Māori capability conference postponed

A one-day conference to promote and enhance ways to build Māori capacity and capability planned for next Monday has had to be postponed due to the response to the grounding of the Rena.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Māori Policy Manager Kataraina Belshaw said the Council's Māori Policy staff were currently providing iwi liaison support to Maritime NZ in managing the oil spill so were not available to run the conference.

"Our thoughts go out to all the whānau in the Tauranga Moana area whose beaches and wildlife are being affected by the oil spill. It is also out of respect for them that this decision has been made," she said.

The event, called Te Tōanga o Te Ra,or'the rising of the sun/dawn', targeted Māori who live in, or have an interest in the Bay of Plenty region.

The conference will go ahead in the new year.