Maori campaign

New Zealand

Concern at plans to HIIK9

drop Pacific programme

THE New Zealand Public Service Association is concerned at Rians to drop Pacific Island language news programmes from iational Radio, Staff at Te Reo o Aotearoa, Radio New Zealand’s Maori and Pacific Islands unit, were told of the plan by National Radio manager Sharon Crosbie.

Four full-time and two part-time staff will be made redundant. The half hour broadcast of vernacular news at 7pm each weeknight will be dropped. Three journalists will be hired to produce a short daily English language bulletin on Pacific affairs. Crosby told staff the changes were to make the programming more accessible to a greater number of listeners, and to increase awareness and understanding of Pacific Island issues. However, staff say the strength of their programme is the close links they have with their communities, and their ability to provide news of importance to the communities.

There is nothing in the proposal which would continue that service. They say Pacific Island news programmes aimed fmmarily at Palagi (European) audiences will not win support fom Pacific Island communities, and the proposals amount to ethnic cleaning of National Radio. ***

Maori campaign

could end up in court

A CAMPAIGN to increase the number of Maori parliamen tary seats by boosting the Maori electoral roll is likely to end up in court. Maori voters have the choice of being listed on the general roll or on the Maori roll, whose size will determine the number of Maori seats under the new proportional electoral system to be introduced for the next election. The Maori Congress believes a legal challenge is their last hope for boosting Maori electoral representation.