Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Maori. Ko mahuru te taumata o te reo Maori. E te iwi nau mai ki te whare korero o Te Hui. Ko Mihingarangi tenei e mihi atu nei ki a koutou katoa. Welcome to The Hui, Maori current affairs for all New Zealanders. E taro ake nei ` Maori on the front line of forestry claim they're being shut out of the industry. There's a lot of work there, but we ain't got any part of it. And they have grave concerns for the sustainability of our forests. We're heading for a disaster. It's gonna come to a crash in a very short time. And we bring you the inspiring story of Piripi Winiata. Kia hui roto, marama i roto. In just four years, he's gone from no reo to being invited to the most prestigious language academy in the country, Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2018 With around a third of Aotearoa covered in forest, logging has been an important source of employment for generations of whanau. Our native timber has been the lifeblood of our country, New Zealand tipped to be a top-five global supplier by 2025. You'd think that would mean an abundance of opportunities for Maori. But some forestry whanau say it's not the case. They feel they've been cut out of lucrative contracts and have concerns about the future sustainability of the industry. Here's Ruwani Perera with their story. Our forests are rich in resources. It's our third biggest export earner. It's a money game, and it's making them billions while we're making pittance. But some who've spent a lifetime in the logging game are now having to shut up shop. I've seen a lot of changes for the bad, not for the best. They say it's getting much harder to make a living. There's a lot of work there, but we ain't got any part of it. And now they're fighting for their future. Somebody's got to do it. If you care about your iwi or other people, you can't sit by and watch a disaster coming down on them, you've got to do something, yeah. Born and bred on the East Coast, Tom Butler has worked in several jobs. From planting trees to logging and scrub cutting, the forest has provided for him and his whanau. It gave everybody hope, actually, because in the '60s and '70s everybody left home, so the place was dying. Just, uh, no young families. So that was the idea of the old people in getting forestry in the area, to keep the young ones here and also bring some back ` and it worked. But Tom says bigger players from Rotorua are getting the contracts, and it's the local, well-established operators like him who are missing out. So you've got a forest right on your doorstep, you've got machinery, everything ready to go, and you don't get a look-in? Don't get a look-in, no. There is a tender process, but it's stacked against you. You've got an outside contractor that's been in there for a long time and he's got all the gear, and he's got a relationship with the company that owns the trees. That's how the big corporates work ` they feed off each other, they look after each other. Do you think it's a level playing field? Oh, definitely not, no. Definitely not. Kaipara Meihana's family has been in the logging business in Murupara for almost 40 years, but he quit it three months ago and moved to the coast, swapping working in the industry to fighting for forestry workers like Tom Butler. Why did you get out? It was getting financially a bit tough. But also for the passion I have for the people about how the systems sorta work and the things that we could see around the forestry. I had more passion to get out to carry on with the kaupapa and to make sure the truth's put out there. Kaipara believes forestry companies aren't upholding all the principles of the Forest Stewardship Council, or FSC ` a certification that was set up to promote responsible forest management. One simple action can have a profound impact. Look for products with FSC logo. The FSC is basically an international seal of approval for forestry companies and is awarded to those who satisfy 10 core principles. There's many certifications out there, but the FSC is more or less classed as the golden standard of all certifications. So by them having that on their product, it gets them into more markets in the world. A lot of the forest mills around the world won't accept anything other than FSC certified. And even when the market's collapsing, it still gets them through that gate. So there's a lot in it. They need the FSC for their sales and such, yeah. They get the premium prices for their logs. And of course, buyers seek out that accreditation, and it tells the buyer that they're an ethical company. Principles 3 and 4 of the FSC directly relate to mana whenua, and Kaipara says that although many Maori are employed in the industry, these are mainly low-entry jobs and mostly short-term contracts. Principle 3 of the accreditation states that the organisation or forestry entity shall identify and uphold Indigenous Peoples' legal and customary rights, while Principle 4 refers to the organisation maintaining or enhancing the social and economic wellbeing of local communities. When we looked at it, we asked the question, 'Well, then how come we've got no work?' Although the forests in his area are FSC accredited, Tom believes they're falling short on those key points when it comes to consulting mana whenua and addressing their needs. He feels the tender process for contracts isn't fair or transparent and goes against what the FSC stands for. We built this forestry mainly for us and longevity of