June 03, 2014
Maori voice on Families Commission
New Families Commission member Haami Piripi says it’s important to have a Maori voice there.
The commission gives government advice on the state of the New Zealand family and what can be done to improve things.
Mr Piripi, who chairs the far north iwi Te Rarawa, says the challenges facing Maori and Pasifika families can be different, with issues such as educational performance being critical.
He says Maori families are in crisis.
"They’re in crisis for lots of reasons. Some of them are demographic, some are socioeconomic, some of them are cultural. We need to really address that situation amongst Maori and New Zealand families generally, look at the ways that we live as families and look at the ways we can better strengthen families to prepare their children for the world out there," Mr Piripi says.
He says being made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday honours list should help him in his work for Maori and the community.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH HAAMI PIRIPI CLICK ON THE LINK
http://www.waateanews.com/play_podcast?podlink=MTg3NTQ=
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