Te Huarahi Tika Trust Annual General Meeting

Notice is given that the Trustees of Te Huarahi Tika Trust are to hold an Annual General Meeting for the period to 31 March 2012 will be held on Wednesday 29 May 2013.
The venue is: Te Wananga o Raukawa,
119 Tasman Road, OTAKI at 4pm.
An agenda and report will be available at the meeting.

Notice is also given that the audited financial statements of Te Huarahi Tika Trust will be available
for public inspection at:
Trust Registered Office
56 Main Street
Otaki

And can also be viewed on the trusts website
www.thtt.co.nz from 29 May 2013
For further information, please call
Kara Kearney on 06 3648598

Also discussing the issues are well known Māori leaders; Piripi walker, Mavis Mullens and Professor Whatarangi Winiata.

The podcast and details are available from Te Ahi Kaa Radio New Zealand web site http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/teahikaa/20130512

We see this decision as a positive direction forward for not only the ICT sector, but for the increasing numbers of innovative Maori businesses and interested Maori taking up study in the area of ICT.

It is encouraging that the government have listened to the ICT industry who have lobbied loud and hard for computer software to be be included.

Ministers release is below.

The Government has today released the final draft of a Bill that will modernise telecommunications security legislation.

The draft Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Bill was released by Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams after Cabinet approved it today. The Bill will be introduced to the House later this week.

The Bill will replace the current Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Act 2004, following a review that started in 2011.

There are two parts to the Bill.  The first part relates to obligations for telecommunications companies, and is focused on modernising the existing interception capability regime.

The changes will not in any way alter the authority of police or intelligence and security agencies to intercept telecommunications, or reduce the checks and balances on how these agencies can access and use private communications information. These matters are dealt with under separate legislation.

The second aspect of the Bill introduces a formal and transparent network security regime. The proposed changes will mean network operators will be obliged to engage with the Government through the GCSB on network security, where it might affect New Zealand’s national security and economic well-being.

“Updating the legislation will ensure New Zealand’s telecommunications companies have a clearer understanding of how to meet their interception obligations while ensuring network infrastructure remains secure, as we move to an increasingly online world,” Ms Adams says.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology

Media Statement 3 May 2013

UFB installation made easier for apartments

Arranging fibre installation for Ultra-Fast Broadband in apartments and office buildings will be more straightforward in future, thanks to a new code of practice.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Amy Adams has today released a Code of Access to Multi-Unit Complexes. The Code sets out basic processes for property owners and fibre deployment companies to follow when installing and servicing fibre networks in buildings with multiple owners.

The Code covers issues such as gaining consent for the installation, apportioning costs and on-going access for maintenance and upgrades.

The Code is part of a wider access regime for multi-unit complexes set out in the Telecommunications Act 2001. The Code was developed by the Government in consultation with the telecommunications industry and other stakeholders.

“The UFB programme continues to make good progress throughout the country and the release of the Code is just another example of the Government making it easier for people to access world-class technology,” Ms Adams says.

The UFB initiative involves Government investment of $1.35 billion – alongside private sector funding – to roll out fibre to schools, hospitals, and 90 per cent of businesses by 2016, and links to homes and remaining businesses completed by 2019.

Notice of the Order in Council approving the Code was published in the New Zealand Gazette on April 26. The Code comes into effect on May 30 2013.

To view the code, go to: http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/technology-communication/communications/broadband-policy/telecommunications-infrastructure-deployment

Media contact: Nathan Beaumont 021 243 8412

NZMIS also support in principle, the establishment of the proposed ICT fund that will benefit Maori in ICT, but have concerns about how it will be managed and where the money will be sourced from. However, NZMIS will await the invitation from Hon Amy Adams to consult with its members on the fund. Furthermore, NZMIS do not see the relevance of the fund and how it equates to any sort of Treaty response.

By remaining neutral, we are being representative of our communities and even our komiti, who have been divided on the issue of money or spectrum said Karaitiana Taiuru the Chairperson of NZMIS.

