Update on the Mataraunga Maaori component in first year uni paper from an anecdotal perspective.
Was reinforced in test that concepts and understanding had to relate only to lecturer's definitions, personal knowledge or alternate definitions would be marked as wrong.
Eg. What is the definition of whanau?
The only 'right' answer, is your direct ancestors. Any other definition – no marks.
Also, MM questions twice the points for no discernible reason.
This approach is inviting resistance and pushback.
I support the intention of mātauranga Māori, but am concerned about the implemention of the project.
To me, this has similar hallmarks to the Equality and Diversity intention, that has been rolled out through our institutions, businesses and government departments.
Employing identified individuals as experts and representatives to provide material and ideas for projects is a starting point. However, what they produce still should be actively scrutinised for appropriateness, quality and any statement of facts should be well-evidenced.
Getting this wrong, not only means that those learning are not actually being delivered good quality material, but it provides space for justified criticism, which unfortunately gives fodder to the underlying racism for some.
My son still won't let me watch the videos, but from a personal point of view, he's dismissive of the value and quality of what was delivered to him – and hundreds of other students – by the mātauranga Māori component of the paper.
That's interesting. I hear it used in such a way in many meetings run by Māori facilitators and taiako. Have you never come across it? Might be a regional use of the word.
The ancestor definition, excludes whangai adoptions and implies a connection to bloodlines going one way, up or down from an individual.
It might be a personal perspective, but whanau for me is more of a weaving concept, pulling and connecting threads from a vast array of 'relatives' and familial connections. It's probably my personal attachment to this definition, that makes me reluctant to relinquish it.
It's not the definition that concerns me, direct ancestors is accurate in and of itself. It is the insistence that only that definition will be deemed to be correct. I love the other aspects of whanau, and if those attending this class believe there is only one 'correct' answer, they may lose a wider understanding when meeting the word in future.
That's the concept of whanau that I particularly love, where it encompasses ‘family’ in a broader concept than standard nuclear family relationships. Family in the 'heart' sense rather than the 'genetic' sense.
Seems like an unnecessarily narrow and exclusive definition.
I agree, that if this education is so prescriptive (just memorize the list of concepts and definitions), it's going to accomplish little in enculturating MM in the students – and is very likely to build resentment and push-back.
It seems the complete reversal of the te ao Maori philosophy.
When seeking the essential meaning of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, we have to defer to the indigenous version. Perhaps here we need to do the same.
We all have our reckons, but it's not really our business, is it, how words outside of English are defined. In any case, the "lecturer" might just as well be planning to expand upon their definition of "whanau" as the course proceeds. Molly's example seems very tenuous to me.
Loanwords, or borrowings, are words which are adopted into a native language from a different source language. Such borrowings have shaped the English language almost from its beginnings, as words were adopted from the classical languages as well as from successive wave of invasions (e.g. Vikings, Normans). Even by the 16th Century, long before the British Empire extended its capacious reach around the world, English had already adopted words from an estimated 50 other languages, and the vast majority of English words today are actually foreign borrowings of one sort or another.
Some may consider it culturally insensitive to ascribe new meanings to words taken/adopted from Aotearoa NZ's first language, but if history is any teacher then 'resisting the drift' will be mostly futile. Can we change?
The drift of word meanings over time often arises, often but not always due to catachresis (the misuse, either deliberate or accidental, of words). By some estimates, over half of all words adopted into English from Latin have changed their meaning in some way over time, often drastically. For example, smart originally meant sharp, cutting or painful; handsome merely meant easily-handled (and was generally derogatory); bully originally meant darling or sweetheart; sad meant full, satiated or satisfied; and insult meant to boast, brag or triumph in an insolent way. A more modern example is the changing meaning of gay from merry to homosexual (and, in some circles in more recent years, to stupid or bad).
Being dogmatic about traditional usage, or meaning, is one way of ensuring Māori becomes a dead language.
Many English words have been adopted to Māori beginning from the First European visiters. To insist only on traditional usage we would have to remove them also.
Anyway the Tamariki are voting with their feet, using Māori words, in ways and situations that are definitely not traditional.
The French tried to keep their language pristine. It didn't work.
Some of the dogmatism is just ignorance. Kids at a High school I was teaching in, kept correcting my pronunciation. One of the old Māori Teachers told them, "don't be so bloody cheeky, he is from Taranaki". She even knew which part of Taranaki, from my accent in Māori. The "correct" Māori pronunciation followed is very often Ngapuhi, which annoys the hell out of Ngāi Tahu and others.
The Te Reo course I did, was very interesting when it focused on the regional differences and dialects. I wish I could develop the same ear for regional differences in Te Reo, as easily as I can distinguish from regional differences in the UK. It's a sorry acknowledgement of my insufficient Te Reo that I have no idea.
Due to my recent foray into researching porn, I've left investigating the NZ curriculum regarding mātauranga Māori, and Sexuality and Relationship investigation.
The NCEA, and TKI websites are a pain to navigate as a novice, and material is linked to from multiple sites and pages.
Here is one such link to the Secondary Curriculum for science, where you can download a fairly short pdf on concepts.
Unfortunately, this is not the page where I found word 'whakapapa' used interchangeably with the concept of evolution. If I come across it again, I'll post.
Whakapapa for me holds such significance, in te ao Māori, that I resist the expansion of the word to encompass a concept that was not part of te ao Māori knowledge.
Another example that is shown on the CB Learning Matrix_1.pdf is for 'mauri' to refer to energy bonds at atomic levels.
"recognise that mauri is present in all matter which exists as particles held together by attractive forces"
My understanding of this word was 'life-force', a recognition of organic life-forms and/or sentience ascribed to non-organic forms. ie. mountains, rivers etc.
I would prefer to see new Māori words for concepts that were not part of mātauranga Māori but utilise existing Te Reo to create.
I'm uncomfortable with the dilution of existing language to shoehorn new concepts in. From my perspective, it demeans the original kupu, and also muddies the scientific concept.
"I'm uncomfortable with the dilution of existing language to shoehorn new concepts in. From my perspective, it demeans the original kupu, and also muddies the scientific concept.
eg. Whakapapa for evolution."
and at the same time argue for that "whanau" is "used informally to refer to a group gathered for some purpose, ie. interests. Our rugby whanau."
Seems you're supporting both points of view?
Contradicting your original objection?
You also wrote:
“I do enjoy the broader application of this particular word. It’s just one of those kupu that resonates, hopefully for all NZers.”
Is that so long as the word is “whanau” and not “whakapapa”?
The issue here is not shortening or expanding words, Robert.
It is about making sure the intent of mātauranga Māori is achieved.
My concern with my son's course, is that it seems inclined to not inspire, or encourage, and may actually cause students to resist further learning because of the content and delivery.
My concern with the curriculum matrix, is that it uses significant Māori kupu and concepts, and shoehorns in a new definition that both dilutes the original meaning, and muddies the scientific concept. Once again, inviting pushback and resistance to further learning.
In te reo Māori words frequently mean more than one thing depending on context. I find it very odd that you've swung from complaining about a too narrow a definition of whānau, to getting upset that mauri (which is a bit broader than just lifeforce anyway – it is the motivating and identifying energy) can be applied to nuclear forces or that whakapapa (which is much broader than just genealogy and encompasses all living things and geographical landmarks as ancestors in relation to the speaker) should be applied to evolution.
You seem to want your cake and to eat it too.
kiaora e te whānau is a common expression used with all sorts of groups that aren't related ancestrally.
Hard to comment on the story told because it's third hand anecdote, but on the face of it it seems an odd definition to me. It's also possible there was context that makes sense of it.
Whanau as used by Māori speakers today, from both personal observation and reading can include groups of friends, family both immediate or distant, a school community, a club.
Not just or even for kāwai, roots/ ancestors
May not have been past usage. But Māori like all languages evolves and adopts.
My non-Māori aunt didn’t Whakapapa to the Iwi, but she was certainly Whanau!
My option is to do an OIA for the videos of the lectures, and the written material.
Although my son has access, he is a rule follower. All online material has a statement that it is not to be shared with those not enrolled, and so he doesn't.
I understand that my perspective of his perspective is not an accurate rendering. Part of the reason I write this, is just to invite others to put forward their experiences. Or if they are in positions to access or scrutinise material, to do so.
If I can, I can find out the course code and stream. And perhaps, put in a request for that material but I'll wait till my son has completed this semester.
(ATM, still negotiating being in the same room while he re-watches. Two problems: he considers that dishonest, and he doesn’t want to watch it again.)
I took it to mean that it only related to people of direct ancestry, rather than a replacement for tupuna. More a definition that related to shared blood links, as it were.
Once again, I acknowledge that this is my interpretation, of his interpretation being offered to you to interpret.
Not a sound basis for definitive analysis. More a check diagnostics light.
"The only 'right' answer, is your direct ancestors."
That's very imprecise and perhaps causing confusion here.
Was "your direct ancestors" in fact the answer given, an interpretation of the answer given, or what?
If we are to make judgements based on this snippet (is it copied and pasted, is it second-hand, over-heard ? etc.) we are bound to get the wrong end of te rakau, imo.
As I said, it might be. But both during lectures, and before the test they were reminded that only the material and definitions that were taught during the course were going to be considered the 'correct' answers when it came to assessment.
(I'm really resisting the temptation to log on to my son's computer, and "assess" his interpretation of what is going on. But perhaps, someone reading this also has access to the course materials, and can provide direct experience.)
The lecturer did touch on the fact that others may have different definitions, tikanga etc, but for the purposes of assessment only those which had been delivered were accepted.
For the course I did on Tikanga Māori, the opposite was encouraged. As long as you referenced the origin of your understanding, and evidenced it, the contribution was accepted as valid. A really good exploratory assignment, especially when sharing with other students.
(My other cynical thought, is that for a generalised paper, this edict makes it easy to mark. That it all may boil down to a prosaic attitude of reducing marking time, for a lecturer that has more specific and labour-intensive courses to deliver.)
"But both during lectures, and before the test they were reminded that only the material and definitions that were taught during the course were going to be considered the 'correct' answers when it came to assessment."
Seems then, they were quite specific and gave fair direction and warning.
And especially unusual in teaching Te Reo or Maturanga Maori.
All of the (many) seminars, courses and workshops I've engaged in have been a very collaborative learning style. Where the knowledge of the course leader (being generously shared with the participants) is acknowledged and valued; but so is the knowledge that different participants bring to the discussion. I've been in a workshop where there was a long discussion about the different usage of a term on one marae in the FN (participant) and another in the SI (course leader) – very good-humored, and clearly a source of amusement to both of them; and another which was specifically related to an upcoming powhiri, where the leader specifically referred to the way things were done on this marae, rather than being necessarily correct for other marae.
This 'fount of all knowledge' style seems very foreign to the whole Matauranga Maori philosophy.
The direction and following assessment is not what concerns me, Robert.
If the intention is to both introduce and instill encouragement for further learning of Te Ao Māori in students – the way this has been delivered might actually do the opposite.
I'm concerned about the resulting attitude of the students, rather than my son's mark.
Are any students there going to be inspired to look further into the perspectives of Māori?
The other less desired prospect is that they may also react negatively to future contact with te Ao Māori if they come away with a sense that it is not relevant or quality information.
'Fair' as in easy to mark and to learn. Yep.
Useful, in actually inculcating MM into the learning (the stated aim)? I'd say fairly useless.
And, absolutely inviting push-back. I'd say that most of the Engineering students (I think that's the background here) are likely to simply learn for the exam, then promptly forget it. Just another set of useless 'facts'
A largely wasted exercise.
And especially useless for anyone who has had exposure to MM through other avenues (e.g. kohanga reo, kura or marae) – where the learning (as presented here) sounds very different to what they would have learned in a te ao Maori perspective.
I tend to agree with Robert here. If the intention is to instill a broad brush overview of the Maori world then there is very little room for arguing a different view. The value of such a course is that it will do just this – cover concepts of language, iwi, etc tribal links, broad strokes world view and how it is linked.
One of the best bits of advice that I was told early on was to make sure you revise for exams on what has been taught, as the examiner is seeking to ensure that you have got this. This is different from you may have learned through your own explorations during the course, or prior knowledge accumulated.
So harking back to the word 'whanau' then if the course has taught this and the question gives no scope for exploring how it is used in contexts then the definition they are looking for is direct family.
