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The Maori Party manifesto for the humanities

4 November 2008

For more information on the Maori Party, click here.

Source:	Humanities Research Network

With the election looming, we asked all the political parties for their vision for the humanities sector in New Zealand, posing a number of questions from our members. Below are excerpts from the The Maori Party manifesto relevant to those questions, followed by a background paper, Arts and Culture Backgrounder: Arts policy (language, culture and broadcasting).

Policy Priorities: He aha te mea nui?

Early Childhood

Our priorities are:

Improve access

Education is not only a basic human right, but it is also necessary if we want to make sure our young people make good choices about their future. Children should not be excluded from early childhood education because of whanau employment status or ability to pay.

We believe in compulsory and free early childhood education from four years of age.
We also believe that the exclusion of play centres and kohanga reo is unfair and improper, and should be removed so that 20 hours free childcare be extended to children in these centres also.

Increase the supply of quality teachers

To ensure all children get the best possible start in life, we support a shift in the emphasis of education investment towards children and early childhood education, including lower adult: child ratios. In return, we expect services to meet the needs of Maori and Pasifika children and their parents, to be culturally competent and appropriate.
We will increase the supply of quality early childhood care and education services in low-income areas.

Improve quality and performance

To strengthen the delivery partnership with the Kohanga Reo National Trust, we need to ensure the funding and contract model is robust, yet accountable, but minimises unnecessary compliance. Similarly we believe that the funding and contracting model of early childhood education should be reviewed to ensure it is not creating unnecessary compliance costs.

Services that matter

Because providers like kohanga reo play an increasingly important role in delivering social services to whanau, we believe that a number of new services should be piloted.

Literacy and numeracy services to parents trying to teach children to read, write and count.
Puna Reo a iwi trialled with those whanau who are willing.

Education of the Future

To enhance healthy lifestyles, teachers in early childhood centres will have skills in health and physical wellbeing. Centres will be equipped with computers to support information technology skills. The use of the reo and dialects of Maori and Pasifika communities will be encouraged.

Primary and Secondary

The compulsory sector needs to be strong enough to equip students for life with a range of options before them.
Our priorities are:

Help young people to succeed

Too many Maori children are struggling at school.

We will establish incentives that reward school success and innovation in reducing under-achievement and disengagement.
We will promote whanau engagement by investing in communities and innovation.
We will reduce teacher-student ratios.
We will support professional development for teachers, particularly in cultural competency.
Fund schools to meet needs of high and complex needs students with a range of options including intensive counseling.

Increase the supply of quality teachers

Demand for good quality teachers, especially Maori language teachers exceeds supply.

We will promote participation in, and increase numbers of Maori language teachers to increase the level and use of te reo Maori at all levels.
We will develop and monitor a competency framework for Maori language teachers.

Bonding and student loan write-offs should be investigated to attract good teachers to work in to hard-staff areas.
We also believe the TeachNZ scholarship needs to be reviewed to ensure no students are disadvantaged.

Improving performance

Schools are essentially community based organisations, many of whom are large with strong organisational infrastructure.

The public needs to be provided with better information on school performance, including Maori and Pacific achievement.
The ‘enrolment schemes’ need to be reviewed to ensure children from low-income whanau and families are not disadvantaged.
We support a single, national qualifications system.
Invest in key support staff, such as those focused on improving levels of literacy and numeracy.

Iwi Service Provision

Because iwi are major contributors to the economy, and like everyone else need a literate and numerate workforce, we believe that a number of new iwi services could be funded or at very least, investigated for their feasibility.

Mobile literacy and numeracy services that can reach children, parents and whanau in rural areas.
Establishment of a Maori Education Authority.
Greater freedom to supplement Maori educational outcomes with whanau, hapu and iwi models of education.

The ‘Ratou’ Policy

People who have more knowledge of their history are much more likely to benefit from our increasingly diverse nation.

Primary and secondary schools will be required to teach heritage studies, which will include a history of the Pacific, in line with the aspirations of Pacific people.

