February 02, 2017
Tamariki topic for iwi chairs
The Iwi Chairs Forum meets in Waitangi over the next couple of days, with water and the replacement of Child, Youth and Family Services high on the agenda.
Spokesperson Harry Burkhart from Ngati Kuri says the crown and iwi may disagree on many issues, but they also seek to find alignment in areas that are important for Maori and for all New Zealanders.
He says iwi leaders look forward to the chance tomorrow to put their concerns to Prime Minister Bill English and other ministers, especially about the new Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Vulnerable Children.
"We want to make sure it's fit for purpose in terms of Maori because many of our tamariki are in that space and our role is to influence government policy for the betterment of our people," Mr Burkhart says.
The iwi chairs also want to approve a work programme on water allocation, with the results to be presented next year.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH HARRY BURKHART
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