Empowerment and partnership – both concepts come into the considerations of Ardern’s Treaty-sensitive government

Buzz from the Beehive

“Empowerment” is a bit like “Treaty partnership”. Just a decade or so ago you would rarely have heard of it.  

Since then, its use has burgeoned and its meaning – like the meaning of the Treaty of Waitangi’s three simple clauses – has evolved to be applied to whatever the government wants to validate. 

In a book titled Empowerment: The History of a Key Concept in Contemporary Development Discourse, Anne-Emmanuelle Calvès writes:

Since the late 1970s, the term “empowerment” has been liberally applied by academics and aid workers in the English-speaking world, including in social services, social psychology, public health, adult literacy and community development (Simon 1994).

Today the word is even more in vogue and has even entered the worlds of politics and business. From popular psychology to self-help, the infatuation with empowerment in the English-speaking world appears boundless: in 1997 there was even a book published in the United States on “self-empowerment” for dogs (Wise 2005).

This infatuation no doubt has infected the mindset of members of the Ardern ministerial team, because we noted this headline on one of the latest press statements posted on the Beehive website – 

Whoa there – the Govt’s Clean Car scheme has gone into overdrive, leaving an unexpected fare (it seems) for taxpayers to pay

Buzz from the Beehive

The Beehive’s on-line bulletin board today brings news of another Minister headed overseas for very important business, another Māori housing project getting under way with the help of millions of government dollars, and beneficiaries being enabled by our beneficent government to beat inflation.

The travel plans unveiled were those of Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Phil Twyford, who will lead New Zealand’s delegation to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference at the United Nations in New York.

News of the urban Māori housing development – on land that has been blessed and  the sod turned in Mt Wellington, Auckland – was trumpeted by Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson, who  congratulated Tauhara North No 2 Trust on a project that will comprise 30 apartments.

The Government has invested $12.31 million, through its Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga programme, to support the $25 million development. Of this, $4.8 million has been funded through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s Māori Infrastructure Fund.

Then came news of a report which shows Government support has lifted incomes for beneficiaries by 40 per cent over and above inflation since 2018.

The report takes into account inflation data from up to March 2022 and reports a 43 percent rise in After Housing Cost incomes, said Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni.

Buzz from the Beehive – ministers bray about the millions being dispensed for housing (subject to ethnicity) and cultural venues

While the Minister of Housing and her Māori Housing associate were dispensing favours as part of a race-focussed housing initiative for which they are responsible, Kiri Allan was inviting  appropriately cultured oinkers to a trough replenished with $13 million of slops.

She described it as a contestable fund, which means there will be some jostling for a share of the goodies, but first in will not necessarily be served.

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan was of a charitable disposition, too.  She announced that following a comprehensive review of the Charities Act, the Government is moving ahead with changes to modernise the legislation that will increase transparency for the public, improve access to justice services and reduce the burden on smaller charities.

The changes will include reduced reporting requirements for very small charities, increased transparency on accumulated funds and a more accessible tribunal for charities that want to appeal decisions.

Buzz from the Beehive – and Kiri Allan (a few days after its passage) enthuses about new Matariki law

Here’s what our Ministers have been up to since Friday (at least, here’s what they have proclaimed, announced or disclosed in press statements).

It looks like Labour’s Māori Caucus has notched up another policy success.   One of the two press statements – posted this morning – relates to the legislation that establishes a Matariki public holiday. (The other statement deals with a further Māori housing development).

The Matariki bill was passed in Parliament last Thursday.  At first blush, it seems Kiri Allan, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, needed a few days to think about what the new law will do.  But she emailed the same statement to Point of Order on April 7.  Someone (it seems) was tardy about posting the statement on The Beehive website..

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11 APRIL 2022

Matariki public holiday to play starring role

In just over two months Aotearoa New Zealand will, for the first time, officially commemorate Matariki with a public holiday.

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Government funding supports iwi-led affordable housing on whenua Māori

Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare this morning joined partners Toitū Tairāwhiti to open a newly built home for a whānau of 10 at Te Karaka, the fourth of twenty five homes to be delivered in the Tairāwhiti region as part of the Government’s MAIHI Partnerships Programme.