Government

• Te Puni Kōkiri is continuing to publish regional profiles of the Māori population, and has now uploaded onto its website a profile for Te Tai Hauāuru. This is a one page infographic setting out key statistics, such as population age, education, housing, and other data.

http://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/a-matou-mohiotanga

• Manawatu District Council has voted to establish one or more Māori wards at the next local body elections (unless overturned by a voter referendum). Panui 38/2017 outlines this matter further.
• Prime Minister Jacinda Arden attended the conference of the Federation of Māori Authorities (FoMA) last Saturday, noting that she sees potential for an improved working relationship between FoMA and Government to create employment and economic growth within communities.
• A grouping of Ngāi Tūhoe marae, called Te Kohinga o Ngā Whānau o Ngāi Tūhoe, has indicated they may remove their support for the tribal development entity, Te Uru Taumatua, unless their request for independent review is agreed upon. We advise such discords between hapū and marae groups within broader iwi entities is not uncommon in light of Treaty settlements.  However, given the renewed emphasis the Waitangi Tribunal is now placing on ensuring informed and ongoing support from hapū/marae to iwi ‘super-structure’ entities, the risks relating to such disharmony have now escalated (with Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Wai being recent examples of mandate risks presenting, Pānui 38/2017 refers).  The Te Uru Taumatua AGM is scheduled for 2 December, so potentially the iwi can avoid potential litigation through discussions then.
• The Ministry for Primary Industries has announced further funding of $7.4 million for erosion protection initiatives, such as tree planting and land retirement, in the Gisborne district. The Ministry will be working in partnership with Ngāti Porou and the Gisborne District Council to progress the initiative.
• Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu has elected Lisa Tumahai as its new kaiwhakahaere. Ms Tumahai has been acting in the role since April 2016.
• Inspector Hurimoana Dennis and Sergeant Vaughan Perry were found not guilty of kidnapping in the Auckland High Court this week. The pair had sought to assist two whānau groups who were upset about a relationship between a 17-year old boy and a 15-year old girl, and had shown the boy Police cells and allegedly facilitated his prompt departure to Australia.  An internal Police review into the matter is still continuing, although to us the matter reads like a tale of cultural misunderstandings, set sometime in the 1950s.

1. The Federation of Māori Authorities (FoMA) is holding its annual conference, which also marks its 30^th Anniversary, in Rotorua this weekend. The focus is on future directions, with Chair Traci Houpapa indicating a key objective is to strengthen the existing relationship between the Government and the Federation.  Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Minister for Crown/Treaty Relations Kelvin Davis, the Attorney-General (also Minister for Economic Development) David Parker, Sir Tipene O’Regan, Waaka Vercoe, Mavis Mullins, Paul Morgan, and Sir Wira Gardiner are among the keynote speakers.  For attendance details visit:

https://www.foma.org.nz/

2. The New Zealand Māori Arts and Craft Institute (Te Puia) tabled its annual report (to 31 March 2017) in Parliament this month. Results, including financial results, are impressive: a profit of circa $5.0 million was made, thereby raising total equity up to $42.3 million.

E.15 NZMACI Annual Report 2017 official copy [PDF 1178k]

3. The Minister of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Andrew Little, is meeting with Ngāpuhi claimant groups today (both Tūhoronuku and Te Kōtahitanga), and then holding a general hui for Ngāpuhi tomorrow in order to progress a Treaty settlement with the iwi. Overall, progressing this settlement proved just too hard for the last administration, so it will be interesting as to whether the new Government can resolve conflicts sufficiently to allow settlement work to progress.  The open forum is being held at the Waitangi Copthorne from 9am to midday.

4. The Māori Book and Journalism awards were held last week with Wena Harawira gaining a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her services to broadcasting. Renee Kahukura Iosefa was named Māori Journalist of the Year.

5. The Trade and Export Growth Minister, David Parker, has released a statement indicating that the  Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) now meets the expectations of the Government, with issues of dispute suspended at this time (such as labour rates). Amongst other items he advises   Treaty of Waitangi protections are now clear and sufficient.  (The Green Party has indicated they will oppose CPTPP legislation being enacted – while the opposition National has indicated they will support the Government on this matter.)

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/revised-trans-pacific-partnership-better-deal-new-zealand

• Keith Ilkin is the new Chief Executive Officer of Maori Televison.
• Mr Stephen Henare and Ms Margaret Dixon have been charged with fraud in relation to a block of Maori land, managed by Parengarenga 3G Trust.
• An urgent hearing regarding the Whakatohea Hearing has been held this week. It commenced on Monday 6 November and ends Friday 10 November 2017.

https://waitangitribunal.govt.nz/upcoming-events-2/

• Whakaki 2N Incorporation in Iwitea has received a $40,000 grant from the Ministry for Primary Industries to find the best sustainable use for its 466 hectares adjacent to Lake Whakaki.

