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

 

Honouring a revolutionary of our time

Hon Te Ururoa Flavell

Minita Whanaketanga Māori

Minister for Māori Development

29 February 2016


Honouring a revolutionary of our time

E te hikuroa taniwha o te whawhai mutunga kore: takoto mai, takoto mai rā! Kei te mōteatea te ngākau, kei te heke ngā roimata me te hūpē. E te rangatira, okioki atu rā ki te ukaipō o ō tīpuna.

Māori Development Minister, Te Ururoa Flavell joins the nation and Te Whakatōhea in mourning the passing of Dr Ranginui Walker.

“He spent his working life raising the consciousness of this nation.

“With his relentless research and sharp mind, he was able to articulate the wrongs of the past and champion a new way forward,” says Mr Flavell.

Dr Ranginui Walker was a leading academic on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori rights. He has been a prodigious writer, penning six books including the landmark publication “Ka Whawhai Tonu Mātou: Struggle Without End”, which documented the fight by Māori for justice and self-determination.

“We owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his prolific written record of contemporary Māori history.”

As a lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Auckland in the late 1960s and 1970s, he had a profound influence on thousands of students, including Mr Flavell.

“I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Ranginui for the impact he’s had on the course of my life. He was one of the few commentators of his time to put the injustices Māori had suffered in a way that both Māori and Pākehā could understand.

“His knowledge of our country’s history was phenomenal,” he says.
Dr Walker was politically active in the Auckland District Māori Council (1969-1990) and a strong supporter of the Māori activist group Ngā Tama Toa in the 1970s.

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.

“He was fearless and often controversial. His messages ruffled feathers but few could argue with his rigorous research and knowledge.”

Since 2003, he has been a member of the Waitangi Tribunal and has heard major claims such as the Whanganui case and Te Paparahi o Te Raki in Northland.

“At this very sad time, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to his wife and constant companion Deirdre, his whānau pani and Te Whakatōhea.”
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.