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| Down Under |
| NZ gets first Maori defence chief - Everybody Lets do the Hakka! |
| 2006-03-06 |
| New Zealand has appointed its first Maori defence chief. Maj Gen Jerry Mateparae, 51, currently head of the country's army, will serve in his new position from 1 May, the government said. Maj Gen Mateparae had successfully "melded together" the traditions of the Maori warrior and the British army, Defence Minister Phil Goff said. Maori, New Zealand's indigenous people, make up about 15% of the country's population, and 17% of its military. Maj Gen Mateparae will also be promoted to lieutenant general on his promotion. "He will continue to be a role model and I have total confidence he will be fully accepted, not only by all Maori, but all New Zealand. He is an excellent future leader," said the man he will succeed, Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson. Maj Gen Mateparae, who will take command of 13,000 military and non-military staff across the army, air force, navy and joint headquarters, said he was pleased with his new appointment. Good stuff. Balance at link, GO ALL BLACKS! |
| Posted by:Cleanter Spairong2465 |
| #10 I'd leave the :P out, Oz... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2006-03-06 19:34 |
| #9 Now all they need is a Defence Force :P |
| Posted by: Oztralian 2006-03-06 15:29 |
| #8 phase out their timidity and weakness. LOL! |
| Posted by: 6 2006-03-06 14:36 |
| #7 Should be fixed now, though... |
| Posted by: Fred 2006-03-06 13:44 |
| #6 I think it's a new bug. I may have just invented it. |
| Posted by: Fred 2006-03-06 13:15 |
| #5 Ok, it worked. Credit where credit is due. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-03-06 13:14 |
| #4 CS, you did post it, but failed to put the link in the source block. I just fixed that and posted it, so it showed up as me being the original poster. I'll see if I can fix that. |
| Posted by: Steve 2006-03-06 13:12 |
| #3 Credit noted CS2465. Sometimes the mods edit/touch an article and forget to remove their name from the edit. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-03-06 13:10 |
| #2 Amazing, I would have swore I had just posted this BBC piece with the, "Good stuff. Balanace at Link, GO ALL BLACKS! as well. A bit of Rant post plagurizing I see. Nicely done Stevie, I'll bet you rummaged your mums bloomers as well. |
| Posted by: Cleanter Spairong2465 2006-03-06 12:53 |
| #1 I wonder if the Maori will eventually demographically outnumber the whites, and while keeping with their good traditions, such as democracy, phase out their timidity and weakness. It would be good to see NZ equated with both "rough and tumble" and as a Maori state. In a way, like the Samoans, another people with a good attitude towards life and things. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-03-06 12:27 |