Category: Te Pati Maori

Source: Te Pati Maori

The government’s failure to invest in flood protection and emergency relief will be felt for generations to come says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Te Tai Rāwhiti, Tākuta Ferris.

“It was only three months ago that councils were calling for the government to help invest in flood protection. Cyclone Gabrielle should have been a wakeup call, but this government has continued to drag its feet, and is now leaving the people of Te Tai Rāwhiti to fend for themselves.

“Te Tai Rāwhiti is still suffering from Cyclone Gabrielle. People are still homeless, whānau are still mourning. This has only made last week’s floods more devasting” said Ferris.

“Central and local government need to accept responsibility for failing to invest in infrastructure and flood protection, and for failing to listen to the community who understand their river and their environment.

“We need to be future proofing our communities for generations to come. It should be the governments utmost priority.

“Aotearoa was rocked by two ‘once per century’ weather events in as many weeks last year. These floods are not a one-off occurrence” said Ferris.

“Our leaders should be out on the ground taking care of our people during times of crisis. Whānau who have lost their homes and belongings need certainty that our government will meet all their needs whether they are insured or not.

“I want to mihi to Te Poho o Rāwiri and other marae who stepped up on behalf of their communities.

“Our marae are always the first to open their doors during times of crisis and provide emergency response centres for the community. Yet we are often the last to receive support when all is said and done” Ferris said.

After lobbying from Te Pāti Māori, the previous government set aside $75 million to relocate marae and homes on whenua Māori impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. But Ferris says this funding is “too little too late” as this process, which was supposed to begin in October last year, continues to face hurdles.

“More than eight months after the buyout of other homes started, tangata whenua are still having to negotiate the future of their marae and their homes.

“How many more floods will we have dealt with by the time we finally receive that initial support? The people of Te Tai Rāwhiti do not need ‘thoughts and prayers’ – they need material support” Ferris said.

Source: Te Pati Maori

Mema Paremata mō te Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi, says the government is subscribing the Rotorua Housing Crisis to a privatisation fast-track. The comments come after 100-homes have been placed on hold whilst Kāinga Ora conduct a review.

“With a quick text message to one of their rich mates, this government has ensured that safe and affordable housing will remain out of reach for our most vulnerable whānau in Rotorua,” said MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi.

“The Minister for Housing should be ashamed of himself for ordering his former National colleague to write a damning report on Kāinga Ora based on dodgy evidence. This is a fast track to privatisation, houselessness and homelessness.

“What we are seeing in Rotorua is the real-world-impact of this biased report which commands this government to palm off responsibility to house our vulnerable. More of our whānau will end up homeless as a result of privatisation. They are letting business shape housing strategy.

“The Prime Minister has said time and again that the government is working to increase the supply of housing. This news shows they are full of it – actions speak louder than words.

“If this government were serious about solving the housing crisis, they would commit to building more homes than the last lot, not less.

“This government cares more about their voter base of rich landlords than they do about the people who are actually struggling.

“They made a choice to give landlords $3 billion, and they are making a choice to build less social housing to wash their hands of the responsibility of ensuring every New Zealander is homed, fed and healthy.”

Source: Te Pati Maori

Te Pāti Māori are demanding that the Māori Development Minister move quickly to prevent a financial restructure announced by Whakaata Māori yesterday.

“Minister Potaka must immediately intervene and recommit funding to Whakaata Māori. A 25% reduction is cutting Whakaata Māori at their knees; we cannot accept that,” said broadcast spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris.

“For too long, Māori media has been inequitably funded. The last government set aside a temporary fix; we are demanding that this government make an enduring commitment.

“Whakaata Māori has not had an increase in operational funding since 2008. Despite that, their commitment to Te Ao Māori and Te Reo Māori is unwavering. The content produced by Whakaata Māori is a vital tool to preserve and retain our language, tikanga, and kōrero tuku iho.

“Whakaata Māori broadcast almost 50 hours of non-stop live content for the Kura Tuarua Kapa Haka competition last week. It is the same broadcast where the messages from our taiohi were made loud and clear, and the Minister himself pledged to fulfil the aspirations of te iwi Māori.

“It appears the Minister is already falling short of that pledge.

“Failing to intervene and provide a solution relegates the Minister to being nothing but a puppet to the coalition government, ceding his sovereignty at the expense of our own storytelling, language revitalisation, and the livelihoods of the Whakaata Māori kaihoe,” said Ferris.

Source: Te Pati Maori

Te Pāti Māori stand with the people of Kanaky who are fighting for their independence and their lives against oppressive French occupation.

The colonisation of the Pacific relies on the manufactured disconnection of Aotearoa from our Pasifika whanaunga. The moana does not separate us, it connects us.

Just as our whakapapa is entwined with the Kanak people so is our Mana Motuhake.

Colonisation and genocide is happening in the Pacific right now.

Aotearoa will not have freedom until Te Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa is free.

