Nia's tribute slammed for lack of talk

A three-minute silence to honour Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie has been attacked by a Maori group that says talk - not silence - is needed.
Thousands of Rotorua residents were invited to take part in the three-minute memorial at 12.12pm today.
Nia died on Friday in Auckland's Starship Hospital. She had been hospitalised with severe injuries. Five people have been charged with her abuse.
Family First NZ, For the Sake of Our Children Trust, and the Sensible Sentencing Trust, had asked New Zealanders to stop what they were doing at 12.12pm and observe three minutes of silence. They had hoped people would leave their offices and cars to take part.
But Allies of Whanau of Aotearoa (Awa) called for people to "make some noise" instead.
"Silence on the issue sends out the wrong message," spokesman Te Kanikani Tautoko said.
"It's something we need to be discussing as opposed to not saying anything."
Family First spokesman Bob McCoskrie said the three minutes represented "the three short years" of the Rotorua toddler's life, and the time mirrored the 12 children who died from child abuse each year in New Zealand.
But Awa said engaging in korero (talk) and singing songs was a more appropriate approach.

"The silence proposed by a coalition of non-Maori organisations is counter-productive," Mr Tautoko said.
Awa is advocating "whanau-based solutions" to violence in Maori communities and said people who made noise would send a clearer message of support to those communities.
Meanwhile, Nia's mother Lisa Kuka says her daughter's tangi was a mixture of sad and happy emotions.
Ms Kuka said her family and those of the accused had travelled from Auckland to Tokoroa as separate families. But they had united at Nia's tangi.
Nia's classmates from her Koutu kohanga reo attended the tangi at the St Luke's Pacific Island Church yesterday to say goodbye.
Nia's grandfather, Glassie Glassie Senior said the tangi was not about denying what had happened to Nia but instead was about celebrating her life with some dignity.
A private service for Nia's family is being held tonight in Tokoroa at the St Luke's Pacific Island Church, where her funeral will be held tomorrow at 11am followed by her burial at the Tokoroa Cemetery.

Meanwhile, Rotorua residents were expected to pay their respects to Nia at a candlelight ceremony tonight. Classic Hits is organising the ceremony at 5.30pm at Kuirau Park, off Pukuatua St, where the flea market is held. The venue has been changed from the Rotorua Lakefront due to anticipated bad weather.
Lotto presenter and entertainer Russell Harrison and Howard Morrison jnr will sing a hymn. Speeches were planned from those involved in the battle against child abuse, including Rotorua mayor Kevin Winters.
* Michael Curtis, 21, Michael Pearson, 19, and Oriwa Kemp, 17, are jointly charged with abusing Nia over three days in July. William Curtis, 48, is charged with abusing Nia over a four-month period this year. All four are in custody and were to appear at a bail hearing in the Rotorua District Court today. The toddler's 17-year-old stepfather, Wiremu Curtis, is on bail on an assault charge and will appear in the Rotorua District Court for the first time on Monday.


_ additional reporting NZ Herald