Te Ururoa Flavell: Get ready for the 'new normal'

Tena ano tatou katoa. Having just come off the back of the Iron Maori event in Napier, can I say wow. If you want inspiration, it was there in bucket loads. This sporting event has grown from 300 people taking part in a swim, bike and run to more than 2000 would-be athletes. Anyone would be moved at seeing our tamariki having a go at a triathlon - just as stirring is the sight of koeke taking part and people of every body shape - even one person on a tricycle. We are talking a 90km ride on a three-wheeler.

Appropriately so, our own Leanne Haverkamp was recognised for her work in promoting the event among Te Arawa. She acknowledged her team at Flavazum and, despite already having sent a few notes to her myself, let me again recognise her efforts in giving people like me the encouragement to give it a go.

Ka nui te mihi ki a koe e te tuahine. For the record, it took me three hours and 15 minutes for the 90km bike ride and our team came fifth. Not bad I reckon. So the message to me is clear - if I can do it, so can all of you.

I recently had the privilege of providing the opening address at the Tane Ora national conference held in Blenheim and it was good to see the Te Arawa contingent there as well. In the same vein as the Maori Women's Welfare League which started many years ago, this coalition is a relatively new development.

They had a great range of speakers - they were all male of course but it was clear we can learn a lot from each other and need to take time out to have discussions among ourselves. That's the great thing about peeling spuds at the marae, we get time to sit down and chin wag.

I started off my address by talking about the "new normal", which is a concept the Maori Party is going to spearhead for Aotearoa in the New Year. What is this "new normal"?

Mitt Romney, the defeated US presidential candidate, found out recently the "new normal" is about unleashing the power of diversity. It is about new citizens and old citizens building together, about men and women succeeding together, it is about economic growth and economic justice, it is about our kids thinking it is absolutely natural their friends should be all colours, all cultures, all religions. The "new normal" is about hope and not fear.

It is about believing the promise contained in Te Tiriti o Waitangi that we all go forward together will be honoured, that there is huge importance in building relationships and that Maori will do an amazing job in building the nation. That is the "new normal" and it is coming your way next year.

I welcome your feedback. Email: mpwaiariki@parliament.govt.nz Post: PO Box 12028, Rotorua 3045 Phone: 07 3503261

Tena ano tatou katoa. Katahi ano au ka mutu i te Iron Maori i tu ki Heretaunga, a ruarua noa nga kupu ka puta - kei tawhiti, ka wani ke!! Mena e hiahia ana koutou ki te matakitaki i tetahi kauapa hei whakahihiko i to ngakau, e tu ai nga pihi - koina! Kua tupu te kaupapa nei i nga tau, mai i te toru rau tangata pea ki te rua mano neke atu. He wahanga kaukau, paihikara, me tetahi mea oma te ahuatanga o tenei kaupapa. Ka noho miharo tetahi ki te ahuatanga o te maia o te hunga tamariki, koeke, nga momo hanga o te tangata tae atu ki tetahi i te paihikara wira toru nei. E hoa ma, iwa tekau kiromita te roa o te paihikara!

Na, e tika ana te kupu whakamihi a nga kaiwhakahaere ki a Leanne Haverkamp ma ana mahi ki te whakakorikori i te kaupapa nei ki waenga i a tatou o te kainga. Nana tonu ona hoa o Flavazum i mihi heoi ano ko taku ko te tuku mihi ki a ia tonu, nana nga mea penei i a au i aki, i awhi, i tautoko i roto i nga mahi whakangungu. Ka nui te mihi e te tuahine.

Kia mohio koutou, e toru haora me te hauwha taku ekenga, a i tuarima pea taku tima whanau. Ka rawe ne? No reira mena e taea ana e au, e taea ana koe!!

Katahi ano au ka tu hei tangata wahi korero mo tetahi hui ko te Tane Ora National Conference te ingoa, a, i tu ki Waiharakeke ara ki Blenheim. I kora tetahi tira no te kainga. Penei i te Ropu Wahine Maori Toko i te Ora i tona orokohanga i nga tau e hia ke nei kua hipa, koia nei te timatanga mai mo tenei ropu. Ko te rarangi ingoa o nga kaikorero, e hoa ma, he rawe. E tika ana kia whai wahi tatou nga tane ki te wananga i nga take. Koia nei te pai o te mahi waru riwai i te marae. Ka whai wahi te tangata ki te noho, ki te ata wetewete i nga take!!

I whai wahi ano au ki te korero mo tetahi kaupapa hou o te Paati Maori ara mo te "New Normal". He aha tonu te "New Normal"? I tau te maramatanga o tenei kaupapa ki a Mitt Romney, tangata whai nei i te turu mo te Manatu o Amerika. Ko te tikanga o te kaupapa nei, he tirohanga hou ki te ao. Ko tona aronga, he mea akinga hou mo te mana o te noho kanorau.

Ko etahi ka ki ko te kotahitanga i roto i te noho rereke!! Ara ko te noho tahi o te manene me te tangata whenua, ko te tane me te wahine e mahi tahi ana, ko te whakatupu rawe, me te tika o taua whakatupu rawe. Mena ka noho tangata whenua tonu te whakaaro ki te ngakau o te hunga taiohi kaore he wehewehenga o te taiohi, kiri mai, tikanga mai, haahi mai, koia te taumata tiketike o te whakaaro. Ko tenei kaupapa, he aronui ki te tumanako, ki te wawata, kaua ko te whakamataku.

Koia ra te oati o te Tiriti o Waitangi, ara kia mahi tahi, a, ko ta matou ko te whakatinana i taua whakaaro. Ko te whanaungatanga o tetahi ki tetahi he mea nui, a, ka whai wahi tatou te Maori i roto i nga ahuatanga katoa o Aotearoa.

Koia ra ko te New Normal e karerotia ana, koia na te kaupapa hei te tau hou.