Getting a law degree way way back at some institutions required Latin, or a foreign language. In my years we had some topics loosely covered by the phrase Law In Society. The idea was to give a background, an at ease look at the wider community we would be working in.
Over the years in the PS we were required to attend courses on Maori worldview/Maori language. For me this just built on classes at my secondary school and living in a mainly Maori township where the teachers routinely taught this. Now some PS agencies especially those in Treaty sensitive areas have an expectation or think highly of staff who have attended immersion courses.
I cannot imagine that a world going forward for an engineer would not cover the Maori world view. If you look at the story of how Ngati Tuhoe approached the building of Te Kura Whare then you will note the lengths that people working on the design etc of the building would have had to go to.
Input of a Maori aspect from the start, to put it bluntly is expected in most (all?) public building and this will only increase as the years go by. In the spirit of not not running before you can walk the course that your son is taking will be the bare minimum. Building on a bare but common minimum will set him up to explore in greater depth later.
From my personal viewpoint I would be careful of trying to trample over what might be a very carefully designed course that will give information and confidence without setting up people to argue the toss (I've seen it happen) about Treaty claims, bootstraps pulling…….etc.
If I was your son I would happily keep what I have learned, ie valuable concepts, from this course in my back pocket and reflect on them. If I had deviated along the way to have thoughts about pedagogy I would put that to one side.
Maori is used much more frequently now and if he can see that whanau has already gone on to be used as an encompassing way to describe club members then he can see language and culture at work.
Thoughtful and comprehensive response there, Shanreagh.
I'm mindful that this section of the engineering course focused on matauranga Maori, not te reo Maori per se.
The fact though, that the two "threads" are so intertwined is a crucial one and worthy of further exploration.
In my sphere of engagement, local government through regional council, I observe the wrangling over matauranga and reo with the central focus on te mana o te wai and hauora; highly-charged points of both misunderstanding and breakthrough.
I'm mindful that this section of the engineering course focused on matauranga Maori, not te reo Maori per se.
Yes I realise that and for me that gives even more relevance to the idea of reflecting back what a student has been taught. So the student gives their knowledge back to the tutor. In giving back this knowledge to the tutor then the tutor is also able to learn – to work out where they may have to apply a different emphasis for their learners in the future. I think a tutor would be disappointed in themselves if students got themselves tangled up in extensions to meanings so much so that the original meaning was lost.
We might be able to mount an argument as a new learner of a language. though for me it is more about idiom, tenses et and my questioning is about what I can see as inconsistencies. To mount an argument on the cultural aspects on the strength of the work of a semester or two would be fraught I would have thought. I would be very, very wary that this gave me any great insight into the culture and lived in experience behind the words. For instance even though I speak German and French I would be very skeptical that this gave me standing to debate, say, the German word das Volk. It is so tied up with other historical and cultural concepts.
The best outcome for a course of this type is to build an awareness of different worlds/drivers. If it has a result down the track of ensuring an engineer responds to a brief that looks as though it may involve Te Ao by saying I'll be sure to get specialist input on this, or makes the same engineer mindful and respectful of Te Ao Maori, even down to being able to introduce themselves or knowledge of hapu/iwi structures, creation story etc then the course will have been successful. Humility and knowing what you don't know, when this is important is a key value too.
The engineers involved in the Ngati Tuhoe house would have been far beyond this prelim knowledge but they, and the clients both, would have been expecting that anyone who came with input would be aware of it.
He also took pains to mention, that he could be wrong. So, as I said, it may be hearsay + hearsay = completely wrong end of the stick.
Because of Covid restrictions, all the lectures were recorded and put online.
Also, it could just be that this is a generalised course and not a good example. I posted below:
(My other cynical thought, is that for a generalised paper, this edict makes it easy to mark. That it all may boil down to a prosaic attitude of reducing marking time, for a lecturer that has more specific and labour-intensive courses to deliver.)
Thermodynamics was one of the subjects I enjoyed the most and attained an A+ in at each level. So most of this looks like a very recognisable introduction:
Course Overview
ENGGEN 140 (Energy & Society) is a fundamental course for first year engineering students. It introduces important concepts of thermodynamics – the science of the relationship between heat, work, temperature, and energy. ENGGEN 140 applies these concepts to a range of renewable energy systems and biomedical applications. Furthermore, ENGGEN 140 discusses energy storage systems in the form of battery technologies and biofuels.
As a steppingstone in the pathway to a professional engineering degree in New Zealand, ENGGEN 140 interlinks fundamental engineering concepts with learning about engineering ethics, decision-making processes, Te Ao Māori and the Māori economy. The role of creativity in developing solutions is also explored within the course.
ENGGEN 140 is an introduction to solving complex engineering problems related to the energy sector while considering effects on communities and the environment.
But in my honest view introducing cultural concepts into this course feels contrived. The laws of the universe owe nothing to human social habits and outlooks:
Yeah – I recall one paper we did that was a series of about 3 or 4 invited lecturers from other depts like Philosophy, Anthro and Law. Quite interesting but very relaxed. So there is nothing terribly new about trying to inject a little couth into first year Engineering students.
One line the Philosophy guy came up with is that the subject was often considered so divorced from real life, that meeting your Philosophy tutor in a pub was like meeting your mother in a massage parlour. Mutually embarrassing.
Like all languages there are often synomyms for similar meanings. Whanau strictly means your immediate living relatives, but like the English word family, it can be used flexibly. For example in English we might say 'the family of humanity' or a 'family of Pacific cultures'. On the other hand there are pedants in every culture.
As for ancestors – the more accurate word I think is whakapapa. IIRC.
When Stuart Nash left his weekly radio slot with Mikey and Mark Mitchell, I was hoping Nash would be replaced with Kiri Allan. Allan seems to me to be a straight up sheila with brains. However, we got Megan Woods. And I must say after a couple of mediocre sessions, she has found her stride. She cleaned Mitchell up in their last debate.
Nice one Robo. National's tactic to attack Labour on an issue they are strong on and National were useless on seems a bit daft…but that's Chris Bishop for you.
"Do you think those that are responsible for local drinking, waste and provision of storm water services should be directly accountable to voters"
Now faced with such a question, who would think too carefully about just what "directly' meant, or whether "those responsible" are local government, regional Councils, or the New Zealand Government? Not surprisingly, a large majority of people answering the question wanted those responsible (whoever they are) to also be accountable – most readers of The Standard may have answered the question that way. Our NZ Govt has responsibility for setting standards and seeing them met – and we saw the last National (party) government set low standards, then deliberately interfere with Environment Canterbury to prevent enforcement, leading to now compromised aquifer supply and problems for towns and cities. Now it could be argued that the Taxpayers union are reprehensible for such a poorly worded survey, and for their poor judgement in the interpretation they placed on the results, and David Farrar has allowed that report to carry the Curia Logo. Has Farrar failed to meet minimum professional polling standards by such a misleading question and such a misleading report on the results?
I'd have thought that the question encompassed all of the possibilities of 'directly accountable' (government, regional government, local government) – that you've suggested.
What it doesn't encompass is a multi-layer appointed bureaucracy and co-governance by iwi (the governance model proposed under 3 waters)
Neither of which are accountable to voters at all. And I have yet to see this meaningfully addressed by Mahuta, or anyone else involved in 3 waters.
I suspect that those completing the survey absolutely understood the question, and answered accordingly.
You may not like the answer. But I suspect that Labour may be about to find out just how much Kiwis don't like this model of governance.
But do we have any level of accountability to voters or consumers with our electricity or telecommunications services? Or even roading, which is mostly controlled by Waka Kotahi, a government agency.
Democratic control of our water services by local government politicians hasn't really served us that well, and the right's alternatives of contracting and privatisation are unlikely to do any better.
I welcome the balance that Maori representaion on the boards of the 3 Waters entities will bring. In Otago Ngāi Tahu have had a governance role over our lakes, waterways and landscape for 20 years and the world hasn't ended. Many would say that it's a much better world, once Ngāi Tahu became involved Councils actually started doing something about their sewage discharges into waterways. Still a long way to go but there's been a change in direction. The balance between Te Ao Māori and Pakeha dominion will put our society in a more sustainable place into our future.
It will provide a constructive conflict in a similar way to the USA's constitution has various governance groups complementing each other, often in conflict, to provide a stable and constructive governance.
I welcome iwi involvement, and think there are lots of benefits for everyone from co-governance. I'm considerably less convinced that bods in Chch can make good decisions about small towns in Southland or Otago.
"Or even roading, which is mostly controlled by Waka Kotahi, a government agency."
Yes, we do. If it's controlled by the government, we get to vote on the policies every 3 years. Whereas AT – an unelected roading and transport bureaucracy in Auckland, which is apparently entirely uncontrolled by the council (in practice) – appears to have no redress from voters, whatsoever. Just a never-ending stream of wasteful projects, and apparently no money to deal with basic repair work.
You have a choice with power or telecoms – if you don't like the policies (or ethics) of one of the companies, you can pick up your account and vote with your wallet – at any time.
Not really an option with water….
Any time someone says 'democtratic control ….. hasn't served us well' – a shiver runs up my spine. That is *exactly* how autocracies begin…. always with the 'best' of intentions. But "all power has a tendency to corrupt, and absolute power has the tendency to corrupt absolutely".
Anyone who truly believes that the right wants to privatize and sell off water – should be fighting this legislation tooth and nail. It's virtually impossible to sell off a fragmented asset (as water currently is), but much, much easier to sell off one which has been nicely packaged into a single organization. Personally, I don't believe that the right has any such intention – but if you do, then this is the riskiest legislation that you could possibly support. At some point, a right government *will* be elected…
Ngai Tahu have nicely enriched their tribal elite (as have Tainui) – I've yet to see any sustainable benefit to the rest of NZ (or, indeed to the rest of Maori – especially the urban Maori who have some of the worst social outcomes).
Councils across the whole of NZ have been 'doing something' about discharges of sewerage – it's difficult to claim that it's entirely due to iwi influence. And Ngai Tahu, at least, are substantial dairy farmers – I'm sure that's true of other iwi in other regions as well.
The operation of 3 Waters is generally contracted out to either the TA's CCO, another TA's CCO, or a completely private organisation like Fulton Hogan, Downer or Veolia. The last two groups have quite a bit of power over the contracting TA, I've heard the relationship described as akin to farming.
Nact aligned parties have been at the forefront of this contracting, so it’s definitely the way they want things. it’s done one little bite at a time and then merged into larger and larger organisations that gradually creep into multinational corporates.
The proposed reforms will put a few controls over this. It'll be mostly the same organisations / people doing the work but the scale will hopefully bring a lot of functions back in-house and curb the farming.
Very good for retirement jobs for ex National MP' s.
The fact of the creeping privatisation that has been happening with public assets, including those mostly under the RADAR by council's, is ignored by 3 waters opponents. Obviously because they are happy for it to continue.
are you saying 'it's already happeing, so what's the problem?"
If not, please point to the parts of the 3 Waters plan that are specifically designed to prevent privatisation.
My understanding is that councils either do work themselves, contract out to private orgs, or set up organisations that are designed to function like private companies. If National wanted to sell those off, how would it do it currently, given central government doesn't have control of councils and there are still mechanisms for communities to object?
We were one election away from the whole lot being sold off in Auckland.
Banks stated intention if he got in.
Makes it much harder to keep privatisation out of public view if it cannot be done, bit by bit.
It should be stated that part of three waters is bringing more expertise into managing contracting out, which is a part of creeping privatisation of asset management we should oppose. But if it is happening it needs a much greater degree of competent oversight.
Examples are Air NZ and other privatisations which didn't go unnoticed. Note however that National cared so much about democracy that they went ahead anyway. Not without public opposition, though.
Hence labour currently trying to entrench anti -privatisation provisions. The part of the Three Waters bill that opposes privatisation. National, who have suddenly become concerned about public ownership, sic. are opposing them.
Anyone who truly believes that the right wants to privatize and sell off water – should be fighting this legislation tooth and nail. It's virtually impossible to sell off a fragmented asset (as water currently is), but much, much easier to sell off one which has been nicely packaged into a single organization.
I've seen two examples of privatisation of the 3 Waters management in Queenstown, along with other QLDC functions. The first with with contracting to the old works management, who then sold out to another TA's contracting arm was a disaster, the second to a multi national organisation really hasn't lived up to it's promises and may reveal a few unpleasant surprises under the carpet once it's over. QLDC initially wasn't supportive of the 3 Waters proposal, now they are. QLDC have seen the alternatives and see 3 Waters as the preferred option. The real opportunities for privatisation are the small, failing, TA's that don't have an alternative, QLDC was very much in that situation and it looked like a good idea at the time.
