From 17 To 4 Terrorists

Douible Click Image: Subversive Stuff

So; after holding ones breath for 4 years the terrorism threat is down to four. I'm not sure we can breath more easily. There's intentions of the four conspiring to murder someone but so far no bodies. The targets of this conspiracy are not known but how many of us have felt like shooting at least one of our politicians, and may have blurted it out while watching TV? And how about a referee during RWC not to mention a greedy or two in the midst of poverty? There's arms charges and a cashe of weapons that sound like Gaddafi discards in the desert while on the run. There's even molotov cocktails although whether it is a few beer bottles full of petrol or gelignite made on instructions from someone on the internet is not known. Honestly the "Keystone Cops" have nothing on our lot.

Our Judiciary have taken it seriously and have revealed their judgements. The evidence on the cleared 13 is "inadmissable" or more bluntly a pack of innuendoes illegally gotten by the Police (or was it the SIS?). They have been eaves dropping on the boys in the bush and in their homes and tapped their phones. As Tame Iti said; they could have just rung him instead of lurking in the dark. He may have invited them in for a cuppa. That's what another terrorist Princess Te Puea Herangi MBE did during the war when her home was under surveilance by an SIS agent sitting alone in his car outside her place.

Joking aside what happens next? We have to wait until February 2012. By then some of the facism displayed by those out to get Tame might dissipate in favour of picking on some other iwi. There's still those apposed to oil drilling.

Four Years Later!

Looks like Tame Iti and 3 others have to wait until next February for justice while all the other "Terrorists" are let off. The police and the government just don't want to admit that it was gung ho over the top policing. The Maori Party have for once gone against their Show Pony P.M. and suggested a Commision of Emquiry into the whole shamozles. Somebody's head should roll over this and I suspect it is a top cop. But he's gone already isn't he? Frankly its been four years of rank stupidity and whoever gave the order should front up with an explanation. I suspect some SIS idiot had something to do with it.

Really this stuff leaves me speechless. Tuhoe's relations with the state have been for 150 years the pits but you'd think the current government would stop it. Now we know that this is all part of a refusal by the Govt. and their faithful to give back the Urewera National Park. Do they fear a terrorist army being nurtured in the bush? Our system of justice sucks and it and the top cops are fast losing our respect.

Mate Atu He Toa: A Brave Warrior Has Died

"T" is standing 3rd from left. His lovely chidren are the two right of their Great Grandmother.

Double click to enlarge picture:

My Mokopuna Turoa Kaweka Johns passed away last Thursday after a brave struggle with cancer at the age of 23 years. For the last 8 weeks he was cared for in the Gallagher Hospice in Hamilton where we assisted in looking after him. His care there by staff was appreciated very much by whanau. Turoa bore the pain with dignity and without complaint and having his father and brother there throughout and the rest of us assisting helped immensely. Finally he died in his sleep and peacefully.

We called him "T". At his tangihanga at Waitahanui his friends from Toku Mapihi Kura Kaupapa in Hamilton, Hato Petara in Northcote, and Te Aute College in Hawkes Bay, as well as his partner's whanau from Tauranga Moana, and his mothers whanau from Ngati Tamatera, Waikato, and his father's whanau and many others came. It was the largest that the locals had seen at a tangi for many years. It is difficult to describe but the occasion was more a celebration and the rangatahi performed not only with talent but mana fitting the ocassion. Sad though the ocassion, we were blown away. If there's such a thing as a good tangi, this one was great and memorable.

The Taurawhiri I Te Reo have said that in spite of developments in Te Reo in the last 30 years or so, the reo is struggling and close to extinction. I didn't get that impression during this tangi. It was young people rather than old who got up on the marae and in the whare on the last night to korero and waiata. Even though it was formal, the young speakers were up to it. I will never forget it.

Na reira kua poroporoakitia tenei moko ki tona hikoi. Kua tangi nga tangi. Ko nga waihotanga ko ona tamariki tokorua me nga mahara noaiho e mau tonu ana.

Mana is about winning

So Hone won the Tai Tokerau by-election after all and quite easily as such elections go. It is likely that if the Maori Party had not fielded a candidate he may have lost. However that party decided to keep faith with its supporters regardless. At least that's what they are saying now. It might have been a wiser strategy not to stand all be it a convenient one. Now Hone is on a roll and his campaign into other Maori electorates could sweep the Maori Party aside. How it would help Maori is not certain.

