Māori Women Leading the Way (again!) says Te Ururoa Flavell
te-pati-maori
Wed May 23 2012 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Māori Women Leading the Way (again!) says Te Ururoa Flavell
Wednesday, 23 May 2012, 9:34 am
Press Release: The Maori Party
MEDIA STATEMENT
Te Ururoa Flavell ; MP for Waiariki
Tuesday May 22, 2012
Māori Women Leading the Way (again!) says Te Ururoa Flavell
Hot on the heels of the success of the Aotearoa Māori Women’s Sevens, has come the news of the first Māori woman to be appointed to the Board of an NRL club - the Vodafone Warriors rugby league club.
“While the kumara doesn’t speak of its own sweetness, I’m really proud that Te Arawa woman Donna Mariana Grant has been announced as a new Board member" says Waiariki MP and Maori Party sports and recreation spokesperson, Te Ururoa Flavell.
“Donna has extensive experience and expertise in a vast range of spheres including performing arts, tertiary education, youth development, arts, culture and heritage, tourism and sport and recreation. When we think about the ‘firsts’ her father Sir Howard Morrison achieved through his lifetime, it is no surprise that Donna has achieved this milestone in her own career. Speaking at her father’s funeral service, she said: “My father was challenging, he was charismatic but he saw every day as a day of opportunity to do something good. In his heart of hearts he was a man of great giving and he lived life by the motto that living is giving. In every way Donna epitomises these same attributes and in every sphere of her life, she does the same – giving everything she’s got to all that she is involved in and the Maori Party salutes her appointment.”
“Donna’s unique ability to bring the potent mix of culture, confidence and boardroom savvy to a team like the Warriors who serve as a great role model for young Maori and Pacific alike, is a feather in the bow of the Club. She’ll bring a perspective to the table that we in the Maori Party strive to expose every day in Parliament – a uniquely tangata whenua perspective that is couched in the inherent ability of ourselves doing for ourselves – which is at the very heart of Whanau Ora.”
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“On that note, government might want to take a closer look at the leadership role of Māori – and in particular wahine Māori – who are leading the way out in the community and in the private sector” said Mr Flavell.
A recent report from the State Services Commission revealed that Maori, who comprise 15% of the population, held only 9.2% of senior management positions in government departments; and earn 11% less than other employees.
“Government departments simply have to lift their gaze and realise what everyone else knows – that we have some incredible talent amongst tangata whenua that can legitimately be leading every avenue of influence there is.
“Today has been an awesome day – from iwi leadership brokering the AFFCO deal; to the Sevens storming Rome – and now Donna’s influence in the NRL league. Kei tawhiti!”.
ENDS
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