Introduction

Te Puni Kōkiri exists to help achieve the government’s vision for new Zealand, as it applies to Māori. A major strength in this role is our reputation in the Māori world; this means that our success depends on keeping faith with Māori people, as well as with the government. Maintaining the necessary balance is aided by the large overlap between the aspirations of Māori and those of New Zealanders generally.

It is rare for a government department to be established by statute, as Te Puni Kōkiri is by the Māori Development Act 1991. Our principal duties under the Act are to monitor and liaise with government agencies to raise the achievements of Māori in key social development areas. To achieve this we focus predominantly on leading and influencing government policy as it pertains to Māori, assisting the government to manage its relationships with Māori organisations, and partnering Māori initiative with investments, purchases, and facilitation and brokerage of other services to Māori. Despite our funding and purchasing role, we remain essentially a policy ministry, and what we learn about Māori development through our investments and relationships lends a unique credibility to our policy advice.

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