July 18, 2013
Māori Wardens not vigilantes
Māori wardens in the Queensland city of Logan are having to defend themselves from accusations they are acting as vigilantes.
Chair Rawiri Toko says the group has been going for three years, helping out with Māori events such as the annual Waitangi Day festival, sports such as league, netball and touch.
They have also been invited by tangata whenua to keep the peace at Aboriginal events.
Mr Toko says a story this week in the Logan newspaper has sparked a lot of negative comment, with people not understanding the kaupapa of the voluntary group.
"We haven’t got the power to go out on the streets and dictate to the groups what they should and shouldn't be doing. We're just there for our people, to support any way we can, at tangihanga's, and that's all we do, that’s our role here." he says.
Mr Toko says he is talking with Māori in Melbourne who want to set up wardens there, and he’d like to see similar groups from a range of ethnicities in communities all across Australia.
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