Tiakina o tatou wai maori! - te Ropu Maori
Tariana Turia, Mangai a te Ropu Maori mo nga take taiao 23 Hongongoi 2008
Ka mate te wai maori, ka mate te whenua, ka mate te iwi, a, me tautoko te käwanatanga i te tu a te tangata whenua kia
tiakina nga rerenga wai, nga roto, nga moana huri noa i te motu, te whakahau a te Mangai o te Ropu Maori mo nga Take
Taiao, a Tariana Turia.
“Kua puta te Kaupapa Here-a-Motu mo te Wai Maori, a, käore tona kiko,” hei ta Tariana.
“No tena iwi, no tena iwi, ona puna wai, ona awa, ona roto. Me piripono tonu tatou katoa, nga iwi o Aotearoa, ki nga
tikanga a nga tupuna, kia pai te tiaki i nga wai maori, hei oranga mo te tangata whenua me nga uri whakatupu.
“He pätaka kai, he puna wai inu, he oranga wairua o tatou wai maori. Me kaua e waiho kia paru, kia ngotea kia maroke,
kia hokona atu ränei. Ko te mea nui, kia noho ora tonu a Papatuanuku i nga tukunga roimata a Ranginui. He tohu mana tera
o te tangata whenua,” hei tana.
“Kua piro haere nga awa, nga roto hoki i te kaha haere o nga mahi ahuwhenua, miraka kau, i nga wheketere me nga mira e
tuku ana i nga paru kino ki roto i te wai, otirä i te whanui haere o nga täone me te tokomaha haere o nga tangata kei
reira e noho ana. Kei te mate haere nga rerenga wai.
“Ki ëtahi, he mahinga moni ke i te tuku noa i te paru ki roto i te wai, käore he utu, haunga ano te mauiui o ëtahi ake,”
e ai ki a Tariana.
“Me whakatika tatou i a tatou mahi, kia mutu ai ta tatou tükino i ënei puna oranga. Ko te mahi a te käwanatanga, he
whakapumau i te rangatiratanga o nga wai maori. Ma te tangata whenua e whakamaru, ko ta te käwanatanga he tautoko, hei
painga mo te katoa.
“He pai noa iho te waitohu i te ara tika, me te tohu mai, me tae atu tatou ki hea, ki hea, ia tau, ia tau, kia tika ra
ano nga mahi he. Otira ko te mea nui, kia whai wähi te tangata whenua ki nga whiringa korero me nga whakatau katoa mo
tënei take.
Kei te titiro mätou o te Ropu Maori kia kite, ka pëhea nga niho o te Kaupapa Here-a-Motu mo nga Wai Maori, a, pëhea tana
whakamana i te tangata whenua kia tiakina paitia nga wai maori,” hei tana.
Restore fresh water quality – Maori Party.
Hon Tariana Turia, Maori Party Environment spokesperson 23 July 2008
When freshwater systems get sick, the land gets sick, and the people as well, and the government must support local iwi
taking a strong stance on protecting streams, rivers and lakes all round the country, according to Maori Party
Environment spokesperson Tariana Turia.
“The Draft National Policy Statement on Fresh Water has just been released and it seems to have no guts,” said Mrs
Turia.
“Each iwi has its own springs, streams, rivers and lakes. We seek to uphold the principles of our ancestors, to look
after fresh water properly, for the survival of the people of the land and for future generations.
“Fresh water systems are sources of food, drinking water and spiritual healing. We must not allow them to get polluted,
to be drained, or sold off. The most important thing is that Papatuanuku continues to be bathed in the tears of Ranginui
– this is a sign that the people of the land are acting responsibly,” she said.
“Rivers and lakes are deteriorating through more intensive agriculture and dairying, through industrial pollution, and
through towns spreading out to accommodate population growth. Streams are dying.
“Some people profit from discharging waste into rivers for free, at a disturbing cost to the health of others,” said Mrs
Turia.
“We must all take action to stop pollution of these sources of life. The government’s role is to ensure that tangata
whenua are able to maintain water quality, by supporting their efforts on behalf of the public.
“It is good to map out the way forward, and to set milestones for us to achieve along the way, until the problem is
fixed. But the main thing is that tangata whenua take their proper place in all discussions and decisions on this issue.
“The Maori Party is looking to see what sort of teeth the Draft National Policy Statement has, and how effectively it
helps tangata whenua to protect fresh water sources properly,” she said.
ends