Australia is about to witness first-hand the maori way of doing "volunteer" work.
Last weekend, the Victoria Maori Wardens in Australia officially launched. It was established mid-2012 as a not-for-profit organisation (note that!), after concerns about the number of maori youth involved in petty crimes in Oz. Since then 82 Maori Wardens have been sworn in, and local businesses have provided equipment for their use.
Now the group is appealing to NZ's High Commissioner in Canberra for financial support! Branch chairman James Hohepa Smith says it is important the High Commissioner knows about the benefits of having the wardens patrol the streets with the Victoria police on Friday and Saturday nights, watching out for wayward youth.
I doubt there's anyone in NZ, or representing this country overseas, who does NOT know the value of Maori Wardens. These volunteers have considerable success in bringing wayward bro teens to heel.
But note: they ARE volunteers. By their very title, they do it for love. Nothing more. No dosh, no moolah, no folding, no money. They volunteer.
So why is the Victoria branch of these "volunteers" putting its hand out for financial support?
And furthermore, if they're keeping troubled maori out of Australian courts and jails, then why is New Zealand expected to pay for that?
What benefits do we back home gain from their "volunteer" service abroad?
+ Meanwhile the Maori Council in NZ is bickering that technically, the Ozzie group can't call itself Maori Wardens, because it's not covered by the same laws as back home.
+ And there're even some mutterings from Ocker rednecks about brownskinned vigilantes...
Ahhhh, feel the love...
Now the group is appealing to NZ's High Commissioner in Canberra for financial support! Branch chairman James Hohepa Smith says it is important the High Commissioner knows about the benefits of having the wardens patrol the streets with the Victoria police on Friday and Saturday nights, watching out for wayward youth.
I doubt there's anyone in NZ, or representing this country overseas, who does NOT know the value of Maori Wardens. These volunteers have considerable success in bringing wayward bro teens to heel.
But note: they ARE volunteers. By their very title, they do it for love. Nothing more. No dosh, no moolah, no folding, no money. They volunteer.
So why is the Victoria branch of these "volunteers" putting its hand out for financial support?
And furthermore, if they're keeping troubled maori out of Australian courts and jails, then why is New Zealand expected to pay for that?
What benefits do we back home gain from their "volunteer" service abroad?
+ Meanwhile the Maori Council in NZ is bickering that technically, the Ozzie group can't call itself Maori Wardens, because it's not covered by the same laws as back home.
+ And there're even some mutterings from Ocker rednecks about brownskinned vigilantes...
Ahhhh, feel the love...
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