February 18, 2015
New voice for taura here in Te Waipounamu
A woman working to revive Maori Council activities in the South Island says it's important Maori who come from tribes outside the area have a voice.
Melanie Mark-Shadbolt from Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Porou, Te Ati Awa,and Ngati Raukawa, says as the council heads into its triennial elections there are now committees in Otautahi, Kaikoura and Waimakariri, with groups on the West Coast and Invercargill also starting to come together.
She says as a taura here person who worked for several years for Ngai Tahu she is well aware of the strenths and limits of iwi.
There needs to be a voice for the majority of Maori in Te Waipounamu who are not Ngai Tahu.
"A lot of Maori down here have been urbanised and they are distant from their iwi and whanau and they need someone to speak for them, someone who doesn't have that corporate responsibility to make putea and make business decisions, so for me it fits with my whakaaro and my philosophy on Maori development," she says.
Ms Mark-Shadbolt says she would like to see relations between the New Zealand Maori Council, iwi and government improve, but without sacrificing the council's willingness to challenge those bodies on behalf of wider Maori interests.
Triennial elections for Maori committees will be held on February 28, followed later by votes for the district councils and national council.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH MELANIE MARK-SHADBOLT CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjY0NjI=
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