February 16, 2018
New rules for accompanying tupapaku
FULL INTERVIEW WITH GREEN MP MARAMA DAVIDSON
Green MP Marama Davidson says changes to the rules around coroners and undertakes will be a huge relief to whanau who want to be with the tupapaku of their loved ones.
The Government has agreed to implement all but one of the recommendations made by a Maori affairs select committee inquiry instigated by the Greens.
Ms Davidson says all whanau want the opportunity to honour their loved ones in ways that honour tikanga Maori.
She says the code of ethics and practice standards will change and police, coroners, undertakers and mortuaries will have to take tikanga into consideration.
"Just having a consistent understanding across the country for first responders, undertakers, for everybody in the process, where they understand – and it starts to become common knowledge in mainstream – that we need the opportunity to stay with our tupapaku at all times, is going to make a big difference," Ms Davidson says.
Many Maori undertakers already do a great job of combining their mahi with tikanga.
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