Coming up on Te Karere Over 150 organizations have united against the proposed bill writing an open letter to the Prime Minister to put an immediate stop to the Treaty Principles Bill. Kaipara Harbour is the largest natural harbour in Aotearoa with a 640,000 hectare catchment. The problem is Kaipara Harbour is facing a severe environmental degradation where 700,000 tonnes of sediment is being deposited into the harbour every year. Te Kapa Haka o Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti are in Paris as the kapa haka team dedicated to Aotearoa's Olympic Team. 30 July 2024 Tēnā koutou katoa, and welcome to Te Karere. Over 150 organizations have united against the proposed bill writing an open letter to the Prime Minister to put an immediate stop to the Treaty Principles Bill. Signatories say the Bill is constitutionally destructive and should not be dignified with a select committee hearing. Political reporter Te Okiwa McLean reports David Seymour, the author of the Treaty Principles Bill. Concerns over the proposed bill continue to grow. More than 150 organizations are fed up with Act's proposed bill which is why they've taken the matter higher and written an open letter to the Prime Minister to put an immediate stop to the proposal. The open letter to the PM asks that he stop the bill before it reaches the select committee process and that he stands true to his words at Waitangi where he stated that Te Tiriti is “our past, present and future”. My friend, that's not quite the whole story. That agreement is to review the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi that grants all New Zealanders the same political rights and duties and that New Zealand is a multi-ethnic liberal democracy where discrimination based on ethnicity is illegal. This Government is really dismissive of Māori issues from Te Tiriti, to the Foreshore and Seabed, to Māori wards and health. This Government is seeking to undermine that authority, that covenant. It's abundantly clear any law or legislation that has a Treaty of Waitangi clause attached to it is either being repealed or reverse but the Prime Minister has made it clear he or the National Party will not support the bill beyond first reading. That bill will be read in Parliament among ourselves and then it will be sent to select committee. Do you believe that will happen? That's what the PM has said, that's what I have said. I don't know who that letter comes from but the letter called coalition agreements takes more precedence. A divisive bill now in the government's hands to bridge the divide. Te Okiwa Mclean, Te Karere. Educators in Northland are pushing to establish Māori-led schooling facilities and authorities. A group from Ngā Tini Hapū of Ngāpuhi says members feel increasingly shut out of the existing education system and now plan to form a uniquely Te Tai Tokerau one. They've called a hui to begin work on the new entity which would represent Māori needs. The move comes as Te Pāti Māori reignites calls for the formation of an independent kura kaupapa Māori education authority. To other news and New Zealanders will be receiving a tax cut this week which the government is confident will bring down inflation. Around 3.5 million people will be eligible for the rebate, the amount differing depending on income and circumstances. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon promising it will have a flow on effect to strengthen the economy. The tax cut comes into effect tomorrow. Now let’s cross over to Green MP who is always ready tp talk to Te Karere this afternoon. Their name is Huhana Lyndon. Huhana, welcome back to Te Karere, tēnā koe. Tēnā koe, otirā tēnā koutou katoa i tēnei wā. My friend, there are perhaps four issues for us to discuss. Some of the leaders of the Greens Pacific group has stepped down from their roles. They have resigned stating one of their issues is how the Greens handles Māori women like Elizabeth Kerekere and Darleen Tana. Do the Greens mistreat Māori women? Yes, I can emphasise with the trauma those women have expressed in their letter that was read out at the AGM in Christchurch. But I will say to you that none of those Pasifika women called for a hui to air their concerns. The Pasifika members met on Saturday night. They met and they didn’t want to disclose that they would give a statement before the audiernce. I, myself stand strong within the Greens, and they are still there giving strong support for Māori activities, give strong support for the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We as women, and as Māori, are safe in the Greens. So, these Pasifika women from the Pasifika group did not request a meeting with the wider Greens to meet with you face-to-face? There’s nothing better than meeting face to face, right? Second issue Huhana, yesterday debates relating to the foreshore and seabed back. From what I understand there were also debates about section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, 3000 submissions have been presented how did the discussions go in the House yesterday? Yes, these disruptive actions from the Government. You saw what Minister Goldsmith had to say about the confiscation of the foreshore and seabed of Māori. Who fed the Government the lie that they have the ability to decide who has authority the foreshore and seabed? With the repeal of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act, discussions at the select committee have started. 3000 people have made submissions about this issue. What’s pleasantly surprising is the majority support the retention of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act to protect and look after the children. 