Free Kanaky. Free Te Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa.

Source: Te Pati Maori

The recent attacks on Te Pāti Māori and its MP’s are part of a continuing narrative of attack on all matters Māori.

If we could respond to baseless inuendo we would. If there is any evidence then show us so we have a reason to engage in a conversation.

The fact of the matter is, as usual Māori are being used as a scapegoat to cover up and deflect from what is really going on in this country. This Coalition Government has been brought hook, line and sinker by cigarette and tobacco barons; by pharmaceutical barons; by landlords and by mining barons through fast tracked legislation and more importantly, it continues its constant attack on all matters Māori all of the time.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister has advised France that when dealing with New Caledonia issues they must be aware of the indigenous Kanak rights of self-determination. Yet he has the audacity to deny his own whakapapa and his own people the same discussion in Aotearoa.

The only activist party in our political landscape is Te Pāti Māori. We are the only Pāti that will unapologetically speak our truth. We make absolutely no apology for ensuring that we will overturn every piece of legislation when we form part of a new Government. So the message to rich landlords (me being one of them) is you will pay your fair dues when we take power.

The message to mining magnates that got through fast tracked procedures is, we will unwind you. We will unwind everything this Government has done to us because we are an everlasting, dependable movement for indigenous peoples. Of greatest importance is we have to express our manaakitanga which is to protect all peoples.

Te Pāti Māori are endlessly attacked and the matter is being made into a race debate through no fault of our own. We are the real opposition to this Government. We are a rights based Pāti not a race based. Racism was imported by colonisers. We consented to Colonisers by signing a Treaty.

We are the only activist party because when our legislation to remove GST off all kai came before The House, everyone including Labour and The Greens voted it down. We are the only activist party because when we say something, we mean it. When Labour and The Greens get into power, everything is about surrendering to the altar of incrementalism rather than actually changing things for the betterment of the majority of our citizens.

So let’s confront the real issue. During and after the pandemic huge websites fully funded by the rich appeared knowing there is only one activist group left in Aotearoa and it is us Māori, the Indigenous people. We are here to protect our environment; there to protect the benefit of the majority of citizens and to tax the 2 per cent that control 50 per cent of our wealth.

They are on notice as are their friends at the New Zealand Taxpayers Union; their friends at Curia Polling; their friends at Hobson’s Pledge; their friends at Federated Farmers and their friends at Employers and Manufacturers. They all have to accept the fact that we are never surrendering and we grow stronger every day.

It must amuse our people to watch a National Party MP in Taranaki hide $180,000 worth of expenditure, not report it and nothing happens. When Te Pāti Māori made a late filing the Police were immediately called to investigate and we are sent to the Serious Fraud Office. This shows one law for some and one law for others.

We are sick and tired of being beaten up for speaking our truth on our own whenua. That is why there can be no reliance on media and I attach my response to STUFF as evidence.

So join the movement, sign up your friends and whānau, like and share. Register as members of the only activist movement who are still able and willing to contest matters in our constitution. Is it any wonder we want to set up our own parliament? Is it any wonder that we want to get our fair share of resources to self-manage and self-determine for and with ourselves?

Source: Te Pati Maori

Te Pāti Māori have launched a petition to stop the repeal of Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act. This announcement comes prior to the first reading of the Section 7AA repeal bill in Parliament today.

“Section 7AA forces the Government to adhere to Te Tiriti o Waitangi with respect to the care and protection of our babies; our taonga,” said Spokesperson for Children and Te Tai Tokerau MP, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi.

“It asserts that our babies should be placed with and reconnected to their whakapapa.

“This repeal, this system, this Government and the Minister is trying to make us believe that we are better off handing our flesh and blood to Pākehā; that we are not good enough to raise our own.

“We will no longer allow our mokopuna to be exterminated from the inside out by ripping them away from their culture and identity. Every single attempt by this Government to erase whakapapa from mokopuna lives must be stopped” said Kapa-Kingi.

“Te Tiriti was created so the Queen of England could control her unruly Pākehā in Aotearoa. Te Tiriti never envisaged Pākehā taking our babies away from us. That was only ever to be the prerogative of whānau, hapū and iwi. Nōku ōku uri! Kauaka rā ō ringa e Te Kāwana.

“Our petition seeks to empower the right of Māori babies to be placed with whakapapa through the maintenance of Section 7AA.

“Only Māori can understand the prevalence of our identity and culture, and though our whakapapa can never be taken away, it can be erased from our reality.

“We are asking people of Te Tiriti to support this petition to stop this action by the Government to remove mokopuna Māori from themselves,” Kapa-Kingi said.

The petition is available for signing on the Te Pāti Māori website.

Source: Te Pati Maori

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 random draw for one of 550 presenting slots.

“Te Pāti Māori is disappointed that submissions on the governments Fast Track Approvals bill will be subject to a lucky-dip,” said co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“It is way too casual for such a critical moment in the legislative process when it comes to a bill that could have devastating effects on our communities for nothing but profit.

