The Coroners (Access to Body of Dead Person) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament last night.

“The Bill will ensure tikanga Māori and other ethnic cultural beliefs are considered and respected by our coronial system,” said Justice Minister Andrew Little.

Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little will hui with members of Ngāpuhi in Ahitereiria (Australia) next week to continue discussions on the Ngāpuhi Treaty settlement progress. It is estimated that more than 25,000 Ngāpuhi are currently living in Australia.

The announcement of the new chief executive of the Māori Television Service should bring stability to the organisation said Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta today.

New Waitangi Tribunal claims objecting to the Crown’s proposed Maori land reforms are further evidence of the lack of support for the changes, says Labour’s Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri.

“Further claims were lodged with the Tribunal last week. In the last month alone there has been a scathing Waitangi Tribunal report, top-brass Māori claimants appealing to the United Nation’s indigenous rights group and now more claimants seeking an urgent hearing.

He ko kākā uru, he ko kākā wehe

Turuturu a uta, turuturu a tai

Kei mua rā, kei mua rā

Kei te whare pātahi, kei te whare pārua

Kei te whare pātōtō

Ka hui, ka tūtaki Aituā

It is with great sadness we learn of the passing of pioneering Māori broadcaster, journalist and lexicographer Whairiri Ngata, says Labour’s Maori Development spokesperson Kelvin Davis.

The Minister of Māori Development is out of his depth if he thinks Māori rights currently being ripped away by the Government’s arrogance over the proposed Kermadec sanctuary will be settled by a select committee, says Labour's Fisheries spokesperson Rino Tirikatene.

 “Te Ururoa Flavell is telling Māori media that the proposed Kermadec Sanctuary is good for everyone and Māori concerns can be addressed at select committee.

The proposed sell-off of Solid Energy lands in Huntly is a breach of good faith undertakings given to Waikato-Tainui in their Treaty of Waitangi settlement reached 20yrs ago, says Hauraki-Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta.

"There are core principles which inform the right of first refusal mechanisms in the Waikato-Tainui Settlement. The principle of returning land wrongly confiscated in the region was an important matter.

Labour is calling on universities, polytechnics and wananga to stop so-called “whitestreaming”, where specialist Māori jobs and services are replaced by generalist positions, Labour’s Māori Education spokesperson Adrian Rurawhe says.

“A new report by the Tertiary Education Union has found every university in New Zealand, most polytechnics and even one wānanga has cut jobs that support Māori students.

The Minister of Maori Development must publicly commit to delaying the introduction of Maori land reforms until the findings of the Waitangi Tribunal are properly addressed, says Labour MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti Meka Whaitiri.

“The Waitangi Tribunal’s findings show that all Maori landowners will be disadvantaged if the Bill proceeds in its current form.

The Minister of Maori Development is being disingenuous about the consultation period for Te Ture Whenua Maori Bill, says Labour’s Ikaroa Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri.

“The Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell is publicly saying iwi Maori have been consulted for 17 years but that’s just insincere and deceptive.

“The first draft was publicly released in May 2015 so by my calculations that’s less than one year.