Media Release
9 March 2004

Struggling Maori Need Opportunities - Not Slogans

New Zealand First says that despite policies designed to close the gaps and reduce inequalities, Maori are still languishing at the bottom of the heap.

“Maori continue to feature negatively in most social indicators, including educational achievement, income, employment, health, criminal offending and welfare dependency,” said Maori Affairs spokesperson Pita Paraone.

“They are also the highest users of foodbanks nationwide. The recent report on foodbank clients released by the Council of Christian Social Services confirms what we all suspected – there is a growing Maori underclass in New Zealand.

“This disturbing statistic calls into question the rhetoric currently being bandied about by politicians desperate for a headline. Needs-based or race-based makes no difference when you can’t afford to feed your children.

“Despite the government’s “good news” items on low unemployment and socially aware policies, Maori are still struggling.

“We all need to take a close look at what’s really happening out there before it’s too late.

“Current policies designed to alter the shameful statistics are simply not working. It’s time to stop the political point-scoring and get on with creating policies that provide opportunities rather than slogans,” said Mr Paraone.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>