Go to:
Advanced Search
View All Ministers
View All Portfolios

Hon Dr Pita Sharples

Only View:
Go to: Image Gallery

16 May, 2013

Increased investment in Māori language

Budget 2013 provides for new and increased funding for Māori language initiatives, Māori Affairs Minister and Associate of Education Minister Dr Pita Sharples says.

Read full release >>

10 May, 2013

Budget 2013: Māori Affairs cadetships to be expanded

Budget 2013 has provided more funding towards the highly successful Māori Affairs cadetship programme, which has supported more Māori into jobs and kept them there.

Read full release >>

6 May, 2013

Waka Māori - taking Māori culture to the world

Māori Affairs Minister, Dr. Pita Sharples has welcomed news that Waka Māori will be used in San Francisco during the America’s Cup, and says that the pavilion will show our Māori culture to the world.

Read full release >>

30 April, 2013

Poroporoaki ki a Parekura Tureia Horomia

Minister of Māori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples tonight paid tribute to his predecessor, Parekura Tureia Horomia, who passed away yesterday.

Read full release >>

23 April, 2013

Ngarimu VC and 28th (Maori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Awards Opening Address

Tēnā koutou katoa, ānei rā te mihi ki a koutou katoa e kaha nei ki te hāpai, ki te tautoko i ngā whānau, ngā hapū me ngā marae maha puta noa i o tātou motu whānui nei o Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu.

Read full speech >>

23 April, 2013

Prestigious Māori scholarship honours leaders of the past and future

Eight outstanding Māori leaders of tomorrow have been recognised with education scholarships totalling $115,000.

Read full release >>

12 April, 2013

Speech to NZ-China Partnership Forum

Thank you to the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges and the New Zealand China Council for bringing us together in this ground-breaking event.

Read full speech >>

12 April, 2013

Speech to NZ-China Partnership Forum

Thank you to the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges and the New Zealand China Council for bringing us together in this ground-breaking event.

Read full speech >>

11 April, 2013

Taniwha & Dragon Festival 2013: Celebrating ancient and modern bonds

A pōwhiri and festival are to be held in Auckland to celebrate Maori and Chinese cultural bonds, and to consummate the relationship between the two cultures. The Minister of Māori Affairs, alongside hosts Ngāti Whātua o Orākei, and Auckland Chinese community leaders announced details of the ‘Taniwha & Dragon’ festival during the Prime Minister’s visit to China to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Read full release >>

11 April, 2013

Chairman Mao’s cloak to return to NZ

Māori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples today formally received a Māori feather cloak (kahu huruhuru) in Beijing, which will be temporarily loaned to Te Papa for display later this year.

Read full release >>

9 April, 2013

Minister congratulates Miraka on relationship with Shanghai Pengxin

Minister of Māori Affairs, Dr. Pita Sharples, has congratulated Miraka, a Māori owned milk processing company for entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with Shanghai Pengxin.

Read full release >>

3 April, 2013

Te Ture Whenua Maori Act discussion document released

The government is seeking feedback on five major proposals to streamline the complex rules governing Māori land, freeing its economic potential and strengthening guardianship, Associate Minister of Māori Affairs Christopher Finlayson and Minister of Māori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples announced today.

Read full release >>

13 February, 2013

Minister congratulates Australian House of Representatives for Act of Recognition

Minister of Maori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples has welcomed the news that today Australia’s House of Representatives unanimously passed an Act of Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as first peoples of Australia, which also commits the next Parliament to hold a referendum with the intention of recognising their indigenous status in Australia’s Constitution.

Read full release >>

6 February, 2013

State of the Māori Nation

Minister of Māori Affairs Waitangi Dinner & Speech

Read full speech >>

24 December, 2012

Minister announces Waitangi Tribunal Appointments

Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita R Sharples, today announced the appointment of Miriama Evans, Dr Rawinia Higgins, Hon Paul Swain and Nick Davidson to the Waitangi Tribunal. Each has been appointed for a term of three years, from 1 January 2013.