3000 that's a lot of people. The councillor for Howick, Morris Williamson, really disagrees that some of the public spaces in his area should be given Māori names. What are your concerns with his prejudiced rhetoric? Mr Morris is racist. That’s what this Pākehā councillor is like. He’s also a former National MP as well. We want to restore the traditional Māori names into the region that were given by iwi like Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and Ngāti Whanaunga and others and iwi need to advise council on this matter. But Mr Morris is quite confused on this matter. He shouldn’t be doing this to Māori. Instead, he needs to promote and celebrate our Māori language. Furthermore, my friend, if we look at Māori names throughout the country, just look at how more beautiful they are than the English ones are. Anyway, that’s that. My friend, what do you have ahead of you this week in Parliament? I have a lot of things to do. Right now we are debating the final reading over the Māori wards bill. I’m so angry in the House, debating against this racist Government tonight. There’s also the law relating to gangs, which is set to burden te iwi Māori. And this week, there are proposed laws attacking and undermining Te Tiriti o Waitangi. That’s why I am a Māori member of parliament. It’s very concerning, what should do with what the Government is doing? Huhana, before we finish our discussion, what do you think about the public letter that 150 organisations has sent to the Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon calling on him to stop the principles treaty bill dead in its tracks? Yes, it is right that the community and Māori advocate that letter telling the PM needs to stop, what they're doing needs to stop and that it shouldn’t be submitted into Parliament. They need to set aside their coalition agreement and they should instead returnto and be committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. These National folk are saying ‘oh no, we support Te Tiriti o Waitangi’ but they are being two faced. So yes, stay tuned, te iwi Māori and the communities throughout Aotearoa are organising. The PM needs to be strong, as does National, in silencing Act on this issue. Thank you, Huhana for your answers. It’s awesome to listen to you every week to give your opinions about current major issues. Huhana Lyndon, Ngāti Hine leader, and Greens MP, thank you so much. Tēnā koe. Thank you so much. Kia ora. Kaipara Harbour is the largest natural harbour in Aotearoa with a 640,000 hectare catchment. The problem is Kaipara Harbour is facing a severe environmental degradation where 700,000 tonnes of sediment is being deposited into the harbour every year. Efforts to restore the harbour is underway with planting days a central part of the plan. Mārena Mane has more. A ten-year, 200-million-dollar ambitious program to clean up Kaipara Moana is halfway there. And it's a big day for volunteers on the Webber Farm who are also part of the project, planting trees, to stop sediment going into the harbour. Harakeke, kānuka, karamu, kohekohe, pūriri and karaka are all going on Ross Webber's place, he's been fencing off streams for decades but that's not always been the case here. In the 1970's the whole area was part of a government clearing scheme. The aim was to increase stock numbers. Te Karere reached out to the chairman of Kaipara uri, that includes mana whenu a for comment on the amazing mahi being done on the harbour and he has decided to not provide a comment. Webber is proud of the remediation work but does have fears about the potential effects of a new dump near the Hoteo river. In the meantime, progress is going well, and the project is half way there. Mārena Mane, Te Karere. After the break Te Kapa Haka o Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti are in Paris as the kapa haka team dedicated to Aotearoa's Olympic Team. Te Kapa Haka o Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti are in Paris as the kapa haka team dedicated to Aotearoa's Olympic Team. On a fine hot summer's day abroad, you'll find members teaching non-Māori how to haka and how to poi. Harata Brown has more. The descendants of Paikea have arrived. We have come here to this beautiful place of Paris, to showcase to the people here, here are some of the beautiful aspects of Aotearoa. We are here representing NZ, representing our NZ Team. It's like an oasis, a home away from home, we have come here to be Māori because wherever we go in the world, we are uniquely Māori. Twirling poi, poking tongues, showcasing aspects of home here in France. What they know of us is the All Blacks, so that's why we have come to teach them poi and haka, so we can make connections between us the Māori people and them , the people of France. Singing songs that connect Māori to the other side of the world. We acknowledge the soldiers who passed here in the world wars, those of the Māori Battalion, we remember them. So that our children can see that it's possible to be here, to be here at these types of events, and represent their people, represent Aotearoa whether it be through kapa haka, being an athlete etc. Indeed, this is Whāngārā Mai Tawhiti, showcasing Māori culture and people abroad here in Paris, France. Harata Brown, Te Karere. To Netball now and for Northern Stars coach Kiri Wills it seems as though the stars have aligned for her, as she received the call-up to lead the Queensland Firebirds in Australia. It's an opportunity Wills has leapt at. It's a chance for her to further her career within the sport after leading the South Auckland-based group to three Premiership grand finals over the years. Ethan Oneroa reports. She's clocked over seven years in the hot seat for the Northern Stars. But now, she's called time. Wills led the team to three premiership grand finals in 2019, as well as in 2022 and 2023. She's been snapped up by the Aussies; getting the call from the Queensland Firebirds to lead them, an opportunity she wouldn't deny. As she prepares to cross the Tasman, she leaves a challenge for Netball here. The grand final will take place in Wellington on Sunday between the Mystics and the Pulse. Ethan Oneroa, Te Karere. After the break we have the weather. To the weather now. That's all we have for today. Kia tau te mauri. Turou Hawaiki. Captions were made possible with funding from Te Māngai Pāho. Copyright TVNZ 2024.