Te Ururoa Flavell MP for Waiariki www.waiariki.maori.nz

Tena tatou katoa.

Well, what an amazing sporting week we have just had.

The All Blacks overcame the French and the Warriors upset the Storm and made it into the NRL Grand Final for only the second time in their history. This weekend will surely have the nation gripped, whether it's supporting the Warriors or the All Blacks – my best wishes and support go to both our teams.

There was another sporting event on during the weekend, not quite on such a big scale however. That was the City to Surf 12km run. It attracted a large group of fitness fanatics from Rotorua to come over and participate in. By all accounts, it sounds like it was a great event which I am sure saw many Warriors and All Blacks merchandise on parade. My congratulations go out to all the participants – one day, maybe, I will get there and be part of it.

I had the pleasure of attending the ceremony to open the recently returned and beautifully restored wharenui, Mataatua over in Whakatane. The whare is a wonderful symbol, representing the unity between all of the Mataatua tribes. It was a really awesome occasion to be at and it was wonderful to see a contingent from Ngai Te Rangi, Ngati Pukenga and Ngati Ranginui in attendance too. The significance for these iwi is that their main ancestor, from whom they descend, originated from Whakatane and came on the Mataatua canoe.
Tauranga Moana is also of great significance to the Mataatua canoe. It is my understanding that it was here that Muriwai, sister to Mataatua captain Toroa, lost two children by drowning. The rahui that followed the drownings went from Nga Kuri a Wharei ki Tihirau, which today is known as the Bay of Plenty.

Of all the success happening in our communities, however, I have been distracted more by the recent events surrounding the Urewera 18 case and the kneejerk reaction that the National Government has had to the decision of the Supreme Court, who found that the police had illegally obtained evidence, making it inadmissible and resulting in some charges being dropped. The fact of the matter is that what National is trying to do, is make what was illegal, legal. The Maori Party will not support that at all.

I welcome your feedback, phone 0508 924 274, email mpwaiariki@parliament.govt.nz or post to PO Box 12028 Rotorua 3045.