14 February 2013

Press Release

Minister congratulates Australian House of Representatives for Act of Recognition

Minister of Maori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples has welcomed the news that today Australia’s House of Representatives unanimously passed an Act of Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as first peoples of Australia, which also commits the next Parliament to hold a referendum with the intention of recognising their indigenous status in Australia’s Constitution.

Dr Sharples said “I applaud the commitment shown by Australia’s House of Representatives to provide recognition for the rights and status of indigenous people in Australia.”

“This is one small step on the journey to constitutional recognition, but it marks a significant milestone for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.”

“It was only five years ago that an apology was issued by the Australian Prime Minister to the ‘stolen generations’ of indigenous people, who, by various Acts of parliament were removed as children from their families,” said Dr. Sharples. “It was a moving gesture that touched us here in Aotearoa.”

“In this past five years, the Australian government has shown courage in their progress towards recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and I commend them for their commitment to seeing this through to constitutional recognition, which I hope will come in the future.”

“The news of the passing of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Recognition Bill comes at a time when New Zealand are currently in the process of reviewing our own constitutional arrangements, whereby matters of interest to Maori such as Maori representation, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi are also being discussed.”

“It is timely, and it is relevant to our own discussions here. I applaud the Australian House of Representatives, and extend my warmest congratulations to our Aboriginal relatives.”

“This is certainly a step in the right direction.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The 2013 Budget

Among Thursday’s main talking points:

We are apparently on track for a margin-of-error $75 million surplus, now in sight for 2014/15. But this sickly creature is hobbling out of the lab on the basis of all kinds of facilitative conjuring: such as trimming by $200 million the amount of new spending next time around.

With this strictly nominal surplus in sight, the 1984-ish justification for eternal austerity will have a news talisman: namely, getting Crown debt down to 20% of GDP by 2020. More>>

Budget Report, Lockup Audio & Images: Budget Day 2013 As always and especially after the managerial mishaps of the past few weeks and months, (e.g. Aaron Gilmore, the Mighty River Power share float, the GCSB mishaps) Budget Day 2013 was always going to be a pageant of reassurance... More>>

Budget 2013 Comment: Plain Sailing, But It's No America's Cup Pattrick Smellie: Compared to the last four budgets, this year's reflects an economy moving out of recession and into calmer waters... Yet if the fastest annual growth rate we can expect over the next two years is 3 percent - with the Christchurch rebuild in full swing - then you'd have to say New Zealand's underlying low-growth problem is far from fixed. More>>

Auckland Discord: Govt’s Power Hungry Housing Approach A Threat - Labour

Last week the Government said this, ‘The Government commits not to use any proposed or existing powers ... to override the council's planning and consenting processes’. But its housing Bill says this; ‘If an accord cannot be reached in an area of severe housing unaffordability, the Government can intervene by establishing special housing areas and issuing consents for developers’. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Housing accords legislation passes first reading - Legislation For Housing Accords, Land Supply - Housing package improves affordability, access
• Greens - Budget numbers show National’s failure on home affordability
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Budget 2013: Housing intervention needed
• Out-Link - Gareth Morgan: Response to housing problem limp-wristed
• Earlier, Pre-Budget - Auckland Accord announced

Extending Protest Ban, Relaxing Permit Rules: Govt Abuses Urgency To Extend Anadarko Amendment

The Government is trying to pass legislation under urgency which would make the Anadarko Amendment – which limits protest at sea – apply to an additional 1.7 million square kilometres, the Green Party said today. More>>

ALSO:

• Parliament Today - Parliament Resumes To Pass Budget Bills
• Labour - Government to extend protest ban
• Greenpeace NZ - Oil Companies Lacking ‘Expertise’ and ‘Financial Ability’ Set to Be Handed Drilling Permits
• 2010 image via: Pacific.Scoop - Media watcher gives NZ press nil score card for China oil spill coverage