- On Tuesday four hectares of land was gifted back to Ngāti Te Whiti iwi by the Methodist Church and the Grey Institute Trust. The iwi sold the land to the church during the mid 1800’s.
- On Monday the High Court trial began for the ‘Urewera Four’. The ‘Urewera Four’ are some of original eighteen people (predominately Māori) whom were arrested in 2007 on terrorism charges. The terrorism charges have since been found to be unwarranted, and have been replaced with a range of firearms charges.
- The University of Otago is to conduct an oral health study delivered through the Waikato/ Tainui iwi tribal health provider Raukura Hauora, in partnership with Ngāi Tahu. The study will receive up to $2.4 million from the New Zealand Health Research Council, and it is part of the International Collaboration of Indigenous Oral Health Research.
- The Cancer Society has developed (with assistance from Māori health providers), Kia ora – E te iwi; a kaupapa Māori cancer education and support programme.
- The Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, met with iwi representatives this week and confirmed plans to increase the responsiveness of education provision to Māori.
- Last weekend the Waikato-Tainui parliament, Te Kauhanganui, held elections for its executive board, Te Arataura. Four new representatives have been elected on to the board. They are: Hemi Rau (former Chief Executive dismissed in 2009); Tom Roa (former Te Kauhanganui chairman), Tipa Mahuta, and Marae Tukere. Tukuroirangi Morgan, who has been the chair of Te Arataura since 2006, missed being re-elected by a narrow margin. Mr Morgan is disputing results, and intends to file legal action.
