Nau mai, haere mai ki tēnei te whārangi o Te Roopu Pounamu, arā te roopu Māori i roto i Te Roopu Kākāriki. Ka whawhai mātou kia awhina i ngā tāngata tokomaha e noho pakukore ana, ā, ka hiahia mātou ki te whakatikatika i tō tātou taiao pērā i te whakaora i te mauri o tātou awa huri noa i te motu.
Te Roopu Pounamu is a Māori network within the Green Party Aotearoa New Zealand, established in 2000 after the Otaki Summer gathering. We have a small but resourceful membership. We speak only for our members and not for Māori generally within the Green Party. At a hui at Hirangi Marae in December 2001 we agreed on our overall relationship with the Green Party. We resolved that:
"Acknowledging the Green Party's commitment to honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi Te Roopu Pounamu accepts the responsibility to actively support and advocate for the inclusion of a Māori dimension in all Green Party processes, policies and practices, in the context of a reciprocal relationship of aroha between Te Roopu Pounamu and the wider Green Party."
We also decided that, as part of our whanaungatanga, membership of Te Roopu Pounamu consists of Māori members and the partners of Māori members. There are certainly significant challenges for Māori within a political party but it seems that in general Māori believe the Green Party to be a viable alternative for both membership and votes because it is a principled party which is committed to both social justice and ecological wisdom. Te Roopu Pounamu uses an e-list for communication. Please email one of the contact people if you wish to join.
Māori candidates in 2011 General Election:
Aaryn Barlow, Candidate for Nelson
David Clendon MP, Candidate for Mt. Albert
Denise Roche MP, Candidate for Auckland Central
Dora Roimata Langsbury, Candidate for Te Tai Tonga
Jack Tautokai McDonald, Candidate for Te Tai Hauāuru
Metiria Turei MP, Candidate for Dunedin North
Mikaere Curtis, Candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau
Rachael Goldsmith, Candidate for Clutha-Southland
Robert Moore, Candidate for Taranaki-King Country
Tane Woodley, Candidate for Rimutaka
Office Holders
Representative on Green Party Executive (Acting): Dora Roimata Langsbury
Tumuaki Wahine: Dora Roimata Langsbury
Tumuaki Tāne: Jack Tautokai McDonald
Tikanga Support: Bonnie Savage, Mikaere Curtis
Contacts
Tamaki Makaurau
Mikaere Curtis, mikaere [dot] curtis [at] gmail [dot] com
Rest of the North Island
Jack Tautokai McDonald, jack [dot] mcdonald [at] greens [dot] org [dot] nz
Te Waipounamu/South Island
Dora Langsbury, dora [dot] langsbury [at] greens [dot] org [dot] nz