The Mana Party has some policies on poverty, low incomes, and other negative statistical issues that should resonate with at least 25% of the electorate if they can get them to vote. But that is the problem. They have moved to the left which is what I approve of. I used to be a Labour Party member for that reason. I also tried as a Maori Party member to get them to adopt a policy on "full employment". And I meant for Aotearoa not Australia. I do think that the Maori Party has not developed policy on child and whanau poverty, low incomes and job creation compared to Mana. In this respect they need to hurry up if they are to retain any support. In retrospect they have been tarnished by their association with National. The policies I have just espoused do not sit well with the Nats and are no comparison to "Hobbit" movies.

I do have one piece of advice however for Hone. E hoa. Kia tupato. Kei hinga koe i to hianga.

Macsyna King and Ian Wishart's Book

Just as the Coroner's hearing for the death of the Kahui twins was in its last days, Mr Wishart reveals his book about Macsyna. Perfect timing! Garuanteed to sell record numbers of copies. If he can get book shops to sell it. If they don't there's Trade Me and Australia. In spite of the facebook boycott Mr. Wishart can get around the "lynch mob" as he calls it. However there's a potential problem, which is the aftermath of the Coroner's findings. What if there's enough evidence from the hearing to prosecute Macsyna? One has to ask why she wasn't at home at the time in question? Surely her negligence of the twins was appalling, unforgiveable and since their births regular. Whatever Mr. Wishart gets for the story, it will be dirt money and an exploitation of the twins deaths. Horrible. Free speech? No. Ratshit journalism more like it. One thing's for sure. Mr. Wishart has set off another round of media frenzy to equal the first one. It will add nothing to an understanding of child abuse. But then that's never the purpose.

Mana Party 21% Haua Hoki (Don't Know) 20% Lab 11% Maori Party 4%

Looks like my cuzzies in the Haua Hoki Party are running Hone close. It really depends on whether they bother to vote or not. Only 63% voted in Tai Tokerau last time and as this is a by-election the turnout is likely to be under 50%. In other words Haua Hoki means, "I don't know if I'll bother." Let's hope they do bother. It's no use not voting and then complaining about the result after. According to these figures therefore it's a shoo in for Hone unless my cuzzies get their A into G and vote. He might still get in however depending on who they vote for but the result won't be as the French say a fait accompli.

There has been some comment about the negative effects Hone's whanau are having on the possible outcome especially what happened at the Maori Party meeting at Te Tii Marae, Waitangi and what happened at my home town Kaitaia outside the Dalmation Hall as the Maori Party were going in to have their hui. However by election day it will be forgotten; provided it's not repeated in any dramatic form. The Labor % is not impressive; only 11%. They need at least half of the Haua Hokis. They have not polled as well as I thought after getting some good vibes on my last trip home. As far as Horomona Tipene is concerned he and the party have an up hill battle. Of those in the running he is the least known although not in the north. Also he has a very short time to impress the electorate. I think it's too late for him.

So who would you have voted for had you been living at home, Atihana? Eerr. Haua hoki!

Is Ngati Kahu's Claim Settled? Not yet!

What is the problem? Apparently the Minister of Treaty settlements is not happy with the "partial settlement" proposal that includes cross claims from the rohe of our whanaunga such as Te Oneroa A Tohe, Te Aupouri Forest and Maungataniwha. I can see where he's coming from. He wants a full and final settlement and so do I. We have wasted enough time trying to get one. Surely it was obvious he wouldn't agree. The proposal as outlined in the Runanga's mail out was chock full for a "partial settlement." Briefly the structure of management was as follows:

Ngati kahu Iwi:
Nga Hapu Me Nga Marae O Mamaru Waka
Te Runanga A Iwi O Ngati Kahu

Secretariat Management

Various boards and Companies

In the space available I can't do the proposal justice but already it is obvious that such a one will be unwieldy and costly. Since the Runanga has turned down a substantial financial offer ($23m?) as part of the claim then there is no money to fund this edifice initially. The structure could be simplified and the Runanga deleted in favour of a Hapu Council:

ie
Ngati Kahu Iwi

Settlement Trust: 7 members elected by beneficiaries Holds ALL the Assets And establishes and funds the electoral process. This Trust has a fixed term of Two years to do the job. It becomes defunct and assets become those of the Council.
Kaunihera Or Hapu Council Of Ngati Kahu:
Once established it receives all the assets held by the Settlement Trust; elected by the beneficiaries for a four year term: 12 Members: elected by the beneficiaries of each hapu marae and 7 elected at large by the beneficiaries.

Council Appoints the Boards, Companies etc and Employs the Management and Administration. Note: A Commercial Arm must be separate and its kaupapa must be "Business".

The negotiators must go back to the five iwi forum to negotiate these cross claims on the basis of whanaungatanga, aroha and kotahitanga not to mention good faith. Compromises must be made and egoes set aside. That shouldn't be too hard for people who purport to come from Te Ao Maori. In the meantime like I said the opportunity cost of NOT settling gets bigger each day.