19 September 2008

The Maori Party - Making Connections throughout Hauraki

Angeline Greensill – Hauraki-Waikato

The three most important things for many Maori whanau in Hauraki are to positively develop as a people, the saddening loss of land at the expense of the Seabed and Foreshore legislation and our country’s economic future, according to Maori Party candidate for Hauraki-Waikato, Angeline Greensill.

Accompanied by Maori Party MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Hone Harawira, Ms Greensill attended a series of community-inspired meetings held throughout Hauraki during the week.

“I was humbled to meet and listen to the many issues and concerns shared amongst the whanau and communities throughout the Hauraki area” said Angeline Greensill.

“The people of Hauraki - from the Coromandel to Thames, from Waihi to Paeroa, showed great generosity of spirit by opening their homes to the Maori Party”.

“We were overwhelmed by the range of issues brought to these important town meetings” said Mrs Greensill. “We were equally inspired by the range of solutions being offered by the community itself, such as seeding every new born child with $2000 in a community savings bank that would carry interest through until retirement, equating to a healthy amount to support their eventual superannuation.”

“A number of topics were discussed including the need for local training programmes based around marae; the want to establish native nurseries for learning and for employment, and the cry that the current plan of free-health care for children only relates to visits between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday, which is no good as children are sick at all hours and especially in the weekend. Concern was also raised around the rising fear of gangs in the community.”

“I met a Maori family who have prepared for the global market collapse by localising their efforts, insulating their home, channelling rain water, growing their own food.

“My hope is that these efforts will be replicated throughout Hauraki-Waikato and that in the process of finding basic and innovative local solutions, we are able to inspire the entire nation”

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