Politics

[moka]

October 14: Two very different outcomes for Indigenous people.

https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/19-10-2023/october-14-two-very-different-outcomes-for-indigenous-people

On the same day the unapologetic Māori voice in New Zealand’s parliament grew, Australians voted down their ‘Voice’ referendum.

What is constitutional recognition of Indigenous peoples?
Essentially, it means protecting the rights of an indigenous population inside a country’s political system – like its constitution or parliament. It’s crucial for empowering Indigenous peoples during the reality of modern-day colonisation.
Sixty percent of Australians voted against recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ rights within the foreign political system that rules their homeland.

Despite New Zealand electing a National government – a party that many consider less likely to empower Māori than Labour – the unbridled tāngata whenua voice in parliament got louder. Te Pāti Māori, parliament’s self-described unapologetic indigenous voice, increased its power by winning four Māori electorates, three of which were taken off Labour. (There is a possibility Te Pāti Māori could win two more after special votes are counted.)

One reason why the political power of Te Pāti Māori grew this election is because the rights of tāngata whenua are constitutionally enshrined. An example is the Māori seats, of which Te Pāti Māori won a majority. Australia’s referendum voted down constitutionally enshrining the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people.

Without Māori seats, Te Pāti Māori may not be in parliament at all (they’ve never won a general electorate). Although New Zealand is not perfect at respecting tāngata whenua, we have a better foundation than Australia because He Whakaputanga, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Māori seats are – for the most part – accepted parts of our political system.

On the other hand, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights aren’t acknowledged in Australian politics, and they only gained universal voting rights in 1962 (compared to 1893 for Māori). To reckon with its troubled history of colonisation, Australia must enshrine and respect the political rights of its First Nations people – but the referendum’s result perhaps highlights the country’s continuing refusal to redress the evils of its past.

Tākuta Ferris, a rising star of Te Pāti Māori, summed up how many tāngata whenua feel about Act’s referendum. “The fact that we’re talking about referendums on the Treaty just demonstrates how much more we have to learn as a country. You can’t referendum a Treaty away. It’s a permanent fixture of the constitution of our country, and it is not going anywhere.”

[moka]

The above article was a Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.
I had never actually taken the time to investigate the funding. But it seems like a there was a lot of misinformation and disinformation about the funding, which was set up to help support business through Covid.

https://www.nzonair.govt.nz/funding/journalism-funding/

Public Interest Journalism Fund (now closed)
The $55m Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF) was made available by the government in 2020 to support news media through the COVID-19-induced downturn. Funding was provided to NZ On Air to administer until 30 June 2023. The PIJF was a specific ring-fenced fund that was designed to provide targeted, short to medium-term support for roles, projects and industry development.

The PIJF provided seven rounds of funding, with funding for 73 projects, 219 roles and 22 industry development projects in total, and supporting journalism across the length of the motu. As at April 2023, it has seen more than 60,000 pieces of news content created that have had more than 134 million total views.
Some of those roles and projects are funded to run until January 2026, so we will continue to see the legacy of the fund, and its investment in the sustainability of the media sector, for some time yet.

ROUND 6
Te Rito 2023, NZME, up to $1,719,407- to provide journalism training and work experience for 12 cadets from Māori, Pacific and diverse backgrounds.
Tagata Pasifika 2023, Sunpix, up to $2,019,190. A 2023 season of the flagship Pasifika current affairs and news programme.
RNZ Asia Unit, RNZ, up to $1,114,672 for one year of a two-year project. A new unit producing news and current affairs content in Mandarin, Hindi and English, for Asian communities of Aotearoa.
Newshub Nation 2023, 42 x 60min, including Budget and election specials, for Discovery NZ, up to $999,781. A weekly political current affairs programme that provides political news, interviews, and analysis.
Q + A with Jack Tame 2023, 40 x 60min plus 1 x 118min special for TVNZ, up to $842,200. TVNZ’s leading political current affairs programme that tackles newsworthy political issues alongside debates and interviews.
The Hui Series 8, Great Southern Television, up to $737,036. An additional season of the award-winning weekly bilingual Māori current affairs programme that confronts difficult subjects, exposes injustice, and celebrates Māori success.

[causecelebre]

Cash for Coverage is an appalling thing for any govt to do at any time, let alone in an election cycle. No government should be providing funds to any media and direct how those funds are to be translated into media. The state should also have no interest in the media TVNZ, RNZ etc. It opens up the potential for gross manipulation.

[Aaron]

Cash for Coverage is an appalling thing for any govt to do at any time, let alone in an election cycle. No government should be providing funds to any media and direct how those funds are to be translated into media. The state should also have no interest in the media TVNZ, RNZ etc. It opens up the potential for gross manipulation.

And Rupert Murdoch has shown how leaving it to the private sector results in a better outcome. Facebook or social media news feeds and share trader have undoubtedly improved peoples understanding of events and the world around them as well.

Private businesses are so much more transparent and less opaque than anything govt funded.

Mind you Goebbels puts forward a strong case for govt and media not being joined at the hip.

The more I think about it the more I regret making a comment as my understanding of the issue is limited.