KEI NGA MATUKU NUIA, KEI NGA MATUKU MOANA, KO TAE KI UTA TE TAI KOKO KORERO O TE HUI. KO MIHINGARANGI TENEI. E MIHI ATU NEI. NAU MAI, KAHUTI MAI RA. WELCOME TO THE HUI, MAORI CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR ALL NEW ZEALANDERS. HE WAS ONCE A WARD OF THE STATE, NOW RIWHI TOI WHENUA IS TAKING IT ON IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE FOR THE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WHO WERE ABUSED IN STATE CARE. AND HE'S GETTING SOME HIGH-POWERED HELP. I'M HERE TODAY TO SEE JACINDA ARDERN TO PUSH FOR THIS ENQUIRY. SHE HAS PROMISED ME SHE WILL NOT REST UNTIL WE GET ONE. AND ` IT'S SHAPING UP TO BE A THREE-WAY RACE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF AUCKLAND'S MAORI VOTERS. THE LEADING CANDIDATES JOIN US AS THE TUG OF WAR FOR TAMAKI MAKAURAU BEGINS. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017 KARAHUIHUI MAI. TWO MONTHS AGO, FOUR BRAVE ME CAME FORWARD AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SHARED THEIR HORRIFIC STORIES OF ABUSE WHILE LIVING IN STATE-RUN INSTITUTIONS. WE CALL THEM NGA MOREHU, THE SURVIVORS. THEIR FRANK AND HONEST KORERO PIERCED THE SOCIAL CONSCIENCE OF AOTEAROA, SPARKING RENEWED CALLS FOR AN INDEPENDENT ENQUIRY INTO THE STATE CARE PROVIDED TO 100,000 CHILDREN BETWEEN THE 1950S AND 1980S. SO HAS LIFE CHANGED FOR NGA MOREHU SINCE SHARING THEIR STORIES? I CAUGHT UP WITH TWO OF THEM TO FIND OUT. RIWHI TOI WHENUA HAS GONE FROM WARD OF THE STATE TO TAKING IT ON. PLACED IN STATE CARE AT THE AGE OF 12, HE WAS SUBJECTED TO YEARS OF ABUSE. TODAY HE'S COME TO PARLIAMENT WITH EUGENE RYDER,... TENA RA KOE, KOTIRO. ...WHO ALSO WAS ABUSED IN STATE CARE. IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SEE US. MY BROTHER. THEY'RE SEEKING JUSTICE FOR THE THOUSANDS CHILDREN REMOVED FROM THEIR FAMILIES BETWEEN THE 1950S AND 1980S AND PLACED INTO STATE-RUN INSTITUTIONS AND TO MAKE SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. (PLUCKS SOULFUL TUNE) SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO HEAL THE SOUL OF A MAN THAT WAS ALL BUT DESTROYED WHEN HE WAS A JUST A BOY? FOR RIWHI TOI WHENUA, TELLING HIS STORY HAS BEEN A GOOD START. I FELT GOOD THAT MY STORY WAS OUT THERE, GOOD THAT MY CHILDREN GOT TO HEAR WHAT WENT ON. RIWHI WAS ONE OF FOUR MEN WHO SHARED THEIR HORRIFIC STORY OF BEING IN STATE CARE AS A CHILD. WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY SHOCKED THE NATION... I HAD HORRIFIC, INHUMANE SHIT DONE TO ME. THEY TOOK ME INTO THE SHOWERS AND, UH,... YEAH, ABUSED ME FOR A LONG TIME. ...AND OPENED OLD WOUNDS FOR THOSE INVOLVED. I GOT A BIT DOWN. YOU KNOW, I THINK MEMORIES STARTED FLOODING BACK, AND I WAS REMEMBERING A LOT MORE THEN I ACTUALLY SAID, SO THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT I SAID ACTUALLY SPARKED MORE MEMORIES AND, YEAH, I ACTUALLY STAYED INSIDE FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS AND DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH ANYONE. BUT I HAD HEAPS OF SUPPORT THROUGH MY DAUGHTER` DAUGHTERS AND MY SONS. WHAT DID THEY SAY TO YOU? THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY MUCH. 'I LOVE YOU, DAD.' YOU KNOW, 'WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.' WHEN RIWHI FRONTED OUR CAMERAS, HE TOLD HIS STORY FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME AND OPENED UP IN A WAY HE HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST NIGHT YOU WERE IN THERE? WOW. I THINK I CRIED MOST OF THE NIGHT. THAT IS WHEN THE FEAR SET IN. AT FIRST, I ONLY WATCHED, LIKE, 10 MINUTES, 15 MINUTES OF IT, AND THEN PROBABLY A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, I WATCHED THE WHOLE THING AND LOOKED AT MYSELF. YEAH, I WAS QUITE SAD. BUT ANGRY AT TIMES AS WELL. DID YOU FEEL AROHA FOR THAT, RIWHI? YES. AND THAT LITTLE BOY. YOU KNOW, IN MY MIND'S EYE I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD THE CHANCE, I WOULD ROLL IN THERE AND PICK THAT LITTLE BOY UP AND HUG HIM. MM. HOW SURPRISED WERE WITH THE FEEDBACK? VERY, I COULDN'T GO THROUGH IT ALL. AFTER, LIKE, 24 HOURS OR SOMETHING, 48 HOURS, I HAD, LIKE, 850 MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE SAYING, 'BRO, THAT'S ME. THAT WAS MY STORY,' OR, YOU KNOW, 'WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.' LATER, WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, I WENT, 'WOW, ALL MY SHIT AND THE HURT THAT I WENT THROUGH 'IS ACTUALLY FOR A REASON,' HOW ABOUT PUBLICLY, DID PEOPLE RECOGNIZE YOU? YES. YOU GET HUGS IN THE SUPERMARKET AND SHIT. (LAUGHS) IT'S NICE. WHO'S HUGGING YOU? JUST RANDOMS. MAINLY PAKEHA. THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF PAKEHA BROTHERS THAT HAVE COME UP, SHOOK MY HAND, GIVE ME THE BRO HUG. IT'S BEEN NICE. RIWHI, LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS OF MEN IN WOMEN WHO SPENT TIME IN STATE CARE, SPENT A LARGE PART OF HIS LIFE IN JAIL FOR CRIMES HE SAYS HE'S NOT PROUD OF. WE DIDN'T TOUCH MUCH ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF YOUR CRIMES, BUT NOW THAT YOU'RE ON THIS JOURNEY, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN THINKING OR REFLECTING ON? YEAH, MOST DEFINITELY. IN A BIG WAY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE VICTIMS, YOU KNOW. THEY CAN'T` YOU KNOW, WE AFFECTED THEIR LIVES IN HUGE WAYS. YOU KNOW, AND A LOT THEM WOULD HAVE HATE TOWARDS US BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DONE TO NOT JUST THEM, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR EXTENDED FAMILIES. AND, YOU KNOW, FOR ME THAT'S A BIG THING. SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT, BUT JUST TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE PART OF IT. