Sharples: The University of Life
te-pati-maori
Fri Jul 27 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Sharples: The University of Life
Friday, 27 July 2007, 5:01 pm
Speech: The Maori Party
LECTURE: U3A: Arts Centre, Christchurch
Dr Pita Sharples, Co-leader, Maori Party
Friday 27 July 2007
There is a current Bill on the order paper at Parliament about creating a new category of institution, a University of Technology.
So I must admit, when I looked at my invitation to speak to U3A: The University of Life, I did wonder if you had other motives in asking me here today.
But much to my relief, when I found out that your kaupapa was simply to share together our respect for the benefit of life experience, my pleasure was great!
I am a firm believer in this third age of active retirement.
I mean here I am, having reached what used to be thought of as the compulsory retirement age of 65 years young, and yesterday I was leading the haka of politicians across the House on the steps of Parliament.
I am very interested in the thinking behind U3A:
- the First Age of childhood and youthful dependence;
- the Second Age of independence, maturity, home building and work;
- the Third Age of active retirement.
And I am very pleased to see there are no arbitrary age limits on any of these stages.
I know that some of my mokopuna in managing their iPods or downloading new ringtones for their mobile would see me very much in the First Age compared to their considerable mastery of the art.
While I sometimes despair that they look destined for retirement – and not so active either– in front of a DVD while I am searching with youthful vigour for a mate to go for a run with.
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As I understand it, in this University of Life, you were wanting me to share some thoughts around how we can prosper in life.
The issue of prosperity of course is absolutely linked to an absence of poverty.
Last night in Parliament we debated the Electoral Finance Bill – the next stage on after the Bill to validate unlawful spending was passed last year.
You probably remember that Bill – the one where $1.17 million of mis-spending; of unlawful spending by political parties, was magically made valid.
And I couldn’t help think about other realities.
The fact that nearly one thousand more food grants are issued by the Government each week compared with five years ago.
The Child Poverty Action Group report into foodbanks, Hard to Swallow, found that one hundred thousand Kiwi homes faced food shortages.
The report found that despite the growth of the economy, demand at New Zealand's biggest food-bank, Auckland City Mission, had soared in the past decade.
The growing number of food grants, the rising pressure on foodbanks, are all indicators of increasing poverty.
And of course, those most affected by the impacts of poverty are Maori and Pasifika. Just listen to some of the results from studies undertaken in the last few years.
According to the Ministry of Health’s National Children’s Nutrition survey:
* Only 64.3% of households with Maori children and 46.6% of households with Pasikifa children could always afford to eat properly compared to 86.1% of households with European children.
The Poverty Indicator Project revealed that Maori or Pasfika women are over-represented in food-bank statistics, and also over-represented in low paid work and benefit statistics. Maori were over-represented at every food-bank participating in the study.
Hard to Swallow concluded, that poverty is borne “pre-dominantly by Maori and Pasifika women with children who rely on welfare for income”.
Given the grim, dire reality of these statistics, one would imagine every effort is being made to support the clearly identified populations who are experiencing such poverty.
Nelson Mandela at the “Make Poverty History” rally in Trafalgar Square, London, put the case clearly; and I quote:
“Overcoming poverty is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.”
So if it is a basic human right, an obligation of states to do all that they can to ensure access to nutritious and affordable food, why are these reports, these statistics, ever-increasing?
I want, today, to pay my absolute tribute to members of the community and voluntary sector who play such a critical role in meeting the needs of the populations who are most vulnerable in our nation.
The good will of our community is investing in the survival of those who need our support.
It is the generosity, the dedication, the kindness of our everyday heroes that care for those people who are most at risk of hardship and poverty that I want to really highlight today.
And in doing so, I want to mention something that Kate McPherson, said last year when she released her report, ‘Food Insecurity and the Foodbank industry: political, individual and environmental factors contributing to foodbank use in Christchurch’.
In her study, Kate reminded us that foodbanks are not a sustainable solution to the problem of food insecurity in the community. She concluded her report with these words:
“In order to eliminate food insecurity, the people in the community who experience poverty, deprivations and food insecurity, must be actively identified and assisted in sustainable and empowering ways”.
And in this way, I want to commend the philosophy of U3A – which promotes an emphasis on self-help and self-funding.
I believe we all have a responsibility to take care of our own; and to drive our own solutions forward.
For us, in the Maori Party, the solutions to some of these endemic injustices that I have spoken of today – lies in values and principles that have been passed down from generation to generation.
The Maori Party came into Parliament driven by a vision which recognizes kaupapa Maori and tikanga Maori as a foundation which will benefit not only Maori, but all those people who lay claim to this country as their homeland.
That means a vision which is inclusive of U3A – there’s no way out! I’ll hand the membership forms out later!!!
The values that we see as being part of the solution to making a difference are things like:
- Manaakitanga: behaviour that acknowledges the mana of others as having equal or greater importance than one’s own;
- Whanaungatanga : the recognition that the people are our wealth; the rights and reciprocal obligations consistent with being part of a collective;
- Kotahitanga: the principle of unity of purpose and direction. It is demonstrated in that sense of moving as one.
As a Party, we are driven by this set of principles – it provides us for a philosophical basis for operating as politicians, as people.
It keeps us firmly focused on the challenges ahead; on the pathway we want Aotearoa to believe in.
I hope that in the time after this talk we may share together values you hold; principles you stand firm on; the commitments you make towards creating a better world.
I am a staunch believer that whanau are central to developing, supporting and sustaining individuals and indeed communities. Whanau is the institution which has the greatest influence on people’s lives, and we must all take that responsibility seriously.
And I dare say that for many of you – the promise and opportunity you wish for your children and grandchildren, is part of the long term strategy you seek.
But returning to your question about how to achieve prosperity in life - I have three key suggestions.
The Maori Party believes we must continue to put pressure on the Government to meet its international and domestic obligations towards the protection of fundamental human rights. This is unequivocal. This is about justice, about democracy, about the right to dignity and a decent life.
Secondly we must continue – as our community as always done– to demonstrate manaakitanga towards each other. In doing so we promote the significance of a fair and just society, by our very actions. We must continue to believe in the value of an environment where the care and welfare of one’s neighbour is still important.
And finally, I believe that we must take courage to speak out if we are ever to achieve the elimination of poverty and injustice.
We must speak out against injustice because it is right to do so, we must dare each other not to be silent.
One of our whakatauaki encourages us to…..
Ruia taitea, kia tu ko taikaka anake
Cast off the sap, leave only the heart.
We must all strip away the layers, to face the heart of the matter, the right to dignity and a decent life for all who call this land home.
This is something I believe we can do at any stage of life – at any age of life – and in any culture; any city; any time, any where. It is our greatest challenge in the University of Life – a challenge we can and must embrace together.
ENDS
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