"Ngai Tahu have nicely enriched their tribal elite"
Well if you call Ngāi Tahu's engaged community a 'tribal elite' you'd be right. I'm seeing an organisation that going from strength to strength growing and supporting it's members and the surrounding community and environment. I wish I had the whakapapa to be fully engaged.
If the left properly understood the iwi entities as essentially nothing more than family owned private corporations with a closed shareholding – then Three Waters would be seen in a quite different light.
Don't think corporation is quite the right description. While the iwi entities are very commercial, there is an equal benevolent focus, often benefiting the wider community.
Could the same be said for Fonterra, Farmlands or Gloriavale? All similarly closed 'corporations'
Wishing those "iwi entities" well – both ‘sides’ can teach us all a thing or two.
Indigenous history, culture and values as investment philosophy: lessons from the New Zealand Māori [3 March 2022]
MAHI [Māori Asset Holding Institutions] have evolved over the last 30 years as the investment and commercial arms of iwi (tribal) organizations, in New Zealand. They seek to grow and sustain the financial and natural resources they have and continue to receive through the Treaty settlement process with the Government for redress of historical grievances against Māori, the indigenous people.
…
Iwi have indeed adopted the principles and language of traditional Western investment strategies, but a shift in the investment space towards more sustainable investment practices provides an opportunity for iwi to assert a more indigenous approach which is grounded in issues of sustainability and tribal wellbeing.
Who is promoting this "tad presumptious [sic]" idea?
Imho that idea is almost as presumptuous as the idea that Māori culture has nothing to offer non-Māori when it comes to ethical investment/investiment and sustainability.
RL, it's hilariously hypocritical that all this 'concern' is being whipped up at the slightest hint of Māori making a bit of 'unearned' profit, when NZ and the rest of the world is awash with unearned profit as it is. Little more than fearmongering, imho.
Now if only there was a mechanism to distribute a slightly larger proportion of the existing unearned profit more equitably…
As for your presumptuous question, it's a non sequitur, don't you think? But, for the record (again), I consider myself a bit of a 'lefty' and yet I can't make head nor tail of it.
One more try: who (apart from you) is promoting "the idea that only Maori know how to advocate for ethical investiment and sustainability"?
Well, open to anyone with a bit of cash to spare – and here we are.
NZ’s perverse ethnic wealth gap[27 July 2020]
Pete McKenzie traces Aotearoa's wide – and worsening – wealth gap between ethnic groups back to colonial land confiscation
“We have an opportunity to ask whether the system is geared up to produce equitable wealth distribution between Māori and non-Māori. If these disparities are increasing, then the answer is no, it’s not. There’s something wrong with the system.”
Perhaps each ‘side’ can teach us all a thing or two.
Had you noticed the dates in the article you linked? The point at which EY's profits skyrocketed was 2017 – virtually doubling every year until 2020 – god knows what they are now.
Yes I had noticed that the no. 1 health priority for Andrew Little is apparently reorganizing the Health administration infrastructure.
Wouldn't be mine.
Still no explanation why contractor costs by DHBs were controlled under National and exploded under Labour.
Hint, the DHB governance model didn't change.
Also the DHBs were established under the 5th Labour Government (Helen Clark) – I wouldn't characterize that as a more right wing government – though perhaps you would.
If any organisation is created to look after 3 waters, it will still be ultimately accountable to the New Zealand Government – and my understanding of 3 waters is that it is intended to be directly accountable, but that is not yet clear. You are however being suitably cautious about the possibility of a lack of accountability – as I understand it the way in which some organisations in Auckland were created makes them largely unaccountable to the Auckland City Council, even though they are called Council Controlled Organisations – perhaps there should have been more consultation before that was forced on Auckland, but thankfully it seems there will be considerable consultation, and perhaps changes from both current proposals or at least current perceptions from some who are not quite aware of what they think they are opposing. Co-governance has of course been used before – Chris Finlayson speaks highly of it and apparently used it on a number of occasions. Was he and the government he was part of wrong?
I look forward to Mahuta explaining in plain language the exact checks and balances which will enable Government to control the 3 waters bureaucracy.
She has yet to do so.
And, quite frankly, with co-governance, I don't see how it would be possible, in any case.
Consultation over 3 waters has become a dirty word – with the abundant evidence that irrevocable decision are made, before the sham of consultation is carried out. I refer here to Mahuta telling outright lies to Councils that they could opt out, when she knew that Cabinet had already decided that would not be an option.
There's a huge trust deficit that the government has to overcome.
Bit hard to have a decent consultation and discussion, when any policy to try and fix the massive damage done by the right wing over the years, is greeted by a storm of lies and scare mongering bullshit.
Which you are blindly repeating.
Where were you when the Minister of Health in the National Government pushed to privatise sectors of the health system, to retire to a job with one of those private companies? You didn't give a stuff. But you are happy to repeat unsubstantiated rumours about "corruption behind three waters".
I have concerns about repeating the private sector Governance structures, which have been used for CCO's and SOE's, to distance them from democratic control. Deliberately so when the ACTiods set them up. Shows their real attitude to democracy.
However any genuine concerns and suggestions for improvement, have been lost in the bullshit.
is greeted by a storm of lies and scare mongering bullshit.
Which you are blindly repeating.
Look, if you believe that, this has all been laid out – in crystal clear language with appropriate checks and balances, and government control specifically legislated for – then please link to it.
ATM – what I'm seeing is simply a 'trust us, we know what we're doing' message from Mahuta. And, that is what you are blindly repeating.
Those of us who are sceptical of 3 waters, are *not* reassured by this. And the scepticism is hardening into opposition.
The best way to convince people is to explain: exactly how it will work, and to answer the 'what if' concerns with information about how that contingency is provided for.
It doesn't matter if you think it's 'bullshit' – explain to people exactly how that concern will be mitigated.
What, like the money wasted on a taxpayer-funded propaganda campaign (which absolutely failed, adding insult to injury).
An actual information campaign to give people answers to the inevitable questions, would have been a much better use of the money (and much less liable to being attacked).
How do you alleviate "concerns" that are basically scare mongering?
Like the sudden “concern” by the right wing about privatisation. Something they have been quietly proceeding with in council’s for decades.
Concerns such as the ones I have, are buried under a storm of "concerns" most of which are unrelated to the need to deal with under-investment and council failures with 3 waters, such as accusations of nepotism and unsubstantiated gossip about when descissions were made.
50% iwi. Government have no control over iwi, or who they choose to appoint – (and nor should they) – however, it can't be possible for the Government to control the 3 waters bureaucracy in that scenario.
RRGs who appoint the board and set the overall direction will be 50% iwi.
No requirement for the board to consist of any elected representatives (and it seems unlikely that they would – since Manuta appears to believe that they will be appointed on the basis of professional skills and competency)
You have a RRG which is in fundamental disagreement over the direction water should go in (e.g. prioritization of urban/rural infrastructure spend; differential water charges for different communities; infrastructure investment over ecological concerns)
A board member which has lost confidence of a significant % of the RRG, but is still supported by a block vote (either iwi or council)?
RRG persist in appointing a board member who is unable to work effectively with the rest of the board, or who has a fundamental conflict of interest? Or does *not* have professional skills or competency?
Board appears to be operating independently of the (notional) controlling body. What are the recall/reappointment procedures?
Government wants to establish a broad water policy – but iwi/council RRG disagree? (Does the Government just dismiss the board and take over a la Tauranga Commissioners?
A city or region is deeply unhappy with the water outcome in their area – what redress do they have? (even if they vote out 'their' representative on the RRG, this won't shift the voting balance in the group)
I'm not really interested in the statement that any of the above 'can't happen'. It might be impossible to envisage now, but over time?
We've certainly seen both Councils and Iwi have failures of leadership. I decline to believe that there is something magic about water management which would prevent this from ever happening.
I'd certainly prefer to know the methodology for dealing with the outcomes of these scenarios in advance.
Would all of you be as enthusiastic if this was being proposed by a National/Act government?
If you believe that iwi have failure over leadership, why are you so keen to give them control over water?
We can vote out poorly performing local government representatives. Neither we (nor the iwi themselves) have any mechanism to vote out poorly performing iwi leadership.
Councils that have failures of leadership can be replaced in a democratic society.That is the remedy against maladministration.
In the forthcoming local elections,there is a high probability that many will be removed with expedient demise,Mostly for incompetence and the failure that they have a duty of care for their locality (read fiscal responsibilty)
The high levels of debt being racked up by the incumbents are unsustainable.
3 Waters cost are over 1.5 billion without any forecast in efficiency, and only for the bureaucracy, and is all being funded on overseas debt.(treasury notes the high level of risk in the IT alone)
Any evidence for this? In any of the comments I've made on this or any other topic?
Or is it just a baseless slur, because you're unable to actually answer any of my arguments.
For reference, I think this is bad legislation from a democratic perspective, regardless of which party proposed it. I don’t believe that watering-down democracy for what seems like ‘good reasons’ is ever a good solution.
National and Act have announced that they would repeal 3 waters if elected. Why should they agree to entrench something they're planning on repealing?
“Evdence”. Parroting the right wing attack scare mongering.
I have been answering your arguments.
Why wouldn't NACT allow entrenching anti-privatisation provisions, if they were really against privatisation as they now claim? In case the bill gets passed. That doesn’t affect whether they retain or remove the bill.
Of course we all know that National approves of the creeping privatisation of council infrastructure and contracting out. Which is why they really oppose three waters.
Now. It would be good if we could have a sensible discussion about what form Governance of 3 waters would be. Duplicating the SOE or DHB model will be a serious mistake in my opinion, Without the scare mongering and fear of "Brown control".
“Evdence”. Parroting the right wing attack scare mongering.
I have been answering your arguments.
Haven't parroted a single thing. If the left wing base assumption is that everyone who has concerns over this legislation has been captured by the right wing, then it's not surprising that concern is hardening into opposition.
Also, you haven't answered a single argument – just attacked me, and blindly defended Mahuta.
When you characterize any concern as "scaremongering", then it's not surprising that you can't engage effectively
I've provided legitimate questions and concerns and linked to actual reported evidence.
Zip from you.
Apart from baseless assertions about what National will do in the future (no link to actual announced policy – clearly you're a thought reader), and claims that because National privatized in the past, they're automatically going to do so in the future (the 4th Labour government's track record in this area is apparently not important to you).
There is a lot of consultation to go, and some issues may well change, but the objective of meeting water standards is unlikely to change. Consultation is desirable, and that happens more easily when it is clear the the objectives and obligations on government will not be walked away from, but consultation is often assisted by clear proposals. I do not agree that consultation has become a dirty word – there are a lot of other dirty words being spoken by those who see their job as blind opposition regardless of proposals. Consultation can also be informal – it is not always carried as in a public court trial, and positions can change – at least until legislation is passed.
As for the goal, i is easy to see examples of where cooperation and yes co-governance have worked. Look at the Wanganui River, which will never be totally clear due to the ground is passes through, but which now has secure minimum water flows that avoid many previous problems, and in addition we are able to use some water to generate electricity. Compare that to the situation in Canterbury where we now have a polluted water supply for a whole region, with health impairments for many and increased costs of water treatment for others – all due to arrogant dismissal and overriding of difficult decisions where the community was divided, but should have been enabled to make better decisions themselves than those forced on them. Look at the riber through Palmerston North, which despite some efforts in recent years, continues to be a disgrace – not swimmable for much of its length due to pollution from farming, housing developments and industry. Co-governance would have helped in enabling honesty in reporting what was happening, better knowledge of the way some local politicians funded campaigns by trading zoning agreements for funding, None of us a perfect, but we can influence others by expressing our opinions, and accepting that sometimes agreement will go through a number of stages as a result – small hurdles met with flexibility while keeping end goals in view may signal honest debate rather than a sham of consultation.
Cameron Luxton – 7.5% (which those of us who want to comment on politics would be grateful for: having Luxton, Luxton and Luxon in parliament – all for different parties, would be a bit much!)
Party vote (which isn't relevant in this instance) mirrors those results
Up to 1/3 either didn't know or wouldn't say (not uncommon – many people are reluctant to tell pollsters – and many of those won't vote, either) – the 'don't knows' rarely change the polling results substantially – it only really matters in 'too close to call' races.
