Labour’s Māori vice-presidency up for grabs
in the news
Labour members are gathering in Dunedin this weekend for the party’s annual conference, and the Māori vice-presidency is up for grabs.
The sitting Vice-President Māori, Tasman Pulp and Paper Workers’ Union chief Tane Phillips, and Te Kotahitanga's co-chair Rudy Taylor will put their names forward.
Phillips, who takes an active role in day to day tactics and strategy, including participating in Labour caucus and Labour Māori caucus meetings, is expected to be re-elected after helping oversee Labour’s best result in the Māori electorates since 2002.
Phillips and his family are Labour stalwarts. His brother Daniel, the Wellington-based lawyer, is the former chair of the party’s Kaunihera Māori.
Taylor, a long-serving member as well, helped manage Kelvin Davis’s successful electorate campaign in 2017. Taylor also stood for the vice-presidency against Hauraki-Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta in a close and controversial election in 2013.
He is deeply involved in Ngāpuhi Treaty settlement mandating and is seen as an outside chance.
The Vice-President Māori is a party official who sits on Labour’s New Zealand Council, its governing body. Although the position is officially a party one, in the past some MPs have served including the late Parekura Horomoia. ‘
Māui street understands no sitting MP will put their name forward and that the custom post the 2013 term is now for members rather than MPs to serve as Vice-President.
Members will vote this weekend.
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in the house
The House is sitting this week and the next.
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selected funding rounds
Māori business and innovation.
Ka Hao: Māori Digital Technology Development Fund, TPK. This fund supports the creation of high value jobs and opportunities that advance Māori in the digital technology sector. Deadline: 9 March annually.
Te Pūnaha Hihiko Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). This is the sixth round for the Fund, which was established to grow skills and capacity for Māori participation in science and innovation and support outcomes that benefit New Zealand. Deadline: 5 April annually.
Te Pūnaha Hiringa: Māori Innovation Fund, MBIE. This $3m per year fund invests in initiatives that contribute to achieving the goals and priorities in He kai kei aku ringa (the Crown-Māori Economic Growth Partnership) and the Business Growth Agenda. NOTE: this fund may be reformed or abolished.
Customary Fisheries Research Fund, Ministry for Primary Industries. The Customary Fisheries Research Fund is available to assist tangata whenua to manage their customary fisheries by providing financial assistance to undertake fisheries research. Deadline: opening 2019.
Getting Started Grant, Callaghan Innovation; Are you in the early stages of, or new to, R&D? A Getting Started Grant will give you a kick-start to help you take your product, process or service solution from development through to commercialisation. Deadline: open-ended.
Project Grant, Callaghan Innovation; Is your business new to, or trying to expand your R&D? A Project Grant can help you take on larger or more challenging R&D; Deadline: open-ended.
Growth Grant, Callaghan Innovation; Is your business an experienced R&D performer? This three year grant will help you increase your R&D investment; Deadline: open-ended.
Trade finance, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. Trade finance helps provide exporters with finance security and advice on exporting. Deadline: open-ended.
Provincial Growth Fund, MBIE. This fund aims to lift productivity potential in the provinces and its priorities are to enhance economic development opportunities, create sustainable jobs, enable Māori to reach their full potential, boost social inclusion and participation, build resilient communities, and help meet New Zealand’s climate change targets. Deadline: open-ended. NOTE: Senior staff make decisions on projects less than $1m, with four delegated ministers approving those between $1m and $20m, and projects over $20m going to Cabinet.