Māori Prepared for Future Opportunities

Context

Late in 2007, we released our futures work, Ngā Kaihanga Hou – For Māori Future Makers, which considered the key drivers of future change in the global economy, and the investment priorities to position Māori to capitalise on future opportunities. Key investment priorities identified as part of that work included: skills acquisition; diversification of the asset base; increasing participation in exporting; fostering entrepreneurship; and fostering innovation. During the current recessionary period, this work, and a general future focus, remains particularly important, to ensure that public policy and interventions deliver not only immediate support, but support that will position Māori favourably for both the economic recovery and the longer term economic future. This approach is consistent with the Treaty principle of the right to development, where the Tribunal, in relation to fisheries held that a fishery “as a property right, was not limited to the business as it was, or the places that existed, but had every facility to expand”.

What we are seeking to achieve

The outcome we are pursuing, and which is contributed to across Government, is for Māori to be well prepared to capitalise on future opportunities. Key success indicators for this outcome focus particularly on Māori collective wealth and productivity, and educational attainment and skills acquisition. They are:

• Growth of the Māori asset base;
• Increased contribution of the Māori asset base to GDP; and,
• Increased levels of Māori educational achievement at secondary and post compulsory levels.

What we will do to contribute to achieving this

Our contribution to this outcome is focused on Māori achieving higher levels of participation and success in the priority areas of education, training, skills acquisition and enterprise, as these are key platforms from which to drive future economic success. Importantly, the relatively youthful construct of the Māori population means that it will make up an increasingly larger proportion of the New Zealand workforce and economic engine, and thus it is critical to ensure that Māori have high standards of educational attainment and appropriate skills to drive the future economy.

Key areas of impact which are able to be demonstrated through our activities include:

• Ensuring that consideration of the impact on Māori education and skills pathways informs key decisions made by Government;
• Enhancing Māori business services; and,
• Enhancing opportunities for Māori to utilise their assets.

The objective of key dimensions of our work, which are expected to result in these impacts, is to positively influence quality of Māori participation and success in education and the economy.

A new development this year arises from reprioritisation of funding within our existing budget to support and invest in initiatives emerging from the Minister of Māori Affairs’ Economic Taskforce.

Other key areas of our work include:

Advice on enhancing the quality of life and experiences of Māori

• Influencing policy settings and decisions on matters related to education, training and skills pathways; and,
• Providing discrete reports on the quality of life and experiences of Māori.

Participation and success in the economy

• Providing discrete reports on Māori participation and success in the economy; and,
• Developing options for the establishment of a dedicated Māori business entity or dedicated Māori business services.

Enhancing Opportunities for Māori to Utilise their Assets

• Supporting the transition of the Māori Trustee to a stand-alone organisation, to ensure the provision of enhanced trustee and development services to Māori land owners by the Māori Trustee;
• Advising on the Crown’s purchase interest in the Māori Trustee;
• Advising on options for reducing barriers to the effective utilisation of Māori assets; and
• Progressing work on a new basis for the rating and valuation of Māori land.

Community level interventions and programme management, including:

• Brokering and facilitating relationships and opportunities for Māori;
• Supporting the transition of Māori youth into sustainable employment and education;
• Grow and develop Māori leadership;
• Managing and monitoring all investments made through Māori Potential Funds that support Māori participation and success in education, skills, training, enterprise and the economy;
• Evaluating a selection of Māori Potential Fund initiatives that support enhancing Māori participation and success in education, skills, training, enterprise and the economy, in accordance with the agreed Evaluation Strategy and priorities;
• Administration and delivery of the Māori Business Facilitation Service; and,
• Management of specifically appropriated for programmes or projects, including the Māori Women’s Development Fund and Regional Tourism Organisations’ appropriations.

How we will demonstrate progress towards achieving this

The diagram on page 24 summarises our overall performance framework for this outcome area. Importantly, it demonstrates the linkages between our activities in this area, the impact those activities can have on improving Māori participation and success in education, training, skills acquisition and enterprise, and thus contribute towards the broader outcome of Māori prepared for future opportunities.