Ae Marika! 16 April 2013

Posted on April 16, 2013 by admin in Ae Marika

I get requests for assistance from as far away as Hong Kong and California, and not just from Maori either. They come from Pakeha, Pacifica and every other ethnic group you can think of … including Tarara!

It’s almost impossible for me to deal with them all because my primary constituency is Maori, and more specifically those Maori living in my electorate which runs from Te Reinga in the north all the way down to West Auckland – Kelston to the Cape.

But I’m lucky enough to have dedicated staff (underpaid and overworked) in Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Whangarei, North Shore and Henderson who go way outside the boundaries to help people in need. And every week I try to put myself into at least one of those areas to work with families in need, or meet with community groups, or talk to senior Maori students from secondary schools and wharekura. So, unlike most MPs, I have an intimate and regular working knowledge of the needs of people living in such widely diverse places as the densely packed urban areas like Te Atatu, Massey, Birkenhead and Northcote, right through to isolated rural areas like Mitimiti, Te Hapua, Kenana, and Pouto.

So when I say things are grim I’m not just trying to score political points, I’m trying to highlight areas where people are genuinely suffering. And when I see people doing good things I try to support them too.

Here in the far north we are well served in terms of health with two Maori health agencies – Te Hauora o Te Hiku o Te Ika, which has established a well-run, Maori focussed medical clinic including its own pharmacy, dental service and outlying clinics. And then of course we also have Te Kohanga Whakaora, the newly established medical practice run by Dr Lance O’Sullivan who has already established national fame for his public statements on poverty, rheumatic fever, and his willingness to put the needs of his patients first and their ability to pay second.

On the weekend I came across another guy also doing wonderful work. Shane Ngatai is the principal of Rhode St Primary School in Hamilton where they have established vegetable gardens and developed hydroponics, orchards, compost systems and a full commercial kitchen where every week one class sets the menus, picks, prepares and cooks breakfasts and lunches to sell to students. I was actually at his school a few years back so it was really good to see how things have flourished. For the last couple of years they have also run their own kai festival (the last one made $45,000) and what they do they do so well that they’re regularly hosting other schools and groups wanting to learn what the success factor is.

From what I’ve seen over the years, successful community projects come from one of two places (1) somebody with a lot of money or (2) strong and visionary leaders backed by communities who buy into the vision and take ownership of it.

We’ve actually got that kind of leadership here in the far north. Let’s start backin’ ourselves to make things happen.

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.