work, bring our people back and keep young ones here. And they're just here now just raping the place, you know, with total disregard for us. This was meant to be a lifeblood for... Yes. For the coast, yes. Yeah, absolutely, but it's not working out that way. Tom says he's barely keeping his head above water. I'm gutted. Mm. Yeah, not good. (ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC) And he's not alone. In the Central North Island, larger operators are replacing locals. Three months ago, 66-year-old trucking contractor Vern Higgins made the decision to sell his Mack trucks and Murupara yard after 50 years in the business. How do you feel when you see this almost empty now? Well, you know, when you've done it that long... Be different if I hadn't been in the game long. I feel a lot more sorry about the place. Had you hoped to pass it on to your boys? Yeah, I hoped to work them into that, the ownership part, but it was no work for them. Vern says his trucking business was a good provider for him and his whanau, but the contracts are getting harder and harder to come by. I was only making about 20% of what I used to make. It was very hard work, you know, trying to make a living out of it. Would you say you're close to bankruptcy, Vern? Yeah, yes. A big possibility. You feel like you've let your family down when you haven't got a job ` which I haven't, and they know that. But you just feel worthlessness, you know? It's not just in the central North Island and the East Coast. Kaipara says he's heard concerns from other parts of the country as well. I've got whanau up north that I spoke to maybe three years ago, asked them about the FSC ` yes, they've heard of it. But it's the same thing there. they've got outsiders going in and taking all their work, and they're battling with the forest companies. But we've been that dumbed down and put fear into, we're scared to open our mouths cos we're scared we're going to lose the contract we already hold. You know? And this is their tool that they're using. And there's a sustainability issue too. Tom wonders how long the work is going to last for with forest companies harvesting timber at such a rate. He fears that pretty soon they'll all struggle to find jobs. We're heading for disaster. There's a lot of people here employed on the coast now, but it's sort of a false economy because it's going to come to a crash in a very short time. One forestry is going to finish within a year. That means a lot of truckies will be out of business. There's no coordinated effort to prepare for the future for when that happens. He and his whanau have become so frustrated they held a protest at the gates of Waikawa Forest last month ` blocking the entrance in a bid to be heard. If we took the bull by the horns and planned the whole thing, we can slow down some forestries, and speed some up and balance it out so that it lasts till the next rotations come on stream in 10 to 15 years' time. And there's enough trees now to be able to do that. But if we carry on at the pace we're doing now of stripping, we're going to have that gap. And it's just a disaster coming our way. The FSC certificate was meant to help protect the interests of indigenous communities, and appears to be working with First Nations people in Canada. But some on the forestry front line say the same can't be said here. It's obvious that the FSC isn't influencing the activities in this area at all. And I'd like to see them step up to the mark and make these forestry companies accountable. The rights that are there, according to the FSC, the United Nations, it allows us to take hold of our resources and make them work for us ` like the Haida Nation in Canada, where they've got full control of their land. That's their hope. But until that happens, they'll keep on fighting for Maori workers and their livelihoods. Well, it's got to change. And that's why we've dedicated ourselves to make the change. And we won't stop till it happens, you know? if they're not gonna come to the table, we will shut the gates. And we've never been hesitant in saying that. We will not be shy in shutting the roads. Na Ruwani Perera tera purongo. We approached one of New Zealand's biggest forestry companies, Kaingaroa Timberland, for its views on the Forest Stewardship Council. It says it's been FSC certified since 2003 and independently audited annually. Indigenous people's rights and well being are considered during these audits. Kaingaroa Timberlands says it regularly engages with mandated iwi leaders and representatives associated with the land it manages, in particular CNI Iwi Holdings, who are its majority landowners. Hei muri i nga whakatairanga ka korero ahau ki te minita whakawhanaketanga Maori. Welcome to The Hui, Maori current affairs for all New Zealanders. Auraki mai ano. Te Matawai, the new Maori language board, is just over two years old. The board is comprised of seven iwi reps, four language stakeholders and two Crown reps, who are appointed by the Maori Development Minister. So to discuss the progress of Te Matawai, I'm joined now by the minister, Nanaia Mahuta. Tena koe. Tena koe, Mihi. Kia ora. Kua rua tau inaianei kaupapa a Te Matawai e haere ana. Ko tetehi o ana mahi he ripoata tu ki a koe. Heoi ano, he aha nga take kua puta i tawa puare nga awangawanga nga painga hoki? Mo tenei tau, ko te tino aronga mo Te Matawai kia tau a ratou nei rautaki, me ki kia whakamahia. Ki taku titiro, ki taku mohio, kei te pai te haere o iti hua o nga rohe kia kohatu i