King's Birthday Honours 2025: Hariata Vercoe recognised for 40 years of service to Māori health
Rotorua's Hariata Vercoe has been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to Māori, health, and the community.
'I was a bit shocked, actually,' Vercoe said when asked how she felt about the honour.
'I don't think I've done enough to see that
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NZ Herald
10 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Parliament votes for harshest-ever sanctions for Te Pāti Māori co-leaders
Parliament has voted to dish out the toughest Parliamentary sanctions ever to the Te Pāti Māori co-leaders after a fiery debate in the house today. The debate relaunched this afternoon after it was abruptly adjourned last month to give way to the Budget. Parliament's Privileges Committee recommended suspending Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer for 21 days and MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for seven days after a controversial haka in the House last year. Previously, the longest suspension in Parliament's 171-year history was three sitting days. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW LIVE BLOG ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The committee's recommendations were put to the House for debate where they passed - but only after acrimonious scenes. Winston Peters called Te Pāti Māori is a 'bunch of extremists' and said the Māori world 'has had enough of them'. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi held up a noose in Parliament, saying those in power had 'traded the noose for legislation'. Labour and the Greens MPs pushed fiercely for a weaker punishment. Green Party MP Marama Davidson said she believes the committee's recommendations were partisan and the House should guard against this. She said the Treaty Principles Bill was designed to provoke and threatened generations of 'fundamental relationships' between Māori and non-Māori. 'It was political violence,' she said, adding the haka was the least it deserved. Labour's Dr Duncan Webb said the Privileges Committee is usually bipartisan, but it is 'unfortunate' this isn't the case with these recommendations. He acknowledged there was a contempt of the House, but warned the sanctions proposed were 'inconsistent' with the principles of democracy. Act MP Parmjeet Parmar, a member of the Privileges Committee, spoke about the MPs approaching Act's seats and highlighted a hand gesture that Debbie Ngarewa-Packer made which Act compared to a gun. She said MPs can disagree on ideas through debate, rather than intimidating physical gestures. She said the House has debated controversial legislation before without that kind of behaviour. The vote on the sanction for Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke passed with 68 in favour and 55 opposed, meaning she has been suspended for seven days. On the question of Debbie Ngarewa-Packer being suspended for 21 days, this passed with 68 in favour and 54 votes opposed. The one fewer vote opposed reflects that Maipi-Clarke has been suspended and therefore cannot vote. On the question of Waititi being suspended for 21 days, this passed with 68 in favour, 53 votes opposed. The haka at the centre of the matter happened during the first reading of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, which was eventually voted down at second reading. The haka has since gone viral globally, amassing hundreds of millions of views on social media. Maipi-Clarke, Parliament's youngest MP, brought Parliament to a standstill when she began the haka while ripping up a copy of the Treaty Principles Bill, a proposal from Act leader David Seymour to replace the many Treaty principles developed over time by experts and the court with three new ones. Many perceived the bill as a threat to Māori and detrimental to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It was a catalyst of the massive hīkoi protest to Parliament in November last year. Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer stood up and joined Maipi-Clarke in the haka, moving from their seats towards the Act party benches. Labour's Peeni Henare also moved away from his seat to perform. Henare later apologised to the Judith Collins-led Privileges Committee for knowingly breaking the rules by stepping away from his seat, but said he stood by his haka and would do it again. The trio from Te Pāti Māori were referred to the Privileges Committee but ignored the initial summons to appear in person, arguing they had been denied legal representation and the ability to appear together. At the time, they promised to hold a separate 'independent' hearing. Te Pāti Māori have been defiant in their defence of the haka. Waititi told reporters on Wednesday afternoon it was not clear exactly what the trio were being punished for. 'Some of the House found it intimidating, some of the House found it exhilarating because half of House stood up. We don't know what the reasons are for the 21 days sanctions.' Waititi spoke with The Hui soon after the committee's unprecedented recommendations were released. He said he was thinking about the people who had entrusted him to 'represent them the best way I know'. 'And that is to be unapologetic, that is to be authentic and honest and respectful of who we are. We should be able to do that without fear or favour and be able to do that without being ashamed of being Māori,' Waititi told The Hui host Julian Wilcox. 'What I feel is that we are being punished for being Māori. The country loves my haka, the world loves my haka, but it feels like they don't love me.'
