Stories by Laura Bootham
News
Mayor wants half council to be Māori
New Plymouth mayor Andrew Judd is calling on the Government to change the law so that half of all councillors are Māori, saying the Treaty of Waitangi should be reflected.
Maori at risk in low-end housing: expert
Public health specialist Michael Baker says Māori are over-represented in the number of people who die in low rental accommodation.
Govt leaving Maori 'vulnerable'
An expert in Maori health and housing is accusing the Government of selling off a large portion of state housing, leaving Maori vulnerable and their health at risk.
Artist wants apology after work pulled
A Maori artist whose work was withdrawn from a planned exhibition after it was deemed too controversial is demanding that the Rotorua District Council apologise to her iwi.
Mayor defends vote against Māori ward
A collective of iwi and hapū have criticised a decision by the Tauranga City Council to vote against the creation of a Māori ward in the 2016 election. Mayor Stuart Crosby says the city isn't ready.
Contemporary Maori art finding voice
What is contemporary Māori art? The question was debated at the Toi Māori Art Market featuring art music and fashion held in Wellington last weekend. Audio
Students, whanau affected by course failure
The failure of a Māori performing arts course at a New Plymouth tertiary institute will have a huge impact on students and their whānau, education advocate groups say.
Some Māori 'sickened' by marina decision
Some Far North Māori say they are sickened by the decision of independent commissioners and the Northland Regional Council to allow an extension of the Opua marina to go ahead.
Call for more funding for Whanau Ora
One of the new agencies assigned to provide Whanau Ora services, Te Pou Matakana, says the social programme is heading for a catastrophe if it does not receive more funding.
Whānau Ora agencies unhappy
Two groups which run Whānau Ora in the North Island have joined Tariana Turia in criticising Te Puni Kōkiri over its management of the social issues policy.
Turia criticises TPK over Whanau Ora
Former Minister for Whānau Ora Tariana Turia has accused Te Puni Kōkiri of not rolling out the social policy properly - possibly because it did not think it would work.
Bay of Plenty council adopt Maori title
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has voted unanimously to adopt a Māori title. The name 'Toi Moana' will now co-exist alongside the authority's English name.
Progress made to halt development
The lawyer representing Māori living south of Whangārei Harbour says there could be a drop in the number of houses planned for land which used to be owned by a local hapū.
'Thousands less' for Whānau Ora work
The National Council of Māori nurses says some Māori nurses who work for Whānau Ora health providers are earning thousands of dollars less than their counterparts in district health boards.
Councillors motivated by fear - mayor
New Plymouth's mayor says district councillors who voted against a Māori ward were coming from a place of fear, and Māori have an equal right to be represented.
Iwi leader says councils behind times
Local government is archaic and 30 years behind the times in working with Maori and has little understanding of Treaty partnerships, Far North iwi leader Rangitane Marsden believes.
Māori honoured at Government House
At least a dozen tāngata whenua will be recognised as part of the investitures hosted by Governor General Sir Jerry Matepārae at Government House in Wellington. Audio
Former BOT continue "illegal" election
A group of ex-board members and parents at a Northland school are ignoring warnings from the Government and going ahead with an "illegal" election to create a new Board of Trustees.
Continued dispute over Northland kura
A row over the running of a Northland Maori immersion school has deepened with the school's commissioner releasing a draft report on his review.
Call for auction house to return taonga
A specialist in traditional Maori custom and the arts is demanding the return of scared taonga, or treasure, that have been put up for sale by the auction house Sotheby's. Audio
Fishing groups reject phosphate mining
Maori commercial fishing groups say they're strongly opposed to plans to mine phosphate from the Chatham Rise and say it could have a disastrous effect on future fish stocks. Audio