New Zealand First has scuppered Labour's bid to give Ngāi Tahu permanent seats on the Canterbury Regional Council, saying its special treatment for Māori. Shane Jones acknowledged the party's long-held position against separate seats for Māori on local body councils. Continue reading

A big thank you to those who contacted Hasting District councillors to encourage them to vote against the proposal to enable four members of the Maori Joint Committee to sit and vote on the council’s four standing committees. Unfortunately, enough councillors (10-4) felt able to turn their back on democracy by appointing unelected Maori to all committees.  Continue reading

For those who were unable to attend the public meeting held in West Auckland on February 23, at which Dr Don Brash gave a presentation on the Crown-Maori partnership ideology, you can now view it here:    Continue reading

Last month we reported on the Horizons Regional Council vote to create a committee of councillors and iwi leaders to come up with strategies for managing Manawatū waterways. Continue reading

Margaret Mutu, current leader of the Iwi Chairs Forum, is pushing for the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, (UNDRIP), claiming the Minister for Maori Development, Nanaia Mahuta, is supportive. See media release ‘Iwi Pleased with Government Decision to Develop a Plan of Action for Indigenous Rights’ and listen to a Waatea News interview with MUTU by clicking HERE Continue reading

On March 26 Maori claimants from around the country gathered to make submissions to the Waitangi Tribunal for the rights to their coastal water areas, saying that since the foreshore and seabed march in 2004, progress has been slow in recognising iwi governance of their marine and coastal areas. Continue reading

The Ministries of Conservation and Fisheries are in the process of setting up a Ministerial Advisory Committee, (MAC), the purpose of which is to “help shape the proposals, facilitate engagement with our Treaty Partners and stakeholders, and provide advice and report to the three Ministers – Environment, Conservation & Fisheries.” Continue reading

The oft-touted claim that the chiefs did not cede sovereignty needs to be challenged whenever it arises. Continue reading

In response to claims by Tom Roa, associate professor at Waikato University, as reported on Radio NZ during the news item: ‘Māori leaders say acts of terror nothing new in New Zealand’, a member of Democracy Action sent an email to Radio NZ with the following message: Continue reading

Two associate professors at Waikato University seized the opportunity they perceived in the tragedy in Christchurch to present what one of calls “colonial terror and violence since 1642”, and the other “Maori had been victims to acts of terrorism in Aotearoa in the past”. Continue reading