Latest news with #Tiriti
Scoop
4 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
CAMA Calls For Fair And Future-Proof Radio Spectrum Access
Press Release – Community Access Media Alliance While MBIEs review largely focuses on commercial licence holders, CAMA warns that indirect consequences, such as pricing changes or lost access to reserved spectrum, could jeopardise the viability of its member organisations, particularly amid rising … The Community Access Media Alliance (CAMA) is urging the Government to safeguard non-commercial broadcasters in the upcoming reassignment of AM/FM radio spectrum, as all existing licences expire in 2031. In a submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE), CAMA has called for long-term, affordable, and equitable spectrum access for Aotearoa's 12 Community Access Media organisations. These stations serve as a public-interest vehicle for content made by, for, and about underrepresented groups. 'These are not just frequencies, they are lifelines for Māori, Pacific, migrant, disabled, rural, and multilingual communities who are too often overlooked by mainstream media,' says CAMA Chair Phil Grey. The submission supports differentiated policy settings for non-commercial broadcasters, including: 20-year or longer licence durations to enable long-term investment and planning; Exemptions from commercial pricing models, recognising the unique role of public-interest media; Retention, expansion and access to reserved spectrum in-kind, for public-serving non-commercial broadcasters; and A 'public interest broadcaster' category for public-mandated, non-commercial media organisations. While MBIE's review largely focuses on commercial licence holders, CAMA warns that indirect consequences, such as pricing changes or lost access to reserved spectrum, could jeopardise the viability of its member organisations, particularly amid rising operational costs and limited funding. 'Our stations are already providing essential services, from emergency broadcasts to multilingual programming and programming by groups with no access to media services – and on shoestring budgets,' says Grey. 'They should not be penalised by commercial models that fail to reflect their social value. This is an issue of historical, cultural, and democratic importance'. CAMA's submission draws on international examples, including UNESCO guidance, that recognise the importance of sustainable financing and spectrum access for community broadcasters as vital pillars of democratic infrastructure. Grey says the review also offers an opportunity: 'If we get this right, we can future-proof the sector for the next generation, ensure Aotearoa honours its Tiriti obligations, and protect access to information for all communities – not just those with commercial clout.' CAMA is calling on MBIE to work alongside the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, NZ On Air, Te Māngai Pāho, and Te Puni Kōkiri to deliver a joined-up approach to policy, pricing, and spectrum planning that reflects the real-world needs of non-commercial broadcasters.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
CAMA Calls For Fair And Future-Proof Radio Spectrum Access
Press Release – Community Access Media Alliance While MBIEs review largely focuses on commercial licence holders, CAMA warns that indirect consequences, such as pricing changes or lost access to reserved spectrum, could jeopardise the viability of its member organisations, particularly amid rising … The Community Access Media Alliance (CAMA) is urging the Government to safeguard non-commercial broadcasters in the upcoming reassignment of AM/FM radio spectrum, as all existing licences expire in 2031. In a submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE), CAMA has called for long-term, affordable, and equitable spectrum access for Aotearoa's 12 Community Access Media organisations. These stations serve as a public-interest vehicle for content made by, for, and about underrepresented groups. 'These are not just frequencies, they are lifelines for Māori, Pacific, migrant, disabled, rural, and multilingual communities who are too often overlooked by mainstream media,' says CAMA Chair Phil Grey. The submission supports differentiated policy settings for non-commercial broadcasters, including: 20-year or longer licence durations to enable long-term investment and planning; Exemptions from commercial pricing models, recognising the unique role of public-interest media; Retention, expansion and access to reserved spectrum in-kind, for public-serving non-commercial broadcasters; and A 'public interest broadcaster' category for public-mandated, non-commercial media organisations. While MBIE's review largely focuses on commercial licence holders, CAMA warns that indirect consequences, such as pricing changes or lost access to reserved spectrum, could jeopardise the viability of its member organisations, particularly amid rising operational costs and limited funding. 'Our stations are already providing essential services, from emergency broadcasts to multilingual programming and programming by groups with no access to media services – and on shoestring budgets,' says Grey. 