Dr Pita Sharples joins our indigenous brothers and sisters at the United Nations in New York to announce Aotearoa's support for the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Declaration lifts hearts and minds
The hearts and minds of many Maori, who have tirelessly pursued tino rangatiratanga for their people, were lifted on Monday when the Government told the world it had adopted the United Nations' Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
"This document has been 22 years in the making and many of our own Maori people, including, Nganeko Minhinnick, Aroha Mead and Moana Jackson, have played a vital role in advocating it, so we must honour them..."
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Tariana on Whanau Ora
Check out what our co-leader and the recently appointed Minister Responsible for Whanau Ora has to say on a revolutionary way to dealing with social servces.
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Step closer to repeal
"Our priority is repeal - we promised our people we'd get that so that's our main objective. Beyond repeal our aim is to get the best deal possible for our mokopuna."
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GST off healthy kai
Does your whanau find it difficult to afford healthy kai? Then get behind Rahui Katene's member's bill which yesterday was given the green light to come before the House for debate. And there's a world of advise from our Te Tai Tonga MP for those people who say removng GST from healthy food would be too complex to implement.
"Where there's a will there's a way and I don't believe for one minute that implementing this law would be too difficult," says Rahui in regard to the Goods and Services Tax (Exemption of Healthy Food) Amendment Bill. "This Government is bringing many of our policies into line with Australia, where there is no GST equivalent on healthy food, from incomes to tax and even what side of the road we drive on. "This bill is about getting families ahead and helping them to eat healthy."
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Dealing with crime - differently
"Perhaps you will accuse me, and the Maori Party, of being too soft. We're not soft at all. If anything, we will be the first to do real work behind the scenes rather than to try to gain political mileage by grabbing 'what bleeds leads' headlines," writes Rahui Katene in her From the Beehive column for the Southland Times this week.
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Harawira leads attack on tobacco
A major inquiry into the impact of tobacco deaths on Maori is underway, thanks to the pressure put on the Maori Affairs Select Committee by our very own Hone Harawira.
So far, about 2000 written submissions have been received and almost 100 people have managed to tell their own very personal stories to the members of the committee.
The submissions have come from a range of people and groups from those who have lost loved ones to tobacco related diseases, those in the health sector including nurses and doctors and even tobacco bosses, whom Hone questioned at much length.
More hearings are yet to be held in Wellington on May 11 Christchurch on May 14 with venues yet to be confirmed. The committee has not set a deadline for its report and recommendations, but we will keep you updated as the inquiry progresses.
Click here to make a submission
WAIARIKI VICTORY: Lehi Hohaia (left), boxing legend David Tua and Waiariki warrior Te Ururoa Flavell at the recent boxing fundraiser.
Flavell fights for youth
Our very own Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell faced the fight of his life earlier this month at the Rotovegas Corporate Fight Night. Despite being 15cms shorter and 18kgs lighter than his opponent, top Rotorua cop Lehi Hohaia, this did not stop our Waiariki warrior from winning a points victory. It is estimated that tens of thousands of dollars were raised from the event, held to help under priviledged youths in Rotorua learn the discipline of the sport.
Click here to watch the fight
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