Our strategic framework | Tapatoru draws from our experience to position Te Puni Kōkiri for strategic impact, influencing outcomes for Māori across the public service and monitoring the Government on its performance for Māori.
Last updated: Tuesday, 28 July 2026 | Rātū, 28 Hōngongoi, 2026
Our strategic framework is underpinned by our enduring values. These values guide how we behave within the Ministry, across government, and in collaboration with whānau, hapū, Iwi and Māori.
Our 2025–2029 Strategic Intentions sets the direction for Te Puni Kokiri for the next four years. Our strategy reflects Cabinet’s 2024 decisions and refreshed vision for Māori development, which positioned Te Puni Kokiri for strategic influence.
Recognising our legislative mandate, the Maori Development Act 1991, this positioning elevates our monitoring and mentoring responsibilities and emphasises our role in holding other agencies to account for delivering public services to, for and with Maori.
Our new Strategic Intentions brings our approaches to the forefront and sets out how we intend for these to inform our work to improve outcomes to, for and with Māori.
Key Functions
- Promote increases in levels of Māori achievement in education, training, employment, health and economic resource development
- Monitor and liaise with departments to ensure the services they provide to or for Māori are adequate
- Advise the Government and the public service on the distinct rights, interests and responsibilities of Hapū, Iwi and Māori
- Lead post-settlement relationships with Post-Settlement Governance Entities and monitor the Crown’s implementation of Treaty settlement commitments
- Support investment into whānau-centred, locally led and government enabled interventions.
Te Tautuhi ō Rongo - our policy approach
Government policy is a critical lever in delivering better outcomes to and for whānau, hapū, Iwi and Māori and achieving our vision of Thriving Whānau.
Te Tautuhi ō Rongo means to listen, consider and analyse deliberately before speaking, writing and advising. Underpinned by a positive reading of Te Tiriti o Waitangi | The Treaty of Waitangi, Te Tautuhi ō Rongo as a policy framework provides a structured approach for considering how Treaty-based rights, interests and responsibilities apply.
Read more about Te Tautuhi ō Rongo
Whānau-centred, locally led, government enabled – our delivery approach
Whānau-centred, locally led and government enabled – aligns with system-level social investment principles. The approach ensures services to and for Māori are delivered in a way that is effective, and appropriate, for the communities they are being delivered to.