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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Foreshore decision hailed a win

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says allowing iwi to take their customary rights claims for the foreshore and seabed to the High Court is a big win.

Maori Party MPs and the Iwi Leaders Group met Prime Minister John Key yesterday to spell out their reservations about the Government's proposed replacement to the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed Act.

Dr Sharples says it's still a work in progress, the main issue was restoring access to the courts which was taken away by the previous Labour Government.

“This was a major breakthrough for iwi, to every iwi, whether they’ve have their claims completed, full and final of their raupatu, can still come back for their foreshore and seabed,” Dr Sharples says.

Iwi leaders are still unhappy with the term public domain, so a new name will be chosen to reflect the fact the foreshore and seabed will be owned by no-one.

MAORI MEN FEEL IGNORED IN HEALTH SPENDING

A Maori men's health advocacy group wants more attention paid to their health needs.

Joe Puketapu from Te Mana Tane O Aotearoa was at Parliament yesterday for the launch of National Men’s Health Week.

He says politicians need to take notice of the fact Maori men, particularly those in middle age, suffer in greater numbers than non-Maori from obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

“Mana Tane Ora is here to represent the interests of Maori men and make sure the issues for Maori men are kept high on the political agenda and that Maori men around the country get on board by being able to provide information to Maori men’s communities in order for them to participate and contribute in a positive and productive way,” Mr Puketapu says.

Maori men are twice as likely to die of preventable illness than non-Maori.

TIGHT FIVE KEY TO RUGBY WIN

The tight five is seen as the key to the New Zealand Maori team's prospects against Ireland in Rotorua on Friday night.

The team won the first of three centenary games in Whangarei on Saturday night when Hosea Gear dotted down in the corner in the last minute, sealing a 37-31 victory against the New Zealand Barbarians.

Commentator Te Kauhoe Wano says the Maori scrum looked vulnerable in the first half, but was strengthened at half time when Hayden Triggs, Dan Coles and Colin Bourke came off the bench.

He says the win was just the preparation coach Jamie Joseph needed for his troops in the lead up to the two international fixtures.

BOK CAPTAIN ADMITS FEAR OVER PROTESTS

The Captain of the 1981 Springboks has revealed team members feared for their safety when anti-apartheid protesters invaded the pitch at a game in Hamilton.

In an interview broadcast last night on Maori Television's Native Affairs, Wynard Claasen told reporter Julian Wilcox that the team was surprised at how strongly New Zealanders felt about the issue.’

He says it all came home to them that afternoon.

“Then we were in the changing room and we were looking through the back door or the back window and there was a whole group of demonstrators coming round the back and trying to get into the pavilion and that was quite scary, There were these huge trucks parked at the back and they tipped that over so that was a scary sight to see, them coming for us,” Mr Claasen says.

He says more than half the squad want to come back next year, the 30th anniversary, to apologise for the divisions and violence the 1981 tour created.

CO-MORBIDITY FOCUS OF CANCER SURVIVAL STUDY

The Health Research Council has given Otago University $1.2 million to find out why Maori have a lower cancer survival rate than non-Maori.

Co-ordinator Diana Safarti, from the university's Wellington-based department of public health, says the three-year study will focus on co-morbidity, when people are battling more than one illnesses at the same time.

She says that may be more common among Maori.

“People have tended to look at cancer or just look at what other single condition people have but what we are interest in is how these things interrelate. Individuals are much more complex than just individual diagnosis of cancer so we’re trying to really disentangle all this stuff to reduce the inequalities between Maori and non-Maori patients,” Dr Safarti says.

The first year will be spent collecting and analysing hospital and treatment data from across the country.

MORE WORK NEEDED TO HELP YOUNG ACTORS GROW

The producer of the biggest grossing New Zealand film of all time says its young actors need a vibrant local industry if they are to carve out long term acting careers.

Ainsley Gardiner says BOY, directed and acted in by Taika Waititi, has so far grossed more than $8 million at the box office.

She says cast members, including James Rolleston who played Boy, are keen to learn more.

“You know the more product we are able to make, the more Maori film, the more Maori drama, the more opportunities there are, but these kids are awesome and a good few of them are interested in pursuing some more acting.” Ainsley Gardiner says.

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