Final results from the New Zealand general elections have confirmed that the ruling Labour Party led by Prime Minister Helen Clark is all set to form a minority government with support from a number of smaller parties. Here, PAUL COTTON, former New Zealand diplomat and FCA treasurer, reports on the recent FCA briefing on Maori political, social and cultural issues. Photo credit Neena Bhandari and Koji Nozawa.

FCA members enjoyed a remarkable briefing on the New Zealand elections on September 23.

The speakers gave us their perspective of the New Zealand elections of September 17. The New Zealand Labor Party has retained a narrow lead both in the percentage of votes cast and seats won but will have to form either a coalition or a minority government.

The big new player is the Maori Party formed only a few months ago that won four of the seven seats reserved for Maori electors, defeating in every case Maori Labor candidates.

The question put to the speakers was how the Maori Party would step into the new political scene. The answer was, carefully and strategically. In the first instance the leader of the party will seek the views of Maori at a series of meetings held around the country, bearing in mind that many Maori, making use of the two votes given under the MMP voting system, had voted for their candidate for the electorate and for the Labor Party in the overall party vote.

We were reminded that Maori history always gives relevance to the past, the present and the future. Now the time has come when a Maori Party is in a position to look to the future and see how the game will be played.

The Trans-Tasman Maori, as the 40,000 in Australia call themselves, no longer wish to be taken for granted by politicians of any party in New Zealand. When Maori do not fit into mainstream Australia and are not benefited as much as other cultural minorities, the future can hold more assistance from the New Zealand side of the Tasman.

The Australian concept of New Zealanders as dole-bludgers is just mythology, said Dr Pittman, as there are a higher percentage of Kiwis working in Australia than there are native-born Aussies.

The speakers saw a grouping with Labor as a likely foundation for the coming sessions but for the long term the growing number of Maori members in the New Zealand Parliament (with 18 or so in mainstream parties as well as those in the Maori seats) showed the way of the future.

Roseanna Henare-Solomona, president of the Maori Women's Welfare League spoke about `NZ elections: What the results mean for Maoris and the impact of Te Maori party and Maoris integration in Australia'. Roseanna has been working in the social sector, advocating social justice and equity, with some of societies most marginalised people. In her role as the president of the Maori Women's Welfare League NSW, she advocates the needs of Maori women and their families. She acknowledges the need to review Trans-Tasman migration in an effort to explore effective policy development for the future. She has formal qualifications in Social Science, Community Welfare, Social Ecology and Education, Systemic Development, Sociology and Research. She is currently undertaking Doctoral Research in Philosophy. Roseanna is of Maori (Ngatihine/Ngapuhi), Polish and Irish descent. Her great grandfather was Henare Wynyard, the son of Robert Wynyard, acting governor of New Zealand in the early 1800's. She was born and raised in the Bay of Islands, home to New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi. With her husband John and their 4 children, Roseanna moved to Sydney in 1990.

Dr Benjamin Pittman, secretary of the League, spoke about `Maori visual arts and creativity, its origins and the Maoris' creative model for other indigenous cultures'. Dr Pittman is of Maori (Ngati Hao/Ngapuhi/Tainui) and English descent. His paternal great-great grandfather Patuone was one of the very first senior chiefs to sign the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Benjamin has lived in Sydney for 26 years and has had a long international career in business, human resources, visual arts and education. He is currently a health/aged care industry consultant; a senior lecturer in the School of Exercise and Health Sciences at the University of Western Sydney; a professional painter/Maori arts and crafts expert, and secretary of the Maori Women's Welfare League Poihakena. Benjamin was the first ever Maori Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts Honours graduate from the University of Auckland. He also has a Masters degree from the Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales and a PhD in adult education from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Maori Violinist Elena performed and talked about `the relevance of music in the Maori culture'. Elena is a member of the National Gas Corporation Wellington Sinfonia and a professional freelance violinist. She has been trained in Wellington with the Schola Musica and did further training at Trinity College, London. Her music encompasses classical, Maori, Latin, jazz, Irish, gypsy and electric styles. Hailing from Ngati Kahungunu in Hawkes Bay, her family name is Te Nahu. She wants her musical success to encourage young Maori artists to perform and to get involved with classical music. Elena is proud that her successful Cultural Symphony Concert is the first New Zealand and/or Maori group to be invited to perform at the very prestigious China Shanghai International Arts Festival in October 2006. She lives with her family in Wellington.