“Our whānau have put so much time and effort into their submissions. More than 1,400 used our templates socialised across our platforms. People have an expectation that they will turn-up and speak to their submission.

“It is vital that a fair, balanced and just process be endured to ensure we hear a range of voices and views.

“Aspects like the unique impact of this legislation, and general position needed to be considered to ensure balance in the submissions that will be heard.

“What we have seen from the submissions, from the rallying of iwi like Ngāti Toa and from the collective effort of our communities is that this kaupapa means so much for Māori.”

Co-leader Rawiri Waititi said whānau Māori have made their views clear over a kaupapa that means so much.

“Māori have and are more than ready to stand-up and tell the government ‘kao’. It is our kaitiaki responsibility over our taiao to do so,”

“We will not allow this Govt to use the lives of Māori as a raffle. Our people and taiao deserve more than a ‘lucky dip’.

“Our taiao should not be in the hands of a govt with a three-year mandate, when these decisions have a hundred-year impact.

“Te Pāti Māori will ensure that we do what we must to allow our people to be heard. If that means setting up our own forum, so be it.

Source: Te Pati Maori

Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops.

Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of the bodies show evidence of torture, mutilation, and mass execution. Some have been found stripped naked with bound hands, while others still had medical tubes attached to them indicating that they were likely buried alive.

In the same week the United States pledged a further $17bn to the Israeli war machine. The US is now calling for an investigation into the mass graves to be led by Israel with no independent international oversight.

“This is a new level of horror that we haven’t seen before” said Te Pāti Māori co-leader and human rights spokesperson Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“We won’t accept the findings of any investigation that is not independent of Israel and the United States. To do so is to be complicit in covering up one of the worst atrocities to ever be witnessed.

“Israel has proven beyond doubt that they have no regard for the humanity of Palestinian people, or international law. The international community needs to stop viewing them as though they are anything more than a rogue state.

“Israel is demonstrating the depths of depravity that humanity can sink to. It is unconscionable that Aotearoa still maintains diplomatic relations with a nation that is actively committing war crimes” said Ngarewa-Packer.

“We need to impose immediate sanctions on Israel, and end all talks with the AUKUS war machine.

“The United Nations has called for an independent international investigation into the mass graves uncovered at Al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals, and the New Zealand Government must back this call” said Ngarewa-Packer.

“Our government must exert as much pressure as we can to hold Israel accountable for their crimes against humanity.

“Palestine is the last bastion of resistance against global Western colonisation. If Palestine is not free, neither are we,” Ngarewa-Packer said.

Source: Te Pati Maori

Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi.

“The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when it comes to decisions for Māori, without evidence and without including us in the conversation. It’s enabling another stolen generation” said Te Tai Tokerau MP, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi.

“To do away with Section 7AA is to continue the Crown’s rotten agenda that harms our vulnerable Māori babies. It disgusts me that a Seymour-proclaimed mana wahine is proud of her actions to oppress our children.

“This decision socks it to the nation and Māori babies, with the governments idiopathic agenda to steal the right tamariki Māori have to be with whakapapa and the organisations duty to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“This government is hellbent on overriding, creating laws and overturning evidence based and informed policy. The Minister has no evidence to back up the repeal of 7AA.

“It is only fair that the summons asks Karen to present evidence to the Waitangi Tribunal on behalf of the government portfolio she has responsibility for. It is the sheer arrogance of Karen and her government she represents.

“Te Pāti Māori is focused on creating an Aotearoa where this nation’s tamariki and mokopuna will thrive and be proud of. This government is on a fast track to destruction and are willingly trying to create yet another stolen generation of Māori babies,” said Kapa-Kingi.

Source: Te Pati Maori

The government’s decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today.

During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received over 50% of the strikes, and 63% of those with a second strike were Māori.

Ministry of Justice briefs established that there was no evidence of this policy reducing crime, or having any obvious effect on crime rates at all.

“We know unequivocally that being harder on crime equates to being harder on Māori and those too brown to be white. These numbers demonstrate it,” said Ferris.

“Modelled on US law that disproportionately targeted African Americans, Three Strikes has unjustly perpetuated racism and ensnared Māori with no evidence of reducing crime.

“We only have to look at 2022 research out of California1 showing that Three Strikes has no measurable deterrent effect, that it locks up African Americans, and that it does not address crime.

“This reckless law-making will result in unjust sentences and accelerate mass incarceration of Māori and Pasifika. It lacks evidence and is full of racial bias,” said Ferris.

“Intelligent policy and rehabilitation, not punitive measures, are essential for a just society. This is not intelligent; it’s grandstanding for political perception.

“The only time Māori receive special treatment is when we are dealing with the criminal justice system. It has profiled and targeted tangata whenua for as long as it has existed in this country.

“The reintroduction of Three Strikes is to maintain this status quo,” concluded Ferris.