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE PART OF OUR HEALING, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN BE PART OF THEIR HEALING. LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE COME FORWARD TO US. YOU MEAN OTHER VICTIMS? OTHER VICTIMS, YEAH. I'M HERE TODAY TO SEE JACINDA ARDERN TO PUSH FOR THIS ENQUIRY. SHE HAS PROMISED ME SHE WILL NOT REST UNTIL WE GET ONE. I TAKE HER WORD FOR THAT. WHEN SHE SAID THAT, I WAS SHOCKED. IT'S THE END OF THE CONVERSATION. I DIDN'T WANNA GO ANY MORE. GAVE ME THAT MUCH, I'M OK WITH THAT. SO I TRUST HER NOT TO. YOU KNOW, SHE WON'T STOP UNTIL SHE GETS AN ENQUIRY. THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. AN ENQUIRY ISN'T ABOUT GETTING UTU. IT'S ABOUT MAKING PEACE WITH THE PAST. I THINK AFTER HAVING A BRIEF KORERO, IT REALLY JUST REINFORCED THAT FROM THE STORIES I'VE HEARD FROM VICTIMS, SOME PEOPLE MISINTERPRET WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. THESE MEN ARE SEEKING A CHANCE TO TELL THEIR STORY. AND FOR THERE TO BE CHANGE. IN THE WAY THAT WE DEAL WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE IN THE SYSTEM NOW. THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO HOLD AN ENQUIRY. IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO ONE, QUESTION IS` BUT WILL YOU? WILL IT CHANGE` BUT WILL YOU? WILL IT CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WILL YOU DO IT? I'M TELLING YOU THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT. WILL YOU DO IT? WELL, WE HAVEN'T MADE THAT COMMITMENT. AND EUGENE RYDER HAS HIS OWN THEORY ABOUT WHY THAT IS. THERE ARE PEOPLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION NOW WERE IN THE ORGANIZATION WHEN WE WERE BEING ABUSED, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN. BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE ADVISING THE MINISTER AND ADVISING THE AGENCY NOT TO DO THIS ENQUIRY BECAUSE IT WILL BE THEM WHO GET CAUGHT OUT. RIWHI AND EUGENE HAVE LOOKED TO EACH OTHER FOR SUPPORT. ALTHOUGH THEY MET FOR THE FIRST ON SET, THE PAIR ARE ACTUALLY FIRST COUSINS. HAS THE RELATIONSHIP BLOSSOMED OR GROWN SINCE THEN? VERY MUCH SO. OUR FAMILY IS A HUGE FAMILY, AND WE ARE SPREAD ACROSS THE WORLD SO SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET EACH OTHER, SO HAVING MET RIWHI, WE'VE MAINTAINED CONTACT, AND WE ARE A LOT CLOSER THEN I AM WITH EVEN SOME OF MY SIBLINGS. (LAUGHS) YEAH, SO IT'S BEEN GOOD. IT'S SAID THE JOURNEY OF A 1000 MILES BEGINS WITH ONE STEP, AND WALKING ALONG SIDE RIWHI ARE THE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO ARE YET TO FIND THEIR VOICE. I FEEL THE AROHA AND THE SUPPORT OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEHIND ME, YOU KNOW, THE ONES WHO DON'T WANT TO COME FORWARD AND TELL THEIR STORY. AND IT'S SAD BECAUSE I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE THE ...KIN' DEVASTATION IT'S CAUSED IN THEIR LIVES, AND IF THEY GOT ON BOARD, IT JUST DOES SOMETHING TO YOU. IT JUST FREES YOU FROM THAT SHIT. MM. RIWHI HAS COME TO WELLINGTON FOR ALL THE SURVIVORS OF STATE ABUSE, BUT MOSTLY HE'S HERE FOR HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER. HE LOST CUSTODY OF HER DURING TOUGH TIMES, AND WHILE HE'LL NEVER GET HIS OWN CHILDHOOD BACK, HE WANT'S TO MAKE SURE HE'S A PART OF HERS. HOW DOES THAT FEEL DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT? IT FEELS REALLY GOOD. YEAH. IT FEELS EMPOWERING. IT'S NOT JUST ME STEPPING FORWARD. I HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE BEHIND ME NOW. YOU GUYS, THE OTHER BROTHERS, AND THERE'S BEEN LOT OF OTHER BROTHERS JUMPED ON BOARD. I CAN'T STOP NOW. I'M COMMITTED NOW, I'M OBLIGATED. NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR` YOU KNOW, THE GENERATIONS TO COME. KIA KAHA KOUTOU NGA MOREHU. KIA MAU TONU MAI RA TE TITIRO INANGETO NEI. THE TUG OF WAR FOR TAMAKI MAKAURAU BEGINS. THE THREE LEADING CANDIDATES JOIN ME NEXT. KEI TE MATAKITAKI KOUTOU I A TE HUI. ITS NAME MEANS 'TAMAKI, DESIRED BY MANY', AND IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT NO ONE DESIRES TAMAKI MORE THAN THE THREE PEOPLE WHO JOIN ME NOW. THEY ARE GREEN PARTY MP MARAMA DAVIDSON, MAORI PARTY CANDIDATE SHANE TAURIMA AND INCUMBENT TAMAKI MAKAURAU MP, LABOUR'S PEENI HENARE. TENA KOUTOU KATOA. ALL: KIA ORA. SO, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU ` 150,000 MAORI LIVE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. TELL ME ONE POLICY WHICH WOULD BENEFIT URBAN MAORI. OUR PROGRESSIVE HOME OWNERSHIP, WHICH THE GREENS HAVE LONG CHAMPIONED, ALONGSIDE OUR RENTERS' RIGHTS SO THAT WE CAN PUT ROOTS DOWN AND MOST OF OUR MAORI RENT. HOUSING, A VERY BIG ISSUE THIS ELECTION. SHANE? AN EXISTING POLICY UNDOUBTEDLY IS WHANAU ORA. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR THOUSANDS OF WHANAU HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU, AND WE NEED TO DO MORE. KA PAI. PEENI? IT'S WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT OUR POLICY TO BUILD HOMES, A MAJORITY OF THEM HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST. TIKA TAU. MAORI IN AUCKLAND, THE HOME OWNERSHIP RATE HAS DECREASED, RENTS ARE UP, TWO OF YOU TALKED ABOUT HOUSING, WHANAU ORA ALSO HAS A HOUSING ASPECT TO IT. THE MAORI PARTY, PEENI, HAS MANAGED TO GET $27M FOR THE MAORI HOUSING PROJECT. ISN'T THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO FROM THE OPPOSITION BENCHES? WE KNOW OUR LIMITATIONS IN OPPOSITION, BUT THE FIRST THING TO BE SAID OF THAT MONEY IS IT'S A GOOD THING FOR WHANAU. JUST NOT HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU WHERE, OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW HOUSE PRICES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF AND THE REAL BENEFITS FROM THAT MONEY FOR OUR WHANAU HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU IS NOUGHT TO NOTHING. BUT MORE HOUSING FOR MAORI IS BETTER THAN NO HOUSING FOR MAORI. WE'RE TALKING TAMAKI MAKAURAU HERE, BUT OF COURSE. I MEAN, IF IT'S IN RAHUI POKEKA, KAEO, THAT'S FANTASTIC FOR OUR WHANAU. HOW MANY OF THOSE HOMES IN THE MAORI HOUSING PROJECT ARE HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. I AGREE. NO ENOUGH HAS BEEN DONE HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. NONE! ANY? NOT ENOUGH. TAIHOA. HOWEVER, LET'S NOT JUST PICK ON THE MAORI POT OF MONEY, THE 27 MILLION, LET'S` BUT ARE THERE ANY HOMES THAT BUILT HERE UNDER THE MAORI HOUSING PROJECT? WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE 367,000 HOUSING PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY THIS FUND. SO NONE? NONE? AND THERE IS A PROPORTION OF THOSE THAT ARE HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBER. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT DON'T JUST FOCUS ON THE MAORI MONEY, ACTUALLY FOCUS ON THE WIDER MONEY. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SAID IS THAT THEY'LL BUILD 12,000 NEW HOMES HERE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. WHAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON IS MORE HOUSES FOR MAORI COS THERE'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. I KNOW. I THINK WE ALL AGREE WITH MORE HOUSES FOR MAORI, BUT THE FACT IS YOU'RE STANDING IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PLACE THAT'S GOT A HOUSING CRISIS. YUP. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN SEVERE NEED OF HOUSING HAS DOUBLED IN TWO YEARS. 1400 OF THEM ARE HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. THEY'RE CLASSED AS 'HIGH RISK'. ISN'T TAMAKI MAKAURAU THE BEST PLACE TO START? LET ME TELL YOU WHAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO RELIEVE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE. NUMBER ONE, WE CAN INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO A LIVING WAGE RIGHT NOW TO ACTUALLY GIVES THE MEANS TO OUR WHANAU TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD GOOD RENT AND PUT SOME MONEY AWAY FOR A DEPOSIT. NUMBER TWO, WE CAN SAY TAIHOA ON IMMIGRATION BECAUSE, ACTUALLY` A DEPOSIT, IS THAT REALLY REALISTIC? YOU'VE GOT MILLION-DOLLAR HOUSES. TAIHOA, MIHI. LET ME JUST FINISH. WHAT WE CAN SAY TOO IS TAIHOA ON IMMIGRATION BECAUSE WITH 72,000 RESIDENTS` OK. I'M GOING TO STAY WITH HOUSING. I'M GOING TO STAY WITH HOUSING AND GIVE MARAMA A TURN. THAT LIST` WELL, YOU NEED TO LET ME BE ABLE TO FINISH TOO. WE CAN'T CELEBRATE THIS BUDGET WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE NATIONAL PARTY IS PUTTING SOMETHING IN. ACTUALLY, THE RHEUMATIC FEVER PROGRAMS WERE SLASHED BY HALF. 12 MILLION TAKEN AWAY. 132 KIDS WERE ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL, MOST OF THOSE WERE MAORI AND PACIFIC. 127 OF THOSE WERE MAORI AND PACIFIC. LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT HOUSING. WITH 1400 ON THAT LIST, HOW WOULD THE GREEN PARTY REDUCE THAT LIST? HAVING A STATE HOUSING PROGRAM AND STOP SELLING OFF STATE HOUSES, WHICH IS WHAT THE MAORI PARTY AGREED TO DO WITH THE LEGISLATION. THAT CHANGE OF SELLING OFF STATE HOUSES HAS IMPACTED ON MAORI IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. DO YOU AGREE THAT THAT HAS? NO I DON'T. SELLING OFF OF STATE HOUSES HAS NOT IMPACTED ON`? WHAT WE DO IS WE SUPPORT THE ASPIRATIONS OF IWI, COMMUNITIES AND URBAN MAORI TO GET INTO THE SPACE OF SOCIAL HOUSING. WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE STATE HAS FAILED OUR PEOPLE TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE COMMUNITY GROUPS` WHAT URBAN MAORI GROUPS HAVE BEEN BUILDING HOUSES IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU? PEENI, DO YOU KNOW? YES. NONE. AND I CAN TELL YOU THE ANSWER TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION, ONE HOUSE, TWO UPGRADES. THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL THAT'S HAPPENED HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. WE'RE GOING INTO WINTER AND WE'VE GOT 1400 PEOPLE WHO ARE PROBABLY HOMELESS. YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE AT THE TABLE, OR IN THE TENT, AS YOU SAY, BUT WHAT IF YOU'RE IN THE CAR? WHICH IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I JUST WANNA GO BACK TO STATE HOUSING. WE SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF IWI, HAPU, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND URBAN MAORI TO GET INTO THAT SPACE. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT ALL THOSE GROUPS ARE IN DISCUSSIONS, CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO ADVANCE THOSE ASPIRATIONS. AND THAT'S AWESOME` AND HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW. THAT IS AWESOME, SUPPORTING HAPU AND IWI, BUT WHAT ABOUT SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THOSE CARS TO GET INTO HOUSES? AS I SAY, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. BUT THAT IS A REALITY, THOUGH. YOU DO ACCEPT THAT? ABSOLUTELY. THAT EXCUSE OF IWI BEING ABLE TO GET INTO STATE HOUSING JUST DOESN'T HOLD UP BECAUSE THE HOUSES ARE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION` IT DOES WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM. AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY A LIABILITY FOR IWI SO WE ACTUALLY NEED TO HAVE STATE HOUSES AS WELL AS SUPPORT IWI, YES, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF A STRONG, PUBLICLY-FUNDED STATE HOUSING PROGRAM. I HAVE TO MOVE ON. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT PT ENGLAND PROJECT BECAUSE THAT'S STILL KIND OF IN THE HOUSING THING. PEENI, YOUR PARTY HAS CALLED IT A LAND GRAB, AND THE PUBLIC SHOULDN'T LOSE GREEN SPACES IS THE IDEA, NGATI POUA SAYS IF THAT LAND WASN'T OFFERED, THERE WOULD BE NO TREATY SETTLEMENT. WHO DO YOU BACK? THE COMMUNITY OR THE IWI? WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ON OUR STANCE FROM THE BEGINNING. HAVEN'T WAVERED. WE'VE MADE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT IT'S INEXCUSABLE TO LOSE THAT GREEN SPACE AND SECONDLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ` LEGISLATION ASIDE ` IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ON ITS OWN MERIT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT'S A BAD DEAL, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HAS STRONG-ARMED NGATI POUA. FOR NGATI POUA ` AND I DO RAISE A FLAG COS I'M FROM NGATI POUA SO I'M USING THIS AS AN EXAMPLE ` FOR NGATI POUA IT IS THE ONLY DEAL. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. WELL, THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER DEALS TO BE HAD AND THIS GOVERNMENT IS FORCING THE RESPONSIBILITY ON NGATI POUA. BECAUSE IT AFFECTS THE COMMUNITY, DO YOU THINK THAT'S A FAIR ENOUGH RESPONSE? WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS 45HA OF LAND. 18HA FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS HAVE BEEN FOR COWS. ALL NGATI POUA WANT IS 12 OF THOSE HECTARES. WHY? TO PROVIDE SOCIAL HOUSING FOR THEIR WHANAU AND ALSO BUILD A MARAE. IT'S THEIR ANCESTRAL LAND. THAT'S WHY WE BACK THE BILL. AND I GUESS THERE WOULD A DISCUSSION AROUND WHY COULDN'T THEY HAVE THEY REMUERA GOLF COURSE? YEAH, WE SUPPORT NGATI POUA ABSOLUTELY AND UPHOLD THEIR DECISION MAKING OVER THEIR OWN WHENUA, BUT WE DON'T SUPPORT THE CROWN WHO ARE HITCHING ON TO THIS AS PART OF THEIR HOUSING FAILURE. BUT ABSOLUTELY, NGATI POUA AND THEIR MANA, KAITIAKI RIGHTS OVER THEIR OWN WHENUA, 100% THE GREEN SUPPORT THAT. KEI NGA MATUKU NUIA, KEI NGA MATUKU MOANA, KO TAE KI UTA TE TAI KOKO KORERO O TE HUI. KO MIHINGARANGI TENEI. E MIHI ATU NEI. NAU MAI, KAHUTI MAI RA. WELCOME TO THE HUI, MAORI CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR ALL NEW ZEALANDERS. HE WAS ONCE A WARD OF THE STATE, NOW RIWHI TOI WHENUA IS TAKING IT ON IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE FOR THE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WHO WERE ABUSED IN STATE CARE. AND HE'S GETTING SOME HIGH-POWERED HELP. I'M HERE TODAY TO SEE JACINDA ARDERN TO PUSH FOR THIS ENQUIRY. SHE HAS PROMISED ME SHE WILL NOT REST UNTIL WE GET ONE. AND ` IT'S SHAPING UP TO BE A THREE-WAY RACE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF AUCKLAND'S MAORI VOTERS. THE LEADING CANDIDATES JOIN US AS THE TUG OF WAR FOR TAMAKI MAKAURAU BEGINS. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017 KARAHUIHUI MAI. TWO MONTHS AGO, FOUR BRAVE ME CAME FORWARD AND FOR THE FIRST TIME SHARED THEIR HORRIFIC STORIES OF ABUSE WHILE LIVING IN STATE-RUN INSTITUTIONS. WE CALL THEM NGA MOREHU, THE SURVIVORS. THEIR FRANK AND HONEST KORERO PIERCED THE SOCIAL CONSCIENCE OF AOTEAROA, SPARKING RENEWED CALLS FOR AN INDEPENDENT ENQUIRY INTO THE STATE CARE PROVIDED TO 100,000 CHILDREN BETWEEN THE 1950S AND 1980S. SO HAS LIFE CHANGED FOR NGA MOREHU SINCE SHARING THEIR STORIES? I CAUGHT UP WITH TWO OF THEM TO FIND OUT. RIWHI TOI WHENUA HAS GONE FROM WARD OF THE STATE TO TAKING IT ON. PLACED IN STATE CARE AT THE AGE OF 12, HE WAS SUBJECTED TO YEARS OF ABUSE. TODAY HE'S COME TO PARLIAMENT WITH EUGENE RYDER,... TENA RA KOE, KOTIRO. ...WHO ALSO WAS ABUSED IN STATE CARE. IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU. NICE TO MEET YOU. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SEE US. MY BROTHER. THEY'RE SEEKING JUSTICE FOR THE THOUSANDS CHILDREN REMOVED FROM THEIR FAMILIES BETWEEN THE 1950S AND 1980S AND PLACED INTO STATE-RUN INSTITUTIONS AND TO MAKE SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. (PLUCKS SOULFUL TUNE) SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO HEAL THE SOUL OF A MAN THAT WAS ALL BUT DESTROYED WHEN HE WAS A JUST A BOY? FOR RIWHI TOI WHENUA, TELLING HIS STORY HAS BEEN A GOOD START. I FELT GOOD THAT MY STORY WAS OUT THERE, GOOD THAT MY CHILDREN GOT TO HEAR WHAT WENT ON. RIWHI WAS ONE OF FOUR MEN WHO SHARED THEIR HORRIFIC STORY OF BEING IN STATE CARE AS A CHILD. WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY SHOCKED THE NATION... I HAD HORRIFIC, INHUMANE SHIT DONE TO ME. THEY TOOK ME INTO THE SHOWERS AND, UH,... YEAH, ABUSED ME FOR A LONG TIME. ...AND OPENED OLD WOUNDS FOR THOSE INVOLVED. I GOT A BIT DOWN. YOU KNOW, I THINK MEMORIES STARTED FLOODING BACK, AND I WAS REMEMBERING A LOT MORE THEN I ACTUALLY SAID, SO THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT I SAID ACTUALLY SPARKED MORE MEMORIES AND, YEAH, I ACTUALLY STAYED INSIDE FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS AND DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH ANYONE. BUT I HAD HEAPS OF SUPPORT THROUGH MY DAUGHTER` DAUGHTERS AND MY SONS. WHAT DID THEY SAY TO YOU? THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY MUCH. 'I LOVE YOU, DAD.' YOU KNOW, 'WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.' WHEN RIWHI FRONTED OUR CAMERAS, HE TOLD HIS STORY FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME AND OPENED UP IN A WAY HE HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE. DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST NIGHT YOU WERE IN THERE? WOW. I THINK I CRIED MOST OF THE NIGHT. THAT IS WHEN THE FEAR SET IN. AT FIRST, I ONLY WATCHED, LIKE, 10 MINUTES, 15 MINUTES OF IT, AND THEN PROBABLY A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, I WATCHED THE WHOLE THING AND LOOKED AT MYSELF. YEAH, I WAS QUITE SAD. BUT ANGRY AT TIMES AS WELL. DID YOU FEEL AROHA FOR THAT, RIWHI? YES. AND THAT LITTLE BOY. YOU KNOW, IN MY MIND'S EYE I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, IF I HAD THE CHANCE, I WOULD ROLL IN THERE AND PICK THAT LITTLE BOY UP AND HUG HIM. MM. HOW SURPRISED WERE WITH THE FEEDBACK? VERY, I COULDN'T GO THROUGH IT ALL. AFTER, LIKE, 24 HOURS OR SOMETHING, 48 HOURS, I HAD, LIKE, 850 MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE SAYING, 'BRO, THAT'S ME. THAT WAS MY STORY,' OR, YOU KNOW, 'WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.' LATER, WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, I WENT, 'WOW, ALL MY SHIT AND THE HURT THAT I WENT THROUGH 'IS ACTUALLY FOR A REASON,' HOW ABOUT PUBLICLY, DID PEOPLE RECOGNIZE YOU? YES. YOU GET HUGS IN THE SUPERMARKET AND SHIT. (LAUGHS) IT'S NICE. WHO'S HUGGING YOU? JUST RANDOMS. MAINLY PAKEHA. THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF PAKEHA BROTHERS THAT HAVE COME UP, SHOOK MY HAND, GIVE ME THE BRO HUG. IT'S BEEN NICE. RIWHI, LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS OF MEN IN WOMEN WHO SPENT TIME IN STATE CARE, SPENT A LARGE PART OF HIS LIFE IN JAIL FOR CRIMES HE SAYS HE'S NOT PROUD OF. WE DIDN'T TOUCH MUCH ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF YOUR CRIMES, BUT NOW THAT YOU'RE ON THIS JOURNEY, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN THINKING OR REFLECTING ON? YEAH, MOST DEFINITELY. IN A BIG WAY BECAUSE THEY ARE THE VICTIMS, YOU KNOW. THEY CAN'T` YOU KNOW, WE AFFECTED THEIR LIVES IN HUGE WAYS. YOU KNOW, AND A LOT THEM WOULD HAVE HATE TOWARDS US BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DONE TO NOT JUST THEM, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR EXTENDED FAMILIES. AND, YOU KNOW, FOR ME THAT'S A BIG THING. SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT, BUT JUST TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE PART OF IT. