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Maori News stories for the week ending 22 February 2013

 

  • Sir Mark Solomon has been appointed a director of Te Ohu Kaimoana.
  • Dr Aroha Harris has been appointed to the Archives Council Te Rua Wānanga.  (This Council has a statutory role to provide the Minister of Internal Affairs with advice on archives and record keeping issues.)
  • On Monday the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, announced that a previous proposal to amalgamate two Christchurch-based kura kuapapa would not proceed.  Instead it has been proposed that one of the kura relocate to the northern suburbs of Christchurch.  The two kura kuapapa are Te Whānau Tahi and Whakapūmau i Te Reo Tūturu ki Waitaha.  Interested parties have until 28 March to submit feedback.
  • This week the Rena owners, and insurers, indicated that they would apply for resource consent to leave the remaining sections of the ship on the Astrolabe reef (one metre below the low tide mark).  Tauranga Moana o Toi iwi forum, however, is against this action and will oppose the application; to ensure the mauri of the sea can be fully restored.
  • On Wednesday the 40th Te Matatini National Kapa Haka competition commenced in Rotorua.
  • On Monday the Parole Board granted Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara (one of the Uruwera four) parole, from 4 March. This follows last week’s parole hearing for Tama Iti, who was also granted parole, which commences from 27 February.  Both men, along with Urs Signer and Emily Bailey, were convicted on firearms charges in 2012.  Refer to Pānui edition 4 March 2011 for details on this matter.
Posted by Paanui

Parliamentary matters: from E43 week ending 7 December 2012

Cold Creek Rural Water Supply Bill

This week the Cold Creek Rural Water Supply Bill was read for a second time in parliament.  This bill provides for a private water scheme to be established in South Taranaki, for a group of entities (mainly farms) drawing water from ‘Cold Creek’.  The bill is controversial as it places the ownership of the water scheme – including capital plant presently in Council ownership – into the ownership of a separate private company.  (The company shareholders are users of the scheme.)  Iwi groups in the area, including Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine, and the Taranaki Iwi Trust oppose this proposal.  Their concerns include that the scheme has the effect of privatising water rights, fails to acknowledge the mauri of the water source, and that there are not adequate provisions for iwi involvement in the governance and management of waterways and water.

Statutes Amendment Bill (No 3)

On Thursday the third reading for the Statutes Amendment Bill was completed.  The bill allows for the gazetting of ‘Whanganui’ as an ‘alternative official geographic name’ for Wanganui.

Posted by Paanui