Just My Opninion

Why did members of Ngati Kahu try to put their oar in at Te One Roa A Tohe over the BBCs  use of the beach for their stupid Top Gear programme? The Waitangi Tribunal only recently rejected their claim to their extended boundary claim to include that iconic beach. We of Ngati Kahu have NO mana whenua there that does not go beyond a truck load of sand and some toheroa and tuatua. There are some in our Runanga who indulge in misinformation (they made an issue of Ngai Takoto's stance on the issue). Follow this on facebook. Eventually the four iwi who do have mana whenua met with the FNDC and the BBC at Korou Kore and resolved the issue of access. That's what sensible civilized people should do. Getting nickers in a twist is not how its done.

Our Haititaimarangai DIY is coming along beautifully. It may not have been possible without fisheries putea from our H. Marae 339 Trust and the log money from our Ahu Whenua Trust and recently (thank you) from our Ngati Kahu Ahu Whenua Trust. The foresight of those who began and worked hard for all this putea should be remembered. Most of us have passed on unfortunately. I'm still left and will see some of the benefits of their work. What we did, didnot pass without criticism from those who weren't involved and came lately; much lately. But let's not dwell on this. I look forward to the completion of the DIY. The critics of our past endeavors can stay away.

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I am simply amazed at the Novopay stuff up. Those poor teachers and staff of schools affected have my and I'm sure the public's sympathy. What a stuff up! So much for new technology; $34m of it! I began teaching in 1959 and finished in 2005. In all that 45 years I never missed a days pay. We began being paid by cheque in the post. I can't help feeling that this is a reliance on technology gone mad. Go back to a pre- Novopay system. Datacom wasn't broken was it? Incidently I don't blame Hekia Parata the Minister of Education. Novopay was set in place before her. In fact it was looked at during a Labour Govt and I suspect that it was meant to be cheaper and less reliant on human workers in the public service. It was a cost cutting measure. 

Good to see Shane Jones back in the saddle after being put off his horse because of some Chinese bloke called Liu. He has been found innocent of corruption. I see this Ngai Takoto chief as a future cabinet Minister at least. Compared to his leader Mr Shearer he does register with the public; both negatively and positively. Shane does not seem to come from the Cunnliffe spectrum of the party but in a partnership with Cunnliffe who registers even in the back benches, a Cunnlliffe/Jones combination is a winning one. But that's just my opinion.