• Auckland University is undertaking a survey of Māori adults on financial attitudes. The focus is to better understand Māori financial choices, and how these interact with Māori cultural values, and Māori views of wealth and security.  We note this is a very large survey, (with 100,000 survey forms dispatched), and is being supported by The Marsden Fund, and undertaken by Māori academics.    In our view this work probes into an area where there is limited research knowledge presently, and has the potential to improve policy outcomes.  (I.e. research we have reviewed to date appears to focus only on the value of culture, or financial deprivation/wealth, but it does not readily link the two areas.  Without such linkages matters such as whether Kiwisaver accounts should be able to be pulled together by whānau members to purchase housing cannot be probed in policy work, etc.)

https://www.psych.auckland.ac.nz/en/about/our-research/research-groups/maori-identity-financial-attitudes-study.html

• Te Puni Kōkiri has published a one-page info-graphic on Māori in Te Waipounamu. This sheet brings together existing quantitative data from a variety of Government sources to provide a snapshot of the region.  Most of the indicators (bar Te Reo and household overcrowding) are showing gains for Māori in the region.  In our view this is a well-presented summary of these data sets, although adult health and social welfare data should be added for completeness.

https://www.tpk.govt.nz/en/mo-te-puni-kokiri/our-stories-and-media/te-waipounamu-regional-profile-2017#.Wd_rrbpuJhh

• Wellington City Council has agreed to sell or lease council-owned land at Shelly Bay for a development being undertaken by the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust and the Wellington Company. This will see circa 350 dwellings, a hotel and shops built on the former air force base – and may finally allow the Trust to gain a reasonable financial return from its largest asset, (its own Shelly Bay land), which to date as failed to make any decent return for the iwi.

• Ngātata Love (former Chair of the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust) has now been released from prison after serving about a year of his original two-and-a-half year sentence. Ngātata Love was jailed for fraud relating to the Wellington Tenths Trust (Pānui 18/2017 provides details).

• Professor Tracey McIntosh from the University of Auckland has been awarded the Te Rangi Hiroa Medal from the New Zealand Royal Society for her research into understanding the social injustices experienced by Māori, such as poverty and incarceration.

• Te Puni Kōkiri has moved its Auckland office to Mānukau, and now shares space with the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.

• The Wellington High Court has ruled that the Government provided insufficient compensation to Teina Pora, and that the Cabinet guidelines on wrongful imprisonment were not correctly applied. (The guidelines, written in 1998, suggest $100,000 of compensation be paid per year of wrongful imprisonment.) When Mr Pora’s compensation was considered the Government rejected adding inflation costs since 1998 to his claim – even through that had been recommended by an independent retired High Court Judge.  In effect then, aside from being wrongly accused by the state, wrongly imprisoned (for twenty years) by the state, Mr Pora was then wrongly compensated by the state for its past actions.  Based on the ruling, Mr Pora’s legal team believe he should receive at least $500,000 more than the $2.5 million paid out last year.

[By way of background, in 1994 Mr Pora was found guilty of the 1992 rape and murder of Ms Susan Burdett, on the basis of his confessions to the crimes.  However, two years later, in 1996, scientific (DNA) evidence linked Malcolm Rewa to the rape of Ms Burdett.  In 1998 Mr Rewa – who was already a convicted serial rapist – was then found guilty of Ms Burdett’s rape, but not her murder (there was a hung jury on that charge).  Following this, Mr Pora’s case was then reheard, however in 2000 he was again found guilty of the rape and murder of Ms Burdett (i.e. that he was with Mr Rewa).  This conviction ultimately led to the appeal to the Privy Council, which centred on both the reliability of Mr Pora’s confessions – given at age 17 after alleged duress from police officers – and on the fact that another person had already been convicted of the rape.    In 2015 the Privy Council quashed the convictions of Teina Pora.  The Law Lords found that the effects of Pora’s foetal alcohol disorder meant reliance on his confessions gave rise to the risk of a miscarriage of justice.  Mr Pora was released at that time.]

• NZ Pure Blue has had its request for a non-notified consent to take water from the Pataruru Blue Springs declined by Ngāti Raukawa. The iwi considers it will be harmful to the health of the waterway.  This means the company must now go through a formal consenting process should it wish to proceed with its application.

The coronial inquest into the death of 3-year-old Moko Rangitoheriri, who died 10th August 2015 is underway in Rotorua.  The media articles are heavy and sad reading.

