Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Monday, July 07, 2008

Message for the triads

An anti-P campaigner says the best way to reduce violent crime in Auckland is to stamp out the distribution of methamphetamine.

Dennis O'Reilly says Saturday's 10,000 strong march through Botany Downs shows the depth of feeling among the city's Asian communities to a spate of robberies which have resulted in three homicides.

But he says subsequent comments by rally organiser Peter Low about using Triad gangs for protection reveal a misunderstanding about what is driving the attacks.

“It's good to know there are 10,000 Asians who are up in arms against crime and that they’re in contact with the triads, because if that’s the case, how about putting the effort into stopping the triads and other Asian criminals both in New Zealand and abroad, stopping the flow of methamphetamine into our country,” Mr O'Reilly says.

Too many Maori have become addicted to methamphetamine and are caught up in the distribution network behind a lot of the crime in South Auckland.

WHANGAMATA OCCUPATION CONTINUING THROUGH STORM

Bad weather is not deterring the group of 30 occupying the site of a proposed marina at Whangamata.

Hauraki Maori and community members says changes to the plan, and the discovery of a colony of rare moko skinks, means the whole project should be reviewed.

Pauline Clarkin of Ngati Hako says the ope's morale is high despite the cold wet conditions, and support is growing.

“I think that people are finding out their own information and starting to consider what’s being portrayed by the marina society isn't all kosher,” Ms Clarkin says.

The occupation is being reassessed on a daily basis, and a lot will depend on the response to requests made to the Minister for Conservation.

CLINICAL TRIAL DATA COULD CUT MAORI BREAST CANCER DEATHS

More Maori are needed for clinical trials.

Papaarangi Reid from the University of Auckland medical school says greater participation in such trials could improve outcomes for Maori women with breast cancer.

The Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials group annual meeting in Wellington last week credited better breast cancer survival rates on the understanding of breast cancer biology gained through such trials.

Professor Reid says the trials don't include enough Maori women, so their perspectives aren't heard.

“Different things are important to us and we’ve got different concerns from research that has happened to us in the past and so we need to have our fears allayed round issues of genetics, tissues, storage and use of information and tissue in future and other things like that,” she says.

Paparangi Reid says Maori women are willing and able to take part in trials, if their concerns are met.

WALLACE WHANU WELCOMES NEW INQUIRY

The whanau of a Waitara man fatally shot by police is welcoming an independent inquiry.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority is resuming its investigation into the shooting of Steven Wallace in the Taranaki town in 2000, after a coroner's inquest identified matters that needed further investigation.

Raewyn Wallace, Steven's mother, says fighting for the truth for eight years has taken financial and emotional toll on the whanau.

She says claims by Police Association president Greg O'Connor that her son was shot for trying to injure a police officer is the kind of slur the family has to face.

“From day one the police went out and did exactly what Greg O'Connor’s doing now, to damn the family, the make the policemen look good, and Greg O'Connor’s doing it again,” Mrs Wallace says.

She says the Police should never have been allowed to investigate their own.

TRIBUNAL RECOMMENDATIONS SPELT END OF RED BOOK

A leading treaty lawyer says the Government has made progress on treaty settlements because it started listening to the Waitangi Tribunal again.

Paul Majurey from Marutuahu says last month’s central North Island forestry settlement only happened because the Crown, and Te Arawa claimants, were willing to set aside a proposed Te Arawa settlement on the advice of the tribunal.

Coming on top of strong criticism of a similar settlement to Auckland lands, it broke the stranglehold the Office of Treaty Settlements had on the process.

“The whole Crown policy and approach of over a decade was scrutinized and found severely wanting and the Red Book as it’s known by those in the settlement process, the Crown’s policy document was basically trashed because it did not reflect and did not allow whanaungatanga to occur. It did pit hapu against hapu, iwi against iwi,” Mr Majurey says.

He says the central North Island settlement is a tribute to the rangatira involved, and Tamaki Makaurau need to show similar leadership and whanaungatanga to get their settlement moving again.

DIESEL COSTS CUTTING INTO FAMILY MOTORING

The wheels on the bus may NOT go round and round much longer

The principal of a Rotorua kura says increases in the Road User Charge aren't just hitting truckies.

Hawea Vercoe from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti, says many Maori supported last Friday's truck protest out of self-interest.

He says the kura runs two buses and vans on diesel, and a lot of the whanau drive seven and eight seater diesel vans which are also facing an increase.

The school holidays will give the whanau a chance to think about the best way to handle all the price increases they're facing.

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