Waatea News: Māori Radio Station

Latest Kōreo from the rohe and motu. Ngā kaupapa nui, ngā reo o te hapori. Listen Live or Online on Waatea Digital

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Ka tū ana ngā kōwhiringa pōti ā-motu ā te 7 o Noema, kua puta te āki kia tukuna ngā rangatahi 16 ngā tau te pakeke ki te pōti.

E tautoko ana te Rōpū Kākāriki i tēnei tūtohu e ai ki a rātou me whai reo ngā rangatahi i ngā whakataunga e pā ana ki ō rātou anamata.

E ai ki Te Pāti Kākāriki o Aotearoa, kua tae ki te wā kia whai mana hoki ā tātou rangatahi ki te pōti i konei ki Aotearoa.

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Latest Kōreo from the rohe and motu. Ngā kaupapa nui, ngā reo o te hapori. Listen Live or Online on Waatea Digital

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E ai ki Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori, kei te takahī ngā panonitanga e marohitia ana e te Kāwanatanga mō te pūnaha NCEA i ngā motuhaketanga o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori.

E ai ki a Rawiri Wright, e aro ana te pūnaha hou ki ngā hua mātauranga anake, engari e aro ana a Te Aho Matua ki te tamaiti me ōna whānuitanga, arā, ko te wairua, te whakapapa, te hononga ki te taiao me te ahurea.

Hei tāna, i ahu mai  Te Aho Matua i tēnei whenua, engari ko te pūnaha o nāianei i takea mai i ngā tauira o tāwāhi.

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Latest Kōreo from the rohe and motu. Ngā kaupapa nui, ngā reo o te hapori. Listen Live or Online on Waatea Digital

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An Auckland law academic is warning proposed changes to sentencing laws for sexual offenders could create unintended consequences and expose deeper problems within New Zealand’s justice system.

Associate Professor Carrie Leonetti of Auckland Law School has raised concerns over National Party plans to remove the use of “good character” assessments during sentencing for sexual offending cases.

The proposal is aimed at preventing offenders from receiving lighter sentences based on personal reputation, career status or standing within the community. Supporters argue such assessments can unfairly minimise the seriousness of sexual harm and disadvantage victims seeking justice.

However, Leonetti says the issue highlights wider structural weaknesses in sentencing law and warns simply removing one factor may not necessarily lead to fairer or more consistent outcomes.

She says concerns remain around how judges weigh multiple sentencing factors and whether removing “good character” considerations could unintentionally create new inconsistencies or biases across the justice system.

Legal experts have long debated whether factors such as education, employment history, family support and community standing can unfairly benefit privileged offenders while disadvantaging Māori, Pasifika and lower-income defendants who may not have the same social advantages.

Critics of the current system argue these assessments can reinforce existing inequalities and contribute to public perceptions that some offenders receive preferential treatment.

At the same time, Leonetti warns piecemeal reforms risk oversimplifying complex sentencing issues without addressing the broader goals of accountability, rehabilitation, victim wellbeing and consistency across the courts.

She says more comprehensive reform may be needed to properly address how the justice system responds to sexual violence, including sentencing guidelines, victim support processes, offender rehabilitation and judicial education around trauma and harm.

Calls for reform also come amid ongoing scrutiny of how effectively the legal system responds to sexual offending, with survivors’ advocates continuing to raise concerns about reporting barriers, low conviction rates and retraumatisation during court proceedings.

Māori legal advocates have also highlighted the disproportionate impacts of the criminal justice system on Māori communities and the need for culturally grounded responses that better reflect restorative justice principles and community healing.

The debate is expected to continue as political parties sharpen law-and-order policies ahead of the next election, with sentencing reform emerging as a major issue across the justice sector.

#JusticeSystem #SexualViolence #SentencingReform #NZPolitics #CarrieLeonetti #VictimSupport #MāoriJustice #LawReform #Aotearoa #RadioWaatea

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Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad is welcoming the launch of a long-awaited national paediatric palliative care service, describing it as a major milestone for tamariki living with life-limiting conditions and the whānau who care for them.

The new national service is expected to improve coordination and access to specialist care for children with serious illnesses across Aotearoa, particularly for families living outside major urban centres.

Dr Achmad says the announcement addresses long-standing inequities that have left many whānau struggling to access consistent and culturally appropriate support depending on where they live.

Until now, paediatric palliative care services have largely been concentrated in bigger centres such as Auckland, meaning families in rural and regional communities often faced additional stress, travel costs and disruptions while trying to access specialist treatment and support.

Health advocates say many families caring for seriously ill tamariki have experienced fragmented services, workforce shortages and inconsistent access to respite care, psychological support and end-of-life planning.

The Commissioner says a nationally coordinated approach has the potential to provide more equitable care and ensure children and whānau receive support closer to home and within their own communities.

There are also hopes the new model will strengthen links between hospitals, hospices, community providers and Māori health services to better support holistic care for tamariki and their whānau.

Dr Achmad says the wellbeing of siblings, parents and wider whānau must also remain central to the service, with emotional, cultural and practical support recognised as essential parts of paediatric palliative care.

