Tariana Turia: Possibilities are endless if we believe

Last week I received an email headed "history makers".
It went like this: "I just have to say that no matter what people say the Maori Party are history makers. This is the first time in history that Maori have been at the political table making decisions for this country and making significant changes for our people."
It made me think about just how far we have come, from a time when Maori were unable to vote unless they had individual title granted by the Crown, to a time when Maori are influencing the very shape of the political agenda.
We have a saying, "Kaore te kumara e whaakii ana tana reka" - the kumara does not say how sweet it is. But as our people have been reminding me, the impact of the Maori Party in achieving gains for tangata whenua has been immense, and they want to make sure we preserve that progress; indeed, that we keep moving forward.
In many ways that is what Whanau Ora has always represented to me. Did you know there are 359 meanings for ora? It's about that sense of being alive, of being animated, the value of love, laughter and learning; engaging in life; living up to our aspirations.
That is what I hope we have been able to do. We have pushed the door open, and made sure our people have been welcomed into the seats of power. To put the case for enviro-kura to be sustained; to challenge Government to put more frontline services into family violence; to remind us of the need to re-vitalise our communities with the basics - things like maara kai; whanau innovation plans; strategies to become smokefree; support in place for the carers who play such a vital role in keeping people safe, healthy and strong.
Those little things that may not seem "of national significance" can be huge in the life of a whanau. One of the things I'm so pleased we have been able to do is invest in another 300 weightloss operations (bariatric surgery). I know myself what a major difference it can make in your life to be healthy and fit - facing far brighter prospects.
There are the big gains - restoring Maori access to the courts through the takutai moana bill; the constitutional review placing the Treaty of Waitangi on the agenda; and for the first time in over a decade, a significant investment into kura kaupapa Maori and cultural competency across all schools. Tracking back over the past three years, it's staggering to realise we've achieved over $620 million of gains across almost every sector of influence.
But most of all - what has been so wonderful to see - is the increased Maori representation on committees, boards, expert advisory committees and consultative groups that have such a say on working out the finer details of initiatives, whether they be in agriculture, economic development, broadband rollout or disaster recovery.
Another email that came across my desk celebrating our unique contribution as whanau, hapu and iwi as "the silver lining on the long white cloud". Forget all the negativity that sells papers - the Treaty; tangata whenua; and our relationship in this wonderful land of Aotearoa are indeed to be cherished. The possibilities are endless - if only we believe in them.