NZ Herald
10 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Q&A with Ockham Book Award-winning Rotorua author Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku
Curator, critic, activist, the first female Māori Emeritus Professor from a university – and now the winner of New Zealand's top prize for general non-fiction. Rotorua's Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku (Te Arawa, Waikato, Tūhoe) won the award for her memoir Hine Toa: A at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards last month.
Scoop
17 hours ago
- Scoop
Public Invited To Dive In And Share Views On 10-year Coastal Plan
Wellington City Council and mana whenua are calling on residents to help shape the future of the Pōneke coastline – a taonga of the city. Public consultation on Tātou ki Uta – the draft Coastal Reserves Management Plan – is now open until midday Tuesday 5 August 2025. Covering coastal areas from Oriental Bay to Red Rocks, Tātou ki Uta sets out a 10-year plan for how the city and its people will care for, protect, and continue to enjoy our coastal reserves, beaches, public parks, and amenities like tracks, boat ramps, and public toilets. 'Our coastal reserves are a taonga, a treasure, and their future management must reflect the aspirations of Wellingtonians,' says Mayor Tory Whanau. 'We've worked closely with our community and Takai Here partners to create a draft plan that is integrated and forward-looking. This public consultation is an invitation for every Wellingtonian to help shape the future of our coastal spaces,' adds Mayor Whanau. Councillor Teri O'Neill, Chair of the Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee, says it's important to have your say. 'Our coastline is where so many of us feel most grounded; a place to meet friends and whānau, swim with the dog, or take in the wildlife around us. We've heard how much people care about the dunes, kororā (penguin) habitats, and cultural stories of these places. Now we want your voice in how we care for these taonga for the next decade.' The draft plan includes over 80 proposed actions, ranging from practical upgrades like improved toilets and tracks, to long-term efforts towards erosion control, protection of wildlife, restoring Māori names to reserves, and planning for climate adaptation in high-risk areas. Council has worked closely with mana whenua partners Ngāti Toa and Taranaki Whānui to develop the draft plan. The name Tātou ki Uta, gifted by mana whenua, means 'all of us on the land' and speaks to the shared responsibility of both iwi and the wider community in caring for the coast. Rawiri Faulkner, Pou Toa Matarau, of Ngāti Toa Rangatira, says the coastal environment is incredibly important to Ngāti Toa. 'We welcome the opportunity to strengthen our connection to the places we consider significant and to ensure our obligations to protect our taonga as kaitiaki is enhanced. 'We invite the community to participate in this process and join the council in ensuring our coastal environment is able to be enjoyed by current and future generations.' Tiamana | Chairperson Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika Te Whatanui Winiata says Taranaki Whānui is pleased to be a part of a kaupapa that once again highlights the importance of kotahitanga. 'Kotahitanga is working in partnership to maintain the cultural significance of our coastal areas. Kotahitanga is having a shared view on protecting our coastal areas. Kotahitanga is sharing in the development of the plan for our coastal areas. 'Taranaki Whānui is delighted with the expressions of kotahitanga with the Council and we look forward to more opportunities to collaborate.' Public consultation is open from Thursday 5 June to midday Tuesday 5 August 2025. You can have your say by: Completing the online survey at Filling out a paper submission form available online and at all Council libraries. Emailing coastalplan@ The full draft plan is available to read on Let's Talk or you can find a copy in Te Awe Library. Whether you're a surfer, swimmer, diver, dog walker, jogger, environmentalist, community volunteer, or a proud Wellingtonian, this plan is for everyone – and we want to know if we've got it right.