If we were to take one position we would be ignoring a reasonable portion of our membership and our komiti, so by supporting both options is a positive and representative way forward.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hertz whanau and all those at 2degrees Mobile.

A moving an accurate article about Eric and his involvement with Maori is here.

NZMIS has always in its 13 year history consulted its members in a transparent manner that ensures that NZMIS is representative and a relevant voice of its members.

In terms of Radio Spectrum, we are aware that mainstream media and one Maori media web site began scaremongering rumours that Māori are split over spectrum. While we are disappointed that a few personal opinions have made it to the media, it is mutually agreed amongst stakeholders that this is pure entertainment that deserves a cup of tea and biscuit while we watch the speculation and scaremongering.

There is no divide in Maoridom over spectrum with any stakeholder groups. All of the major stakeholders are in consultation with their own stakeholders and the wider Maori community including Iwi. The NZMIS consultation allows for Maori to have their say who may otherwise not have an opportunity, or who would like to make their opinions more publically known.

We have also been invited to the consultation of the Ministers $30 million fund – date to be confirmed: so will treat that in the same manner we have this consultation.

We are looking forward to your thoughts and participation in this process.

b) Do you support a possible claim to the Treaty of Waitangi to claim a piece of Spectrum?

You can read an overview about spectrum by Karaitiana Taiuru here or view our digital library about spectrum here.

Do you have any questions? 

 Audio interview with Karaitiana Taiuru on Radio Waatea here.

What do all of these web addresses have in common? They have all been hijacked by non-Maori who have chosen to exploit Maori and Iwi. These people are called cyber squatters and usually do it out of a racist motive or to hold organisations and people to ransom for the highest dollar in order to sell the address back to the rightful owner.

During its investigation, The New Zealand Maori Internet Society (NZMIS) found at least seven hijacked web addresses that breached the Terms and Conditions of registration and have issued proceedings to have the domain names cancelled. In addition to this, NZMIS are liaising with several multinational corporations of TradeMark breaches in the .maori.nz address and will be contacting and liaising with the affected 12 Iwi to have their Iwi names either returned or cancelled.

Chairperson Karaitiana Taiuru warns potential cyber squatters that there is no money to be made hijacking Maori names and Iwi names. Iwi and hapu have an exclusive domain name .iwi.nz that is strictly moderated to only allow Iwi and Hapu to register names. For other Maori names, there is the potential to use so many different variations or even other suffixes. It is simply not feasible to try to exploit Maori for web addresses. This will leave the racists who will register racist and derogatory anti Maori names and associate them with Google searches and mock web sites. These people usually breach a New Zealand Law or are happy to remote the site and cancel the domain when approached and questioned.

NZMIS advise Maori and Iwi that if their .nz name has been registered or you believe you have a legal right to use that name i.e. it is your Trademark, then you should contact the Domain Name Commissioner Disputes Resolution free service www.dnc.org.nz or contact NZMIS who are able to act on your behalf.

In 2002, Karaitiana Taiuru, Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara and Ross Himona identified a Hamilton businessman who had bulk registered a huge amount of Maori and Iwi names in the then recently registered .maori.nz domain, then offered them back for sale at 100’s the original price. An alert reporter from the NZ Herald, Adam Gifford picked up the story and published it in the New Zealand Herald. The result was an apology and the free gifting of the domain names back to Iwi and Maori.

Over the past decade, domain names have been actively monitored and checked for breaches of the law and Terms of Service of registering a domain name. When breaches are found, complaints to the relevant authority have seen the domain name cancelled. Some of the names include sophisticated forged web sites of government departments full of racist slurs and stereotypes.

One cyber squatter from 1996 who partly motivated the .maori.nz application in 2000 is NZ Country Matters Ltd who registered maori.co.nz and is offering it for sale. The introduction of .maori.nz quickly made this domain unimportant.