Ae Marika | 13 March | MP Hone Harawira

Posted on March 12, 2012 by admin in Ae Marika

Last week the Let’s Flog off Our State Assets Bill (otherwise known as the Mixed Ownership Model Bill), squeaked past at first reading 61-60. The Maori Party spoke against it although party stalwarts would have been embarrassed by Pita Sharples’ rambling and disjointed delivery. One MP called it “the worse speech I’ve heard since he (Sharples) sold Maori out on the Marine and Coastal Area Bill last year”.

The speaker tried to stop me referring to notes I’d prepared for my speech which was based on my Open Letter to Overseas Investors, warning them not to buy into assets which had yet to be settled through the Treaty claims process. My thanks to Metiria and Tariana for speaking up in my defence.

Then on Saturday I marched with the Port workers and on Sunday I ran into the chairman of the Board of the Ports of Auckland. Geez – talk about contradictions – workers and bosses, the salt of the earth and the scum of the earth …

Anyway, the Board chairman seemed a nice enough guy but too fixated on so-called intimidation from some of the union members to workers the Ports had signed up under Independent Employment Agreements.

But I actually understand why the union guys don’t like the IEA’s. The Port is manned by a highly skilled workforce doing a very technical, high-paced and dangerous job. They have developed a good safety and health record, and are obviously very supportive of one another. Into that environment the Board starts hiring guys on contracts that have none of the conditions won by the unions to protect safety standards and worker security – and expects the union guys to accept them.

No wonder the union boys don’t like them. Anyway the fight goes on.

Yesterday the Kohanga Reo claim came up before the Waitangi Tribunal. Its due to run for two weeks, and it’s a challenge to government to properly fund Kohanga Reo as the foundation of Maori language development rather than just as an early childhood centre. Matiu Kingi from the Far North is speaking on our behalf on Friday, so tell the whanau down Poneke to go and support him.

And at 9.30am this morning Sir Graham Latimer, the New Zealand Maori Council, and others, are seeking an urgent hearing to stop the sale of power generating state owned assets, as well as a resolution on the ownership of water in Aotearoa. The Crown is opposing the claim because they say they’ve already got a deal with iwi leaders over water. Meinga meinga … Is that so? How many of you out there knew the iwi leaders had done a deal?

Thankfully I can report that the Tai Tokerau ones have lined up alongside The NZMC. Those backing the Crown at the moment are Mark Solomon, Tumu Te Heuheu and my old schoolmate Tuku Morgan (who’s in a fight to hang on to his Tainui crown at the moment).

Anyway, good luck to those spearheading both claims. Based as they are around Reo Maori and Wai Maori, both claims are fundamental to Maori progress into the future.