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE PART OF OUR HEALING, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN BE PART OF THEIR HEALING. LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE COME FORWARD TO US. YOU MEAN OTHER VICTIMS? OTHER VICTIMS, YEAH. I'M HERE TODAY TO SEE JACINDA ARDERN TO PUSH FOR THIS ENQUIRY. SHE HAS PROMISED ME SHE WILL NOT REST UNTIL WE GET ONE. I TAKE HER WORD FOR THAT. WHEN SHE SAID THAT, I WAS SHOCKED. IT'S THE END OF THE CONVERSATION. I DIDN'T WANNA GO ANY MORE. GAVE ME THAT MUCH, I'M OK WITH THAT. SO I TRUST HER NOT TO. YOU KNOW, SHE WON'T STOP UNTIL SHE GETS AN ENQUIRY. THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. AN ENQUIRY ISN'T ABOUT GETTING UTU. IT'S ABOUT MAKING PEACE WITH THE PAST. I THINK AFTER HAVING A BRIEF KORERO, IT REALLY JUST REINFORCED THAT FROM THE STORIES I'VE HEARD FROM VICTIMS, SOME PEOPLE MISINTERPRET WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR. THESE MEN ARE SEEKING A CHANCE TO TELL THEIR STORY. AND FOR THERE TO BE CHANGE. IN THE WAY THAT WE DEAL WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE IN THE SYSTEM NOW. THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO HOLD AN ENQUIRY. IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO ONE, QUESTION IS` BUT WILL YOU? WILL IT CHANGE` BUT WILL YOU? WILL IT CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WILL YOU DO IT? I'M TELLING YOU THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT. WILL YOU DO IT? WELL, WE HAVEN'T MADE THAT COMMITMENT. AND EUGENE RYDER HAS HIS OWN THEORY ABOUT WHY THAT IS. THERE ARE PEOPLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION NOW WERE IN THE ORGANIZATION WHEN WE WERE BEING ABUSED, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN. BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE ADVISING THE MINISTER AND ADVISING THE AGENCY NOT TO DO THIS ENQUIRY BECAUSE IT WILL BE THEM WHO GET CAUGHT OUT. RIWHI AND EUGENE HAVE LOOKED TO EACH OTHER FOR SUPPORT. ALTHOUGH THEY MET FOR THE FIRST ON SET, THE PAIR ARE ACTUALLY FIRST COUSINS. HAS THE RELATIONSHIP BLOSSOMED OR GROWN SINCE THEN? VERY MUCH SO. OUR FAMILY IS A HUGE FAMILY, AND WE ARE SPREAD ACROSS THE WORLD SO SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET EACH OTHER, SO HAVING MET RIWHI, WE'VE MAINTAINED CONTACT, AND WE ARE A LOT CLOSER THEN I AM WITH EVEN SOME OF MY SIBLINGS. (LAUGHS) YEAH, SO IT'S BEEN GOOD. IT'S SAID THE JOURNEY OF A 1000 MILES BEGINS WITH ONE STEP, AND WALKING ALONG SIDE RIWHI ARE THE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO ARE YET TO FIND THEIR VOICE. I FEEL THE AROHA AND THE SUPPORT OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEHIND ME, YOU KNOW, THE ONES WHO DON'T WANT TO COME FORWARD AND TELL THEIR STORY. AND IT'S SAD BECAUSE I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE THE ...KIN' DEVASTATION IT'S CAUSED IN THEIR LIVES, AND IF THEY GOT ON BOARD, IT JUST DOES SOMETHING TO YOU. IT JUST FREES YOU FROM THAT SHIT. MM. RIWHI HAS COME TO WELLINGTON FOR ALL THE SURVIVORS OF STATE ABUSE, BUT MOSTLY HE'S HERE FOR HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER. HE LOST CUSTODY OF HER DURING TOUGH TIMES, AND WHILE HE'LL NEVER GET HIS OWN CHILDHOOD BACK, HE WANT'S TO MAKE SURE HE'S A PART OF HERS. HOW DOES THAT FEEL DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT? IT FEELS REALLY GOOD. YEAH. IT FEELS EMPOWERING. IT'S NOT JUST ME STEPPING FORWARD. I HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE BEHIND ME NOW. YOU GUYS, THE OTHER BROTHERS, AND THERE'S BEEN LOT OF OTHER BROTHERS JUMPED ON BOARD. I CAN'T STOP NOW. I'M COMMITTED NOW, I'M OBLIGATED. NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR` YOU KNOW, THE GENERATIONS TO COME. KIA KAHA KOUTOU NGA MOREHU. KIA MAU TONU MAI RA TE TITIRO INANGETO NEI. THE TUG OF WAR FOR TAMAKI MAKAURAU BEGINS. THE THREE LEADING CANDIDATES JOIN ME NEXT. KEI TE MATAKITAKI KOUTOU I A TE HUI. ITS NAME MEANS 'TAMAKI, DESIRED BY MANY', AND IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT NO ONE DESIRES TAMAKI MORE THAN THE THREE PEOPLE WHO JOIN ME NOW. THEY ARE GREEN PARTY MP MARAMA DAVIDSON, MAORI PARTY CANDIDATE SHANE TAURIMA AND INCUMBENT TAMAKI MAKAURAU MP, LABOUR'S PEENI HENARE. TENA KOUTOU KATOA. ALL: KIA ORA. SO, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU ` 150,000 MAORI LIVE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. TELL ME ONE POLICY WHICH WOULD BENEFIT URBAN MAORI. OUR PROGRESSIVE HOME OWNERSHIP, WHICH THE GREENS HAVE LONG CHAMPIONED, ALONGSIDE OUR RENTERS' RIGHTS SO THAT WE CAN PUT ROOTS DOWN AND MOST OF OUR MAORI RENT. HOUSING, A VERY BIG ISSUE THIS ELECTION. SHANE? AN EXISTING POLICY UNDOUBTEDLY IS WHANAU ORA. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR THOUSANDS OF WHANAU HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU, AND WE NEED TO DO MORE. KA PAI. PEENI? IT'S WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT OUR POLICY TO BUILD HOMES, A MAJORITY OF THEM HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST. TIKA TAU. MAORI IN AUCKLAND, THE HOME OWNERSHIP RATE HAS DECREASED, RENTS ARE UP, TWO OF YOU TALKED ABOUT HOUSING, WHANAU ORA ALSO HAS A HOUSING ASPECT TO IT. THE MAORI PARTY, PEENI, HAS MANAGED TO GET $27M FOR THE MAORI HOUSING PROJECT. ISN'T THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO FROM THE OPPOSITION BENCHES? WE KNOW OUR LIMITATIONS IN OPPOSITION, BUT THE FIRST THING TO BE SAID OF THAT MONEY IS IT'S A GOOD THING FOR WHANAU. JUST NOT HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU WHERE, OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW HOUSE PRICES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF AND THE REAL BENEFITS FROM THAT MONEY FOR OUR WHANAU HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU IS NOUGHT TO NOTHING. BUT MORE HOUSING FOR MAORI IS BETTER THAN NO HOUSING FOR MAORI. WE'RE TALKING TAMAKI MAKAURAU HERE, BUT OF COURSE. I MEAN, IF IT'S IN RAHUI POKEKA, KAEO, THAT'S FANTASTIC FOR OUR WHANAU. HOW MANY OF THOSE HOMES IN THE MAORI HOUSING PROJECT ARE HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. I AGREE. NO ENOUGH HAS BEEN DONE HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. NONE! ANY? NOT ENOUGH. TAIHOA. HOWEVER, LET'S NOT JUST PICK ON THE MAORI POT OF MONEY, THE 27 MILLION, LET'S` BUT ARE THERE ANY HOMES THAT BUILT HERE UNDER THE MAORI HOUSING PROJECT? WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE 367,000 HOUSING PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY THIS FUND. SO NONE? NONE? AND THERE IS A PROPORTION OF THOSE THAT ARE HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBER. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT DON'T JUST FOCUS ON THE MAORI MONEY, ACTUALLY FOCUS ON THE WIDER MONEY. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SAID IS THAT THEY'LL BUILD 12,000 NEW HOMES HERE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. WHAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON IS MORE HOUSES FOR MAORI COS THERE'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. I KNOW. I THINK WE ALL AGREE WITH MORE HOUSES FOR MAORI, BUT THE FACT IS YOU'RE STANDING IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PLACE THAT'S GOT A HOUSING CRISIS. YUP. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN SEVERE NEED OF HOUSING HAS DOUBLED IN TWO YEARS. 1400 OF THEM ARE HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. THEY'RE CLASSED AS 'HIGH RISK'. ISN'T TAMAKI MAKAURAU THE BEST PLACE TO START? LET ME TELL YOU WHAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO RELIEVE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE. NUMBER ONE, WE CAN INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO A LIVING WAGE RIGHT NOW TO ACTUALLY GIVES THE MEANS TO OUR WHANAU TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD GOOD RENT AND PUT SOME MONEY AWAY FOR A DEPOSIT. NUMBER TWO, WE CAN SAY TAIHOA ON IMMIGRATION BECAUSE, ACTUALLY` A DEPOSIT, IS THAT REALLY REALISTIC? YOU'VE GOT MILLION-DOLLAR HOUSES. TAIHOA, MIHI. LET ME JUST FINISH. WHAT WE CAN SAY TOO IS TAIHOA ON IMMIGRATION BECAUSE WITH 72,000 RESIDENTS` OK. I'M GOING TO STAY WITH HOUSING. I'M GOING TO STAY WITH HOUSING AND GIVE MARAMA A TURN. THAT LIST` WELL, YOU NEED TO LET ME BE ABLE TO FINISH TOO. WE CAN'T CELEBRATE THIS BUDGET WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE NATIONAL PARTY IS PUTTING SOMETHING IN. ACTUALLY, THE RHEUMATIC FEVER PROGRAMS WERE SLASHED BY HALF. 12 MILLION TAKEN AWAY. 132 KIDS WERE ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL, MOST OF THOSE WERE MAORI AND PACIFIC. 127 OF THOSE WERE MAORI AND PACIFIC. LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT HOUSING. WITH 1400 ON THAT LIST, HOW WOULD THE GREEN PARTY REDUCE THAT LIST? HAVING A STATE HOUSING PROGRAM AND STOP SELLING OFF STATE HOUSES, WHICH IS WHAT THE MAORI PARTY AGREED TO DO WITH THE LEGISLATION. THAT CHANGE OF SELLING OFF STATE HOUSES HAS IMPACTED ON MAORI IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. DO YOU AGREE THAT THAT HAS? NO I DON'T. SELLING OFF OF STATE HOUSES HAS NOT IMPACTED ON`? WHAT WE DO IS WE SUPPORT THE ASPIRATIONS OF IWI, COMMUNITIES AND URBAN MAORI TO GET INTO THE SPACE OF SOCIAL HOUSING. WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE STATE HAS FAILED OUR PEOPLE TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE COMMUNITY GROUPS` WHAT URBAN MAORI GROUPS HAVE BEEN BUILDING HOUSES IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU? PEENI, DO YOU KNOW? YES. NONE. AND I CAN TELL YOU THE ANSWER TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION, ONE HOUSE, TWO UPGRADES. THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL THAT'S HAPPENED HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. WE'RE GOING INTO WINTER AND WE'VE GOT 1400 PEOPLE WHO ARE PROBABLY HOMELESS. YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE AT THE TABLE, OR IN THE TENT, AS YOU SAY, BUT WHAT IF YOU'RE IN THE CAR? WHICH IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I JUST WANNA GO BACK TO STATE HOUSING. WE SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF IWI, HAPU, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND URBAN MAORI TO GET INTO THAT SPACE. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT ALL THOSE GROUPS ARE IN DISCUSSIONS, CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO ADVANCE THOSE ASPIRATIONS. AND THAT'S AWESOME` AND HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW. THAT IS AWESOME, SUPPORTING HAPU AND IWI, BUT WHAT ABOUT SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THOSE CARS TO GET INTO HOUSES? AS I SAY, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. BUT THAT IS A REALITY, THOUGH. YOU DO ACCEPT THAT? ABSOLUTELY. THAT EXCUSE OF IWI BEING ABLE TO GET INTO STATE HOUSING JUST DOESN'T HOLD UP BECAUSE THE HOUSES ARE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION` IT DOES WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM. AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY A LIABILITY FOR IWI SO WE ACTUALLY NEED TO HAVE STATE HOUSES AS WELL AS SUPPORT IWI, YES, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF A STRONG, PUBLICLY-FUNDED STATE HOUSING PROGRAM. I HAVE TO MOVE ON. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT PT ENGLAND PROJECT BECAUSE THAT'S STILL KIND OF IN THE HOUSING THING. PEENI, YOUR PARTY HAS CALLED IT A LAND GRAB, AND THE PUBLIC SHOULDN'T LOSE GREEN SPACES IS THE IDEA, NGATI POUA SAYS IF THAT LAND WASN'T OFFERED, THERE WOULD BE NO TREATY SETTLEMENT. WHO DO YOU BACK? THE COMMUNITY OR THE IWI? WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ON OUR STANCE FROM THE BEGINNING. HAVEN'T WAVERED. WE'VE MADE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT IT'S INEXCUSABLE TO LOSE THAT GREEN SPACE AND SECONDLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ` LEGISLATION ASIDE ` IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ON ITS OWN MERIT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT'S A BAD DEAL, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HAS STRONG-ARMED NGATI POUA. FOR NGATI POUA ` AND I DO RAISE A FLAG COS I'M FROM NGATI POUA SO I'M USING THIS AS AN EXAMPLE ` FOR NGATI POUA IT IS THE ONLY DEAL. