'Paakiwaha' 18/05/2009

'Paakiwaha' 18/05/2009 - Monday 10am to Midday.
Paakiwaha is a weekly, lively, thought provoking and debate packed two hour current affairs program with a Māori perspective.
Paakiwaha is hosted by Willie Jackson (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou) and broadcast nationwide by Radio Waatea with funding from New Zealand On Air.
Greetings and programme rundown.

DRUIS BARRETT: Willie talks with Druis about the Families Commission controversial appointment of Ms Christine Rankin. They also talk about the reason's for Druis's resignation from the Family Commission, one of which was Ms Rankin's appointment. Druis' role on the Māori Advisory Board of the Families Commission was called a 'Whanau Reference Group' and she was one of six Māori on the Board and was Chaired by Kim Workman. Druis say's it's not right to have someone like Ms Rankin programming stuff for Māori after she made derogatory remarks against Māori last year and again this year.

MUSIC BREAK:

ELIZABETH McKINLEY: Associate Professor in Māori Education, University of Auckland and Director of the 'Starpath' project for Tertiary Participation and Success.
This years NCEA results have once again highlighted the gap in achievement between Pakeha and Māori students. There's a 79% pass rate for Pakeha, 52.8% for Māori and 47.8% for Pacific Island students.
'Starpath' is a project committed to help students from low decile schools make their way to University. Professor McKinley talks about the NCEA system of qualification
but it still has too many holes in it for Māori and Pacific Island students. Willie asks Elizabeth, "where's the real problem?"

NED WIKAIRA: Chairman of Ngāti Turangitukua Charitable Trust of the Tuwharetoa Iwi, is on a mission to find out why his hapu has debts of more than six million dollars that is growing by the day. Ned tells Willie about a deal that was put to them where they bought a 12.5% stake in "Te Whenua Ventures Holdings" and now find they were "ripped off", the deal was dishonest and basically a disgrace. Former MP and Cabinet Minister, Richard Prebble is part-owner and one of the Principal Advisors working with Te Whenua Venture Holdings that took the Trust's money and then went into receivership late January 2009. Te Whenua Venture Holdings planned to build a 2500 Sports Themed housing estate incorporating a five-star Fishing Lodge, Restaurant, Student Accommodation, 45 hole Golf Course, Golf Academy and Club House with two Hotels being built later.
According to the Director of Te Whenua Venture Holdings, Dickson Chapman, the development has stalled because of the Economic Recession and the Bank is still collecting rent from the land allowing them to remain in business. He is confident the development will eventually go ahead when the economy improved.

METIRIA TUREI: Green Party MP, talks with Willie about her Leadership challenge of the Green Party which happens in two weeks time at the Greens Conference in Dunedin, also about the Mt. Albert By-election where Melissa Lee of the National Party is also standing and about the Governments 50 million dollar Cycle-way being built in the South Island and will it be good for Māori Tourism and for creating new jobs. Metiria explains the concept and spin-offs for the cycleway.

SU'A WILLIAM SIO: Labour Party MP for Mangere will be a part of the Māori Hikoi on Monday the 25th May in Auckland. This hikoi, Protest March up Queen Street, is over the government's decision to overturn the Royal Commission's decision to have three Māori Seats in the Super City Council. Willie say's it's neat to have Pacific Island support over this issue. William Sio and Willie also talk about the National Candidate for Mt. Albert, Melissa Lee's outrageous comment about South Auckland Crime filtering into Mt. Albert through the new motorway.
William then talks about the Super City and the multi-cultural make-up of the area.
He also says if this National government does not recognise the Treaty of Waitangi and the Tangata Whenua, then what hope do other cultures have for recognition, especially his culture, the Pacific Islanders.

DAME ANNE SALMOND. DBE with DALE HUSBAND: Professor of Māori Studies and Anthropology, Auckland University, Author, and newly elected as Foreign Associate in the National Academy of Sciences for her excellence in Scientific Research ; These are pre-recorded Highlights from an interview by Dale Husband with Dame Anne Salmond on Radio Waatea's "Newsmakers" programme. Anne talks about her writing, the subject matter and her process of research and interviews for collating her books outlining the dynamics of early exchanges between Māori and Pakeha.

DUNCAN GARNER: Qantas Media Award winning Political Editor, with a Weekly wrap-up of Politics talks about the Mt. Albert by-election especially National's Melissa Lee's negative comments and the Christine Rankin, 'Family Commission' appointment by the National government.

KEN LABAN: Lower Hutt Mayoral Candidate, Prominent Community Leader and Sports Analyst and Commentator, with a Weekly wrap-up of Sports talks this week about the Super 14 and the Hurricanes game coming up, the Crusaders versus the Bulls game coming up, the Warriors loss, the Māori background of Jonathon Thurston a great Australian League player and Queensland State of Origin player and Ken's prediction of a Hurricanes, Bulls Super 14 final.

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