The naming of 11 Māori as new district court judges will inspire rangatahi to consider a career in the law, says the Māori Law Society co-president.

A founder member of Save Our Unique Landscape says there is a feeling of relief at Ihumātao that the standoff over land there may soon be over.

The political year officially kicks off tomorrow with politicians’ annual pilgrimage to Rātana and being an election year the stakes are even higher.

Whānau of Te Uri Taniwha hapū, up in arms over pans which threaten to damage archaeological and Māori cultural sites, are occupying Kerikeri Inlet in Northland to prevent further development.

Māori babies were five times more likely to end up in state care that non-Māori last year and their rate of urgent entries into state care has doubled since 2010, official figures show.