Government Priorities

During 2006 the government updated its strategic direction for the Public service with the release of three new high-level priorities already mentioned.

Incorporated into our Statement of Intent in terms of the following headings, considering and acting on these within the overall context of the Māori Potential Approach became the predominant drivers of our work.

This section of the report introduces how the three priorities were interpreted by Te Puni Kōkiri, with examples of our contributions during the year. Full details of our outputs are in the Statement of Service Performance, beginning on page 21 of this report.

Economic Transformation

Through maximising Māori collective assets and growing Māori Innovation

Māori economic development was supported by Te Puni Kōkiri during the year through a mix of policy development and support for Māori business and asset development. In line with the Māori Potential Approach, our aim has been to harness the Māori contribution to government priorities in ways which tap the distinctive strengths and natural affinities of Māori culture. The main tools employed were assistance through the Ministry’s Māori Business Facilitation Service (MBFS), investments and support for infrastructure and capacity development, and policy leadership and influence.

From a policy perspective, one of the key areas of work has been developing an economic forecasting report, which identifies key drivers of change in the global economy, and identifies options to optimise Māori participation and success in that future economy. This report will be completed in the 2007/08 year.

the MBFS provides advice and support for Māori businesses and organisations. Māori organisations in general are central to Māori development through their role in managing and growing collectively owned assets, for example, in land, fisheries, aquaculture and forestry. Te Puni Kōkiri progressed proposals for a new governance entity specifically shaped to meet the needs and aspirations of Māori collectives. These were based on the Law Commission report, Waka Umanga – A Proposed Law For Māori Governance Entities, informed through consultation at 15 regional hui and by advice from other government agencies. More directly, we facilitated governance training for numerous Māori organisations.

The review of the Māori trustee and the Māori trust office which Te Puni Kōkiri is leading has made good progress. This review enquires into:

• the nature and role of the Māori Trustee;
• ongoing funding for the Māori Trustee and the Māori Trust Office;
• the debt owed by the Māori Trustee to the Crown; and
• the rate of return paid on investments in the common fund.

Agreement has been sought to introduce legislation to effect proposed changes to the Māori Trustee and Māori Trust Office.

In August 2006, Te Puni Kōkiri obtained Cabinet agreement to a Māori Land Development Action Plan. Te Puni Kōkiri contributes to the implementation of this plan by funding land development projects, facilitating expert assistance and coordinating related initiatives across the government.

Strenthening National Identity

Through maximising Māori cultural capital

Māori, and consequently, Te Puni Kōkiri, have an important part to play in strengthening New Zealand’s national identity. To maximise and recognise the unique contribution that Māori make to strengthened national identity, Māori culture must prosper in all its diversity.

Te Puni Kōkiri claims leadership of policy related to Māori culture, and currently seeks to boost the vitality of Māori culture especially through initiatives in Māori language and broadcasting, and through bringing about a wider understanding within government of the strengths inherent with cultural infrastructure, especially whānau. The historical grievances of Māori, which affect their participation in society, we help remove through our support for the treaty settlements process.

The vision of the government’s Māori Language strategy is one in which the Māori language is being widely spoken by Māori, and with the value of the Māori language being appreciated by new Zealanders at large. The target date for the strategy is 2028, and Te Puni Kōkiri monitors progress towards it. A detailed stock-take of the health of the Māori language was completed by Te Puni Kōkiri during the year. this involved face-to-face interviews with almost 4,000 Māori in their homes, and showed significant advances compared with a corresponding survey in 2001. In partnership with Te ātaarangi, providers of Māori language services, we launched a programme to provide direct support and targeted information to whānau about their language development needs.

Māori television has now shown clearly the potential of broadcasting in strengthening Māori culture and national identity for all new Zealanders. The government supports Māori broadcasting through the Māori Television Service (MTS) and the network of iwi radio stations. During the year the MTS joined the freeview Consortium developing a shared platform for free-to-air digital television. Te Puni Kōkiri developed a Māori Broadcasting and e-media strategy to provide a policy and operational basis for Māori participation in these cutting-edge developments.

