So Hone Harawira took time off from a conference to tour Paris with his wife Hilda, so what? If Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith deems it necessary that the Tai Tokerau MP pay back some of the money given to him for the trip to the EU conference then Hone will pay it back, no problem. Does Hone Harawira need to apologise for bunking off to Paris, no. Why not? Because in the bigger scheme of things it’s not a big deal.
Does Hone Harawira need to apologise to Buddy Mikaere for the offensive email, yes I think he does. Does Hone need to apologise to anyone else for the contents of that email, no he doesn’t. The email was an exchange between him and Maori Party supporter Buddy Mikaere. If the latter deemed it necessary to hand the missive to a third party then that’s his prerogative. But the diatribe was directed at the tribal leader no one else. Should an MP of any ethnicity have written such an email, probably not.
The thing about Hone Harawira is that what you see and hear is what you get. Hone was born into activism, grew to become an activist and has matured into a veteran activist. He has dedicated his life to his people, to championing Maori issues, addressing Maori concerns and fighting what he and many others including his Maori Party colleagues consider injustices against tangatawhenua. For all his efforts the people of Te Tai Tokerau have rewarded him with their support not once but twice and two terms in parliament.
For his deeds, some would call Harawira, militant. Certainly others would call him revolutionary, you’ll even hear many of his supporters call him hero. What Harawira is, is fearless. He represents a certain breed of Maori, dedicated and focussed, passionate to the point of being articulately aggressive in his determination to promote the Maori cause. What the former St Stephen’s Maori Boy’s School pupil who grew up in Avondale Auckland is; is no hypocrite.
It is this staunchness that makes him a perfect Maori Party MP. But how staunch is the Party? Co-Leaders Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples have a tough job on their hands, not with Harawira but with trying to balance the pressures of being in a coalition partnership with the Government. There is no doubt that Turia and Sharples would never have written or uttered the words that appeared on the Mikaere missive, the pair come from a more genteel, generous generation. But nor do they censure the passionate discourse of their people, Harawira included. So how do they appease their centre-right partners while not appearing to compromise to the point of ‘selling out’.
The Party is preparing for a disciplinary hui with the Tai Tokerau MP, no doubt there will be representatives from the wider Maori community who will insist on speaking in support of Harawira and the Party. I doubt anyone at that hui will call for his sacking and nor will Harawira resign, that would be political suicide for the Maori Party. Vacating the seat will result in a bi-election and neither the Maori Party nor Harawira will allow that to happen. As for jumping waka, that won't happen. Harawira is Maori, not a Green Party, Blue or Red Maori - just Maori.
The Maori Party and Harawira will hui, korero and discuss flax-roots kaupapa. They will remember why the Party was established and what they campaigned on. They will discuss what is of value to them and whether or not they have stayed true and loyal to the original kaupapa. They will discuss whether they have drifted off course in order to effect change as a coalition partner.
Hone Harawira is a constant reminder to the Party of their roots and sometimes it’s an uncomfortable reminder.
Showing posts with label Maori Party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maori Party. Show all posts
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
AUCKLAND SUPERSEATS IT'S NOT OVER
Is John Key turning into a tekoteko for his conservative ruling class bourgeoisie party, a tonotono for the monied far right, a toothless tiger, a leader without power? Is he nothing more than a puppet?
Could be!
Maori had great hopes for John Key. He wasn’t seen as the saint that would deliver Maori and middle New Zealand from all evil, but he was the ‘change’ the nation was looking for.
John Key the working class boy raised by his solo Mum in Christchurch to become a multi-millionaire, did the phoenix and pulled his party out of the depth of fiery political hell at last year’s election. How did he do it? He did an Obama and called for change. He did what no other National Party had done previously and offered an arm of support to Maori via the Maori Party. He talked about nationhood, "The Treaty envisages all New Zealanders moving forward together, with a shared commitment to the future. I share that vision. National is committed to seeing all Maori enjoying a brighter and more prosperous future." he said.
