How the Treaty of Waitangi is determining the direction in which state-funded science will be taken (or dragged back?)

Buzz from the Beehive

We have come – or gone – a long way, in the past two decades. In which direction is open to discussion.  

Writing for The Independent Business Weekly on 22 January 2003, I noted how a localised Māori belief in a taniwha had obliged Transit New Zealand to stop work on a stretch of new expressway near Meremere for several weeks.

The Environmental Risk Management Authority was consulting people about ways to incorporate Māori spiritual values in a revised policy. The authority (according to newspaper reports at the time) might regard Māori spiritual concerns as sufficient reason for rejecting research applications for genetic research approvals, even if there was no physical biological risk.

A Biosecurity Council discussion document had set out a biosecurity strategy which called for the protection of land-based industries and the facilitation of exports and tourism as well as

… maintaining the relationship between Māori and their culture and traditions with ancestral lands, waters, sites, wahi tapu and taonga.

Responsiveness to Māori should recognise “the special nature of taonga,” the document explained, and it noted that Māori believed native plants and animals possessed spiritual qualities.

Politicians nail down a plan for the construction sector – and there’s a role to be played by social engineers

Buzz from the Beehive

Two of five press statements issued from the Beehive over the past 24 hours have a Treaty of Waitangi focus, two include the interests of Maori in their considerations, and the fifth mentions the presence of local iwi at a sod-turning ceremony.

The Associate Minister of Transport, Kieran McAnulty, was joined at the ceremony by the Mayors of Carterton and Masterton, local Iwi and members of the Wairarapa community to turn the first sod on a package of “crucial” safety improvements for State Highway 2 in Wairarapa.

The work which started today includes three new roundabouts, flexible safety barriers in various locations on the highway between Masterton and Carterton, road widening  and new signage.

McAnulty will be hoping his press statement is given a good airing by media in the region and that voters are reminded:  

“As the local MP for Wairarapa I’m incredibly pleased to see this work begin and to have played a role in ensuring the concerns of Wairarapa community are addressed.

Buzz from the Beehive – Mahuta tries to mollify us about co-governance by not mentioning it in her Three Waters statement

Just when you thought it was safe to talk about water and democratic accountability…

Yep. Along comes Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta – taking time out from foreign affairs duties, promoting and protecting our interests in the Pacific – with legislation to give effect to the Three Waters programme and governance proposals which many local authorities oppose.

Her press statement is a deft piece of work. It makes no mention of “co-governance,” “partnership” or “the Treaty.”

But not mentioning sharks does not mean our waters are free of them.

The govt has changed direction on Covid-19 – and today Ardern’s ministers are waltzing into global and transport issues

Just two weeks ago the prime minister was standing in the Beehive theatrette to tell the country the government was still aiming to return to zero cases.   This week she was promising a phased end to Covid restrictions in Auckland, under a three-step plan, which moves away from the current elimination strategy.    

She acknowledged the elimination strategy was coming to an end, saying it had served New Zealand well.

Since then, the PM has said Cabinet has agreed to the use of vaccine certificates in New Zealand as a tool in high-risk settings including large events and the government is consulting on their use in places like hospitality.

According to Stuff, Ardern today will announce plans to roll out Covid testing much more widely, on the strength of a report from Professor David Murdoch, of Otago University, who leads the Government’s testing advisory group.

Ardern is reported to have said his work will form the basis of “a new rigorous testing regime that will be central to our strategy to control the virus” over coming months. 

And about time, too, ACT leader David Seymour huffed:

After a flurry of wellbeing initiatives for Kiwis, the Govt lifts the wellbeing (and profit hopes, presumably) of Amazon movie-makers

The screen industry – or some of its more well-heeled operators – today learned the government is keen to improve its wellbeing.  This followed several blasts  of Beehive trumpeting about initiatives to improve the wellbeing and wellness of we Kiwis.

The announcements yesterday included the heartening news that the Government’s COVID-19 response has meant a record number of people moved off a Benefit and into employment in the March Quarter, with 32,880 moving into work in the first three months of 2021.

We further learned that

• More children will be able to access mental wellbeing support with the Government expansion of Mana Ake services to five new District Health Board areas.
• New measures are being proposed to accelerate progress towards becoming a smokefree nation by 2025.
• Aupito Williams Sio announced Pacific people in New Zealand will be better supported with new mental health and addiction services rolling out across the Auckland and Wellington regions. 

This somewhat suggests Pacific people in the Auckland and Wellington regions will be better supported with new mental health and addiction services, rather than Pacific people across New Zealand.

But hey.  This was a press statement, right?

Getting the numbers right in Genter’s drive (long-distance) to zero road deaths

Catching up on our ministerial press statements after the Christmas break, we noted a small glitch – which was quickly corrected – in something from Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter’s office.

The corrected version said the official holiday period had ended with nine people tragically killed in crashes on New Zealand roads.

This was three people fewer than the 12 who died in the previous holiday season.

The original version of the statement had said nine was two people fewer than the 12 who died last holiday season.