Waitangi Day 2010

Celebrating the diversity of the Gisborne community and 170 years of history since the signing of the Treaty in Tairawhiti is the theme of the Waitangi Day event at Te Poho o Rawiri Marae this Saturday.

A full size version of the ‘Tairawhiti Treaty’ taken around the East Coast by William Williams in May and June of 1840 will be a popular attraction with many locals looking for the mark of their ancestors amongst the names on the local version of Te Tiriti.

Since 2001 residents association and community development organisation KaPai Kaiti have been organising Waitangi Day commemorations in Kaiti. “Last year was the first time we had it at Te Poho o Rawiri and all the feedback was very positive” said event organiser Manu Caddie. “The Treaty signing in this region was a critical process that paved the way for British and other foreigners to settle in the district. While there is much debate over rights and wrongs of the past 170 years, the Treaty signing remains one of the major milestones in the history of our area and the basis for the future of all peoples co-existing in this community.”

Mr Caddie estimates close to 2,000 people participate each year in the Waitangi Day event  designed to increase residents knowledge of local history and build a stronger sense of community within Gisborne.

A street-on-street sports competition involving teams of local families is being organised by Tairawhiti Men Against Violence along with a display of images from the Super Gizzy Fullas photo competition. The annual Treaty Trivia quiz is always popular as is the t-shirt screen-printing provided by Kaiti artist Melanie Tahata.

“This is an awesome opportunity to celebrate the different cultures that make up modern day Gisborne and to remember where we have come from” said Mr Caddie “Through the generosity of the Tangata Whenua, it is also a great chance to spend some time with friends and family in the special place that is Te Poho o Rawiri.”

A record number of food, information and activity stalls will be nourishing the body, mind and soul throughout the day which starts at 10am and finishes around 3pm.

More information about the day is available on the KaPai Kaiti website: www.kapaikaiti.com

GDC report waters down voter participation project

A staff report going to the full Council meeting this Thursday recommends that GDC does not support the Ka Pai Kaiti Voter Participation Project unless it focuses on the whole city and does not target areas with low voter participation.

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Click here to read the staff report: Voter_Participation_Project_(17_December_2009)

Click here to read the updated project summary: Kaiti Voter Participation Project Summary (12 Dec)

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Ka Pai Kaiti disagree with much of the analysis in the report. We also disagree with one of the recommendations (that the project should not focus only on neighbourhoods with low participation) but, subject to agreement from existing project partners, can agree to accomodate the other (that the project should not use control groups to compare the effectiveness of the approach) for the following reasons:

1. This project is specifically designed to increase participation in particular neighbourhoods that had comparatively low turn out at the 2007 election. These neighbourhoods also have higher proportions of young, Maori and low-income earners. We are interested in ensuring participation rates are more equal across the demographic profile of the city not just about raising participation rates across the board. Voters from poorer communities often have different priorities to others but because they have lower participation rates their issues and priorities are not reflected in the composition of Council. A range of historical and current social and personal issues contribute to the lower participation rates of people from neighbourhoods experiencing higher levels of deprivation.

2. Even if the project wanted to include the whole city there is not enough resource to undertake the kind of work that research suggests is effective and GDC are not offering any funding to support the project – even though they say these issues are important to them.

3. Including other neighbourhoods that had low participation rates at the last election will mean that we will be less able to determine whether or not the project has made any difference because a range of other factors could have influenced the outcome for those communities. However, subject to agreement from existing project partners, we are willing to compromise on this issue and include two other areas that had low turn out at the last election (Mangapapa and Elgin). This will mean that our limited resources are stretched further and the potential impact likely to be diminished but we see it as important that GDC is involved and in a spirit of solidarity with neighbourhoods similar to Kaiti across the city, we are keen to make this happen if residents from those are interested in being involved.

Ka Pai Kaiti are encouraging interested residents and people everywhere to attend the Council meeting at 9am Thursday 17 December and/or contact the Mayor, Councillors, the CEO and/or The Gisborne Herald before Thursday to express support for the project as it stands.

