Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Maori values a foundation for all New Zealanders

Maori values a foundation for all New Zealanders

Hon Tariana Turia, Maori Party Co-leader                                28 June 2008


Maori values and the Treaty of Waitangi are a sound foundation for an immigration policy which welcomes diverse cultures to Aotearoa, according to Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Maori Party.

Speaking this morning to the Federation of Ethnic Councils in Wellington, Mrs Turia said traditional values such as manaakitanga require respect for the mana of other people.

“Manaakitanga is also seen when our people as tangata whenua, the first peoples of this land, and as Treaty partners, take up our responsibilities as host to ensure that all peoples that make New Zealand their home are treated with fairness and dignity,” said Mrs Turia.

“The Maori Party came into Parliament driven by a vision for our land, which recognizes kaupapa Maori and tikanga Maori as a foundation which will benefit not only Maori, but all those people who lay claim to this country as their homeland,” she said.

“We absolutely believe that Te Tiriti o Waitangi is fundamental to good race relations; and we also know that there is significant interest and support from the many ethnic communities throughout Aotearoa for understanding exactly what it is that makes this nation unique.

“It is the constitutional significance of the Treaty that gives status to the Māori seats in our Parliament; as a legitimate means for Māori political expression to occur.  Interestingly, it has not been our ethnic communities that have been the ones to be so concerned about the strength of the Māori voice!

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Mrs Turia said last May the Maori Party put forward a Supplementary Order Paper to an Immigration Bill, calling for a cultural education programme for immigration advisers – including the Treaty and basic tikanga and te reo.  The party also proposed a Maori Immigration Education Council to oversee the programme.

“Our thinking was that we needed to develop systems for whanau, hapu and iwi to help immigrants and refugees in their adjustment to Aotearoa.  It was also about developing and valuing reciprocal relationships between Maori and other peoples who call Aotearoa home,” Mrs Turia said.

Mrs Turia said tangata whenua should be involved in immigration policy and decisions on multi-cultural legislation, and she congratulated the Federation of Ethnic Councils for their efforts to maintain the distinctive cultures and world view of immigrant communities.

ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.