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. WELL, THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER DEALS TO BE HAD AND THIS GOVERNMENT IS FORCING THE RESPONSIBILITY ON NGATI POUA. BECAUSE IT AFFECTS THE COMMUNITY, DO YOU THINK THAT'S A FAIR ENOUGH RESPONSE? WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS 45HA OF LAND. 18HA FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS HAVE BEEN FOR COWS. ALL NGATI POUA WANT IS 12 OF THOSE HECTARES. WHY? TO PROVIDE SOCIAL HOUSING FOR THEIR WHANAU AND ALSO BUILD A MARAE. IT'S THEIR ANCESTRAL LAND. THAT'S WHY WE BACK THE BILL. AND I GUESS THERE WOULD A DISCUSSION AROUND WHY COULDN'T THEY HAVE THEY REMUERA GOLF COURSE? YEAH, WE SUPPORT NGATI POUA ABSOLUTELY AND UPHOLD THEIR DECISION MAKING OVER THEIR OWN WHENUA, BUT WE DON'T SUPPORT THE CROWN WHO ARE HITCHING ON TO THIS AS PART OF THEIR HOUSING FAILURE. BUT ABSOLUTELY, NGATI POUA AND THEIR MANA, KAITIAKI RIGHTS OVER THEIR OWN WHENUA, 100% THE GREEN SUPPORT THAT. BUT YOU DON'T SUPPORT NGATI POUA OR THEIR ASPIRATIONS OR THEIR PLAN. WE SUPPORT NGATI POUA BUT WE DON'T TRUST THE CROWN OR NICK SMITH. HOW MUCH OF THEIR LAND WILL THEY HAVE TO SELL TO RECOUP THEIR COST? THEY LOSE THAT LAND. YOU DON'T SELL THE HOUSE, YOU SELL THE LAND TOO, AND I CAN'T ACCEPT THAT. LET ME MOVE QUICKLY TO TE REO MAORI BECAUSE IN AUCKLAND WE HAVE A LOWER REO MAORI SPEAKING COMMUNITY. TE MATAWAI, WHICH YOUR PARTY IS DRIVING THAT. HOW WILL GIVING REO BACK TO IWI ENCOURAGE URBAN MAORI TO SPEAK MORE? IT DOESN'T JUST GIVE REO BACK TO IWI. IT ACTUALLY GIVES IT BACK TO EVERYBODY. IT EMPOWERS EVERYBODY TO BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION. WHAKAPAPA IS A KEY PLANK POLICY FOR ME BECAUSE WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT CONNECTING OUR PEOPLE AND RECONNECTING OUR PEOPLE BACK TO LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND IDENTITY GIVES THEM CONFIDENCE AND MEANS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE LIKELY TO SUCCEED IN LIFE. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT $60M HAS BEEN PUT ASIDE FOR TE REO OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS. THAT'S SIGNIFICANT, AND THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO REVITALISING OUR LANGUAGE. PEENI, YOU'VE BEEN THE MP HERE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU. THE INITIATIVES THAT YOU'VE SEEN, DO YOU BUY INTO THIS WHOLE IDEA THAT TE MATAWAI IS GOING TO RAISE OUR REO? I HAVE TO BE HOPEFUL FOR TE MATAWAI COS THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT MAORI SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN IN DECLINE SLOWLY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, SIX YEARS. IN FACT, ALMOST 1% EVERY THREE YEARS, AND THAT'S CONTINUING TO HAPPEN, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THAT WILL SUGGEST OTHERWISE. HOWEVER, TE REO MAORI, WE SHOULD BE ALL SUPPORTING IT, AND I DO. AND THIS IS WHY THE GREENS' TE REO MAORI FOR ALL SCHOOLS WILL MAKE A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE TO MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE OUR LANGUAGE IN DECLINE. TE MATAWAI WILL HELP ON THE MAIHI KARAUNA SIDE. THIS IS THE CROWN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE TE REO FOR ALL SCHOOLS. TUATAHI, MIHI ATU KI A KOE COS YOU'RE ON YOUR REO JOURNEY AT THE MOMENT. AE. LET ME JUST FINISH BY NGA MOREHU, YOU MIGHT'VE SEEN THAT STORY EARLIER ON, YOU ALL` YOU'RE SUPPORTING THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON ENQUIRY YOU'RE TWO PARTIES ARE SUPPORTING AN ENQUIRY, WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DROP YOUR FLAGS AND WORK TOGETHER ON THIS? OH, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S ABOUT THE MOREHU, NOT ABOUT OUR PARTIES. I HOPE SO. CAN I JUST TELL YOU WHY THOUGH? BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THESE VICTIMS ARE MAORI. YES. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLING FOR A ROYAL COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY. IT MUST BE AT THAT LEVEL. WE OWE IT TO THE WHANAU, AND WE OWE IT TO THE VICTIMS. SO MY QUESTION IS WHATEVER YOU COME UP WITH, CAN YOU WORK TOGETHER WITH THESE TO PARTIES. I HOPE SO. IF THE LABOUR PARTY AND THE GREENS SUPPORT A ROYAL COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY, THEN ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING CURRENTLY WITH MANA TO GET THAT ACROSS THE LINE. IT MUST BE AT THAT LEVEL AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. BECAUSE IT'S INDEPENDENT OF GOVERNMENT AND THEY HAVE TO REPORT BACK TO THE GOVERNOR GENERAL. HOW DO YOU GET YOU MATES IN NATIONAL TO AGREE? YEAH, IT'S THEM WHO NEED TO AGREE. WE'VE PUT THEM ON NOTICE. THEY KNOW THAT WE WANT A ROYAL COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY. WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE OTHER PARTIES TO GET THAT ACROSS THE LINE. FOR THE SAKE FOR ALL THOSE MAORI THAT WERE IN CARE, LET'S HOPE THAT YOU CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER. WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME. I CAN'T EVEN GIVE YOU MY POP QUIZ QUESTIONS. AROHA MAI. KAUA E HAERE TAWHITI, KIA HOKI MAI ANO TE HUI, KEI TE HURI TE KEI O TE WAKA KI ITARIA. AFTER THE BREAK WE MEET A MAORI ALL BLACK WHO'S REBUILT HIS CAREER IN ITALY. HOKI MAI ANO. HE WAS KNOWN AS 'THE AXE'. JOHN AKURANGI HAD A CAREER MOST RUGBY PLAYERS WOULD ENVY. A SUPER RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP, A MAORI ALL BLACKS JERSEY AND A LUCRATIVE COACHING CONTRACT LINED UP IN JAPAN. BUT ONE MISTAKE 15 YEARS AGO SAW ALL THIS HARD WORK UNDONE. TODAY, HE'S KNOWN AS 'MR FIX-IT'. HE'S REBUILT HIS LIFE IN ITALY AND IS NOW LIVING THE DREAM. REWA HARRIMAN CAUGHT UP WITH AKURANGI IN MILAN. (FUNKY MUSIC, CROWD CHEERING) THIS COULD BE ANYWHERE IN AOTEAROA. A GAME OF RUGBY. BUT IT ISN'T NEW ZEALAND. IT'S MILAN, ITALY, AND THERE'S A KIWI CONNECTION. (SPEAKS ITALIAN) FORMER MAORI ALL BLACK JOHN AKURANGI IS SHARING HIS LOVE OF RUGBY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. THEY'VE GOT PASSION. THEY'VE GOT THE WANT TO TRY TO DO BETTER. THEY LOVE CONTACT, SO WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED? YOU KNOW, GO TO RUGBY! (LAUGHS) SEVEN YEARS ON AND SIX CLUBS LATER IN ITALY, HE'S NOW KNOWN AS 'MR FIX-IT'. BUONO, FABIANO. HERE IN ITALY THEY CALL ME WHEN THEY'RE IN TROUBLE TO COME AND SAVE THEM FROM RELEGATION AND SAVE THEM FROM GOING DOWN A LEVEL. (MELLOW GUITAR MUSIC) ITALY IS FAMOUS FOR ITS ARTS, FOR ITS CULTURE, AND FOR ITS FOOTBALL. SURPRISINGLY, THOUGH, RUGBY ALSO HAS A PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY. IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN HERE FOR OVER 100 YEARS, AND TODAY THERE'S OVER A THOUSAND RUGBY CLUBS AND MORE THAN 80,000 REGISTERED PLAYERS. ONE OF THOSE CLUBS IS DALMINE, A SMALL RUGBY CLUB IN BERGAMO, A 40 MINUTE DRIVE FROM MILAN. THREE YEARS AGO THE CLUB WAS IN A DESPERATE STATE, PLAYING IN THE LOWEST CLUB GRADE AND LOSING PLAYERS EVERY WEEK. THEN