Salient Māori News Items to 18 Whiringa-ā-nuku 2024
- Statistics NZ has released its Te Whata database of Māori and iwi data from the 2023 Census. Via this tool people can quickly and easily view Census data relating a range of social, cultural, and cultural variables, either for Māori katoa or for a specific iwi. In our view this is an exceptionally useful tool, and a good outcome of the partnership that Statistics NZ has formed with iwi following the very poor processes used in Census 2018. We encourage subscribers interested in such data to check it out here:
He whata kai, he whata kōrero, inā he māramatanga | Iwi Data | Te Whata | Te Whata
- The Government has provided $35 million for the development of 100 houses (affordable rentals) in partnership with Waikato-Tainui. (The houses will be built on land returned to the iwi through its Treaty settlement at Hopuhopu.)
- Next Tuesday another Hui ā Motu will be held, this time being hosted by Ngāi Tahu at Tūāhiwi Marae (Kaiapoi). It is the third hui in this series (the first hui was called by the late Kīngi Tuheitia), although this time the agenda includes speakers from other indigenous nations and also from the New Zealand Initiative. The hui starts at 9am.
- Last week David Seymour and Helmut Modik (Ngāti Toa) held a one to one Tiriti o Waitangi debate, which was broadcast on a number of media platforms.
- The Ministry of Education has been consulting on changes to school board objectives, including adding two new objectives, one centred on student attendance and one on assessing student progress. With this the Ministry has also raised the idea of moving in legislation – but retaining – the clause which requires schools to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. That suggestion has been opposed by many education sector group organisations, on the basis that they consider it ‘downgrades’ the status of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. (Groups opposed include the Teaching Council, New Zealand Education Institute / Te Riu Roa, The Post Primary Teachers Association, the Principals Association, and seven other groups.)
Have your say on changes to school board objectives and NELP provisions – Education in New Zealand
- Earlier this month the Minister for Māori Development, Tama Potaka, released a media statement positivity acknowledging that at least 15 of the 149 projects to be considered under the Fast-Track Approval process (once/if passed into law), have significant iwi / Māori involvement. This includes, for example, housing developments by Tainui, marine farms by Te Aupouri and separately Ngāi Tahu, and a solar farm proposal by Tauhara North No.2 Trust. Our assumption is that the purpose of the release is to show that iwi / Māori intent many potentially benefit from the proposed law.
