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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Relativity clauses hamper settlements

The Maori Party says the Government should buy out the relativity clauses in the Tainui and Ngai Tahu settlements.

The Crown is required to top up the tribes' settlements if the total spent on resolving historical claims exceeds $1 billion in 1995 dollars.

Treaty spokesperson Te Ururoa Flavell says even though the Government says the fiscal cap is no longer policy, the relativity clauses have had a dampening effect on how much the government is willing to pay other iwi.

“All the other iwi that didn’t have a relativity clause have been stuck with what they got, and there hasn’t been a standard way of settling across the board, and the only way to deal equitably with some of the other tribes in a better way is to put a proposal to Tainui and Ngai Tahu about the possibility of buying out their clauses,” Mr Flavell says.

He says the Government is going in for some innovative accounting to try to keep its settlement total below the $1 billion.

Tanui and Ngai Tahu both refused to comment on the Maori Party's proposal.

AWATERE REVIVES READING PROGRAMME OUT WEST

Donna Awatere Huata says her 4-minute reading programme is three times as successful as reading recovery programmes.

The former MP is now running her reading programmes out of West Auckland’s Te Whanau O Waipareira Trust.

She says this week’s education summit being hosted by the Trust is an opportunity to reinforce the potential of her 4-minute reading programme, which is more effective than reading recovery programmes now available in schools.

“The reason they do that is we bring in the parents. We actually teach the parents how to teach their own kids to read, the whakamana their children’s reading, and doing it at home, it boosts the kids’ esteem, it boosts the relationship between the parents, but also, the way we teach reading now is shot, it doesn’t work for Mori, it doesn’t work for many Pacific Island children, and it doesn’t work for many Pakeha children,” Mrs Awatere Huata says.

CHARITY WALK FAILS PROFIT TEST

A Wellington adventurer is standing by a charity ride that police slammed as foolish.

Ihimaera Patuwai crossed Cook Strait by kayak, then cycled to Invercargill.

A national search was called after friends reported him missing.

But he says it was worth it to draw attention to the plight of at-risk kids - even if he didn't raise much money.

“I raised $107.30 but going down there I think I spent about $460.80, not that I care because the whole purpose was for charity. In that area I’ve got to be a bit more prepared,” Mr Patuwai says.

NEW ZEALAND FIRST NO CHAMPION OF MAORI

A Maori Party MP says New Zealand First shouldn't use arguments about Maori disadvantage to justify its anti-Asian rhetoric.

New Zealand First president Peter Brown says immigration from Asia is changing the face of New Zealand and compromising the Maori position within New Zealand Society.

Hone Harawira says that's a bit rich coming from a party with a less than enviable record of supporting Maori initiatives.

“Far be it for New Zealand First who’s trying to take the treaty out of legislation, introduce 12-year-old prisons, and keep Maori from serving on the Waitangi Tribunal, to be the lead agent in defending Maori rights. That’s the Maori party position and our position on immigration is not about being anti-Asian or anti-anything, it’s about defending the rights of Maori people,” Mr Harawira says.

WAIPAREIRA SECURES FISH FUNDING FOR EDUCAITON HUI

The head of the National Urban Maori Authorities says supporting Maori education initiatives is making good use of hard won fisheries money.

John Tamihere says this week’s Waipareira-sponsored education summit will come up with community answers to problems of Maori underachievement in schools.

He says the putea secured by urban Maori interests from the fisheries settlement does not have to be used on fishing related kaupapa.

Mr Tamihere says there is urgent need to lift the performance of Maori students, and the trust set up to distribute fishing funds on behalf of urban Maori will support Maori children irrespective of their tribal origins.

“We can't wait for politicians, governments and everybody else. We’ve really got to get cracking on this thing as soon as possible. It’s no use having a wonderful half a billion dollar balance sheet if your people, who are the beneficiaries to that balance sheet are trafficking themselves into prisons, dropping out of schools and so forth,” Mr Tamihere says.

NUKUNUKU RUNNING VALUABLE PART OF BASE PLAY

Maori softballer Nathan Nukunuku was to the fore in the Black Sox win at the Oceania playoffs to secure positions in next years world cup in Canada.

Commentator Te Kauhoe Wano was at Albany over the weekend and says the national softball team benefits from the infielder’s experience.

The 27 year joined his older brother Dion in the Black Sox when he was just 19, and has won two world championships with the national team.

Mr Wano says Nathan Nukunuku's input can't be underestimated.

“He leads off in the batting. His role is not so much to hit big but to get on to first base so a brilliant in-fielder as well, Nathan. Him and Rowan Gabriel are the two sprinters of the team, so a big part of their role is to try and get on to base and let someone else hit them through so they can do quick runs between bases and then finally on to the home plate,” Mr Wano says.

The Black sox qualified first in the Oceania Pool with a 5 nil win over Australia in the final.

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