Now, I know that not everyone here likes or believes in polling (i.e. thinks that polls don't matter, it's only the final result, which counts).
Setting that aside.
It's not surprising that National are out in front. Tauranga has been a National (or National-Lite aka Winston Peters) stronghold for decades.
But, what Labour should be taking close note of, are Tinetti's results.
Again, it's not surprising that she's dropped back from 38% in 2020. That was the Jacinda bounce – unprecedented, and not likely to ever occur again. But she's dropped to 22% from the 26% she had in 2017. Remember 2017 was against Bridges, a sitting MP, and pretty popular in Tauranga. Now she's standing against a relative unknown. I wouldn't expect her to win, but I would expect that Labour may be concerned over this evident softening of support. While by-elections rarely favour the sitting government, they also usually favour a current MP (albeit a List one) over a newcomer – just through name-recognition.
While the Green party vote is low at 3% – given that they're not standing a candidate in the by-election, I don't think they'll be too worried about this (out-of-sight = out-of-mind for most voters)
The question has been asked several times recently whether Tauranga is a racist city. Apparently in this same poll only 51% of respondents disagreed.
Bluntly, I'd say a lot of Tauranga residents who vote National have a problem with Maori in general, and they certainly have a problem with any form of partnership as described by Te Tiriti. This progressive government's bold plan for redress is not popular with racists.
All those Kiwifruit orchards are built on stolen land but the owners and benefactors can't bring themselves to admit it.
I would far prefer Labour, and specifically Labour Maori, continue the drive for real change and take some hits rather than run scared of the Western BOP elite.
If around 60% of Tauranga consists of wealthy elite (whether pakeha or Maori) – we should be rolling it out as a template for the rest of the country. /sarc/
People, by and large, vote for the policies (and politicians) which they believe will benefit them.
MPs act for the best of all of their constituents – not just the ones who they think voted for them (or the ones which share their ethnicity). Peters, for example, did very, very well for the people of Tauranga while he was their local MP. To describe them as 'useless Maori' is one of the most profoundly racist statements I've read on TS.
You can't simply condemn electorates as racist because they don't (or won't) vote the way you'd like them to. Especially where they have a demonstrated history of voting for candidates regardless of ethnicity. Should we declare the people of Mt Albert racist because they have never elected a Maori MP?
After all, the majority of Maori don't vote for TPM – which would seem to be the party which would advocate best for Maori. Perhaps they're all less racist than you think.
The term, "useless Maori" is not mine, it is Willie Jackson's:
Willie Jackson says Act leader David Seymour is not just a "useless Māori", but is a dangerous politician.
Māori Development Minister Jackson yesterday said the Act leader could claim Māori whakapapa but was a "useless Māori" and a "useless advocate for Māori".
David Seymour of course having the same attributes as both Winston Peters and Simon Bridges with respect to advocating for Maori. Simply, they didn't.
The right and hard right in varying degrees hate the idea the public should support any culture and identity despite NZ's identity heavily relying on Te Ao Maori. It's who we are but ACT's vision of NZ is one of diluted homogeny, a plain South Pacific country indistinguishable from any other western country.
This government recognises the importance of supporting Maori and Maori culture, useless Maori do not.
So, presumably the 18.2% of the Tauranga population who are Maori consist entirely of Uncle Toms?
Can you just not conceive that the majority of people in NZ – even those who live in benighted Tauranga – vote according to their political principles, rather than along racial lines?
Or can you only justify democracy when it aligns with your prejudices.
'There is a shortage of more than 400 officers across all seniority levels nationally.
The shortage is especially pronounced at Mt Eden prison, home mostly to remand prisoners who have been arrested but are yet to face trial or be sentenced.
A source familiar with internal figures said there were 102 vacancies at Mt Eden as of the last week of May.'
Come on down, we'll probably take you especially at Mt Eden
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This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
Buzz from the BeehiveTolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
The Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. ...
The Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced that the Government will make it easier for lines firms to take action to remove vegetation from obstructing local powerlines. The change will ensure greater security of electricity supply in local communities, particularly during severe weather events. “Trees or parts of trees falling on ...
Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani were the top winners at this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy awards recognising the best in Māori dairy farming. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards celebration also attended by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister ...
"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools. “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...
New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...
Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The instability comes as the party tries to refresh its brand after six years of being part of a right-wing, pro-imperialist government with both the Labour Party and, from 2017-2020, the far-right NZ First Party. ...
Based on the latest Treasury forecasts, New Zealand Government debt will tick above $90,000 per household for the first time ever at 10pm today, Sunday 19 May 2024. The Taxpayers’ Union is calling it “$90k Debt Day”. Commenting on this, Taxpayers’ ...
Arawata Shane Arawata Shane had wandered long In the wild tangled hills of the West Coast. He came to a stop on the mighty range And looked down at the wide river flats. He breathed in the clean air, And he took in the shadows playing across The face of ...
SPECIAL REPORT:Islands Business in Suva Today is the 24th anniversary of renegade and failed businessman George Speight’s coup in 2000 Fiji. The elected coalition government headed by Mahendra Chaudhry, the first and only Indo-Fijian prime minister of Fiji, was held hostage at gunpoint for 56 days in the country’s ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist and Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific digital journalist Police have used tear gas and stun grenades on rioters at an airport near Nouméa as the chaos in New Caledonia stretched into its sixth day. Five people, including two police officers, have died and hundreds of ...
Asia Pacific ReportThe global human rights watchdog Amnesty International has called on France to not “misuse” a crackdown in the ongoing unrest in the non-self-governing French Pacific territory of Kanaky New Caledonia in the wake of a controversial vote by the French Parliament to adopt a bill changing the territory’s ...
A major provider of school lunches fears the government's new $3 limit for most students will see them eating more pre-packaged and processed food. ...
The star of Dark City: The Cleaner takes us through his life in TV, including the VHS revolution and the John Campbell impression that started it all. Best known for his comedic roles, Cohen Holloway says he struggled at times to maintain the stone cold facade of serial killer on ...
David Hill remembers an old friend, who you’ve probably never heard of. My friend Doug never travelled; he had little interest in the world beyond his own tiny rural town. I’ve rarely known anyone who radiated such contentment. Doug (I’ll call him that) died in March. You won’t know him. ...
Some of the earliest photos of life in Aotearoa are on display at Auckland Museum right now – but the identities of some of the people in them are a mystery.What was it like to be one of the first people in New Zealand to have their photo taken? ...
Since its founding almost a decade ago, Featherston Booktown has grown into one of the country’s most interesting and idiosyncratic literary events. Erin Banks reports from the audience. “Come in, have you had lunch? I’m about to make a cheese toastie.” Mary Biggs, operations manager of Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival, ...
After 33 years abroad, Loveni Enari recently returned to Aotearoa and Samoa in what a friend joked was an “existential crisis”. He learnt and re-learnt so much about his family, friends and both countries. Almost as an afterthought, he got a Samoan tatau. This is his story. (Accompanying it are ...
Nearly 30 years ago, two people told me they’d killed a woman they knew. I thought the truth would come out, that others would tell it. In the end, I had to. The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Fact: in 1995, Angela Blackmoore ...
Editor Madeleine Chapman looks back at the week and shines a light on some increasingly rare longform journalism. Mōrena and welcome to The Weekend where there will sadly be no aurora to see. After a busy week last week of short, sharp pieces, this week we swung the other way, ...
ANALYSIS:By David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report Jean-Marie Tjibaou, a revered Kanak visionary, was inspirational to indigenous Pacific political activists across Oceania, just like Tongan anthropologist and writer Epeli Hao’ofa was to cultural advocates. Tragically, he was assassinated in 1989 by an opponent within the independence movement during ...
Forget thin is in, apparently now bigger is better … or is it? After over a decade of body positivity, girls, teens and women are even more confused about what body positivity actually is. The movement began with women confronting unrealistic expectations of how their bodies should look. But sub-strands ...
Grace always sat at the bar at the back of The Cambridge, where she could watch who came in. A huge mirror ran the length of the pub, so you could sometimes watch people without them knowing. The mirror made the place seem a lot bigger than it really was. ...
MONDAY Sheriff Mark Mitchell rose at dawn. He had a long day’s ride ahead of him. He was headed for Waikeria. Waikeria! Even the name itself stirred his blood, and set root in his imagination. There was nothing and no one in Waikeria. But he would bend it to his ...
The first phase of the inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones finished this week, turning up plenty of revelations and few answers. But through all the confusion, heartbreak and antipathy on display, the simple fact at the heart of this case remains: if little Lachie’s body had ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Benjamin, Professor in Art History, University of Sydney “She’s no oil painting”. Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ...
Government plans to require local councils hold a referendum on whether to have Māori wards breaches the Treaty of Waitangi, a Waitangi Tribunal report has found. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This year the National Rugby League (NRL) opened its season in Las Vegas. It was an audacious move by the league’s ambitious head honcho Peter V’Landys to showcase the game in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate Professor, Music Industry, RMIT University Leading music organisations have praised the federal budget for its investment in the live music sector. The budget includes A$8.6 million for a program called Revive Live: to provide essential support to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marnee Shay, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, The University of Queensland The 2024 federal budget contains A$110 million for Indigenous education. This includes funding for various different organisations to represent and help Indigenous people as well as scholarships in a bid to ...
Air New Zealand has confirmed Nouméa’s Tontouta International airport in New Caledonia is closed until Tuesday. The airline earlier told RNZ it would update customers as soon as it could. Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report government officials had been working on an “hourly basis” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Linley, PhD Candidate in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Grant Linley Australia’s unprecedented Black Summer bushfires in 2019–20 created ideal conditions for misinformation to spread, from the insidious to the absurd. It was within this context that a bizarre story ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcel Scharth, Lecturer in Business Analytics, University of Sydney OpenAI executive Mira Murati launching GPT-4o.OpenAI Earlier this week OpenAI launched GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”), a new version of the artificial intelligence (AI) system powering the popular ChatGPT chatbot. GPT-4o is promoted ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treasure McGuire, Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Mater Health SEQ in conjoint appointment as Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Bond University and as Associate Professor (Clinical), The University of Queensland Speedkingz/Shutterstock Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a ...
A new poem by Hannah Patterson. Xiāng There’s a pear tree in our backyard And Xiāng tells me She can’t eat them anymore Not after some things that have happened in her life. She tells me, in Mandarin The word for pear sounds the same as the word for disassociation ...
‘Cycling Works’ aims to show business support for citywide cycle infrastructure. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, supermarket giant Foodstuffs lost its attempt to block the construction of a cycle lane outside Thorndon New World in Wellington. The Spinoff’s Wellington editor ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Slow Productivity by Cal Newport (Penguin, $40)Taking out the top spot in Auckland this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University For decades, Australia has exported uranium – but not used it, other than in the Lucas Heights research reactor. But change is coming. We now face a rapidly deepening commitment to ...
"In future I should walk away," Green MP Julie Anne Genter says after complaints over an exchange in Parliament and from two members of the public. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Graffam, PhD Candidate in Theatre, Monash University Gianna Rizzo/Malthouse Music pumps; lights pulsate; two sweaty bodies sway together, touching, breathing in each other’s scent. A male body framed by downlight restlessly shifts between stances and gestures. He undresses. The intensity ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra van der Laan, Professor of Accounting, University of Sydney Mtaya/Shutterstock At some point, you or someone else will need to make a decision about your “send-off”. Most Australians die in an institution, such as a hospital or aged care facility. ...
Asia Pacific Report Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai — who is also Chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group — has reaffirmed MSG’s support of the pro-independence umbrella group Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) stance opposing the French government’s constitutional bill “unfreezing” the New Caledonia Electoral Roll. It is ...
Producer Susan Leonard remembers her father Ernie, a pioneer of Māori television, and how his legacy lives on in Pathfinders.My father was a fabulous man. His name was Ernie Leonard and he started in TV in the 1970s when it was still glamorous – when TVNZ made behind the ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk, and Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The suspected ringleaders of the unrest in New Caledonia have been placed in home detention and the social network TikTok has been banned as French security forces struggle to restore law and order. The French ...
Multi-year appropriations - which give the government authority to spend money without reapplying annually - are loosening Parliament's control of the public purse, auditor-general says. ...
Dr. Eric Chuah who stood for a centrist NZ political party in the October 2023 NZ Elections for Maungakiekie Auckland will stand as a candidate for Tauranga City Council Ward of Matua-=Otumoetai and Mayor of Tauranga. ...