Tertiary Education

Our priorities are:

Increase accessibility to tertiary education

Tertiary education is a front-end investment into the nation’s future and should be freely available to all.

To ensure that all people have the chance to pursue tertiary education, we will introduce a fee reduction policy to reduce fees to a nominal level over time.
We will also increase access to student allowances, by reintroducing a universal student allowance - which will be set at the level of the unemployment benefit.

Student loan repayment

Student loan debt repayments should only start when you start earning one and a half times the average wage.

There will be a five year grace period for repayments after graduation.
Student loans will remain interest free.

The cost of bridging-courses

More often than not bridging-courses at tertiary level compensate for poor quality secondary education. Young people should not be charged for these courses.

Remove discrimination

To overcome barriers to entry into a decent job, a review of racial discrimination in the jobs market will be completed. The review will also offer solutions for overcoming racism.

Improve performance

Section 159G of the Education Act, the principles guiding the operation of the Tertiary Education Commission, needs to be amended to include a reference to the Treaty of Waitangi.
We will advocate for increased Maori representation on tertiary governance bodies, including mana whenua and Maori student representation.

Industry Training

To increase the training opportunities and skills development of the Maori workforce, there needs to be investment into training offered by Maori providers. A greater investment in industry training is needed for those trades with acute skill shortages, including building and construction, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, welders; and in growth areas of the economy including IT and in creative innovation.
If iwi assets have developed in farming, fisheries and forestry, then priority needs to be given towards developing the skills of those already in their workforce, to achieve optimum results. It is about supporting people with the right blend of knowledge and skills.

We will invest in trade training and apprenticeships, developed and delivered in conjunction with key industry sectors, to upskill workers and address skill shortages, and to better enable industries to take advantage of skills training.
We support a retraining allowance.

Language, Culture and Broadcasting

Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Maori
Language is the key to Maori identity and culture.

Te reo rangatira is the most precious gift our tupuna bequeathed to us to protect, maintain and share with the world.

The Crown and its agencies must respect that hapu and iwi are the appropriate guardians of their respective reo - and the Crown’s duty as a Treaty partner is to assist and support the iwi and hapu to fulfil their responsibilities.

The Boards of Te Taura Whiri, Te Mangai Paho, Te Waka Toi, Whakaata Maori and similar agencies with responsibilities protecting te reo me nga tikanga Maori should be jointly appointed by tangata whenua and the Crown.

Government funding must be commensurate with the Crown’s duty of active protection of the tino rangatiratanga of iwi in respect of their taonga. The Maori Party will ensure the Crown’s legal and moral duties to protect and promote te tino rangatiratanga of iwi and hapu in respect of their taonga are also carried out by mainstream cultural institutions, eg TVNZ, Radio New Zealand, Te Papa, QE II Art Council etc.

The Party supports the view that TVNZ and Radio NZ should remain in public ownership, but show a greater responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of all peoples of Aotearoa.

The Party supports the current framework for purchasing programmes and broadcasting services through NZ on AIR and Te Māngai Pāho. Both agencies should continue to have a focus on Māori programmes and services.

The Party supports Maori broadcasting policy and resources being better developed through a co-ordinated approach with sectors such as education, training and business development.

The Party also supports tangata whenua having a more direct stake in the resources provided for the promotion of Maori language, culture and economic development through broadcasting.
Our priorities are:

Centre for Maori Language Excellence

Because excellence in te reo Maori is something we are proud of, we support the establishment and full-funding of a Centre for Maori Language Excellence.
Develop policy to address the cultural misappropriation of indigenous names and symbols.

Arts and Culture Backgrounder: Arts policy (language, culture and broadcasting)

Maori Party Arts Policy

- Our concerns relate to the structures and funding to protect and promote Maori arts and culture, the role of art in cross-cultural understanding, togetherness, collaboration, the role of art in educating, affirming and expressing spiritual connections, and the protection and promotion of cultural heritage.
- We were pleased with the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill that amongst the list of ten other amenities, we were able to achieve support for the Tamaki Makaurau Senior Kapa Haka Society.