Read full release >>

4 December, 2012

New leadership scholarships announced for Maori boarding schools

Hon. Dr. Pita Sharples, Associate Minister of Education, has today announced the establishment of Puawaitanga scholarships for students enrolling in a Tutahi Maori Boarding School. These scholarships will be awarded to young people who demonstrate leadership potential, to help them to attend either Hato Paora College, Hato Petera College, Hukarere Girls College, St Joseph’s Maori Girls College, Te Aute College or Turakina Maori Girls College.

Read full release >>

3 December, 2012

Pureora Cycle Trail about realising economic potential

The community celebrations recognising the first section opening of the Pureora Timber Trail, part of Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail, which were held over the weekend are the first step to see visitors travelling through ancient rain forests and across the ancestral homelands of several Central North Island hapū.

Read full release >>

3 December, 2012

Poroporoaki ki a Cassidy Wehipeihana Tangaere

Ko Hikurangi te maunga, ko Waiapu te awa, ko Whangaokena te motu, ko Hinepare te marae. Te Whānau a Hunaara, Ngāti Porou whānui, e tangi! E tangi ki tō koutou koroua kua mate, ki tō koutou reo kōrero kua wahangū!

Read full release >>

19 November, 2012

Māori Economic Development Unit to strengthen New Zealand economy

Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples says the establishment of a Māori Economic Development Unit in the new Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will provide a new focus for New Zealand’s economic growth.

Read full release >>

19 November, 2012

New approach to benefit Māori, NZ economy

A new approach to boosting Māori economic performance will benefit all New Zealanders, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples say.

Read full release >>

15 November, 2012

Justice for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Ngāti Manuhiri

Māori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples paid tribute to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Ngāti Manuhiri descendants today as their respective Treaty of Waitangi settlements became law.

Read full release >>

15 November, 2012

Ngāti Manuhiri Claims Settlement Bill: Third Reading

Mr Speaker, it is in times like this when you look out from the steps of parliament and see kuia, koroua and mokopuna heading into these buildings. When you see wheelchairs, walkers and prams being wheeled into these buildings. When this is the sight that greets you on a grey Wellington morning? Then Mr Speaker, you know the journey these people are on has taken generations, sacrifice and grievance to reach us today.

Read full speech >>

14 November, 2012

Minister congratulates Waka Māori for International Achievement Award

The Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr. Pita Sharples has today congratulated Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei, and Structurflex Limited for winning a 2012 Industrial Fabrics Association International award of excellence for the design of Waka Māori. The award was announced at the association’s international expo held this week in Boston, Massachusetts.

Read full release >>

25 October, 2012

Sharples calls for New Zealand history in all schools

Associate Education Minister Dr Pita Sharples has renewed his call for New Zealand history to be taught in all schools, saying a knowledge of history is essential to effective and inclusive education.

Read full release >>

25 October, 2012

Final chapter of Mokomoko restoration opens

Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples told Parliament today that he looked forward to the Mokomoko (Restoration of Character, Mana, and Reputation) Bill being passed so Te whānau a Mokomoko can move on to the next stage of their journey without the shame and stigma they have carried for so long.

Read full release >>

25 September, 2012

New kaihautū for Te Puni Kokiri

Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples welcomes the appointment of Michelle Hippolite as the new Chief Executive of Te Puni Kokiri, and thanks the departing CE Leith Comer for his ‘active service’ over the past 12 years.

Read full release >>

20 September, 2012

Ngāti Manuhiri Bill Claims Settlement Bill: Second Reading

Mr Speaker, I move that the Ngāti Manuhiri Claims Settlement Bill be now read a second time.

Read full speech >>

20 September, 2012

Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara Claims Settlement Bill

On behalf of the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, I move that the Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara Claims Settlement Bill be now read a first time.

Read full speech >>

14 September, 2012

Minister acknowledges language activists’ return to Parliament

Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples today paid tribute to Te Reo Māori Society and Ngā Tamatoa, on the fortieth anniversary of the Māori Language Petition being presented to Parliament.

Read full release >>

10 September, 2012

Sharples welcomes cross-party support for reading programmes

Associate Education Minister Dr Pita Sharples welcomes the belated interest of the Labour Party in the Government’s decision to increase funding to reading programmes in primary schools.

Read full release >>