Advocates say culturally safe care and stronger Māori health partnerships will be critical to ensuring the service genuinely meets the needs of whānau Māori and reflects tikanga and whānau-centred approaches.

The Children’s Commissioner is now calling for sustained investment, workforce development and ongoing consultation with families to ensure the new national service delivers meaningful and lasting improvements.

Health leaders say the move represents an important shift toward recognising paediatric palliative care as an essential part of the health system rather than a limited or regionally dependent service.

#PaediatricCare #PalliativeCare #ChildHealth #Whānau #MāoriHealth #HealthEquity #Tamariki #Aotearoa #Healthcare #RadioWaatea

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Māori tourism operators across Aotearoa are navigating a period of both opportunity and pressure as the sector adapts to changing visitor trends, rising costs and growing international demand for authentic Indigenous experiences.

Tourism leader Dale Stephens says Māori tourism businesses continue to face challenges around workforce shortages, operational costs and access to investment, while also responding to increasing expectations for sustainable, culturally grounded visitor experiences.

The discussion comes as TRENZ — New Zealand’s largest tourism trade event — gets underway, bringing together international buyers, tourism operators and industry leaders from around the world.

For Māori tourism businesses, the event provides a major platform to strengthen international relationships and showcase uniquely Māori experiences, culture and values to overseas markets seeking more meaningful and authentic travel experiences.

Industry leaders say international demand for Indigenous tourism continues to grow strongly, particularly among visitors wanting deeper cultural engagement, environmental connection and locally led storytelling.

At the same time, attention is also turning to this week’s Hi Tech Awards in Auckland, where several Māori-led companies and innovators are being recognised for their contribution to technology, digital innovation and business development.

The growing presence of Māori businesses within both tourism and technology sectors is being seen as part of a broader movement toward Indigenous entrepreneurship and economic development grounded in kaupapa Māori values.

Tourism operators are also responding to changing travel patterns closer to home, with around 3.2 million New Zealanders now considered domestic tourists. Industry experts say this shift is encouraging Māori tourism businesses to increasingly tailor experiences toward local travellers as well as international visitors.

Operators say domestic tourism creates opportunities to reconnect New Zealanders with local histories, te ao Māori, whakapapa and regional cultural experiences while helping sustain businesses during periods of international market uncertainty.

Looking ahead to the Government’s Budget, Māori tourism leaders are calling for stronger investment into infrastructure, workforce development, digital capability and regional tourism support to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.

There are also growing calls for policies that better recognise the role Māori tourism plays in protecting culture, supporting whānau employment, revitalising te reo Māori and strengthening regional economies.

Industry advocates say Māori tourism is increasingly positioned not only as an economic contributor, but as a way of sharing identity, values and Indigenous knowledge with both local and global audiences.

#MāoriTourism #TRENZ #HiTechAwards #TeAoMāori #TourismNZ #MāoriBusiness #IndigenousTourism #Aotearoa #EconomicDevelopment #RadioWaatea

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The Government’s plan to shrink the public service workforce to around one percent of the population is facing growing criticism, with the Public Service Association warning the impact will be felt far beyond Wellington.

PSA National Secretary Duane Leo says proposed workforce reductions could significantly affect frontline services and leave communities across Aotearoa with reduced access to vital public support.

The Government has signalled its intention to reduce the size of the public sector as part of broader efforts to cut spending and improve efficiency across government agencies. Critics say the target could see public service numbers reduced to around 55,000 workers nationwide.

Leo says many New Zealanders wrongly assume public service jobs are concentrated solely in Wellington, when in reality thousands of workers are based in regional centres and smaller communities delivering services directly to the public.

He warns cuts could affect a wide range of essential services including health administration, social development, conservation, housing, education support, corrections, emergency management and regulatory oversight.

Concerns are also being raised about the impact on smaller towns and regional economies where government agencies provide stable employment and essential local infrastructure.

The Government has pointed to technology, digitisation and artificial intelligence as ways to improve efficiency within the public sector. However, unions fear AI could increasingly be used to justify large-scale job losses without adequately considering the value of human expertise, local knowledge and face-to-face public service delivery.

Leo says while technology can assist with some administrative functions, it cannot replace experienced workers handling complex cases, community relationships and sensitive frontline support.

There are fears workforce reductions could lead to slower response times, reduced oversight, declining institutional knowledge and increased pressure on remaining staff already dealing with high workloads.

Critics also warn Māori, rural communities and vulnerable whānau may be disproportionately affected if access to government support services becomes harder to navigate or less locally available.

The PSA says long-term capability across the public sector could also suffer if experienced staff leave and training pipelines weaken, particularly in specialised areas requiring years of expertise and relationship-building.

The debate comes as the Government continues broader cost-cutting measures ahead of Budget announcements, with public sector spending and workforce numbers emerging as major political battlegrounds.

#PublicService #PSA #DuaneLeo #NZPolitics #PublicSectorCuts #WorkersRights #Aotearoa #GovernmentCuts #MāoriCommunities #RadioWaatea

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