Katene says iwi will have much to offer in quake rebuild

te-pati-maori

Mon Mar 21 2011 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Katene says iwi will have much to offer in quake rebuild

Monday, 21 March 2011, 10:32 am
Press Release: The Maori Party

MEDIA STATEMENT
Rahui Katene
Maori Party MP
21 March 2011

Katene says innovative iwi will have much to offer in quake rebuild

The Maori Party MP in Christchurch Rahui Katene says Ngai Tahu will have much to offer the Government and the city as the journey of rebuilding begins.

On TVNZ's Q + A programme yesterday, Prime Minister John Key indicated that the Government would be setting up a new body to help with the rebuild of the Canterbury capital.

"I'm sure the Government is already considering a place for mana whenua and I will welcome that because I have every faith in Ngai Tahu to help make our city stronger. It makes sense to me to have Ngai Tahu there because they know what it takes to rebuild a community from the ground up and succeed.

"They are also innovative thinkers, economically and culturally literate and the single biggest land owner in Canterbury and the South Island," Mrs Katene said.

"Maori have a saying that 'with your basket of knowledge and our basket of knowledge, the people will prosper' and I am sure that will happen for Christchurch as we see iwi, community, local and central government work together."

Mrs Katene said Ngai Tahu's immediate response to the February 22 earthquake was outstanding.

"Their leadership of the Maori Recovery Network, a Ngai Tahu led collaboration between iwi and Maori organisations in both Otautahi and across Aotearoa, has been vital to the success of a coordinated response. One of the key achievements of the network, which includes the Maori wardens, has been to feed on-the-ground information about those in need to Government and non-government agencies.

"In everything they do, they do it for their children and their children's children and this is the same aspiration most people in Christchurch share."

Mrs Katene said she will continue to advocate to the Government that Ngai Tahu be involved in the rebuilding work.
ends

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