Māori News Stories for the Week Ending 1 May 2015 edition 14/ 2015
- On Tuesday the Māori Affairs Select Committee report on the Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill was tabled in parliament. This bill seeks to amend the governance structure of the Trust Board, creating further separation between the Trust and the Crown. Changes include removing the Governor-General as a Trustee (who will instead will have the option of becoming the Trust’s honorary patron), and removing Government ministers as board members. Instead the Prime Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition will be empowered to appoint one trustee each. In addition, if passed into law, a new Crown Representatives Group, comprising of the Prime Minister, the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and the Minister for Māori Development will be established to maintain relationships between the Trust Board and the Government.
The Māori Affairs Select Committee supports the bill, but has recommended one significant amendment. Namely, the committee recommends that the Trust Board have four Māori whānau representative seats, held respectively (one each) by family members from the four Māori who established the Treaty grounds (Hone Heke, Maihi Kawiti, Tamati Waka Nene, and Pomare). As previously drafted the bill proposed only one Māori representative seat be held between these families. The Committee recommends this change to reflect the submission of Arapeta Hamilton, that as currently drafted the proposed board composition would be unfair, given the three non-Māori families involved would each continue to have their own representative seat on the board.
- On Monday Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (AFL) Signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Dubai. The agreement will allow Aotearoa Fisheries to produce Halal-safe meals to disaster-torn regions around the world, supporting the Salma humanitarian relief programme.
- Ngāi Tahu leader, Sir Mark Solomon, has received an honorary Doctorate (Natural Resources) from Lincoln University.
- This week media outlets are reporting that the Board of Trustees of Hato Petera College has issued trespass notices against three former board members. Subscribers will recall that in December we advised that the Education Review Office determined to review this college every two years, due to quality concerns (Pānui 43/2014 refers). One of the issues presenting is whether the proprietor, the Catholic Diocese, supports the ongoing operation of the college in the medium-term, as the School Board of Trustees only has a five-year lease on building facilities, which are said to require further capital investment. The Bishop of Auckland, has informed one media outlet that the Church has concerns about the low number of student enrolments at Hato Petera, (said to be less than 100 learners), and whether the college is still an effective option to progress Māori education outcomes.
- On Thursday 41 Māori organisations were named as recipients of the Te Pūnaha Hiringa: Māori Innovation Fund – 2015 Commercial Advisors Scheme. Recipient organisation will receive between $35,000 and $150,000 towards training and/or for mentor consultancy fees. The total fund allocated is circa $3.6 million. (Refer to Pānui 39/2014 for further information on Te Pūnaha Hiringa.) The table below outlines the funding allocated.
| Organisation Name | Value | Organisation Name | Value | |||
|
|
Te Kaahui o Rauru | $72,000 | |||
| Papakainga Solutions Limited | $150,000 | Ngāti Kuri Trust Board | $132,000 | |||
| The Proprietors of Taheke 8C | $150,000 | Te Ohu Tiaki o Rangitane Te Ika a Maui Trust | $150,000 | |||
| Te Hanga North Lands Trust | $65,000 | The Proprietors of Mangaheia No 2D T/A Paroa | $120,000 | |||
| Poutama Trust | $60,000 | The Federation of Māori Authorities | $75,000 | |||
| Wai-o-te-Hau GP Ltd | $50,000 | Te Rūnanga O NgāiTakoto | $75,000 | |||
| Atihau Whanganui Incorporation | $75,000 | Tairawhiti Wagyu Hub | $75,000 | |||
| Te Runanga O Te Rarawa | $150,000 | Maraeroa C Incorporation | $75,000 | |||
| Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu | $120,000 | Whitianga Papa Tupu Ora Ahu Whenua Trust | $75,000 | |||
| Maungaharuru-Tangitu | $65,000 | ICP General Partner Ltd | $30,000 | |||
| Tupoho Investments | $142,500 | Te Tahuhu o Tawakeheimoa Trust | $130,000 | |||
| Ngāti Te Whiti Whenua Topu Trust | $70,000 | Te Arawa River Iwi Trust | $75,000 | |||
| Taumatawiwi Trust | $75,000 | Tuhoe Tuawhenua Trust | $150,000 | |||
| Poutama Trust | $75,000 | Te Rua o te Moko 2B Trust | $75,000 | |||
| Whenua.Biz Charitable Trust | $75,000 | Mawhera Incorporation | $35,000 | |||
| Te Rimu Trust | $150,000 | Rotoehu Forest Trust | $75,000 | |||
| Ngaporo Waimarino Forest Trust | $40,000 | Koro Davis Whanau Trust | $75,000 | |||
| Te Kopua 2B3 Inc | $75,000 | Ngāti Whakaue Tribal Lands Incorporated | $75,000 | |||
| Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust | $45,000 | Toitu Te Waonui Charitable Trust | $75,000 | |||
| Tainui Kawhia Incorporation | $35,000 | Te Rūnanga o Turanganui a Kiwa | $150,000 | |||
| Pakihikura Trust | $100,000 |
- This week the 2015 Ngārimu VC and 28th Māori Battalion Memorial Scholarships were awarded. Successful recipients are Tahlia Kingi, Te Rerekohu Tūterangiwhiu, Hine Kawana, Coralie Dargaville, and James Enright.