It appeared as though he was genuine about his rhetoric. He backed it up by giving the Maori Affairs portfolio to Pita Sharples bypassing long term National loyalist Georgina Te Heuheu. He even established a three-person Ministerial panel to consider the state of the law around Maori customary interests in the foreshore and seabed. GOSH! John Key even said yes to a Maori flag on the Auckland harbour bridge and agreed to have hui around the motu to decide on which one.
So you gotta ask…were these ‘acts-of-good-will’ no more than diversions, did National pre-occupy the Maori Party with other pressing issues to divert attention away from Auckland Supercity?
Did he get Hone Harawira out on the flag hui circuit so Rod-the Hide could get a free play of the Auckland sand pit?
Could have!
That’s not to minimise the importance of the work of the Ministerial panel on the seabed foreshore or the hui on flags. It’s just that each time Maori make forward strides there’s a price to pay.
So the questions need to be asked; what was the price for the portfolio, the panel and the hui? Why did he do a flip flop on the Maori Supercity seats? How genuine is the Prime Minister?
When John Key justified his Supercity argument with “We can't implement Maori seats in Auckland because we'd need to do it for the rest of the country”
What he really means is, “…in 2014, National will begin a constitutional process to abolish the Maori seats” That's what he said in September 2008. Either he or the National Cabinet remembered that Maori seats in Auckland goes against the National Government’s long term objectives.
No matter what korero or conversation he’s had with the Maori Party subsequent to September 2008, regarding seats of any kind, the current situation in Auckland is a reminder to iwi to be vigilant.
But if Rod-the-Hide and Cabinet think it’s over it’s not.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has called for a conscience vote over separate Maori seats and encouraged supportive National Party members to cross the floor. In the community Ngati Whatua is considering a second hikoi, and Tainui say they will boycott any weaker, sub-committee, statutory board, advisory commission no-teeth alternative role on offer.
Could be!
Maori had great hopes for John Key. He wasn’t seen as the saint that would deliver Maori and middle New Zealand from all evil, but he was the ‘change’ the nation was looking for.
John Key the working class boy raised by his solo Mum in Christchurch to become a multi-millionaire, did the phoenix and pulled his party out of the depth of fiery political hell at last year’s election. How did he do it? He did an Obama and called for change. He did what no other National Party had done previously and offered an arm of support to Maori via the Maori Party. He talked about nationhood, "The Treaty envisages all New Zealanders moving forward together, with a shared commitment to the future. I share that vision. National is committed to seeing all Maori enjoying a brighter and more prosperous future." he said.
It appeared as though he was genuine about his rhetoric. He backed it up by giving the Maori Affairs portfolio to Pita Sharples bypassing long term National loyalist Georgina Te Heuheu. He even established a three-person Ministerial panel to consider the state of the law around Maori customary interests in the foreshore and seabed. GOSH! John Key even said yes to a Maori flag on the Auckland harbour bridge and agreed to have hui around the motu to decide on which one.
So you gotta ask…were these ‘acts-of-good-will’ no more than diversions, did National pre-occupy the Maori Party with other pressing issues to divert attention away from Auckland Supercity?
Did he get Hone Harawira out on the flag hui circuit so Rod-the Hide could get a free play of the Auckland sand pit?
Could have!
That’s not to minimise the importance of the work of the Ministerial panel on the seabed foreshore or the hui on flags. It’s just that each time Maori make forward strides there’s a price to pay.
So the questions need to be asked; what was the price for the portfolio, the panel and the hui? Why did he do a flip flop on the Maori Supercity seats? How genuine is the Prime Minister?
When John Key justified his Supercity argument with “We can't implement Maori seats in Auckland because we'd need to do it for the rest of the country”
What he really means is, “…in 2014, National will begin a constitutional process to abolish the Maori seats” That's what he said in September 2008. Either he or the National Cabinet remembered that Maori seats in Auckland goes against the National Government’s long term objectives.
No matter what korero or conversation he’s had with the Maori Party subsequent to September 2008, regarding seats of any kind, the current situation in Auckland is a reminder to iwi to be vigilant.
