April 29, 2014
Legal eagles study challenges
Legal high flyers have gathered in Auckland for the 13th annual Maori Legal Forum.
Lawyer Willie Te Aho says the gathering has evolved into an important place to exchange ideas and keep up with challenges facing iwi that require legal intervention.
Speakers at the two-day hui include Tuhoe chief executive Kirsti Luke and Te Whanau a Apanui advocate Dayle Takitimu, Crown Law senior counsel Craig Linkhorn giving a crown perspective on settlements, and Maori Trustee Jamie Tuuta, the chief executive of Te Tumu Paeroa on challenges facing those looking after Maori assets.
Mr Te Aho says evolving the law to better reflect Maori concerns requires action at a political level.
It also needs Maori to be involved in law drafting, as is happening with the revision of Maori land law.
"But equally we’ve had lawyers testing, for example through the New Zealand Maori Council, the approach of the Government to asset sales, so we’ve had Sir Edward Durie and others challenging on that front, so we’ve got to be active on a range of fronts but remember we’ve got to be part of the law drafting as well as the implementation and interpretation of the law," Mr Te Aho says.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH WILLIE TE AHO CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MTc1Njc=
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