nga putea, kia whakatupu me ki nga tauira, nga kaupapa reo Maori kei waenganui i ta ratou ake iwi. No reira, he mea pai tera; kua timata. Ko tona tikanga kia whakahoki te reo Maori ki nga iwi hei whakarauora ano. Ki o whakaaro, kei te pehea te haere o tera? Kua ra tana nga iwi ki tera? Kua tupu mai te hiahia kia ukaipo te reo kei waenganui a whanau, a hapu, a iwi. Ana, ko te tauira kia ata whakaarohia me mahi nga tahi te rautaki a iwi ki nga mahi kei waenganui i te whanau, me te hapu, ki te whakatupu na reo kei waenganui i a ratou. Kua rongo au ki te korero ko te reo, ko te hapu ranei, heoi ano, ki o whakaaro, e tika ana kia whakahoki atu ki te iwi, ki te hapu ranei? Well, ma nga iwi tera o nga whakaaro ina he wahi pai kia tupu kei waenganui te hapu, ma te hapu hei taki tera rautaki, a, waiho ki reira. Ina ka aro atu ki te whanau, he wahanga ano mo te whanau kia tiaki, kia maru te whakapakaritanga o te reo. Engari he rereketanga e waenganui tetehi hapu ki tetehi atu e panaki te koiritanga o te reo, ne? Mm. Tera. Me te hiahia o te iwi ki etehi o nga iwi kua whakatu he rautaki kia akiaki, kia poipoi i nga whakahaeretanga a hapu, a whanau ranei, engari kei a ratou te tikanga mo tera. E ai kimi arataki ma mua, heoi ano, kei te pehea te ako i te reo o nga mema paremeta o to ropu, to Ropu Reipa? Well, kua timata matou. Kei roto i a matou nei kahui me ki` ...atu i a koutou nga mema` Ae, ae, tera. Ko tona mai etehi o nga mema Pakeha, me timata ki te rapu i nga kupu, nga mihi, a nga pepeha kia tapiri atu a ratou nei whakaaro ki te whakatakoto o aua ahuatanga. Ko te tino tauira ko te Pirimia. Ana, kua whakaingoatia tona pepi hou ki tetehi ingoa Maori. Ana, kua hiahia` Ko tona tino hiahia ka tupu pai o tona tamahine i roto i te reo. No reira, he tauira pai tera mo a matou ne mema. Mm. A, me huri taua ki kaupapa ke, the Ministry of Education has closed down another Maori boarding school, Hato Petera. Ngati Paoa, I believe, has put in a tono to OTS for the whenua, saying, 'No to ratou tipuna i a take oha ki te whenua ki the Catholic Church.' Do we have to have a conversations about these lands, since St Stephen's, Queen Victoria, they're all apparently gifted lands? Ki taku titiro, ae. Me ata whakaarohia ano ki tenei kaupapa, we should really have a look at this issue, because too many Maori boarding schools have been closed. The Church is a key partner in the way in which Maori education has evolved in the private boarding school space, but they still own the land in many instances. And in this instance, with Hato Petera, that is the case. The Church, I think, will` Do they, though? Do they own the land? Well, the land was gifted, so it is certainly a point... For the purposes of education, so... That's right, but they still are custodians of the land, and I think there is a conversation that can be had around where the Church sees its contribution to continuing education, albeit in another form, and where they as trustees of the land may start to think about how they work with either iwi or, you know, groupings of Maori to further that ambition. But it is a conversation that includes the Church, and can't exclude it. Meka Whaitiri ` should she still head the Maori caucus ki o whakaaro? Look, at this point in time there's an internal investigation around allegations that have been made. It's only fair that natural justice takes its place. Meka Whaitiri makes an important and valuable contribution to our Maori caucus. So, you know, that will continue in terms of her role as a Member of Parliament, and the other issues are put to the side for the time being. As a leader, though, would you like to see her step aside until the investigation is complete? Look, I think it's too early to make those kinds of judgements. Natural justice issues should apply in this instance, where allegations have been made. I don't know the detail of those allegations. But once that investigation is over, then people can see what we really are dealing with. But I know that Meka Whaitiri, as a conscientious and hard-working member for Ikaroa-Rawhiti, makes a valuable contribution to our Maori caucus and certainly to our caucus at large. Tena rawa atu koe e te tuakana. Next, an inspiring story of language loss and reclamation. Ko Te Hui tenei te whakapaho atu nei. The month of September is Mahuru Maori, a time when many te reo speakers will attempt to converse solely in the Maori language. Among them will be 28-year-old former lawyer Piripi Winiata. In just four short years, Piripi has gone from having zero Maori language to speaking at a level many take a lifetime to achieve. Anei te purongo a Ani-Piki Tuari. (ACOUSTIC GUITAR) Ka tohi atu koe ki te tohi nuku ki te tohitohirangi. Kia hoaia koe ki te putikiwhara kia tiaia koe ki te manu rererangi. ...kua i Te Po Uriuri i Te Po Tangotango. (LAUGHTER) (UPBEAT MUSIC) (SPARSE ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC) (SINGS IN MAORI) Whakarerea, anei ki ana kua tikanga kore. He aha tera? Whaia te ara mama. Whaia te ara mama. Tena tatou katoa. (APPLAUSE) Kia hui roto, marama i roto. Tena te pou, te pou toku manawa, te pou enei korero hui te ara, hui te ara marama e. (KOAUAU PLAYS HAUNTINGLY) Rawe. Na Ani-Piki Tuari tera ripoata. Kua hikina Te Hui mo tenei ra. Newshub Nation's next. Pai marire ki a tatou katoa. Captions by Tracey Dawson and Glenna Casalme. www.able.co.nz Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2018 ALL: He mea tautoko na Te Mangai Paho. The Hui is made with support from New Zealand On Air.