What do you believe is the best way for culture and arts to lift Maori aspirations and happiness?

- We know that the arts are an essential element in the renaissance of Maori identity, the participation of Maori across the region, and the value of cultural tourism.
- The Auckland Regional Kapa Haka Competition always pulls more than 1000 participants, and thousands more spectators, the Manu Korero Regional Speech competitions draw thousands more, the ASB Maori and Polynesian Festival gets up to 100,000 visitors every year, and the Ahurea Kapa Haka competition, and the Primary School Kapa Haka competitions pulls thousands of more people.

Which areas does the party want to see boosted / decreased ?

- We support existing indigenous declarations, including the Mataatua Declaration on cultural and intellectual property;
- We believe that the use of arts and culture in economic activities should occur within an environment of cultural respect.
- While we support the Te Toi Iho Māori made mark of quality and authenticity we have been concerned that Government has appeared to be lacklustre in their response to addressing cultural misappropriation.
- We have confronted the constant diet of stories in which Maori concepts and symbols being misused, misappropriated, and mistreated.

the French owned security company which called themselves the Maori Group, because “Maori was a famous rugby name”;
the Maori Face Tattoo kit promoted on the American halloweentown store website;
the use of Maori designs by Philip Morris in their cigarette packaging,
a baker’s advertisement in which gingerbread men performing the haka are flattened by a giant bag of white flour,
the copyrighting of Maori names by Danish toy company, Lego; or the use of the so-called Maori warrior in a Sony game;
or designs featured in Vogue from Jean Paul Gaultier’s collection, in which the use of the moko is combined with images which are culturally offensive - a female model with a moko is posed sitting with her legs open - and other images convey a theme of cannibalism.

- The decision to shamelessly take the name of our indigenous peoples; appropriate designs that could be used for a logo; and to do it all without even the courtesy of asking permission is an absolute affront to our intellectual and cultural property rights.
- Yet despite the fact that Parliament last year, passed legislation to protect and preserve particular words and emblems that might be used for major events like the Rugby World Cup, the Prime Minister responded to the theft of the name Maori by the French security group, by saying, “There is no international mechanism which could provide redress to Maori."
- That is why our election policy states a commitment to develop policy to address the cultural misappropriation of indigenous names and symbols.
- We want to promote the development of mechanisms, both legal and policy, to protect Māori cultural heritage including matauranga Maori.

Broadcasting:

- The Party supports the view that TVNZ and Radio NZ should remain in public ownership, but show a greater responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of all peoples of Aotearoa.
- The Party supports the current framework for purchasing programmes and broadcasting services through NZ on AIR and Te Māngai Pāho. Both agencies should continue to have a focus on Māori programmes and services. We will retain them as distinct but separate funding organisations. (Te Mangai Paho was established to respond to the Crown’s Treaty obligation to promote Maori language broadcasting - to merge it with NZ on Air would be a backward step).
- The Party supports Maori broadcasting policy and resources being better developed through a co-ordinated approach with sectors such as education, training and business development.
- Today there is a network of 21 iwi stations, Maori Television and a pool of people working successfully in the industry.
- We want to see operational funding increased for iwi radio (iwi radio has operated on the same level of operational funding for many years).
- We want to set aside further radio frequencies for iwi radio. In 2011, licence renewals come up.
- We want to retain MTS as a public broadcaster and increase its operational funding (to reduce the need for it to be commercially driven - it is first and foremost a public broadcasting entity with the statutory function to promote te reo me nga tikanga Maori).
- We want to apportion part of the local charter funding that TVNZ received annually towards dedicated Maori language programmes. TVNZ needs to increase its Maori language programmes.
- We want to establish an experts group to review the quality of Maori language programmes being broadcast on TV and radio - to provide independent advice, peer review, and guidance.
- Centre for Maori Language Excellence. Because excellence in te reo Maori is something we are proud of, we support the establishment and full-funding of a Centre for Maori Language Excellence.
- The Maori Party will ensure the Crown’s legal and moral duties to protect and promote te tino rangatiratanga of iwi and hapu in respect of their taonga are also carried out by mainstream cultural institutions, eg TVNZ, Radio New Zealand, Te Papa, QE II Art Council etc.

