Ae Marika! | 18 September 2012

Posted on September 18, 2012 by admin in Ae Marika

I’m a fan of Maori women having a bigger say in our society because when times are tough they can usually be relied on to help our whanau stay strong, but Paula Bennett and Hekia Parata are testing my commitment to this philosophy – big time.

A couple of weeks ago I mistakenly called the Minister of Social Development, Paula Benefit. That’s not her real name of course and you can be bloody sure that her slash and burn regime, including her latest attack on the poor, will do nothing to benefit the kids living in poverty in this country,

Bennett says her latest proposal will help people recognise their “social obligations”, but what it will actually do is cut people’s benefit in half if their toddlers aren’t in pre-school.

This from the woman who freely admitted that when she was a solo mum and life got too hard, she was glad that she was able to just drop back onto the benefit. Cute eh? NO!

The people who get hurt whenever benefits get slashed are kids, and poor kids at that. And in case you think I’m just politicking, please note – New Zealand’s Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty says there are about 270,000 kids living below the poverty line in this country. That’s one child in four, living in poverty right here in Aotearoa, and that’s BEFORE Bennett’s latest line in destructive legislation hits the poor streets.

And what about National’s other Maori woman, Hekia Parata, the Minister of Education? Her latest announcement has been an absolute disaster.

Last week she went on TV with Minister of Earthquakes, Gerry “carpers and moaners” Brownlee to announce an educational earthquake of her own – the closing of 13 schools in Christchurch and the merging of 18 others. No consultation, no community engagement, no formal warnings, just boom!!

Can you imagine how dumb that was?

I can understand her pulling a nasty little stunt like that on a decile 1 school in Moerewa – no votes lost in Moerewa. But to announce that Shirley Boys’ High will merge with Christchurch Boys’ High School and Avonside Girls’ will have to merge with Christchurch Girls’ – in heartland National territory?

And then, less than 24 hours later go back on national television to tell everyone that it was just a ‘proposal’ and that nothing was set in concrete.

I mean … how DUMB is that?

Kids in tears, parents in despair, and principals tearing their hair out over what ranks as one of the dumbest PR stunts of 2012, and the minister talking about it all like it’s simply a logistical exercise to improve children’s education.

I’m just glad that I got Annette Sykes in my crew. She was powerful at the Hui on Maori water rights last week, focused, clear, and on the mark.

Maybe Bennett and Parata are just the exceptions that prove the rule … I hope so.

AE MARIKA is an article written every week by Hone Harawira, leader of the MANA Movement and Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau. You are welcome to use any of the comments and to ascribe them to Mr Harawira. The full range of Hone’s articles can be found on the MANA website at www.mana.net.nz.