Te Puni Kōkiri was established under the Māori Development Act 1991 to promote “increases in the levels of achievement attained by Māori” in a number of key sectors.
Te Puni Kōkiri has a range of responsibilities that are very broad from te reo Māori and culture through many social and economic issues, to the environment and natural resources.
The Ministry’s strong connections within Māori communities through whānau, hapū and iwi connections, as well as other government agencies helps to generate trusted partnerships and flows of information. This approach enables a shared focus on issues important to Māori.
As a small agency with broad responsibilities, Te Puni Kōkiri has to be smart in maximising its impact. This involves partnering with others both within government and with Māori and non-Māori organisations. It also requires careful choices about how and where we become involved in particular issues.
Presently, Te Puni Kōkiri has 342 permanent positions, a national office and 17 regional and local offices.