'They should not be penalised by commercial models that fail to reflect their social value. This is an issue of historical, cultural, and democratic importance'. CAMA's submission draws on international examples, including UNESCO guidance, that recognise the importance of sustainable financing and spectrum access for community broadcasters as vital pillars of democratic infrastructure. Grey says the review also offers an opportunity: 'If we get this right, we can future-proof the sector for the next generation, ensure Aotearoa honours its Tiriti obligations, and protect access to information for all communities – not just those with commercial clout.' CAMA is calling on MBIE to work alongside the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, NZ On Air, Te Māngai Pāho, and Te Puni Kōkiri to deliver a joined-up approach to policy, pricing, and spectrum planning that reflects the real-world needs of non-commercial broadcasters.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
CAMA Calls For Fair And Future-Proof Radio Spectrum Access
The Community Access Media Alliance (CAMA) is urging the Government to safeguard non-commercial broadcasters in the upcoming reassignment of AM/FM radio spectrum, as all existing licences expire in 2031. In a submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE), CAMA has called for long-term, affordable, and equitable spectrum access for Aotearoa's 12 Community Access Media organisations. These stations serve as a public-interest vehicle for content made by, for, and about underrepresented groups. 'These are not just frequencies, they are lifelines for Māori, Pacific, migrant, disabled, rural, and multilingual communities who are too often overlooked by mainstream media,' says CAMA Chair Phil Grey. The submission supports differentiated policy settings for non-commercial broadcasters, including: 20-year or longer licence durations to enable long-term investment and planning; Exemptions from commercial pricing models, recognising the unique role of public-interest media; Retention, expansion and access to reserved spectrum in-kind, for public-serving non-commercial broadcasters; and A 'public interest broadcaster' category for public-mandated, non-commercial media organisations. While MBIE's review largely focuses on commercial licence holders, CAMA warns that indirect consequences, such as pricing changes or lost access to reserved spectrum, could jeopardise the viability of its member organisations, particularly amid rising operational costs and limited funding. 'Our stations are already providing essential services, from emergency broadcasts to multilingual programming and programming by groups with no access to media services - and on shoestring budgets,' says Grey. 'They should not be penalised by commercial models that fail to reflect their social value. This is an issue of historical, cultural, and democratic importance'. CAMA's submission draws on international examples, including UNESCO guidance, that recognise the importance of sustainable financing and spectrum access for community broadcasters as vital pillars of democratic infrastructure. Grey says the review also offers an opportunity: 'If we get this right, we can future-proof the sector for the next generation, ensure Aotearoa honours its Tiriti obligations, and protect access to information for all communities – not just those with commercial clout.' CAMA is calling on MBIE to work alongside the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, NZ On Air, Te Māngai Pāho, and Te Puni Kōkiri to deliver a joined-up approach to policy, pricing, and spectrum planning that reflects the real-world needs of non-commercial broadcasters.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Green Party Condemns Decision To Suspend Te Pāti Māori Members
The Green Party condemns the unprecedented decision to suspend Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi for 21 days, and MP for Hauraki-Waikato Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for 7 days. 'This decision is a disgrace and so is this Tiriti trampling Government," says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. 'Te Tiriti o Waitangi promises protection for people and planet. We've seen hundreds of thousands of people show up in support of te Tiriti, and today Te Pāti Māori members have been severely punished for doing so. 'The severity of the punishment sought by the Privileges Committee was unprecedented and has raised serious concerns on whether this is a new standard that will only apply when haka, waiata, and other tikanga Māori are expressed in the House. 'There was a better way of dealing with this. We must find ways to incorporate the tikanga this country was founded on into our House of Parliament. Instead, Māori have been punished for using tikanga Māori to challenge the Treaty Principles Bill – one of the most divisive pieces of legislation we have seen. 'When those with assumed power think their privilege is under threat, there is a tendency to scream victim. One needn't feel intimidated by the power of upholding te mana i te Tiriti o Waitangi in the face of futile attempts to denigrate it. 'These consensus ignoring, Tiriti trampling, democracy mocking, narrowly supported recommendations from the Privileges Committee bring this House into more disrepute than any haka ever has,' says Marama Davidson.
