Ex-ACT staffer Grant McLachlan says party created fake grassroots groups Ruth Hill © RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly
Political pundits and media experts are warning that artificial grassroots organisations - nicknamed astroturfs - are being used to manipulate and mobilise public opinion for political gain.
The recent public apology by a lobbyist to leading public health experts for defaming them on the
Whale Oil blog has once again shone a spotlight into the murky world of lobbying.
Carrick Graham, who was in the pay of the food and beverage industry, has admitted his statements about Doug Sellman of Alcohol Action, health professor Boyd Swinburn, and former director of the Māori Smokefree Coalition, Shane Bradbrook, were untrue, unfair, offensive, insulting and defamatory .
Ex-ACT staffer Grant McLachlan says party created fake grassroots groups
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A lawyer representing whanau who have had dealings with Oranga Tamariki has said the government department should be replaced with a Maori authority focussing on prevention.
There is no other way to stop tamariki Māori being disproportionately taken into state care than to disestablish Oranga Tamariki, the Waitangi Tribunal has been told during closing submissions for the urgent inquiry into the child protection agency. The inquiry started in July last year after Oranga Tamariki came under fire for the systemic removal of tamariki and pēpi Māori. The purpose of the hearing has been to find out why there has been such a consistent disparity of tamariki Māori being removed from their families, whether legislative and practice changes had made any difference, and what further changes to legislation might be required to secure outcomes that uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
There is no other way to stop tamariki Māori being disproportionately taken into state care than to disestablish Oranga Tamariki, the Waitangi Tribunal has been told during closing submissions for the urgent inquiry into the child protection agency.
The inquiry started in July last year after Oranga Tamariki came under fire for the systemic removal of tamariki and pēpi Māori.
The purpose of the hearing has been to find out why there has been such a consistent disparity of tamariki Māori being removed from their families, whether legislative and practice changes had made any difference, and what further changes to legislation might be required to secure outcomes that uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Photo: RNZ
The Mana Wāhine Inquiry is underway in Kerikeri - it is the first of the pre-hearings - which are exploring the tikanga of mana wāhine and the pre-colonial understanding of wāhine in te ao Māori; of which will set the context for the inquiry.
The inquiry includes a number of wāhine-related claims - but the original claim was made in 1993 by 16 leaders - Dame Areta Koopu, Dame Whina Cooper, Dame Mira Szaszy, Ripeka Evans, Dr Erihapeti Murchie, Dame Georgina Kirby, Dame June Mariu, Violet Pou, Hine Potaka, Dame Aroha Reriti-Crofts, Dr Papaarangi Reid, Donna Awatere-Huata, Lady Rose Henare, Katerina Hoterene, Te Para (Mabel) Waititi, and Kare Cooper-Tate.
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