ALONG CAME MR FIX-IT. WHEN I FIRST STARTED WITH DALMINE, THEIR TEAM HADN'T WON A GAME. THEY WERE BOTTOM OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THEY WERE LOOKING REALLY BAD. THEY THEN GOT ME INVOLVED. WE WORKED HARD ON GETTING SOME PLAYERS. WE ONLY HAD 13 PLAYERS TO WORK WITH. WE MANAGED TO PUT A TEAM TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO GET ON THE FIELD. FROM THERE WE HAD NINE GAMES. WE WON SIX, LOST TWO AND DREW ONE. THE YEAR AFTER THAT WE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THIS YEAR WE'VE ONLY LOST ONE GAME. SO THE PROGRESSION HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD, AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT CHALLENGE. NOT ONLY DID JOHN TURN THEIR TOP TEAM AROUND, HE'S ALSO BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GROWING THE CLUB'S OVERALL NUMBERS. THEY'VE BEEN PROGRESSIVELY IMPROVING IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. HE'S DEFINITELY GOING PLACES AND PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT FEW YEARS. NOW WE'VE GOT 54 REGISTERED SENIORS AND 85 JUNIORS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WE'RE BUILDING. WE'RE BUILDING MOMENTUM, AND WE'RE DEVELOPING REALLY WELL, SO I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR THE CLUB AND HAPPY FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. HE'S HAPPY TOO WITH HIS LIFE IN ITALY, MOVING HERE WITH HIS ITALIAN PARTNER SEVEN YEARS AGO. THE LANGUAGE WAS TOUGH FOR ME. WHEN I FIRST CAME HER, I WAS TRYING TO SPEAK ITALIAN AND OUT CAME FRENCH. BUT NOW IT'S COMPLETELY THE OTHER SIDE. IF I TRY TO SPEAK FRENCH, OUT WILL COME ITALIAN. BEFORE COACHING IN ITALY, JOHN PLAYED WITH OUR VERY BEST. HE WAS LIVING THE RUGBY DREAM. COMMENTATOR: AKURANGI, ON THE BURST. HE PLAYED FOR THE BLUES IN THEIR HEYDAY AND LATER ON FOR THE CRUSADERS AND THE CHIEFS. WHEN I FIRST MADE AUCKLAND, AND BEING NAMED IN THE TEAM AND READING THAT IN THE PAPER, I WAS LIKE, 'WOW, I'VE MADE IT.' AND THEN FROM THERE I WAS PLAYING WITH ALL THOSE GUYS AND THEN MAKING THE NEW ZEALAND MAORI AND MAKING THE TOUR TO GO TO ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND. AND THEN MY FIRST HAKA INTO A GAME. YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING COMING OFF THE BENCH, BUT WHEN YOU DO A HAKA INTO A GAME, IT'S JUST ANOTHER WORLD, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS JUST SUCH AN HONOUR, AND IT'S SUCH A GREAT THING. AFTER HIS ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER, HE WAS READY TO MOVE INTO COACHING. HE'D SECURED A LUCRATIVE CONTRACT IN JAPAN AND LIFE WAS GOOD, BUT THAT WOULD ALL CHANGE AFTER A CANNABIS CONVICTION IN 2002. I SPENT YEARS BUILDING MY REPUTATION, AND IN A MATTER OF DAYS, IT WAS CRUCIFIED. SO NOW I'VE JUST SPENT THE LAST, WHAT, 15 YEARS REBUILDING IT AGAIN, AND I HAD TO LEAVE NEW ZEALAND TO DO THAT. THE NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION ARE CUT-THROAT, AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT AT THE TIME. THEY SHUT THE DOOR ON ME. I WENT INTO A STATE OF DEPRESSION FOR A LITTLE BIT THERE, MAINLY BECAUSE I'D LET DOWN MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS AND EVERYONE INVOLVED. BUT YOU LEARN FROM THAT. YOU BECOME STRONGER FROM THAT. EVER THE SCRAPPER, JOHN HAS REBUILT HIS LIFE AND HIS REPUTATION. TWO YEARS AGO HE SURVIVED HIS SECOND OPEN-HEART SURGERY. AND IT'S THAT FIGHTING SPIRIT THAT HE PASSES ON TO HIS PLAYERS. IN THREE SHORT YEARS HE'S BROUGHT HIS CLUB DALMINE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE PACK RIGHT TO THE VERY TOP OF THEIR GRADE. OSCAR. PIERO. AND UNDER JOHN, MORE ITALIANS ARE PLAYING RUGBY. I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF BOYS THAT HAVE NEVER PLAYED BEFORE, AND THEY'RE PLAYING THIS YEAR WITH US. WE'VE GOT A FEW 17-YEAR-OLDS IN OUR TEAM. (UPBEAT MUSIC) IN TERMS OF NEW ZEALAND RUGBY, WHAT LEVEL ARE THESE GUYS PLAYING AT? WE'RE LOOKING AT CLUB RUGBY, THE FOUNDATION OF RUGBY IN ALL COUNTRIES, REALLY. OBVIOUSLY THE STRUCTURE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY IS VERY DIFFERENT. A NEW CLUB, A YOUNG CLUB. IF MANAGED WELL, THEN WE COULD ACTUALLY GO THROUGH AND IN FOUR YEARS OR FIVE YEARS PLAY AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF THIS COUNTRY. AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THE AIM. A LOFTY GOAL FOR SUCH A YOUNG CLUB, BUT JOHN HAS NEVER TURNED AWAY FROM A CHALLENGE, AND MR FIX-IT HAS DONE IT AGAIN. TEAM DALMINE IS MOVING UP A GRADE NEXT SEASON. FOR US TO BE WHERE WE ARE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE NEVER DREAMED OF HAPPENING. IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME. IT'S ABOUT US WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND US FINDING THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE CHANGES. PA IA, JOHN. NA REWA HARRIMAN TERA PURONGO. HEI TERA WIKI I RUNGA I A TE HUI ` IT WAS BUILT TO SERVE THE MAORI COMMUNITY OF AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE, BUT THEY SAY THEY'RE BEING BLOCKED FROM AWATAHA MARAE. WHEN YOU COME HERE, YOU PHYSICALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BENE RESTRICTED AND YOU'VE BEEN SHUT OUT OF THE MARAE. IT'S NOT WELCOMING. CRITICS SAY MARAE MANAGEMENT PUTS TOURISM BEFORE TIKANGA. AND GRIEVING WHANAU ARE LEFT TO HOST TANGIHANGA IN THEIR OWN HOMES. IT'S SAD WHEN YOU HAVE TO GO TO YOUR STANDARD THREE BEDROOM STATE HOUSE AND TRY AND CATER FOR 300 OR 400 PEOPLE, WHEN YOU CAN FIT 20 PEOPLE MOST IN THE LOUNGE WITH THE BODY AT ANY ONE TIME. IT'S NOT CONDUCIVE TO FULFILLING THE GRIEVING PROCESS AND THE TANGIHANGA PROCESS. A TUG OF WAR THAT'S REACHED BREAKING POINT IN A COMMUNITY DETERMINED TO TAKE BACK THEIR MARAE. I FEEL THIS IS OUR LAST STAND, REALLY. WE'RE UNITED AS A ROPU, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT THIS TIME. WE ARE, ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP. TUNE IN FOR THAT NEXT WEEK. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY, HUI HOPPERS. WE'LL POST LINKS TO THE SHOW ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ON TWITTER @THEHUINZ. YOU'LL FIND ALL OUR STORIES ON THE NEWSHUB WEBSITE. KUA TIMU TE TAI KORERO MO TENEI RA. HEI KONA MAI RA. CAPTIONS BY TOM PEDLAR WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017