Cultural Heritage

· We support the principle of repatriation - whenever possible, whenever there is a taonga of heritage value, our preference is to repatriate that taonga to Aotearoa, in order that future generations can benefit from them.
· We promote the continuing development of international standards to protect the world’s oral traditions, intangible cultural heritage, endangered languages and promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity
· We want to see customary practices supported alongside contemporary innovation and cultural advancement.
· Maori and non-Maori can commune, enjoy and understand how Māori culture defines and significantly contributes to this country and upon local, national and international stages.
· use of arts and culture in economic activities should occur within an environment of cultural respect.
· we support the continuation of Te Matatini;
· we want to investigate ways in which to support emerging and established Maori writers, artists and cultural exponents;
· we will continue to support arts and culture education in all schooling sectors and to support further curriculum development.

- Protection for Artists:

- While we supported Public Lending Right for New Zealand Authors Bill to help protect the special interests of our peoples, by making annual payments to NZ authors for the use of their books in libraries, we would also point out that legislation providing legal protection for traditional knowledge, should be introduced.
- If you go to the Huia Publications website, you’ll find 192 current Maori authors on their books alone; people who along with many others, have been writing and preserving our cultural heritage for decades.
- Maori writers have been inspiring readers and listeners for generations by putting their traditional knowledge into print, and their rights in respect of their Mātauranga Māori deserve to be protected, rights that the WAI 262 claim says, are guaranteed under the Treaty of Waitangi.
- Copyright and other intellectual property, laws do not lend themselves easily to the protection of the interests of peoples such as Maori, whose world view spans centuries, and does not necessarily insist upon individual ownership.
- We are the exclusive keepers of the cultural and intellectual property of our traditional knowledge, our mätauranga me ona tikanga. It is becoming of our role as guardians that we uphold our responsibilities and obligations to exercise mana motuhake in relation to our cultural taonga, including the whakapapa, mana, mauri, ihi and wehi of these taonga.
- As part of that guardianship role, we supported the Protected Objects Bill to introduce greater penalties to deter the possible illegal trafficking of Maori cultural material. Maori cultural material has rapidly become fodder for the global market. Indeed, the purchase price for taonga Maori on the international market has tripled in the last few years as the desire for acquisition of a genuine Maori brand gains currency.
- The roll call of celebrity wearers of Maori moko includes former heavy weight boxing world champion Mike Tyson sporting a facial tattoo with a distinctive Maori influence, American singer Ben Harper, and US pro cyclist David Clinger whose ‘moko-inspired’ tattoo from an Argentinean tattooist covers the upper half of his face and most of his scalp; and British pop star, Robbie Williams.
- We must ensure ownership of nga taonga tüturu remains firmly with mana whenua, the appropriate tribal owners, to protect the misuse of Maori cultural material.
- Aroha Te Pareake Mead, of Ngati Awa and Ngati Porou, played a leading role in the development of the 1993 Mataatua Declaration on Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- Recognise also the incredible work of the claimants from Ngati Kuri, Te Rarawa and Ngati Wai, Ngati Porou, Ngati Kahungunu and Ngati Koata who have put before the Waitangi Tribunal, the flora and fauna and cultural intellectual property claim, WAI 262.
- Our taonga do not belong to the Ministry of Culture and Heritage; they do not belong to Te Papa; they do not belong to museums, to art galleries, to private collections at home and abroad. We respect the curatorial guardians who have cared for our taonga - their research, preservation, security and possession or our treasure is appreciated. But it is about tribal ownership.
- It is our inherent right under article two, to te tino rangatiratanga o o rätou whenua o rätou kainga me o rätou taonga katoa. Our cultural heritage estate, our taonga tapu, are who we are as indigenous peoples, as expressed in our ownership, authority and protection.