Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Monday, May 25, 2009

Hikoi for urban Mori too

Marchers are starting to gather round Auckland for the super-city hikoi that’s being branded as being about more than just the mana whenua.

Willie Jackson, the chair of the National Urban Maori Authorities, says it concerns the rights of all Maori in Auckland, not just those from the region’s iwi.

The Manukau Urban Maori Authority chief executive says he and Waipareira head John Tamihere made the case for wider representation to the Royal Commission Inquiry into Auckland Governance, whose recommendations have been set aside by the Government.

“Although we absolutely tautoko the Ngati Whatua and Tainui status too, when we put the tono in for these seats, Tamihere and I put in a proposal for urban Maori to be represented too, and so I think we have to remember that on Monday, this is a fight for all Maori in Auckland, not just those of Ngati Whatua or Tainui status,” Mr Jackson says.

Marchers are gathering at Orakei Marae, the Manukau City Council headquarters, Awataha Marae in Northcote and Te Piringatahi o Te Maungarongo Marae in West Harbour, and will convene on Queen Street at noon.

RIVER LAND BACK IN HAPU HANDS

Whanganui Maori have received the first fruit of their land claim process.

Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson on Saturday handed back a 35 hectare block beside the river to Te Poho a Matapihi Trust, which represents hapu interests in the lower reaches.

The history of the block was raised at the first Waitangi Tribunal hearing in the region, and tribunal Judge Carrie Wainwright suggested the Crown act immediately rather than waiting for the rest of the claims to be heard and reported on.

Trustee Hone Tamehana says the land was taken a century ago under the Public Works Act, and it was used until recently as a rifle range.

“The land is in need of attention. There may be some soil contamination. There are certain requirements we have to abide by, but we’re just glad to receive the land back,” Mr Tamehana says.

TRIBAL KAUPAPA EXTENDED TO REGGAE LINE-UP

The organiser of January’s successful Tribal Pride concert at Hopuhopu is taking the idea to the big smoke.

Biggs Taurarewa says the drug and alcohol event struck a chord with Maori music lovers who turned up in their thousands to hear bands like Kora, Katchafire, Ardijah and Scribe.

He’s hoping for a similar response this Friday at Tribal Roots at the Auckland Town Hall with a reggae line-up including House of Shem, Three Houses Down, Sweet ‘n’ Irie and Unity Pacific.

Biggs Taurarewa says proceeds from Tribal Roots will be used to run community music workshops and seminars.

OUT OF TOWNERS SUPPORTING CITY HIKOI

This morning’s hikoi to protest the Auckland super city is attracting marchers from well beyond Tamaki Makaurau.

An ope from Rotorua is among those who want to tell the Government to heed a royal commission recommendation to build Maori representation into the new governance structure.

Rotorua lawyer Annette Sykes says she and her whanaunga are joining in because Maori need to fight moves by government to pick and choose its Maori advisors, rather than allowing elected Maori a seat at the table where decisions are made.

She says it’s not just an issue for Maori.

“ Lots of my Pakeha friends and lots of my Pacific Island friends are coming as well and I think that’s a sign of the maturity of us as a nation, I don’t know if the protest will be quite of the height it was during the foreshore and seabed but the sentiment is just as serious and the need for all of us to come out n the streets and make a stand is just as important,” Ms Sykes says.

Marchers are gathering in north, south, east and west Auckland, and will converge on lower Queen St at noon for a march to Aotea Square

EXPERIENCED HANDS KEPT AROUND TO ADVISE ON REO STANDARDS

Maori Television has asked the authors of a hard hitting report on its language standards to stick around and help improve matters.

Veteran broadcasters Hone Edwards and Tainui Stephens conducted the formal five-year review of the Maori Television Service Act.

They found while some language experts had concerns about the standards of on-air reo, the Act did not define what it meant by requiring the channel to offer a high quality service.

Chief executive Jim Mather says the channel is taking the criticisms on board, especially their concerns about what it is delivering to youth audiences.

He says both men have been asked to continue monitoring language quality.

“We’ve very pleased the discussion around language quality is a positive one. We’ve moved away from issues about quantity and numbers of programmes and hours of and so forth and very pleased the discussion is focused now on quality,” Mr Mather says.

OTAKOU LOOKING AT PRESERVING HARBOUR GAINS

Te Runanga o Otakau wants the new fisheries minister to push ahead with approving its mataitai or locally managed non-commercial marine reserve for the Otago harbour.

The runanga made an application to the previous minister, Jim Anderton, last year, and it has since conducted extensive consultation with residents around the harbour.

Spokesperson Hoani Langsbury says the proposal is unlikely to affect commercial fishers based at the port.

“There's been no commercial fishing in the Otago Harbour for over 30 years and we as a community, which includes recreational fishers, have been watching that recovery and all w are trying to do with the mataitai application is maintain the status quo and hopefully protect and enhance it in the future,” Mr Langsbury says.

1 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Kia ora whanau, we are selling Roots Rock Reggae Concert tickets for Friday's concert at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rohe o Mangere @ $35 as a fundraiser for our Wharekura not at $50. Tautoko whanau!
na Kim

2:08 pm  

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