Radio Waatea the Urban Maori broadcaster is to live stream the Maori Select Committee meetings starting this week in Wellington. The initiative is supported by Te Puni Kokiri and gives Maori and all viewers access to parliamentary decision making via the Select Committee process.

Radio Waatea Manager, Bernie O'Donnell says viewing the Select Committee meetings allows us to be informed and connected with decisions that affect us now and in the future.

"We have about 11 Treaty Claims at various stages along the parliamentary pipeline and by allowing Maori see how these are discussed and voted on at Select Committee level then that lends a dimension for broader understanding." says Mr O'Donnell.

The live streams are once weekly via Radio Waatea's facebook page; Radio Waatea@waateanews. It's expected these will be up until Parliament closes a few weeks out from the 24 September elections.

Mr O'Donnell says it's also about giving Maori voters an opportunity to see Members of Parliament at work.

"Radio Waatea is about accessibility to information and to platforming decision makers. This is afterall election year and if we can spotlight Maori MP's and Pakeha MP's too albeit through a single porthole that's the Select Committee then it may encourage Maori voters to head to the polls come election day." adds Mr O'Donnell.

Mr O'Donnell says the response from Te Puni Kokiri, the Parliamentary Office of the Clerk and the Press Gallery has been extremely supportive.

The first live stream of the Maori Affairs Committee will be 11:00am Wednesday 08 February. Renowned artist Patricia Grace, Ngati Toa, Ngati Raukawa and Te Ati Awa will be supporting Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty's petition to end compulsory acquisition of Maori land under the Public Works Act.

INFORMATION: Live stream each Wednesday morning at 11:00am, via Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/waateanews/ . Wednesday 08 February Green MP Catherine Delahunty and renowned New Zealand author Patricia Grace will make submissions at the Māori Affairs Select Committee on Ms Delahunty’s petition to end compulsory acquisition of Māori land under the Public Works Act. We will also live stream the media standup immediately following the submission.

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