Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Wait and see on cabinet seats

Labour leader Helen Clark says the question of cabinet seats will have to wait for after the election.

National has offered ACT and United Future cabinet spots if it wins, but it has not made a similar commitment to the Maori Party.

Ms Clark says Labour has more experience of working with other parties - five over the last nine years.

That includes working with the Maori Party on an issue by issue basis for the past three.

“We know we can work with all these parties. What we try to do is put together an arrangement which meets everybody’s needs, and it already seems to me that if a party is prepared to put its support in behind you then in a sense the ball is in their court as to whether they want to come into a cabinet, because not everybody does,” Ms Clark says.

She's not concerned National may make in-roads into the Pacific island vote, because Labour is part of the Pacific island community, rather than going as a tourist to visit retired rugby players.

WAITAKERE WARDENS ON COUNCIL PAYROLL

Waitemata Maori wardens say their deal with the Waitakere City Council could be used as a model for other cities.

Under the $100 thousand agreement, Maori wardens will patrol suburban shopping centres five days a week for the next year.

Wardens' chairperson Jack Taumaunu says it's a bold step for the council.

He says the Waitakere council has acknowledged the new skills wardens have picked up over the past year through an extensive training programme.

SENSITIVE SUITS FOR NEW RUGBY VARIANT

A former rugby league international hopes his new game will inspire rangatahi to get off the couch.

Taranaki raised Tony Kemp, the only Polynesian to have coached in the NRL, teamed up with Massey University industrial design student Charles Nicolson to produce a suit which sets off sensors when other players come near.

He says the new 10-person game, which has the working title of Rush Rugby, should get more young people involved in exercise by appealing to their interest in technology.

“It's been in my head for a number of years now. I came up with a concept to bring a game which is 100 years old into the future. Technology has taken over our youth, and you see that with Playstation, Xbox and the Wi game,” Mr Kemp says.

Prototypes of the Rush Rugby suit will be on display at a Massey University design expo at Auckland's Viaduct marine Village next week.

NEW HOUSE AT LITTLE RIVER

Ngai Tahu's Wairewa Runanga has rekindled the fires in a new whare at Little River at the gateway to Banks Peninsula.

Whanau member Iaean Cranwell says about 500 descendants from around the motu and Australia were on hand for a dawn ceremony on Saturday.

It's named after Mako, who claimed the area when Ngai Tahu arrived in the region, and it's the fourth house with that name to stand on the land since 1855.

Mr Cranwell says the previous house lasted 90 years, but it was barely holding together by the end.

“We'd stay there at night. If we had manuhiri with us, we’d have to reposition them in the whare so they didn’t get wet, because the roof used to leak. We tried to repair the roof, but when we took the tin off, it was all borer or rotten,” Mr Cranwell says.

The whare is uncarved, apart from the tekoteko depicting Mako's father, Puraho.

MANGERE LOOKS AT HEALTH NEEDS

Marae in Mangere are teaming up to improve health services to their people.

Joe Wilson from the Mangere Integrated Community Healthcare leadership group says a hui at Pukaki marae this evening is part of a consultation drive to determine what services the community most needs.

He says the leadership group says has been established on a two-house model, so the Maori and non-Maori caucuses are working in a treaty relationship.

He says communities know better than bureaucrats what suits their needs.

LAUREATE AWARDS FOR GEORGE HENARE, SHANE COTTON

A veteran Maori actor says a top arts honour means he may be able to relax a bit.

George Henare of Ngati Porou was one of five people honoured for their achievements at the ninth Arts Foundation Laureate Awards.

It comes on top to the Te Tohu Toi Ke award he received in September from Te Waka Toi, recognising the impact he has made to the development and retention of Maori arts and culture.

Mr Henare says the $50,000 check will come in handy to take the pressure away from always thinking about the next job.

He won't be able to relax too much ... he's rehearsing for a three month season of 'La Cage aux Folles' at Christchurch's Court Theatre which opens on November 22.

A laureate award also went to painter Shane Cotton of Ngapuhi.

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