If you can’t get to the comedy fest, let us bring the comedy fest to you. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. The New Zealand International Comedy Festival is in full swing at the moment, with a veritable smorgasboard of comedy treats ...
A new poll commissioned by Unions Wellington shows an overwhelming majority of Wellingtonians oppose the Council’s plan to sell the 34% public stake in Wellington Airport. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aruna Sathanapally, Chief Executive, Grattan Institute, Grattan Institute A central focus of this week’s budget is the treasury’s forecast for inflation. By this time next year, inflation is projected to be back within the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target range. Inflation has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yolanda van Heezik, Professor of Ecology, University of Otago Getty Images Cities across Aotearoa New Zealand are trying to solve a housing crisis, with increasing residential density a key solution. But not everyone is happy about the resulting loss of natural ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Reeve, Deputy Program Director, Energy and Climate Change, Grattan Institute WDG Photo/Shutterstock For years, the electricity sector has been the poster child for emissions cuts in Australia. The sector achieved a stunning 26% drop in emissions over the past 15 ...
It’s often the last thing people want to do, but asking someone if they’re having suicidal thoughts is a critical first step to helping them. Content warning: this story discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. For a list of resources that can help if you or someone you know is feeling ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy J. Ralph, Associate Professor, Macquarie University The pyramids at Giza, like dozens of others, are located several kilometres west of the current path of the Nile.Alex Cimbal / Shutterstock The largest field of pyramids in Egypt – consisting of 31 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute ABO PHOTOGRAPHY/Shutterstock Receiving a cancer diagnosis is life-changing and can cause a range of concerns about ongoing health. Fear of cancer returning is one ...
Winston Peters has been on tour around the Pacific while two unrelated crises unfolded, explains Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Two separate ...
This is the Mount Everest of artificial meatcraft.Ah, bacon. Pig’s gold. Toast’s consolation. Dawn’s savoury embrace. If meat was a currency, bacon would be the Benjamin Franklin. Or if you’re feeling patriotic, the Lord Rutherford. When it comes to fake bacon, the obvious question is: why bother? In the ...
From illegal milk to sprinkler bans and airplane ticket scams, Tyrone Barugh is on a one-man mission through New Zealand’s most obscure legal loopholes. I’m deep undercover, investigating Wellington’s criminal underworld. Inside this store, I’ve been told there is a million-dollar trade in illicit substances. A man dressed in black ...
New Zealand’s drug legislation hasn’t been overhauled in nearly 50 years, in spite of a recommendation from the Law Commission in 2011 to do so. Our Misuse of Drugs Act was passed in 1975 and is based on a United Nations framework set in 1961. Now a new organisation, Harm ...
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99) A free copy of this amazing story of a woman who operated behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France was up for grabs this past fortnight. Readers were asked to share a story of wartime bravery, ...
Update on the Mataraunga Maaori component in first year uni paper from an anecdotal perspective.
Was reinforced in test that concepts and understanding had to relate only to lecturer's definitions, personal knowledge or alternate definitions would be marked as wrong.
Eg. What is the definition of whanau?
The only 'right' answer, is your direct ancestors. Any other definition – no marks.
Also, MM questions twice the points for no discernible reason.
This approach is inviting resistance and pushback.
Moved to desktop.
I support the intention of mātauranga Māori, but am concerned about the implemention of the project.
To me, this has similar hallmarks to the Equality and Diversity intention, that has been rolled out through our institutions, businesses and government departments.
Employing identified individuals as experts and representatives to provide material and ideas for projects is a starting point. However, what they produce still should be actively scrutinised for appropriateness, quality and any statement of facts should be well-evidenced.
Getting this wrong, not only means that those learning are not actually being delivered good quality material, but it provides space for justified criticism, which unfortunately gives fodder to the underlying racism for some.
My son still won't let me watch the videos, but from a personal point of view, he's dismissive of the value and quality of what was delivered to him – and hundreds of other students – by the mātauranga Māori component of the paper.
What other definitions are you aware of, Molly?
Family, both blood-relations and non.
Also used informally to refer to a group gathered for some purpose, ie. interests. Our rugby whanau.
"Our rugby whanau"?
I'm with the lecturer 🙂
That's interesting. I hear it used in such a way in many meetings run by Māori facilitators and taiako. Have you never come across it? Might be a regional use of the word.
The ancestor definition, excludes whangai adoptions and implies a connection to bloodlines going one way, up or down from an individual.
It might be a personal perspective, but whanau for me is more of a weaving concept, pulling and connecting threads from a vast array of 'relatives' and familial connections. It's probably my personal attachment to this definition, that makes me reluctant to relinquish it.
It's not the definition that concerns me, direct ancestors is accurate in and of itself. It is the insistence that only that definition will be deemed to be correct. I love the other aspects of whanau, and if those attending this class believe there is only one 'correct' answer, they may lose a wider understanding when meeting the word in future.
That's the concept of whanau that I particularly love, where it encompasses ‘family’ in a broader concept than standard nuclear family relationships. Family in the 'heart' sense rather than the 'genetic' sense.
Seems like an unnecessarily narrow and exclusive definition.
I agree, that if this education is so prescriptive (just memorize the list of concepts and definitions), it's going to accomplish little in enculturating MM in the students – and is very likely to build resentment and push-back.
It seems the complete reversal of the te ao Maori philosophy.
How could they get it so wrong?
When seeking the essential meaning of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, we have to defer to the indigenous version. Perhaps here we need to do the same.
We all have our reckons, but it's not really our business, is it, how words outside of English are defined. In any case, the "lecturer" might just as well be planning to expand upon their definition of "whanau" as the course proceeds. Molly's example seems very tenuous to me.
Molly is an indigenous version of – well – Molly.
If tenuous is referring to a slender thread – well, that is definitely, not a definition fitting this indigenous Molly.
Some may consider it culturally insensitive to ascribe new meanings to words taken/adopted from Aotearoa NZ's first language, but if history is any teacher then 'resisting the drift' will be mostly futile. Can we change?
Being dogmatic about traditional usage, or meaning, is one way of ensuring Māori becomes a dead language.
Many English words have been adopted to Māori beginning from the First European visiters. To insist only on traditional usage we would have to remove them also.
Anyway the Tamariki are voting with their feet, using Māori words, in ways and situations that are definitely not traditional.
The French tried to keep their language pristine. It didn't work.
Some of the dogmatism is just ignorance. Kids at a High school I was teaching in, kept correcting my pronunciation. One of the old Māori Teachers told them, "don't be so bloody cheeky, he is from Taranaki". She even knew which part of Taranaki, from my accent in Māori. The "correct" Māori pronunciation followed is very often Ngapuhi, which annoys the hell out of Ngāi Tahu and others.
Are we to think that the teacher in the example given by Molly, knows less about this than we do?
Hopeless at languages, so a bit of 'sloppage' suits me fine, but I can appreciate the value of precise language too, in context.
[In context isn’t quite right – hope you get my drift.]
Māori have a long, and recognisable history of word creation, that contributes to the longevity of language.
ie. motukā, pouaka makariri, tīwī
A combination of transliteration, and word creation from root words.
The argument that only existing kupu are available, is not convincing. If anything, a living dynamic language is consistently creating new words.
However, if significant words are thus required to accommodate new meanings, then it may have a negative impact.
The Te Reo course I did, was very interesting when it focused on the regional differences and dialects. I wish I could develop the same ear for regional differences in Te Reo, as easily as I can distinguish from regional differences in the UK. It's a sorry acknowledgement of my insufficient Te Reo that I have no idea.
You're on fire at the moment, this is about the second post I've agreed with you on over the last couple of days
Welcome to the light side
We do not know who 'they' is yet.
Due to my recent foray into researching porn, I've left investigating the NZ curriculum regarding mātauranga Māori, and Sexuality and Relationship investigation.
The NCEA, and TKI websites are a pain to navigate as a novice, and material is linked to from multiple sites and pages.
Here is one such link to the Secondary Curriculum for science, where you can download a fairly short pdf on concepts.
https://ncea.education.govt.nz/science/chemistry-and-biology?view=learning
Unfortunately, this is not the page where I found word 'whakapapa' used interchangeably with the concept of evolution. If I come across it again, I'll post.
Whakapapa for me holds such significance, in te ao Māori, that I resist the expansion of the word to encompass a concept that was not part of te ao Māori knowledge.
Another example that is shown on the CB Learning Matrix_1.pdf is for 'mauri' to refer to energy bonds at atomic levels.
"recognise that mauri is present in all matter which exists as particles held together by attractive forces"
My understanding of this word was 'life-force', a recognition of organic life-forms and/or sentience ascribed to non-organic forms. ie. mountains, rivers etc.
I would prefer to see new Māori words for concepts that were not part of mātauranga Māori but utilise existing Te Reo to create.
I'm uncomfortable with the dilution of existing language to shoehorn new concepts in. From my perspective, it demeans the original kupu, and also muddies the scientific concept.
eg. Whakapapa for evolution.
Now I'm really puzzled, Molly. You write:
"I'm uncomfortable with the dilution of existing language to shoehorn new concepts in. From my perspective, it demeans the original kupu, and also muddies the scientific concept.
eg. Whakapapa for evolution."
and at the same time argue for that "whanau" is "used informally to refer to a group gathered for some purpose, ie. interests. Our rugby whanau."
Seems you're supporting both points of view?
Contradicting your original objection?
You also wrote:
“I do enjoy the broader application of this particular word. It’s just one of those kupu that resonates, hopefully for all NZers.”
Is that so long as the word is “whanau” and not “whakapapa”?
The issue here is not shortening or expanding words, Robert.
It is about making sure the intent of mātauranga Māori is achieved.
My concern with my son's course, is that it seems inclined to not inspire, or encourage, and may actually cause students to resist further learning because of the content and delivery.
My concern with the curriculum matrix, is that it uses significant Māori kupu and concepts, and shoehorns in a new definition that both dilutes the original meaning, and muddies the scientific concept. Once again, inviting pushback and resistance to further learning.
In te reo Māori words frequently mean more than one thing depending on context. I find it very odd that you've swung from complaining about a too narrow a definition of whānau, to getting upset that mauri (which is a bit broader than just lifeforce anyway – it is the motivating and identifying energy) can be applied to nuclear forces or that whakapapa (which is much broader than just genealogy and encompasses all living things and geographical landmarks as ancestors in relation to the speaker) should be applied to evolution.
You seem to want your cake and to eat it too.
I've replied to the same question from Robert Guyton, above.
You may have missed it:
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-04-06-2022/#comment-1892208
I couldn't understand your explanation, Molly.
I am siding with Populuxe 1, presently.
What? So a husband and wife aren't 'whanau'?
I'd say that's a fairly niche definition….
adopted children too.
kiaora e te whānau is a common expression used with all sorts of groups that aren't related ancestrally.
Hard to comment on the story told because it's third hand anecdote, but on the face of it it seems an odd definition to me. It's also possible there was context that makes sense of it.
Visiting Tahuwhakatiki Marae, Tauranga I was greated as Whanau, because I and my cousins had a Powhiri there in the past.
Whanau as used by Māori speakers today, from both personal observation and reading can include groups of friends, family both immediate or distant, a school community, a club.
Not just or even for kāwai, roots/ ancestors
May not have been past usage. But Māori like all languages evolves and adopts.
My non-Māori aunt didn’t Whakapapa to the Iwi, but she was certainly Whanau!
https://teara.govt.nz/en/whanau-maori-and-family/page-1
Nice link, thanks incognito.
I do enjoy the broader application of this particular word. It's just one of those kupu that resonates, hopefully for all NZers.
Māori have a word for ancestors. 'Whānau' is not it.
Someone is misunderstanding. Do you have written material from the course you could post here?
My option is to do an OIA for the videos of the lectures, and the written material.
Although my son has access, he is a rule follower. All online material has a statement that it is not to be shared with those not enrolled, and so he doesn't.
I understand that my perspective of his perspective is not an accurate rendering. Part of the reason I write this, is just to invite others to put forward their experiences. Or if they are in positions to access or scrutinise material, to do so.
If I can, I can find out the course code and stream. And perhaps, put in a request for that material but I'll wait till my son has completed this semester.
(ATM, still negotiating being in the same room while he re-watches. Two problems: he considers that dishonest, and he doesn’t want to watch it again.)
Ah, did not click that it was your son doing the course. Do you believe this sort of misunderstanding is widespread?