• The Probation Board has announced that Sir Ngātata Love will be released from prison on parole in October, as he is of low risk of reoffending. He will be barred from having any direct or indirect contact with the Wellington Tenths Trust or Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust until April 2019.  We also note the Prime Minister has deferred any decision as to whether Sir Ngātata Love should lose his knighthood for services to Māori until after the General Election.  The Tenths Trust continues to seek an apology from Sir Ngātata.  (Pānui 18/2017 provides further details on this matter.)
• The Māori Television Service has opened its new offices in South Auckland, and consider the premises will better assist them deliver content via emerging digital technologies. Kiingi Tūheitia, however, has also indicated he is displeased with the service, as the content presents as too negative in his opinion.
• The Prime Minister, Bill English, has written to Ngāpuhi entities, Tūhoronuku and Te Kōtahitanga, again offering mediation services. We consider this is likely because Te Kōtahitanga is now considering filing a Treaty of Waitangi claim against the Prime Minister’s decision to suspend Treaty negotiations (and the Prime Minister therefore needs to demonstrate good intent).   At present the two opposing groups are refusing to hold formal discussions with each other.  (Pānui 19/2017 refers.)
• The Ministry of Culture and Heritage has opened its funding round for 2018 Treaty of Waitangi commemorative community events. Community grants average at $3,000.  Details here:

http://www.mch.govt.nz/funding-nz-culture/ministry-grants-awards/commemorating-waitangi-day-fund

• Tēnei rā ka mihi ki a Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori kua eke ki tōna toru ngahurutanga. Ka hoki ngā mahara ki ngā kaumātua i hapai i te kaupapa o Te Taura Whiri, pēnei i a Tā Kīngi Īhaka, i a Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikoko Mataira, i a Mīria Simpson, i a Ērima hoki nō nā tata tonu nei i riro ai ki Paerau. Moe mai rā koutou, waiho mai ko tō koutou pā harakeke, arā ko te reo Māori e ora nei, e kōrerotia nei, e tukuna nei ki ngā whakatipuranga. Taihoa rā a Pānui ka titiro ki te taha ki te hunga ora, arā ko ngā mahi me ngā whakamāherehere a Te Taura Whiri mō te toru tau kei mua i te aroaro.
• This week marks thirty years since the introduction of the first Māori Language Act, which brought about recognition of Te Reo as an official language, and the establishment of the Māori Language Commission (Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori). Coinciding with these achievements Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori has now tabled a renewed Statement of Intent (strategic plan) in Parliament, aligning with its new role under the new Te Ture Mō Te Reo, (Māori Language Act) which was passed into law last year.  Next week we will provide a review of this document, and related annual planning material.
• This week the Māori Affairs Select Committee has reportedly delivered its report on the Waitara Lands Bill. This bill concerns the freeholding of Māori land to current leaseholders.  Media are reporting that the report recommends some significant changes in fund administration, including that a proposed council/iwi partnership fund be replaced with a hapū managed fund (for a percentage of monies received via freehold land sales).  The Committee’s report, however, has not been successfully uploaded onto the Parliamentary website as yet, so we will advise more fully once the detailed report is available.
• This week media outlets have sought to force Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei to further clarify where she was living, and who she was living with, while she claimed the Domestic Purposes Benefit in the early 1990s. (Two weeks ago while launching her party’s welfare policies, Ms Turei indicated she once claimed more welfare than she was entitled to, Pānui 24/2017 refers). Via the media Ms Turei has now confirmed that she was also incorrectly enrolled at a wrong address on the electoral roll at the time.  Because of this David Seymour (ACT party leader) has now called for her resignation from Parliament.
• The Ngātiwai Trust Board has put out a media statement on whether a luxury lodge in Helena Bay should be granted consent to take 60,000 litres of water per day to irrigate its grounds. Some iwi members oppose this, on the basis that the water draw will be harmful to the environment and whānau.  The Trust Board has asked Mokau Marae to work with the lodge and the regional council to assess the matter, and has indicated they will support the decision of the marae whānau.  The Board has also noted the positive economic impacts of the lodge for the area, and advised there are no financial ‘kickbacks’ for its trustees.

• A digital health initiative called MaiHealth is being established in Patea by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui and Dr Lance O’Sullivan. The initiative allows for patient information to be gathered locally (in this case at the Patea Māori Club), and sent to a remotely based doctor for assessment, who can then recommend treatment options.  There is no General Practitioner based in Patea so the service allows for initial treatment considerations without whānau needing to travel to other towns.
• Shaun Keenan, the former project manager for developing Ngāmotu Marae in New Plymouth, has been charged with theft by a person in a special relationship. The allegation is that he stole funds that were to be used for the marae development.  Since the arrest conflict has arisen between trustees and beneficiaries in regards to governance – with some beneficiaries seeking to have all the trustees removed.
• Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Associate Minister Peter Dunne have announced that, following a successful trial, the Ministry of Health will extend its funding for the Suicide Mortality Review Committee (SuMRC). This is useful for Māori, given disproportionately high rates of suicide.
• Te Puni Kōkiri is committing $390,000 to support the redevelopment of Mataura Marae, Te Hono o te Ika a Maui ki Ngāi Tahu.
• Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei has confirmed she will be meeting with officials from the Ministry of Social Development  to discuss her benefit history, after she announced she had mislead Work and Income in the 1990s (Pānui 24/2017 refers).