Eva Corlett
AUCKLAND (Te Waha Nui / Pacific Media Watch): Māori leaders have called for a judicial review following the axing of funding for New Zealand’s only centre of research excellence (CoRE) dedicated to Māori development.
They say the decision by the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Tertiary Education Commission is “short-sighted” and smacks of institutional racism.
Centre chairman Sir Tipene O’Regan said there should be a judicial review of the lack of Māori representation on the panel that made the decision.
He was speaking at a national hui held by the research centre, Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM), at the University of Auckland’s Waipapa Marae last week.
Participants included representatives from universities, research institutes and political parties.
Professor Charles Royal ,of the University of Auckland, told the hui there would be “vast implications” and a “great cost to the community” if the decision could not be reversed.
“High Māori involvement is needed so Māori communities can identify issues, needs and opportunities and contribute to [research] methodology.”
Candidates for funding must submit an application to the Royal Society outlining their research proposals and goals.
Competitive funding
Funded researchers, including NPM, must re-apply to compete for funding, which is granted by a panel made up of experienced researchers.
Law lecturer Natalie Coates, of the University of Auckland, and 2011 recipient of NPM’s Fulbright award, says that if nothing replaces NPM, there may be grounds to bring a contemporary Waitangi Tribunal claim.
“The decision is fundamentally flawed.
“There should be more of a permanently funded Māori research institute…that has nationally promising goals.”
Professor Leonie Pihama, of Waikato University, told the hui the decision was racist.
“Post treaty settlement doesn’t release [the government] from their obligations.
“Our position is a ‘no compromise’ position.
“Other CoREs can’t do what we do. They are structurally poor and don’t mention Māori in their vision statements,” she said.
Sir Tipene likened the decision to being put on death row.
“We go ahead, we go back and ultimately we [try to] develop a bi-cultural society through erosion and depletion,” he said.
Leader of the Mana Party Hone Harawira said: “We deserve to have Ngā Pae – it’s a symbol.”
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Eva Corlett