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Contact Details:

Meng Foon (Mayor): mayor@gdc.govt.nz

Lindsay McKenzie (CEO): lindsay@gdc.govt.nz

Councillors

Nona Aston: nona.gaskin@gisborne.net.nz

Craig Bauld: cbauld@xnet.co.nz

Bill Burdett: (06) 864 8966

Andy Cranston: a.cranston@xtra.co.nz

Allan Davidson: alan.davidson@clear.net.nz

Alan Hall: aphall@xtra.co.nz

Roger Haisman: (027) 332 8601

Hemi Hikawai: Jimmyhikawai@xtra.co.nz

Gary Hope: sabbatical@xtra.co.nz

Atareta Poananga: atareta@jamaicachambers.co.nz

Kathy Sheldrake: kathys@tmssport.co.nz

Pat Seymour: pnseymour@xtra.co.nz

Graeme Thomson: thomson230@xtra.co.nz

Brian Wilson: bwilson@paradise.net.nz

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The Gisborne Herald: letters@gisborneherald.co.nz

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Useful references:

• Hajnal, Z. & Trounstine, J. “Where Turnout Matters:  The Consequences of Uneven Turnout in City Politics” 2005 Journal of Politics. 67(2): 515-535.
• Māori electoral participation research programme and reports 2004-06 – NZ Electoral Commission
• Luiten, J. “A History of Local Government on the East Coast”. Wellington, Crown Forestry Rental Trust, 2009

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Affordable Housing in Kaiti

Ka Pai Kaiti has been encouraging Gisborne District Council to take a leadership role in local housing issues.

http://tvnz.co.nz/te-karere/2009-wednesday-video-1027496

Te Puna Reo o Puhi Kaiti opens

Te Puna Reo o Puhi Kaiti (www.punareo.maori.nz) has opened its doors in early July and already has a full roll of 25 tamariki participating in the immersion Maori early childhood education programme. A high proportion of whanau are joining their mokopuna at Puna and spending the day with them.

Kaiti Community Technology Centre programmes start…

Community Technology Centre opening at Kaiti School (Room 13)

Digital Step Workshops will begin in early August and will run at various times during the day and evenings. (Each Digital step is 2 ½ hours)

Complete 4 Digital Steps and receive a “Stepping UP” certificate.

Detail in this: Stepping UP Registration Form

Kaiti School official opening of the Community Technology Centre

The History of Titirangi (Kaiti Hill)

Click here to download Nga Maunga Korero edition on Kaiti including the history of Titirangi (Kaiti Hill) and the naming of Kaiti.

LTCCP submissions

KaPai Kaiti was involved with four submissions on the Council’s 10 Year Plan.

Copies of the submissions are available on the Publications page.

Invitation to opening of Kaiti Community Technology Centre

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to be part of our forthcoming Community Technology Centre (CTC) launch.

Computers in Homes (CIH) programmes have been successfully operating in the Gisborne community for over three years through the Gisborne District Council.

We have now delivered our programme to 650 Gisborne whanau. Our CIH committee has secured funding for a new programme, Stepping UP: ICT for a Better Future, from the 2020 Communications Trust and Microsoft. The programme aims to provide free ICT training for people seeking to up skill their digital literacy, but who do not have the opportunity or the confidence to embark on qualifications-based tertiary ICT courses.

Computers in Homes whanau and other adults seeking basic computer training will be our target group. To deliver this programme we have set up a Community Technology Centre (CTC), based at Kaiti School. The CTC is our computer training facility with a cluster of 10 Internet-connected computers, supported by trainers with the experience necessary to deliver a range of ICT up skilling programmes.

Our Gisborne CTC launch is on Tuesday 19th May, 10.30am at Kaiti School, Wainui Road, Gisborne Your support for this community based training project would be greatly appreciated. If you require further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

Ivan Lomax Project Manager Computers in Homes -

Gisborne P.O. Box 92 Tokomaru Bay 4047

Ph 06 8645 713 Cell 027 2792 595

Skype: waima52

Blog: www cihgisborne.blogspot.com

Waitangi Day Planning Hui

A planning meeting for anyone with ideas for Waitangi Day is being held 4-5pm on Tuesday 23 October at the KK offices cnr Ranfurly & Oxford Streets.

Kaiti School Centenary

Over 400 registrations have been received for the Kaiti School Centenary this Labour Weekend. Registrations have closed but visitors can still check out the huge range of memorabilia and photos in the classrooms – open all weekend.