Māori news stories for the week ending 9 May 2014
- This week the Te Urewera-Tūhoe Bill was read a second time in parliament. (Pānui 27/2013 refers.)
- The Ngāti Hauā Claims Settlement Bill was read a second time in parliament. (Pānui 25/2013 refers.)
- The Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Bill was also read a second time in parliament. (Pānui 36/2013 refers.)
- On Tuesday parliament read for a first, second, and third time The Psychoactive Substances Amendment Bill, which became law upon receiving Royal Assent on Wednesday. The legislation prohibits the use of all untested psychoactive substances, including synthetic cannabis. We have not previously advised on this matter, and note there is no data available on Māori use of synthetic cannabis, or related products. However we advise Māori are considered disproportionally high users of natural cannabis, with Ministry of Health commissioned research indicating 28% of Māori aged 15 to 64 years used cannabis within a one-year period.
- This week media outlets have reported on a thesis study which found that some teachers have racist attitudes towards Māori students and their families. The Auckland University research, by Hana Turner, was for her Master’s thesis, and is entitled; ‘Teacher Expectations, Ethnicity and the Achievement Gap’. It reportedly finds that teachers have differing expectations for students of various ethnicities (lower expectation for Māori learners). We advise this research is not publicly available, and therefore cannot be assessed as a research item.
- However from information available we note, (a) the study involved interviews with fifteen teachers, which is a non-representative sample of the circa 42,000 teachers working in New Zealand, (b) data appears not to be triangulated (verified) in any way but, (c) the reported findings appear consistent with pre-existing research knowledge in this area (i.e. other more extensive research has already made this finding on teacher attitudinal differences towards learners.) What remains less well understood is the impact of teacher attitudes on student success; (i.e. is this an important variable in educational outcomes, or an unfair but peripheral matter?)
- Last weekend The Māori Party named Susan Cullen as its candidate for the Hauraki-Waikato electorate. Ms Cullen commenced the appointment by inviting an opponent, Labour Party Member of Parliament for the electorate, Nanaia Mahuta, to vacate the seat and return to parliament as a list member. Ms Mahuta – who this week was promoted to be Labour’s Māori Affairs spokesperson and therefore leader of her party’s Māori caucus – declined Ms Cullen’s proposal and will defend the Hauraki-Waikato parliamentary seat at the general election.[1]
- This week the Government indicated it will not appeal against an Environmental Court ruling preventing it from acquiring a parcel of Māori land for the construction of the Kapiti Expressway (near Wellington). The Transport Agency had sought a compulsory sale of the land from Patricia Grace and her whānau under the Public Works Act, however the Court found the acquisition was unfair, particularly given other land was available for the roading project. In efforts to retain the land, Ms Grace had sought for the land to be reclassified as a Māori reserve, which was granted in the Māori Land Court. The Transport Agency is still appealing that ruling in the Māori Appellate Court. Pānui 8/2014 provides further information on these matters.
- On Tuesday a Board of Inquiry commenced its considerations into a request by Tainui Group Holdings to develop an ‘inland port’ at Raukura. I.e. a freight container area linked to rail and the planned Waikato Expressway. Tainui is of the view the venture will create 11,000 jobs over the next 50-years resulting in circa $5 billion of additional economic activity. The hearing is expected to last about seven weeks. (Pānui 30/2013 refers.)
- On Monday Korotangi Paki, a son of Kingi Tūheitia, pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court to two charges of burglary and one of theft from a car. The thefts, in Gisborne, occurred in March with Mr Paki being one of a group of four involved in the crimes, which involved stealing two surfboards and then goods from the boot of a parked vehicle. Mr Paki will be sentenced in July; and a spokesperson for Kingi Tūheitia has indicated that a kaupapa Māori restorative-justice approach will also be put into effect.[2]