The settlement of treaty claims will enhance New Zealand, and several negotiations made good progress during the period. The Ngāti Mutunga Settlement Act and the Te Arawa Lakes Settlement Act were both passed during 2006; while an agreement in principle was signed with Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei and mandating and terms of negotiation were agreed with iwi in Te Tau Ihu. To all these Te Puni Kōkiri made substantial contributions, drawing on our cultural expertise. We led the transfer of the Whanganui District Courthouse site to the Pakaitore Trust, which will eventually assist in a comprehensive settlement for the iwi of Whanganui.

Families, Young and Old

Through maximising whānau potential

Te Puni Kōkiri’s understanding of whānau as the core units and drivers of Māori society empowers us in the government’s priority of Families – Young and Old. The key challenge for agencies is how to harness the potential of whānau to drive positive change in their communities. A Whānau Development Action and research programme, run by Te Puni Kōkiri from 2004 to 2006, investigated how agencies might work most effectively with provider organisations in ways that harness the cultural vitality that many whānau possess. A feature of this programme was the employment of independent researchers to document project processes and learnings at every stage. Our report, Realising Māori Potential Through Whānau Innovation, was published on the Te Puni Kōkiri website.

The wellbeing of New Zealand families including whānau is the responsibility of the mainstream agencies. During the year, Te Puni Kōkiri worked with a range of sector agencies on initiatives for family and whānau wellbeing. Through our involvement with other agencies we add value to their work while encouraging them to adopt culturally efficacious frameworks and programmes developed or piloted by Te Puni Kōkiri. We supported agencies and private sector organisations working with whānau in a wide variety of ways, as detailed in our statement of service Performance.

There were approximately 160,000 Māori children in the school sector in 2006/07. Of these, more than 25,000 students were enrolled in kaupapa Māori (Māori medium) schools, receiving their education through a combination of Māori and English or Māori alone. Ka Hikitia, a new Māori education strategy, promotes a shift in policy development towards the Māori Potential Approach in the education sector. This strengths-based approach has been widely supported by key external stakeholders including iwi, hapū and whānau.

The government has committed to implementing a number of initiatives as part of the Effective Interventions work programme aimed at building safer communities. As part of this, Te Puni Kōkiri and the Ministry of Justice worked together during the year with Māori practitioners, providers and offenders to develop a programme of action with the aim of reducing rates of offending by Māori. An engagement process has been established as an initial step in building sustainable relationships throughout the sector.

As part of the Rural Housing Programme, Te Puni Kōkiri worked with local iwi and Housing new Zealand Corporation to tackle substandard housing in rural Northland, East Cape and the Bay of Plenty. In Tai Tokerau, housing shortages will be reduced through a joint venture between Te Puni Kōkiri and Te Rūnanga o te Rarawa. The project also addresses a shortage of trainee tradesmen by building houses for the tribal housing strategy, using Māori carpentry apprentices supplied by Northland Polytechnic.

Te Puni Kōkiri worked with the Frankton-Dinsdale Rauawaawa Charitable Trust to develop sustainable services for kaumātua in Hamilton West. This established a “one-stop-shop” offering interactive social services to meet the cultural, economic, educational, health and social needs of kaumātua in that city. Through this programme, kaumātua are also able to access assistance with accommodation, health care and employment opportunities.

Whānau wellbeing is also the goal of Project Mauri Ora, developed by Te Korowai Aroha o Aotearoa with funding provided over three years by Te Puni Kōkiri. The aim of this project is to implement strategies that move whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori communities towards zero tolerance of family violence across the country. A whānau violence prevention framework has been piloted and provides culturally effective interventions for victims, perpetrators and whānau. To date, over 200 skilled whānau, hapū and iwi practitioners have completed training. Capacity building was undertaken with over 30 hapū and iwi agencies providing support to an estimated 2000 whānau through the motu.

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