But if Rod-the-Hide and Cabinet think it’s over it’s not.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has called for a conscience vote over separate Maori seats and encouraged supportive National Party members to cross the floor. In the community Ngati Whatua is considering a second hikoi, and Tainui say they will boycott any weaker, sub-committee, statutory board, advisory commission no-teeth alternative role on offer.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
MALLARD THE MALLET
So Labour MP Trevor Mallard thinks the whanau of five in the Janet Moses High Court case, escaped prison because they were Maori.
"I am certain that a Pakeha exorcism that resulted in torture and death would result in a prison term - albeit not necessarily a long one.
The fact that they weren’t sent to prison because they are Maori just doesn’t seem right to me."
He’s so wrong. The Moses whanau were lucky to have escaped jail given all the statistics regarding Maori and sentencing.
Relative to numbers in the general population, we Maori are over-represented at every stage of the criminal justice process. We are 12.5% of the general population aged 15 and over, but 42% of all criminal apprehensions are Maori. Our men make up 50% of prison numbers and sadly our women make up about 60% of the female prison population.
So no, this whanau didn’t get slapped with a by-pass-jail-because-you’re-tangatawhenua ticket.
But Mr Mallard likes to slap around the odd Maori. Remember a couple of years back in 2007 he cuffed Tau Henare after the National backbencher teased the then Cabinet Minister about his love-life. The boys took the argument outside, Mallard whacked Henare and the pair had to be prised apart.
A few years before that Mallard tried to pass himself off as tangatawhenua. In a speech he made as Race Relations Minister in 2004 he reckoned, "Maori and Pakeha are both indigenous people to New Zealand now.”I regard myself as an indigenous New Zealander – I come from Wainuiomata."
Yes Mr Mallard certainly is pro-Maori…yeah right!
"I am certain that a Pakeha exorcism that resulted in torture and death would result in a prison term - albeit not necessarily a long one.
The fact that they weren’t sent to prison because they are Maori just doesn’t seem right to me."
He’s so wrong. The Moses whanau were lucky to have escaped jail given all the statistics regarding Maori and sentencing.
Relative to numbers in the general population, we Maori are over-represented at every stage of the criminal justice process. We are 12.5% of the general population aged 15 and over, but 42% of all criminal apprehensions are Maori. Our men make up 50% of prison numbers and sadly our women make up about 60% of the female prison population.
So no, this whanau didn’t get slapped with a by-pass-jail-because-you’re-tangatawhenua ticket.
But Mr Mallard likes to slap around the odd Maori. Remember a couple of years back in 2007 he cuffed Tau Henare after the National backbencher teased the then Cabinet Minister about his love-life. The boys took the argument outside, Mallard whacked Henare and the pair had to be prised apart.
A few years before that Mallard tried to pass himself off as tangatawhenua. In a speech he made as Race Relations Minister in 2004 he reckoned, "Maori and Pakeha are both indigenous people to New Zealand now.”I regard myself as an indigenous New Zealander – I come from Wainuiomata."
Yes Mr Mallard certainly is pro-Maori…yeah right!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
OUT COME THE RACISTS
The nation mourns the loss of another little soul this week. A two year-old killed in Kaitaia in the weekend. The baby was Maori and she was allegedly killed by her Mum also Maori.
And cue racists:
Manolo (650) Vote: 22 3 Says: August 11th, 2009 at 10:40 am
“The next issue is why are Maori killing their kids at such an incredible rate?”
That is indeed the key question. I look forward to extreme caution, concern and hand-wringing before a sensible answer is provided.
