Te Kahui Tumuaki advise that the information in this panui is separate to the issues KMA raised with the RNZFB Board in May 2021 and subsequent interactions. Te Kahui Tumuaki still await the RNZFB Board responses to the actual questions raised in their communications.
He Panui o Te Kahui Tumuaki, Kāpō Māori Aotearoa (KMA)
09 Aug 2021
6 August 2021
E ngā mema, ngā whānau o Kāpō Māori Aotearoa
Mā te whakapono, te tūmanako me te aroha mātou e whakatūtuki i ngā moemoea kia puta ki te whai ao ki te ao mārama - With truth, hope and love we will realise our dreams and bring them to the world of enlightenment.
On Thursday, 4 August 2021 Kāpō Māori Aotearoa, as appointed ‘Advocate’ for the Complainants’, lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Executive, Blind Low Vision NZ, on behalf of seven kāpō Māori rangatahi and pakeke, against the nine RNZFB Board of Directors who were members of this governance Board during the period November 2020 to April 2021.
The complaint, which comprises of two separate claims and grievances, states the Complainants’ have no confidence in the RNZFB Board because the Board Directors, individually and as a collective have failed to:
- Recognise or respect the human rights and freedoms bestowed to them in TeTiriti o Waitangi and international laws - Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN DRIP) and United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).
- Perform the role, responsibilities and duties that is expected of a RNZFB Board Director, as described in the RNZFB Board Inc. Constitution 2020 and RNZFB Board Policy Manual (Revised July 2021).
To ensure their Complaint is dealt with in an independent, fair, efficient and effective manner, the seven Complainants’ have petitioned that the:
a) RNZFB Board Directors involved in the Complaint voluntarily stand down immediately.
b) Complaint be heard by an independent arbitral tribunal and or an agreed person or persons.
c) Arbitration proceedings are conducted in accordance with kaupapa Māori protocols and practice.
d) Chief Executive, BLVNZ be delegated the authority to undertake the appointment of a suitable arbitrator and disburse resources to support the hearing.
e) Chief Executive, BLVNZ and KMA Advocate will agree on the members of the arbitral tribunal and or person or persons.
Te Kahui Tumuaki tautoko:
- Te Mana Motuhake o te whitu kāpō Māori tāngata.
- Ngā kōamuamu o te whitu kāpō Māori tāngata.
Te karanga o Te Kahui Tumuaki: E tautoko ana ngā mema, ngā whānau kāpō Māori i tenei kaupapa.
Members, whānau and kaitautoko who wish to express their support for the Complainants’ and their complaint can do so through posting a message on the KMA Facebook page, or emailing the KMA advocate c/-[email protected]
“Kia tu tāngata whenua ai tatou!” (Being strong in our indigeneity!)
Chrissie Cowan
Chief Executive
On behalf of Te Kahui Tumuaki
Kāpō Māori Aotearoa
*Audio version can be found on TIS Option 555