The drive in to university in the mornings, takes around an hour and a half. So, we were discussing material the day after it was presented.
As I acknowledge, it's a bit of a hearsay, hearsay situation. But as pedantic as he is with rules, he's similarly inclined in language.
"Do you believe this sort of misunderstanding is widespread?"
What specifically do you regard as a misunderstanding?
That whānau means ancestors. First time I’ve heard it.
I took it to mean that it only related to people of direct ancestry, rather than a replacement for tupuna. More a definition that related to shared blood links, as it were.
Once again, I acknowledge that this is my interpretation, of his interpretation being offered to you to interpret.
Not a sound basis for definitive analysis. More a check diagnostics light.
Seems to me to be an āwhā in an ipu tii.
Molly wrote:
"The only 'right' answer, is your direct ancestors."
That's very imprecise and perhaps causing confusion here.
Was "your direct ancestors" in fact the answer given, an interpretation of the answer given, or what?
If we are to make judgements based on this snippet (is it copied and pasted, is it second-hand, over-heard ? etc.) we are bound to get the wrong end of te rakau, imo.
As I said, it might be. But both during lectures, and before the test they were reminded that only the material and definitions that were taught during the course were going to be considered the 'correct' answers when it came to assessment.
(I'm really resisting the temptation to log on to my son's computer, and "assess" his interpretation of what is going on. But perhaps, someone reading this also has access to the course materials, and can provide direct experience.)
The lecturer did touch on the fact that others may have different definitions, tikanga etc, but for the purposes of assessment only those which had been delivered were accepted.
For the course I did on Tikanga Māori, the opposite was encouraged. As long as you referenced the origin of your understanding, and evidenced it, the contribution was accepted as valid. A really good exploratory assignment, especially when sharing with other students.
(My other cynical thought, is that for a generalised paper, this edict makes it easy to mark. That it all may boil down to a prosaic attitude of reducing marking time, for a lecturer that has more specific and labour-intensive courses to deliver.)
"But both during lectures, and before the test they were reminded that only the material and definitions that were taught during the course were going to be considered the 'correct' answers when it came to assessment."
Seems then, they were quite specific and gave fair direction and warning.
I'm unsure why this is concerning you.
It seems fair to me.
Very unusual in teaching anything.
It is how you know the class are listening. When they start arguing with you.
Me. “You are allowed to disagree, but you have to justify it.
That, if correct, is poor pedogogy, and different from the approach of the excellent Māori teachers I've seen at work.
The “Agree with what I say, or be marked wrong”, if true, is not exactly going to help with student engagement and understanding.
"That, if correct, is poor pedogogy, and different from the approach of the excellent Māori teachers I've seen at work."
Same here.
I've had kaiako who repeatedly encourage wider exploration of the concepts they were teaching.
I've also, unfortunately, had others that were there to punch the clock.
There's a marked difference in how much you learn and take away.
And especially unusual in teaching Te Reo or Maturanga Maori.
All of the (many) seminars, courses and workshops I've engaged in have been a very collaborative learning style. Where the knowledge of the course leader (being generously shared with the participants) is acknowledged and valued; but so is the knowledge that different participants bring to the discussion. I've been in a workshop where there was a long discussion about the different usage of a term on one marae in the FN (participant) and another in the SI (course leader) – very good-humored, and clearly a source of amusement to both of them; and another which was specifically related to an upcoming powhiri, where the leader specifically referred to the way things were done on this marae, rather than being necessarily correct for other marae.
This 'fount of all knowledge' style seems very foreign to the whole Matauranga Maori philosophy.
Written in much better than I could have Belladonna, but this has been my experience with Te Ao Māori in various learning environments too.
"Unusual"?
The teaching of te ao Maori should be "usual" – in step with the way non-Maori languages are taught?
Disclaimer: I was Head of Maori at Aparima College for a time, and taught all levels. He kaiwhakaako Maori au! I nga wa o mua 🙂
The direction and following assessment is not what concerns me, Robert.
If the intention is to both introduce and instill encouragement for further learning of Te Ao Māori in students – the way this has been delivered might actually do the opposite.
I'm concerned about the resulting attitude of the students, rather than my son's mark.
Are any students there going to be inspired to look further into the perspectives of Māori?
The other less desired prospect is that they may also react negatively to future contact with te Ao Māori if they come away with a sense that it is not relevant or quality information.
'Fair' as in easy to mark and to learn. Yep.
Useful, in actually inculcating MM into the learning (the stated aim)? I'd say fairly useless.
And, absolutely inviting push-back. I'd say that most of the Engineering students (I think that's the background here) are likely to simply learn for the exam, then promptly forget it. Just another set of useless 'facts'
A largely wasted exercise.
And especially useless for anyone who has had exposure to MM through other avenues (e.g. kohanga reo, kura or marae) – where the learning (as presented here) sounds very different to what they would have learned in a te ao Maori perspective.
Yes. General engineering Year 1 course at Auckland University.
With more than a few of your typical Engineering student personalities, I would expect.
So, this was the matauranga component of a year one engineering degree – what were you expecting!!!
My son got back, so I wangled the course code from him:
ENGGEN140 – Energy and Society
https://courseoutline.auckland.ac.nz/dco/course/ENGGEN/140
When Googling the course, I came across the UoA review page:
https://coursereview.co.nz/courses/uoa/enggen140
It would make sense if it was being used in a specific or technical context as applied to periodic elements or biological taxonomy.
If "it" is in fact, the case.
I tend to agree with Robert here. If the intention is to instill a broad brush overview of the Maori world then there is very little room for arguing a different view. The value of such a course is that it will do just this – cover concepts of language, iwi, etc tribal links, broad strokes world view and how it is linked.
One of the best bits of advice that I was told early on was to make sure you revise for exams on what has been taught, as the examiner is seeking to ensure that you have got this. This is different from you may have learned through your own explorations during the course, or prior knowledge accumulated.
So harking back to the word 'whanau' then if the course has taught this and the question gives no scope for exploring how it is used in contexts then the definition they are looking for is direct family.
Getting a law degree way way back at some institutions required Latin, or a foreign language. In my years we had some topics loosely covered by the phrase Law In Society. The idea was to give a background, an at ease look at the wider community we would be working in.
Over the years in the PS we were required to attend courses on Maori worldview/Maori language. For me this just built on classes at my secondary school and living in a mainly Maori township where the teachers routinely taught this. Now some PS agencies especially those in Treaty sensitive areas have an expectation or think highly of staff who have attended immersion courses.
I cannot imagine that a world going forward for an engineer would not cover the Maori world view. If you look at the story of how Ngati Tuhoe approached the building of Te Kura Whare then you will note the lengths that people working on the design etc of the building would have had to go to.
Input of a Maori aspect from the start, to put it bluntly is expected in most (all?) public building and this will only increase as the years go by. In the spirit of not not running before you can walk the course that your son is taking will be the bare minimum. Building on a bare but common minimum will set him up to explore in greater depth later.
From my personal viewpoint I would be careful of trying to trample over what might be a very carefully designed course that will give information and confidence without setting up people to argue the toss (I've seen it happen) about Treaty claims, bootstraps pulling…….etc.
If I was your son I would happily keep what I have learned, ie valuable concepts, from this course in my back pocket and reflect on them. If I had deviated along the way to have thoughts about pedagogy I would put that to one side.
Maori is used much more frequently now and if he can see that whanau has already gone on to be used as an encompassing way to describe club members then he can see language and culture at work.
https://www.ngaituhoe.iwi.nz/sustainability-and-the-living-building-challenge
https://thisnzlife.co.nz/tuhoe-leading-way-sustainable-design/
Thoughtful and comprehensive response there, Shanreagh.
I'm mindful that this section of the engineering course focused on matauranga Maori, not te reo Maori per se.
The fact though, that the two "threads" are so intertwined is a crucial one and worthy of further exploration.
In my sphere of engagement, local government through regional council, I observe the wrangling over matauranga and reo with the central focus on te mana o te wai and hauora; highly-charged points of both misunderstanding and breakthrough.
Yes I realise that and for me that gives even more relevance to the idea of reflecting back what a student has been taught. So the student gives their knowledge back to the tutor. In giving back this knowledge to the tutor then the tutor is also able to learn – to work out where they may have to apply a different emphasis for their learners in the future. I think a tutor would be disappointed in themselves if students got themselves tangled up in extensions to meanings so much so that the original meaning was lost.
We might be able to mount an argument as a new learner of a language. though for me it is more about idiom, tenses et and my questioning is about what I can see as inconsistencies. To mount an argument on the cultural aspects on the strength of the work of a semester or two would be fraught I would have thought. I would be very, very wary that this gave me any great insight into the culture and lived in experience behind the words. For instance even though I speak German and French I would be very skeptical that this gave me standing to debate, say, the German word das Volk. It is so tied up with other historical and cultural concepts.
The best outcome for a course of this type is to build an awareness of different worlds/drivers. If it has a result down the track of ensuring an engineer responds to a brief that looks as though it may involve Te Ao by saying I'll be sure to get specialist input on this, or makes the same engineer mindful and respectful of Te Ao Maori, even down to being able to introduce themselves or knowledge of hapu/iwi structures, creation story etc then the course will have been successful. Humility and knowing what you don't know, when this is important is a key value too.
The engineers involved in the Ngati Tuhoe house would have been far beyond this prelim knowledge but they, and the clients both, would have been expecting that anyone who came with input would be aware of it.
Ae. Kei te tika tau.
My son got back, so I wangled the course code from him:
ENGGEN140 – Energy and Society
https://courseoutline.auckland.ac.nz/dco/course/ENGGEN/140
When Googling the course, I came across the UoA review page:
https://coursereview.co.nz/courses/uoa/enggen140
He also took pains to mention, that he could be wrong. So, as I said, it may be hearsay + hearsay = completely wrong end of the stick.
Because of Covid restrictions, all the lectures were recorded and put online.
Also, it could just be that this is a generalised course and not a good example. I posted below:
(My other cynical thought, is that for a generalised paper, this edict makes it easy to mark. That it all may boil down to a prosaic attitude of reducing marking time, for a lecturer that has more specific and labour-intensive courses to deliver.)
Thermodynamics was one of the subjects I enjoyed the most and attained an A+ in at each level. So most of this looks like a very recognisable introduction:
But in my honest view introducing cultural concepts into this course feels contrived. The laws of the universe owe nothing to human social habits and outlooks:
am momentarily distracted by the Course Review site using 'relaxed' as a criteria.
Thanks for pointing that out.
FWIW, seems to have scored fairly highly on the Relaxed criteria.
Yeah – I recall one paper we did that was a series of about 3 or 4 invited lecturers from other depts like Philosophy, Anthro and Law. Quite interesting but very relaxed. So there is nothing terribly new about trying to inject a little couth into first year Engineering students.
One line the Philosophy guy came up with is that the subject was often considered so divorced from real life, that meeting your Philosophy tutor in a pub was like meeting your mother in a massage parlour. Mutually embarrassing.
Like all languages there are often synomyms for similar meanings. Whanau strictly means your immediate living relatives, but like the English word family, it can be used flexibly. For example in English we might say 'the family of humanity' or a 'family of Pacific cultures'. On the other hand there are pedants in every culture.
As for ancestors – the more accurate word I think is whakapapa. IIRC.
Hon. Megan Woods demolished Bishop in Parliament this week.
https://twitter.com/clintvsmith/status/1532197055535656960?s=21&t=4H3eRgaENoK-UwXLJNRo1w
Geez, did Meagan feed him the questions?
Yes, thoroughly enjoyed watching that. Megan chewed him up and spat him out!
We didn't see that on ONE news though did we, wonder why.
That was fun
When Stuart Nash left his weekly radio slot with Mikey and Mark Mitchell, I was hoping Nash would be replaced with Kiri Allan. Allan seems to me to be a straight up sheila with brains. However, we got Megan Woods. And I must say after a couple of mediocre sessions, she has found her stride. She cleaned Mitchell up in their last debate.
Nice one Robo. National's tactic to attack Labour on an issue they are strong on and National were useless on seems a bit daft…but that's Chris Bishop for you.