Be aware the PC brigade will be ready to shout “racist” to any opinion that contradicts its rose-tinted glasses view of the world.
big bruv (4198) Vote: 18 7 Says: August 11th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Perhaps we should learn from the Aussie’s, John Howard was brave enough to do something about child abuse in Aboriginal communities so why is John Key dragging the chain. I don’t give a shit who it offends culturally, I don’t give a shit how much damage it does to the “mana” (what a stupid fucking word that is) of the Maori party, clearly Sharples, and co are a waste of space and apologists for killers, Key needs to do something about it TODAY. Send in CYFS and remove every single child they deem to be a risk, I want EVERY SINGLE Maori beneficiary family to have to prove why they should be allowed to keep their kids, if you do not pass the test or CYFS think that the family environment might be dangerous for the kids then they are removed. Do not worry about a lack of resources, there would be thousands and thousands of good kiwi families who would help house, feed and care for these kids if only we had a PM brave enough to do something about it, hell, I would take some of them myself if that is what is needed. Beneficiary lowlife would have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were able to provide a safe environment for these kids before they were returned.
Why are our fucking pathetic media not going after her family, where was the concern from her family for this poor little kiddie, when will Maori stop making excuses for their killers?
It seems that if you are Maori the your family will excuse you of anything. Will we hear from the apartheid party?…..I doubt it
Will we hear from the Greens who seemingly exist to make excuses for Maori….I doubt it. Will this happen again next month, and the month after that……you fucking bet it will.
....................................................................................................................................................................
Read the right wing blogs or don’t…but you get the general gist of the attacks. All Maori are baby bashers and killers.
We as in, us Maori know full well we lead the statistics in, Neonaticide (child killed in the first month of life), Infanticide (child killed in the first year of life), Filicide (child killed by a member of their own family), Fatal child abuse, ‘battered baby’ or non-accidental injury, Family breakdown (child killed by a parent estranged from the other parent), Fatal sexual assault (child killed after being sexually assaulted). We don’t shirk or shrink from any of the facts as they are. We know that Maori boys are six times and Maori girls three times more likely than non-Maori to be seriously assaulted.
What the bagging-bloggers don’t know or want to know is that Maori community groups are working hard to address the issue. A couple of outstanding initiatives are Wraparound from Waipareira Trust and Amokura Family Violence Prevention Strategy.
Amokura is an integrated community-based, initiative to address family violence in Tai Tokerau (Northland). The initiative is led by the Tai Tokerau Iwi Chief Executives Consortium which is made up of the Chief Executives of seven iwi (tribal) authorities. The initiative consists of four project areas that provide a whole of population approach to addressing family violence prevention and early intervention: research, education and promotion, professional development and training, and advocacy.
Waipareira Trust has the Wraparound Service which focuses on building stronger relationships in an effort to improve relationships with rangatahi, whanau and other agencies. These relationships produce good outcomes with tangible reduction rates in youth offending in South Auckland. Te Whanau O Waipareira Trust along with Manukau Urban Maori Authority is one of the founding members of the Mangere Youth Providers Forum who meet monthly to discuss issues in Mangere. The meetings are a focal point for government and community agencies that attend to present and discuss common themes. The forum is an opportunity to improve relationships and strengthen networks. Tamaki ki Raro Trust, Genesis, Housing New Zealand, Mangere East Family Service Centre, Work and Income, Counties Manukau Sports Foundation, Department of Corrections, Police Youth Aid and Counties Manukau District Health Board are a number of government and community agencies that attend the Forum.
At last year's elections, the Maori Party campaigned on its Whanau Ora policy and last month established a Taskforce that will construct an evidence-based framework that will lead to: strengthening whanau capabilities, integrating approaches to whanau wellbeing, collaborating relationships between state agencies in relation to whanau services, establishing relationships between government and community agencies that are broader than contractual and improving cost-effectiveness and value for money.
What this all means is that Maori are exhausting all avenues from policy and bureaucracy level to front line practical to address this very real concern.
We know that with every baby dying has long lasting ramifications for us as a people, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
We aren't sitting on our hands doing nothing. So for all you bagging-bloggers yes you're either ignorant or racist or both.
And cue racists:
Manolo (650) Vote: 22 3 Says: August 11th, 2009 at 10:40 am
“The next issue is why are Maori killing their kids at such an incredible rate?”
That is indeed the key question. I look forward to extreme caution, concern and hand-wringing before a sensible answer is provided.