The Spinoff
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
What was Chris Bishop thinking? An earnest attempt to figure it out
It's an objectively crazy way to behave. But I kind of get it, writes Duncan Greive. This time last week, Chris Bishop was having an awesome day. A massive NZ music fan, heading to the big awards show – a great night ahead of him. I saw him there, standing alongside his colleague Paul Goldsmith, next to the bar during the intermission. Bishop looked like he was having an excellent time, though to be fair everyone did – the awards are huge and informal and a great night out. As we now know, the fun wouldn't last for Bishop. Within a couple of hours he'd muttered derisively during a performance by Stan Walker and had a confrontation with Don McGlashan, a singer and songwriter so universally beloved that both Newstalk ZB and RNZ, which agree on very little, describe him as a national treasure. By the following day, Bishop's comments had become the biggest news story to emerge from the awards in years, and Bishop no doubt deeply regrets not keeping his opinions to himself. In the week since, he has stood by his statements on the night but acknowledged, both to media and to the prime minister, that he 'should have kept my thoughts to myself'. Bishop confirmed to RNZ that he'd said something about 'performative acclaim' during Walker's performance and referred to it as 'a load of crap'. It was poor timing. It was also just plain wrong. Walker's performance was one of the highlights of the night, a soaring ballad (he is becoming New Zealand's Celine Dion – a huge compliment, to be clear) which really took flight when the room filled with supporters waving Toitū te Tiriti flags, prompting an outpouring from the room. This seems an open and shut case, and I'm not here to defend Bishop – that would be almost as foolish as his behaviour – but there are mitigating circumstances which feel material to the current public prosecution. 1. Toitū te Tiriti is a complex organisation Stuff political editor Luke Malpass once adroitly observed that the Green Party likely scoop up a non-trivial proportion of its votes from people who feel a general dread about the climate and environment, and feel marginally better by giving the party their vote, and don't look much deeper into the policy platform or what they most emphasise. There's a similar phenomenon at work with Toitū te Tiriti. It's both a phrase and an organisation, a sentiment and closely allied with a specific parliamentary party. The phrase is well-supported, with more than seven in 10 New Zealanders endorsing the idea of 'harmonious race relations through honouring te Tiriti', according to polling by the Human Rights Commission earlier this year. At a guess, Bishop is one of them, as among the most prominent and unambiguous members of the liberal wing of the National Party. However, Toitū te Tiriti is also an organisation, one which achieved an awe-inspiring level of support during the hīkoi mō te Tiriti earlier this year. The organisation created a vast, countrywide response to both the Treaty principles bill and what supporters perceive as a large number of policies which go against the spirit of te Tiriti. But while the support for that general idea is broad and will necessarily include voters for a number of parties, the organisation Toitū te Tiriti has deep ties to Te Pāti Māori, most notably through one of its key organisers, Eru Kapa-Kingi, a teaching fellow at the University of Auckland who stood unsuccessfully for parliament in the 2023 election on Te Pāti Māori's list. Supporting the phrase is one thing, supporting the organisation another, and knowing how to practically apply it across society and politics is, to put it mildly, complicated. This is likely what Chris Bishop was trying and failing to express in the moment. 2. Arts and culture has a near total lack of representation for right wing politics Labour's Willie Jackson is not wrong in his statement on the Chris Bishop affair. 'Look around the world, people have been doing that for years. Whether it's Bob Marley, Bono, whatever, it's been happening, it's not like something new. He should talk to his Shihad heroes, 'cause the lead singer there's got pretty good politics too.' The phrase 'good politics' is telling there, but likely to be something the vast bulk of the music awards crowd endorses. I am old enough to have been to music awards since Helen Clark was prime minister. She received cheers and appeared on stage, with (mostly) undivided affection from the crowd. Over the years the likes of Chlöe Swarbrick and Jacinda Ardern, before and after their elevation to party leadership, have been largely lauded while in attendance. One notable exception was Homebrew's Tom Scott, who condemned Ardern for not visiting Ihumātao during the occupation – essentially a criticism of a centre left prime minister from the left, asking for a more explicitly leftist position. Bishop is manifestly a very genuine fan of New Zealand music. He regularly goes to shows, buys t-shirts, advocates for it whenever he can. He attended multiple dates on the final Shihad tour. He is its most prominent and present champion within the National party, perhaps the biggest fan the party has ever had. He will also not be unaware of the general politics of not only musicians, but arts and culture makers and workers more broadly. But he shows up and attempts to present an acceptable face of a party and a broader worldview which is anathema to many fans and almost all makers in the rooms he frequents. Where culture and politics collide What likely boiled over in Bishop is the tension which is always present and rarely voiced in these discussions. Music, TV, film, arts and culture in New Zealand receives a significant amount of support from central and local government. It's not enough, and it's not a huge amount compared to some other countries. But it comes from all taxpayers and ratepayers, which naturally includes many people who hold differing political views. Who might believe in toitū te Tiriti (the sentiment), but not the particular ambitions and ties of Toitū te Tiriti (the advocacy organisation) as a microcosm of the broader goal. So Jackson is right, music has always been political. And Bishop was wrong: neither Walker's performance nor the emotional heft of the arrival of the Toitū te Tiriti flags and supporters in the room was 'a load of crap'. It was the undeniable emotional heart of the evening. But the Aotearoa Music Awards are publicly funded, and streamed on both TVNZ and RNZ. To have something so close to a party political moment within them would rankle those who don't share those politics. To put it another way, imagine Groundswell or Family First, neither of which are as party aligned as Toitū te Tiriti, showing up and the reception they would receive. It's part of an increasingly explicit and party political alignment of our cultural figures, particularly in these fractious times, where performers can feel contemptuous of the views of those who are elected to represent them. While arts funding does wax and wane according to different governments, the idea that it should exist has endured for decades. When it goes beyond statements to specific party-aligned organisations, the bipartisan support for such funding might become more contested. Not to mention its broad appeal, inside and outside of parliament.
