgage payments and you’re paying for something that will some day be yours, then that I think is a great lift,” Mrs Te Heuheu says.

She says home ownership leads to stronger whanau.

RONGOA CAN BE USED ALONGSIDE CONVENTIONAL DRUGS

A leading herbalist says doctors should learn about rongoa Maori or Maori medicine so they can advice on complementary treatments.

Chris Tufnell, the president of the New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists, says consumer demand is growing for herbal treatments including rongoa Maori.

Mrs Tufnell says District Health Boards and doctors should consider how that demand will affect conventional treatments.

“It's important that people understand what the possible interactions are when they are using both kinds of medicine, and part of that means really health professionals being open and talking to each other in the interests of the consumer who wants to use both systems,” Mrs Tufnell says.

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