Weekender, June 13, 2020
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NEW ZEALAND MAORI COUNCIL: Executive Director Matthew SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2020 Tukaki came to Turanganui-a- Kiwa/Poverty Bay to speak about suicide, racism and Oranga Tamariki. Picture by Paul Rickard Maori Council visits Tairawhiti e New Zealand Maori Council held a conference in Gisborne this week to speak about what the organisation does. Matai O’Connor went along to see what it was all about . atthew Tukaki is the executive history of the NZMC. seeking partnership — that went on to Community Development Act 1962. director of the New Zealand “NZMC has been around for a long time. become the Declaration of Independence in NZMC policies have tackled Treaty Maori Council (NZMC). It has been popular at times and grossly 1835 which involved James Busby. recognition, language retention, fi shing M He came to Gisborne earlier unpopular at others,” Mr Tukaki said. “Busby didn’t care about Maori — he cared interest, papakainga housing, resource this week to speak about Oranga Tamariki, “Council of Maori came into being in 1831 about interests far greater than ours. management, land administration and suicide, racism and constitutional reform. when a group of Ngapuhi chiefs in the Te “ at was to establish trade relationships taxation and youth crime. It was a small crowd of about 20 Maori and Tai Tokerau, who had a problem with the that favoured the English Crown. Its court cases have led to legislation non-Maori at the hui but all the people in the encroachment of foreigners coming to the “ at turned into the Treaty of Waitangi in on fi sheries, forestry and land, electoral audience were part of the discussions. North, got together. 1840.” amendments, the claw-back of former Mr Tukaki set the scene by explaining the “ ey sent a letter to King William IV NZMC was set up by the Maori CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 SPECIALISING IN: Conditions of the colon, rectum and anus, Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy, Laparoscopic Surgery, Gallbladder Surgery, Laparoscopic Hernia, Antirefl ux Surgery, Obesity Surgery, Varicose Veins To book a consultation call 06 867 7411 Three Rivers Centre, 75 Customhouse St, Gisborne www.gisbornesurgical.co.nz Peter Stiven MBChB, FRACS GENERAL, LAPAROSCOPIC & UPPER GI SURGEON CONTACT 160312WE037J 32465-02 2 THE GISBORNE HERALD LEAD Here to AdvocAte: Members of the public came to listen to Matthew Tukaki’s korero about the diferent issues Maori face in Aotearoa New Zealand. From left, Yvonne Bishop, executive director Matthew Tukaki, NZMC chairman Henare Mason, member of the public Ria Akuhata, and Tuta Ngarimu who was the MC of the conference. Picture supplied The only Maori organisation that is a statutory authority FROM PAGE 1 a child shouldn’t be an Oranga Tamariki He spoke about his experience of being didn’t design.” employee.” at the helm of mental health and suicide Mr Tukaki said it was time to start the state assets on Treaty settlements and He said a “by-Maori for Maori approach is prevention in Australia during which time conversation about constitutional reform. broadcasting. what’s needed”. he was involved with the reformation of the “We had no involvement in the design and “We are an old organisation that has He explained the system of procurement structures dealing with these issues. that is why its time for constitutional reform. been around for a long time and we end up within government agencies and how it “At the stage before I took over in Australia, “One of the biggest issues is that it’s not coming back to life to push back against impacts Maori. it had the highest indigenous suicide rate in created by us. the interests of the Crown, especially if it He spoke about how organisations the world. “he missionaries were irst here and they doesn’t beneit Maori.” outsource contracts to seemingly- “Sadly that rate has been transferred here were governed by the doctrine of discovery here are 16 districts of the Maori Council, Maori entities which sometimes go to — Maori have the highest suicide rate per which gave them the right to ignore of which Tairawhiti is one. organisations that have just “slapped on a population anywhere in the Western world. everything we said.” “Within each of those districts there Maori name to secure the funding for Maori “Hauora providers get a lot of money, but Maori were not Christians which meant are Maori committees. he very basic initiatives,” he said. the suicide rate in New Zealand, especially they could disregard everything about the foundation of a Maori organisation is not “hat’s a reality we are facing here. for Maori men, has been increasing. indigenous people. those who sit at the top — the chiefs — it’s “How do we change the procurement “We are seeing a trend where Maori men “It wasn’t just New Zealand — it was every about those who are down on the ground system to ensure Maori receive the funding over the age of 50 are taking their own lives. country around the world.” who experience the issues,” Mr Tukaki said. directly, not indirectly through a third party? “We need to understand that mental health “We have a Parliament that makes up laws Maori are elected onto the NZMC every “Once the operations go through a third includes the issues that everyday life can and they get away with whatever they want. three years. party and it gets to the end user, about 50 create for people. “We don’t have something we can push “We are the only Maori organisation that cents in every dollar is gone. “It’s very much about things like not having back against. is a statutory authority and that is because “What does that 50-cents left-over in a job which can put you in a deep dive into “When it comes to the Treaty of Waitangi of the Maori Community Development every dollar get a whanau who are struggling depression. — yes, it is a foundation document but it’s Act of 1962, which also allows us to play with issues that those organisations are “his is a signiicant problem,” he said. not recognised as a constitution. a governor role when it comes to the New meant to help with?” “here’s an opportunity to organise, design Mr Tukaki said there was an opportunity Zealand Maori wardens. He spoke about how, if you’re a social and develop local community movements to have a national conversation on “here is a section of the Act, section 18, worker working for a Maori organisation, around suicide prevention and mental health constitutional reform because the Queen which is the section of intervention and you might get up to 25 percent less support. could pass away in the next few years. we’ve been using that as the NZMC, very than your counterparts in non-Maori “We need to ind a way in which Maori can “Other Commonwealth countries have liberally, over the last two years to push back organisations. trust what is going on in the room when they already started the process of moving into a against the Crown on pretty much every “here is a real problem of pay equity come to speak about how they feel. diferent system. kaupapa that is going on. imbalance. “People can help, but we can’t until we “Why are we not having that same “We are now dealing with 46 kaupapa “We need to re-engineer the procurement know what is going on. conversation? areas across the country, and that has made system to ensure it is equitable for all “We don’t look for support from traditional “We could wait for someone else to start us the most active Maori Council since the providers including Maori. A minimum of suicide prevention strategies because we the conversation, or we can start that 1960s. We also partner with other Maori 90 cents in the dollar should be provided to weren’t involved in building them. conversation with all of New Zealand. organisations that have an interest in the end-user. “If we could build a suicide prevention and “It’s up to all of us to have that getting stuf done.” “Listening to the people, not talking to mental health awareness programme here in conversation — it’s time for that to happen.” NZMC is funded by the Government. them, is what the community needs.” Tairawhiti, what would that look like? What Mr Tukaki ended the hui by saying the Mr Tukaki does not get paid for the NZMC NZMC uses section 18 of the Act to do you need here?” NZMC’s job was to take those issues Maori work he does. advocate on behalf of those groups. Mr Tukaki spoke about racism and said “we have and advocate for them. He spoke about Oranga Tamariki and “NZMC do the job our forebears always set all know what racism is — we live and breath “We are devolving right back to the asked everyone the question “what is the us up to do, which was to advocate.” it every day. community — if you have an idea that makes operating environment we are actually Mr Tukaki spoke about how he fell into “It’s not unique to us, it is a horrible thing. sense, don’t be afraid to put it forward. wanting to change within Oranga Tamariki?” suicide prevention work 11 years ago when “We often talk about how the system is “Come to our hui and share your korero,” “I’m on the record saying the guardian of his best friend died by suicide. racist. his is a symptom of a system we he said.