Be aware the PC brigade will be ready to shout “racist” to any opinion that contradicts its rose-tinted glasses view of the world.
big bruv (4198) Vote: 18 7 Says: August 11th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Perhaps we should learn from the Aussie’s, John Howard was brave enough to do something about child abuse in Aboriginal communities so why is John Key dragging the chain. I don’t give a shit who it offends culturally, I don’t give a shit how much damage it does to the “mana” (what a stupid fucking word that is) of the Maori party, clearly Sharples, and co are a waste of space and apologists for killers, Key needs to do something about it TODAY. Send in CYFS and remove every single child they deem to be a risk, I want EVERY SINGLE Maori beneficiary family to have to prove why they should be allowed to keep their kids, if you do not pass the test or CYFS think that the family environment might be dangerous for the kids then they are removed. Do not worry about a lack of resources, there would be thousands and thousands of good kiwi families who would help house, feed and care for these kids if only we had a PM brave enough to do something about it, hell, I would take some of them myself if that is what is needed. Beneficiary lowlife would have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were able to provide a safe environment for these kids before they were returned.
Why are our fucking pathetic media not going after her family, where was the concern from her family for this poor little kiddie, when will Maori stop making excuses for their killers?
It seems that if you are Maori the your family will excuse you of anything. Will we hear from the apartheid party?…..I doubt it
Will we hear from the Greens who seemingly exist to make excuses for Maori….I doubt it. Will this happen again next month, and the month after that……you fucking bet it will.
....................................................................................................................................................................
Read the right wing blogs or don’t…but you get the general gist of the attacks. All Maori are baby bashers and killers.
We as in, us Maori know full well we lead the statistics in, Neonaticide (child killed in the first month of life), Infanticide (child killed in the first year of life), Filicide (child killed by a member of their own family), Fatal child abuse, ‘battered baby’ or non-accidental injury, Family breakdown (child killed by a parent estranged from the other parent), Fatal sexual assault (child killed after being sexually assaulted). We don’t shirk or shrink from any of the facts as they are. We know that Maori boys are six times and Maori girls three times more likely than non-Maori to be seriously assaulted.
What the bagging-bloggers don’t know or want to know is that Maori community groups are working hard to address the issue. A couple of outstanding initiatives are Wraparound from Waipareira Trust and Amokura Family Violence Prevention Strategy.
Amokura is an integrated community-based, initiative to address family violence in Tai Tokerau (Northland). The initiative is led by the Tai Tokerau Iwi Chief Executives Consortium which is made up of the Chief Executives of seven iwi (tribal) authorities. The initiative consists of four project areas that provide a whole of population approach to addressing family violence prevention and early intervention: research, education and promotion, professional development and training, and advocacy.
Waipareira Trust has the Wraparound Service which focuses on building stronger relationships in an effort to improve relationships with rangatahi, whanau and other agencies. These relationships produce good outcomes with tangible reduction rates in youth offending in South Auckland. Te Whanau O Waipareira Trust along with Manukau Urban Maori Authority is one of the founding members of the Mangere Youth Providers Forum who meet monthly to discuss issues in Mangere. The meetings are a focal point for government and community agencies that attend to present and discuss common themes. The forum is an opportunity to improve relationships and strengthen networks. Tamaki ki Raro Trust, Genesis, Housing New Zealand, Mangere East Family Service Centre, Work and Income, Counties Manukau Sports Foundation, Department of Corrections, Police Youth Aid and Counties Manukau District Health Board are a number of government and community agencies that attend the Forum.
At last year's elections, the Maori Party campaigned on its Whanau Ora policy and last month established a Taskforce that will construct an evidence-based framework that will lead to: strengthening whanau capabilities, integrating approaches to whanau wellbeing, collaborating relationships between state agencies in relation to whanau services, establishing relationships between government and community agencies that are broader than contractual and improving cost-effectiveness and value for money.
What this all means is that Maori are exhausting all avenues from policy and bureaucracy level to front line practical to address this very real concern.
We know that with every baby dying has long lasting ramifications for us as a people, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
We aren't sitting on our hands doing nothing. So for all you bagging-bloggers yes you're either ignorant or racist or both.
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