British Government to apologise to Gisborne iwi

Two hundred and fifty years after James Cook first set foot on New Zealand, Gisborne iwi will finally receive an apology from the British government today. The iwi says within the first two hours of Cook and crew from H.M.S Endeavour landing, the British had trespassed, terrorised, killed and stolen taonga. The iwi's official Facebook page says the British High Commissioner Laura Clarke is visiting Whakato marae this afternoon for an "Expression of Regret ceremony... to Rongowhakaata, and other Turanga Iwi". Corin Dann speaks to Meng Foon, who has just stepped down after more than two decades as Gisborne's mayor, to become the country's Race Relations Commissioner. While it's unclear what form the apology, or expression of regret, will take - Mr Foon says this event will be important to local iwi, who've been carrying this grief for 250 years without any acknowledgment.