From the "Taxpayers Union":
https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/three_waters_poll2
"Do you think those that are responsible for local drinking, waste and provision of storm water services should be directly accountable to voters"
Now faced with such a question, who would think too carefully about just what "directly' meant, or whether "those responsible" are local government, regional Councils, or the New Zealand Government? Not surprisingly, a large majority of people answering the question wanted those responsible (whoever they are) to also be accountable – most readers of The Standard may have answered the question that way. Our NZ Govt has responsibility for setting standards and seeing them met – and we saw the last National (party) government set low standards, then deliberately interfere with Environment Canterbury to prevent enforcement, leading to now compromised aquifer supply and problems for towns and cities. Now it could be argued that the Taxpayers union are reprehensible for such a poorly worded survey, and for their poor judgement in the interpretation they placed on the results, and David Farrar has allowed that report to carry the Curia Logo. Has Farrar failed to meet minimum professional polling standards by such a misleading question and such a misleading report on the results?
See also https://twitter.com/TaxpayersUnion/status/1532510556128935936/photo/1
Well described, Ed1.
I'd have thought that the question encompassed all of the possibilities of 'directly accountable' (government, regional government, local government) – that you've suggested.
What it doesn't encompass is a multi-layer appointed bureaucracy and co-governance by iwi (the governance model proposed under 3 waters)
Neither of which are accountable to voters at all. And I have yet to see this meaningfully addressed by Mahuta, or anyone else involved in 3 waters.
I suspect that those completing the survey absolutely understood the question, and answered accordingly.
You may not like the answer. But I suspect that Labour may be about to find out just how much Kiwis don't like this model of governance.
But do we have any level of accountability to voters or consumers with our electricity or telecommunications services? Or even roading, which is mostly controlled by Waka Kotahi, a government agency.
Democratic control of our water services by local government politicians hasn't really served us that well, and the right's alternatives of contracting and privatisation are unlikely to do any better.
I welcome the balance that Maori representaion on the boards of the 3 Waters entities will bring. In Otago Ngāi Tahu have had a governance role over our lakes, waterways and landscape for 20 years and the world hasn't ended. Many would say that it's a much better world, once Ngāi Tahu became involved Councils actually started doing something about their sewage discharges into waterways. Still a long way to go but there's been a change in direction. The balance between Te Ao Māori and Pakeha dominion will put our society in a more sustainable place into our future.
It will provide a constructive conflict in a similar way to the USA's constitution has various governance groups complementing each other, often in conflict, to provide a stable and constructive governance.
I welcome iwi involvement, and think there are lots of benefits for everyone from co-governance. I'm considerably less convinced that bods in Chch can make good decisions about small towns in Southland or Otago.
"Or even roading, which is mostly controlled by Waka Kotahi, a government agency."
Yes, we do. If it's controlled by the government, we get to vote on the policies every 3 years. Whereas AT – an unelected roading and transport bureaucracy in Auckland, which is apparently entirely uncontrolled by the council (in practice) – appears to have no redress from voters, whatsoever. Just a never-ending stream of wasteful projects, and apparently no money to deal with basic repair work.
You have a choice with power or telecoms – if you don't like the policies (or ethics) of one of the companies, you can pick up your account and vote with your wallet – at any time.
Not really an option with water….
Any time someone says 'democtratic control ….. hasn't served us well' – a shiver runs up my spine. That is *exactly* how autocracies begin…. always with the 'best' of intentions. But "all power has a tendency to corrupt, and absolute power has the tendency to corrupt absolutely".
Anyone who truly believes that the right wants to privatize and sell off water – should be fighting this legislation tooth and nail. It's virtually impossible to sell off a fragmented asset (as water currently is), but much, much easier to sell off one which has been nicely packaged into a single organization. Personally, I don't believe that the right has any such intention – but if you do, then this is the riskiest legislation that you could possibly support. At some point, a right government *will* be elected…
Ngai Tahu have nicely enriched their tribal elite (as have Tainui) – I've yet to see any sustainable benefit to the rest of NZ (or, indeed to the rest of Maori – especially the urban Maori who have some of the worst social outcomes).
Councils across the whole of NZ have been 'doing something' about discharges of sewerage – it's difficult to claim that it's entirely due to iwi influence. And Ngai Tahu, at least, are substantial dairy farmers – I'm sure that's true of other iwi in other regions as well.
why do you think that Nact wouldn't want to privatise drinking water and waste water? Isn't it already partially privatised?
The operation of 3 Waters is generally contracted out to either the TA's CCO, another TA's CCO, or a completely private organisation like Fulton Hogan, Downer or Veolia. The last two groups have quite a bit of power over the contracting TA, I've heard the relationship described as akin to farming.
Nact aligned parties have been at the forefront of this contracting, so it’s definitely the way they want things. it’s done one little bite at a time and then merged into larger and larger organisations that gradually creep into multinational corporates.
The proposed reforms will put a few controls over this. It'll be mostly the same organisations / people doing the work but the scale will hopefully bring a lot of functions back in-house and curb the farming.
Very good for retirement jobs for ex National MP' s.
The fact of the creeping privatisation that has been happening with public assets, including those mostly under the RADAR by council's, is ignored by 3 waters opponents. Obviously because they are happy for it to continue.
Absolutely shitting that their nice little earner will come to a halt more like
You got it.
are you saying 'it's already happeing, so what's the problem?"
If not, please point to the parts of the 3 Waters plan that are specifically designed to prevent privatisation.
My understanding is that councils either do work themselves, contract out to private orgs, or set up organisations that are designed to function like private companies. If National wanted to sell those off, how would it do it currently, given central government doesn't have control of councils and there are still mechanisms for communities to object?
We were one election away from the whole lot being sold off in Auckland.
Banks stated intention if he got in.
Makes it much harder to keep privatisation out of public view if it cannot be done, bit by bit.
It should be stated that part of three waters is bringing more expertise into managing contracting out, which is a part of creeping privatisation of asset management we should oppose. But if it is happening it needs a much greater degree of competent oversight.
Examples are Air NZ and other privatisations which didn't go unnoticed. Note however that National cared so much about democracy that they went ahead anyway. Not without public opposition, though.
Hence labour currently trying to entrench anti -privatisation provisions. The part of the Three Waters bill that opposes privatisation. National, who have suddenly become concerned about public ownership, sic. are opposing them.
Council's privatising the provisions of functions is a problem.
Dog control and park maintenance in Whangarei is one example I've seen close up.
The ever increasing costs and unaccountability of out sourcing what should be core functions.
Wellington bus services is another that has been in the news lately.
I've seen two examples of privatisation of the 3 Waters management in Queenstown, along with other QLDC functions. The first with with contracting to the old works management, who then sold out to another TA's contracting arm was a disaster, the second to a multi national organisation really hasn't lived up to it's promises and may reveal a few unpleasant surprises under the carpet once it's over. QLDC initially wasn't supportive of the 3 Waters proposal, now they are. QLDC have seen the alternatives and see 3 Waters as the preferred option. The real opportunities for privatisation are the small, failing, TA's that don't have an alternative, QLDC was very much in that situation and it looked like a good idea at the time.
"Ngai Tahu have nicely enriched their tribal elite"
Well if you call Ngāi Tahu's engaged community a 'tribal elite' you'd be right. I'm seeing an organisation that going from strength to strength growing and supporting it's members and the surrounding community and environment. I wish I had the whakapapa to be fully engaged.
I wish I had the whakapapa to be fully engaged.
If the left properly understood the iwi entities as essentially nothing more than family owned private corporations with a closed shareholding – then Three Waters would be seen in a quite different light.
Don't think corporation is quite the right description. While the iwi entities are very commercial, there is an equal benevolent focus, often benefiting the wider community.
Could the same be said for Fonterra, Farmlands or Gloriavale? All similarly closed 'corporations'
there is an equal benevolent focus, often benefiting the wider community.
So would you have any objection then to say the Anglican Church having a governance stake in Three Waters?
The Anglican Church and the Crown have a treaty??
The head of the Anglican church is the Crown ( betty windsor)
Ah!
That's a treaty out of the question then.
So this partnership you speak of is a one sided affair in which only one signatory gets to participate or have any say?
I don't understand your comment.
Wishing those "iwi entities" well – both ‘sides’ can teach us all a thing or two.
Indeed – but the idea that only Maori know how to advocate for ethical investiment and sustainability is a tad presumptious surely?
Who is promoting this "tad presumptious [sic]" idea?
Imho that idea is almost as presumptuous as the idea that Māori culture has nothing to offer non-Māori when it comes to ethical investment/investiment and sustainability.
So why then do the left consider Maori corporations to be good and benign while all others are predatory capitalists?
RL, it's hilariously hypocritical that all this 'concern' is being whipped up at the slightest hint of Māori making a bit of 'unearned' profit, when NZ and the rest of the world is awash with unearned profit as it is. Little more than fearmongering, imho.
Now if only there was a mechanism to distribute a slightly larger proportion of the existing unearned profit more equitably…
As for your presumptuous question, it's a non sequitur, don't you think? But, for the record (again), I consider myself a bit of a 'lefty' and yet I can't make head nor tail of it.
One more try: who (apart from you) is promoting "the idea that only Maori know how to advocate for ethical investiment and sustainability"?
"Corporations" that earn money that stays in the community.
Would you rather it went to VEOLA.
Would you rather it went to VEOLA.
Who as it happens also have shareholders. Only open to anyone.
Well, open to anyone with a bit of cash to spare – and here we are.
Perhaps each ‘side’ can teach us all a thing or two.
"Personally, I don't believe that the right has any such intention".
You may not have noticed but "the right" have been involved in creeping privatisation for some time.
Which hasn't need noticed, because it has been peacemeal. Allowed by the fragmentation and number of small entities.
Health is a prime example. So many sections have been contracted out and privatised that a significant proportion of DHB, budgets go on it. DHBs: “Nice little earners” for EY – Otaihanga Second Opinion (wordpress.com)
Had you noticed the dates in the article you linked? The point at which EY's profits skyrocketed was 2017 – virtually doubling every year until 2020 – god knows what they are now.
Labour government.
The Government does not have direct control over DHB, spending.
This model was set up under more right wing Governments in the past.
In case you haven't noticed, Labour is changing the DHB model.
Yes I had noticed that the no. 1 health priority for Andrew Little is apparently reorganizing the Health administration infrastructure.
Wouldn't be mine.
Still no explanation why contractor costs by DHBs were controlled under National and exploded under Labour.
Hint, the DHB governance model didn't change.
Also the DHBs were established under the 5th Labour Government (Helen Clark) – I wouldn't characterize that as a more right wing government – though perhaps you would.
https://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/key-health-sector-organisations-and-people/district-health-boards
If any organisation is created to look after 3 waters, it will still be ultimately accountable to the New Zealand Government – and my understanding of 3 waters is that it is intended to be directly accountable, but that is not yet clear. You are however being suitably cautious about the possibility of a lack of accountability – as I understand it the way in which some organisations in Auckland were created makes them largely unaccountable to the Auckland City Council, even though they are called Council Controlled Organisations – perhaps there should have been more consultation before that was forced on Auckland, but thankfully it seems there will be considerable consultation, and perhaps changes from both current proposals or at least current perceptions from some who are not quite aware of what they think they are opposing. Co-governance has of course been used before – Chris Finlayson speaks highly of it and apparently used it on a number of occasions. Was he and the government he was part of wrong?
I look forward to Mahuta explaining in plain language the exact checks and balances which will enable Government to control the 3 waters bureaucracy.
She has yet to do so.
And, quite frankly, with co-governance, I don't see how it would be possible, in any case.
Consultation over 3 waters has become a dirty word – with the abundant evidence that irrevocable decision are made, before the sham of consultation is carried out. I refer here to Mahuta telling outright lies to Councils that they could opt out, when she knew that Cabinet had already decided that would not be an option.
There's a huge trust deficit that the government has to overcome.
Bit hard to have a decent consultation and discussion, when any policy to try and fix the massive damage done by the right wing over the years, is greeted by a storm of lies and scare mongering bullshit.
Which you are blindly repeating.
Where were you when the Minister of Health in the National Government pushed to privatise sectors of the health system, to retire to a job with one of those private companies? You didn't give a stuff. But you are happy to repeat unsubstantiated rumours about "corruption behind three waters".
I have concerns about repeating the private sector Governance structures, which have been used for CCO's and SOE's, to distance them from democratic control. Deliberately so when the ACTiods set them up. Shows their real attitude to democracy.
However any genuine concerns and suggestions for improvement, have been lost in the bullshit.
Look, if you believe that, this has all been laid out – in crystal clear language with appropriate checks and balances, and government control specifically legislated for – then please link to it.
ATM – what I'm seeing is simply a 'trust us, we know what we're doing' message from Mahuta. And, that is what you are blindly repeating.
Those of us who are sceptical of 3 waters, are *not* reassured by this. And the scepticism is hardening into opposition.
The best way to convince people is to explain: exactly how it will work, and to answer the 'what if' concerns with information about how that contingency is provided for.
It doesn't matter if you think it's 'bullshit' – explain to people exactly how that concern will be mitigated.
There has been no attempt by Mahuta to do this.
"There has been no attempt by Nanaia Mahuta to do this" that has been reported in most of the media!
Subtle difference.
And no. It hasn’t been “all laid out”. Despite what has been said, consultation is ongoing.
Nania Mahuta has a huge platform and budget. Perhaps the $5M+ spent on the stupid attack ads could have been diverted to this purpose?
Then the right wing would have been all over it, about money wasted on "manufacturing consent".
What, like the money wasted on a taxpayer-funded propaganda campaign (which absolutely failed, adding insult to injury).
An actual information campaign to give people answers to the inevitable questions, would have been a much better use of the money (and much less liable to being attacked).
How do you alleviate "concerns" that are basically scare mongering?
Like the sudden “concern” by the right wing about privatisation. Something they have been quietly proceeding with in council’s for decades.
Concerns such as the ones I have, are buried under a storm of "concerns" most of which are unrelated to the need to deal with under-investment and council failures with 3 waters, such as accusations of nepotism and unsubstantiated gossip about when descissions were made.
Not unsubstantiated gossip
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/457660/three-waters-government-agreed-to-mandated-strategy-before-four-entities-announced
Cabinet decision made in June – about 2 weeks before the proposals were even announced to Councils (and the rest of us plebs)
Do you have any counter evidence that Mahuta did not lie to Councils about this? Just one of the reasons it is very difficult to trust her over this.
Belladonna wrote:
"And, quite frankly, with co-governance, I don't see how it would be possible, in any case."
Why?
50% iwi. Government have no control over iwi, or who they choose to appoint – (and nor should they) – however, it can't be possible for the Government to control the 3 waters bureaucracy in that scenario.
What do you mean/understand by "50% iwi"?
RRGs who appoint the board and set the overall direction will be 50% iwi.
No requirement for the board to consist of any elected representatives (and it seems unlikely that they would – since Manuta appears to believe that they will be appointed on the basis of professional skills and competency)
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/04/government-s-three-waters-co-governance-promise.html
What happens if:
I'm not really interested in the statement that any of the above 'can't happen'. It might be impossible to envisage now, but over time?
We've certainly seen both Councils and Iwi have failures of leadership. I decline to believe that there is something magic about water management which would prevent this from ever happening.
I'd certainly prefer to know the methodology for dealing with the outcomes of these scenarios in advance.
Would all of you be as enthusiastic if this was being proposed by a National/Act government?
If you believe/recognise that councils "have failures of leadership", why are you keen for them to retain control over water?
If you believe that iwi have failure over leadership, why are you so keen to give them control over water?
We can vote out poorly performing local government representatives. Neither we (nor the iwi themselves) have any mechanism to vote out poorly performing iwi leadership.
Councils that have failures of leadership can be replaced in a democratic society.That is the remedy against maladministration.
In the forthcoming local elections,there is a high probability that many will be removed with expedient demise,Mostly for incompetence and the failure that they have a duty of care for their locality (read fiscal responsibilty)
The high levels of debt being racked up by the incumbents are unsustainable.
3 Waters cost are over 1.5 billion without any forecast in efficiency, and only for the bureaucracy, and is all being funded on overseas debt.(treasury notes the high level of risk in the IT alone)
"Would all of you be as enthusiastic if this was being proposed by a National/Act government?"
Well. We know you would be.
But. They would be doing it intending to do an Air NZ.
Labour are trying to entrench anti-privatisation provisions. Which National and ACT, oppose!.
Any evidence for this? In any of the comments I've made on this or any other topic?
Or is it just a baseless slur, because you're unable to actually answer any of my arguments.
For reference, I think this is bad legislation from a democratic perspective, regardless of which party proposed it. I don’t believe that watering-down democracy for what seems like ‘good reasons’ is ever a good solution.
National and Act have announced that they would repeal 3 waters if elected. Why should they agree to entrench something they're planning on repealing?
“Evdence”. Parroting the right wing attack scare mongering.
I have been answering your arguments.
Why wouldn't NACT allow entrenching anti-privatisation provisions, if they were really against privatisation as they now claim? In case the bill gets passed. That doesn’t affect whether they retain or remove the bill.
Of course we all know that National approves of the creeping privatisation of council infrastructure and contracting out. Which is why they really oppose three waters.
Now. It would be good if we could have a sensible discussion about what form Governance of 3 waters would be. Duplicating the SOE or DHB model will be a serious mistake in my opinion, Without the scare mongering and fear of "Brown control".
Haven't parroted a single thing. If the left wing base assumption is that everyone who has concerns over this legislation has been captured by the right wing, then it's not surprising that concern is hardening into opposition.
Also, you haven't answered a single argument – just attacked me, and blindly defended Mahuta.
When you characterize any concern as "scaremongering", then it's not surprising that you can't engage effectively
I've provided legitimate questions and concerns and linked to actual reported evidence.
Zip from you.
Apart from baseless assertions about what National will do in the future (no link to actual announced policy – clearly you're a thought reader), and claims that because National privatized in the past, they're automatically going to do so in the future (the 4th Labour government's track record in this area is apparently not important to you).
There is a lot of consultation to go, and some issues may well change, but the objective of meeting water standards is unlikely to change. Consultation is desirable, and that happens more easily when it is clear the the objectives and obligations on government will not be walked away from, but consultation is often assisted by clear proposals. I do not agree that consultation has become a dirty word – there are a lot of other dirty words being spoken by those who see their job as blind opposition regardless of proposals. Consultation can also be informal – it is not always carried as in a public court trial, and positions can change – at least until legislation is passed.
As for the goal, i is easy to see examples of where cooperation and yes co-governance have worked. Look at the Wanganui River, which will never be totally clear due to the ground is passes through, but which now has secure minimum water flows that avoid many previous problems, and in addition we are able to use some water to generate electricity. Compare that to the situation in Canterbury where we now have a polluted water supply for a whole region, with health impairments for many and increased costs of water treatment for others – all due to arrogant dismissal and overriding of difficult decisions where the community was divided, but should have been enabled to make better decisions themselves than those forced on them. Look at the riber through Palmerston North, which despite some efforts in recent years, continues to be a disgrace – not swimmable for much of its length due to pollution from farming, housing developments and industry. Co-governance would have helped in enabling honesty in reporting what was happening, better knowledge of the way some local politicians funded campaigns by trading zoning agreements for funding, None of us a perfect, but we can influence others by expressing our opinions, and accepting that sometimes agreement will go through a number of stages as a result – small hurdles met with flexibility while keeping end goals in view may signal honest debate rather than a sham of consultation.
Tauranga poll is out – Newhub.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/06/national-party-s-sam-uffindell-cruising-to-victory-in-tauranga-by-election-newshub-nation-reid-research-poll-shows.html
Sumarized from above.
Uffindell – National 57%
Tinetti – Labour 22%
Cameron Luxton – 7.5% (which those of us who want to comment on politics would be grateful for: having Luxton, Luxton and Luxon in parliament – all for different parties, would be a bit much!)
Party vote (which isn't relevant in this instance) mirrors those results
Up to 1/3 either didn't know or wouldn't say (not uncommon – many people are reluctant to tell pollsters – and many of those won't vote, either) – the 'don't knows' rarely change the polling results substantially – it only really matters in 'too close to call' races.
Now, I know that not everyone here likes or believes in polling (i.e. thinks that polls don't matter, it's only the final result, which counts).
Setting that aside.
It's not surprising that National are out in front. Tauranga has been a National (or National-Lite aka Winston Peters) stronghold for decades.
But, what Labour should be taking close note of, are Tinetti's results.
Again, it's not surprising that she's dropped back from 38% in 2020. That was the Jacinda bounce – unprecedented, and not likely to ever occur again. But she's dropped to 22% from the 26% she had in 2017. Remember 2017 was against Bridges, a sitting MP, and pretty popular in Tauranga. Now she's standing against a relative unknown. I wouldn't expect her to win, but I would expect that Labour may be concerned over this evident softening of support. While by-elections rarely favour the sitting government, they also usually favour a current MP (albeit a List one) over a newcomer – just through name-recognition.
While the Green party vote is low at 3% – given that they're not standing a candidate in the by-election, I don't think they'll be too worried about this (out-of-sight = out-of-mind for most voters)
Link to the 2017 Tauranga results (just scroll up for 2020)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauranga_(New_Zealand_electorate)#2017_election
The question has been asked several times recently whether Tauranga is a racist city. Apparently in this same poll only 51% of respondents disagreed.
Bluntly, I'd say a lot of Tauranga residents who vote National have a problem with Maori in general, and they certainly have a problem with any form of partnership as described by Te Tiriti. This progressive government's bold plan for redress is not popular with racists.
All those Kiwifruit orchards are built on stolen land but the owners and benefactors can't bring themselves to admit it.
I would far prefer Labour, and specifically Labour Maori, continue the drive for real change and take some hits rather than run scared of the Western BOP elite.
Yet for 38 of the last 41 years tauranga national voters have voted in a maori MP..
Useless Maori MPs. There is no way these Maori MPs advocated for Maori, they advocated instead for wealthy pakeha elite.
If around 60% of Tauranga consists of wealthy elite (whether pakeha or Maori) – we should be rolling it out as a template for the rest of the country. /sarc/
People, by and large, vote for the policies (and politicians) which they believe will benefit them.
MPs act for the best of all of their constituents – not just the ones who they think voted for them (or the ones which share their ethnicity). Peters, for example, did very, very well for the people of Tauranga while he was their local MP. To describe them as 'useless Maori' is one of the most profoundly racist statements I've read on TS.
You can't simply condemn electorates as racist because they don't (or won't) vote the way you'd like them to. Especially where they have a demonstrated history of voting for candidates regardless of ethnicity. Should we declare the people of Mt Albert racist because they have never elected a Maori MP?
After all, the majority of Maori don't vote for TPM – which would seem to be the party which would advocate best for Maori. Perhaps they're all less racist than you think.
The term, "useless Maori" is not mine, it is Willie Jackson's:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/willie-jackson-says-david-seymour-not-just-a-useless-maori-hes-a-dangerous-politician-too/XURFPMDWZ23D7AE5EULZ2OVMAA/
David Seymour of course having the same attributes as both Winston Peters and Simon Bridges with respect to advocating for Maori. Simply, they didn't.
The right and hard right in varying degrees hate the idea the public should support any culture and identity despite NZ's identity heavily relying on Te Ao Maori. It's who we are but ACT's vision of NZ is one of diluted homogeny, a plain South Pacific country indistinguishable from any other western country.
This government recognises the importance of supporting Maori and Maori culture, useless Maori do not.
Nope. If you intend to quote someone, you put it in quote marks, attribute it, and preferably give a source.
Own your prejudice.
Which, I see you have, doubling down on your blatant racism.
So, presumably the 18.2% of the Tauranga population who are Maori consist entirely of Uncle Toms?
Can you just not conceive that the majority of people in NZ – even those who live in benighted Tauranga – vote according to their political principles, rather than along racial lines?
Or can you only justify democracy when it aligns with your prejudices.
For all those who want a secure job, a potential career, to make a real difference peoples lives or a combination of all three nows your chance:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mt-eden-prison-staff-crisis-102-vacancies-double-bunking-to-increase-nationally/RQZRSDVCOOXGYFTVMV4N3EVGOU/
'There is a shortage of more than 400 officers across all seniority levels nationally.
The shortage is especially pronounced at Mt Eden prison, home mostly to remand prisoners who have been arrested but are yet to face trial or be sentenced.
A source familiar with internal figures said there were 102 vacancies at Mt Eden as of the last week of May.'
Come on down, we'll probably take you especially at Mt Eden
https://www.seek.co.nz/Corrections-officer-jobs
Umbero knew his fascists.
Thus at the root of the Ur-Fascist psychology there is the obsession with a plot, possibly an international one. The followers must feel besieged.
[…]
Thus, by a continuous shifting of rhetorical focus, the enemies are at the same time too strong and too weak.
https://archive.ph/Q4nzW
https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1532723244616359936
https://twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/1532776998501744641