Māori Affairs
Release

Crown officials and iwi representatives will report on progress in the legislative reform of Māori land governance and seek feedback from landowners in a series of 19 hui nationwide this month. 

Crown and Māori technical experts are currently developing a bill to reform Te Ture Whenua Māori Act. They will present on how this legislation will give effect to the principles for governing Māori land law outlined in the report of an expert panel released in April.

Christopher Finlayson Māori Affairs
Release

Māori Affairs Minister, Hon Dr Pita Sharples, says he is pleased that the Māori Language Bill passed its first reading this afternoon with the support of the majority of the House.

Dr Sharples said “As kaitiaki of te reo Māori, iwi should have more say and leadership over the Crown’s te reo strategy. This Bill, and the establishment of Te Mātāwai, will enable that to happen.”

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Speech

Mr Speaker, I move that the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the bill.

At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by 20 March 2015, and that the Committee have authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting (except during oral questions), during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House, and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House, despite Standing Orders [188 and 191(1)(b) and (c)].

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Speech

Tāmaki herenga waka

Tāmaki whai rawa

Tāmaki pai

Tāmaki-makau-rau

Ko ngā kurī purepure o Tāmaki e kore e ngaro i te pō....

It is with immense pleasure that I welcome for the last time into this House, the kāhui rangatira of Tāmaki-makau-rau.

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki

Ngāti Maru

Ngāti Paoa

Ngāti Tamaoho

Ngāti Tamatera

Ngāti Te Ata

Ngāti Whanaunga

Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara

Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei

Te Ākitai Wai-o-hua

Te Kawerau-a-maki

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Speech

He kohu, he kohu, tau ana, tau ana.

Tau tāpapa ana ki runga ki a Maungapōhatu a Hinepūkohurangi.

E, ko Tūhoe-Pōtiki, nau mai, hara mai rā, nau mai.

I am deeply honoured to welcome to this House, the sons and daughters of Maungapōhatu; the children of Hinepūkohurangi; and the descendants of Tūhoe-Pōtiki.

I am honoured because this landmark legislation concludes its passage in the final weeks of my office as Minister of Māori Affairs.

What a privilege to be part of such an historic process! 

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

Māori Affairs Minister Hon Dr Pita Sharples today welcomed the start of Māori Language Week, and is encouraging all New Zealanders to get behind our native language.

“Te reo Māori is an official language of New Zealand. We should be proud of our heritage and ensure that our language endures in Aotearoa, the nation to which it is a home language,” said Dr Sharples.

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples, has today released the governments new Māori language strategy, which includes an updated model for Te Mātāwai, a Māori governance entity which will be charged with leading and guiding the Crown’s strategy for te reo Māori.

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

The Government today appointed Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith to the Māori Economic Development Advisory Board. 

The Advisory Board, established in May 2013, monitors and evaluates the implementation of He kai kei aku ringa, the Crown-Māori Economic Growth Partnership.

“He kai kei aku ringa has six goals and education is a central part of three of these goals.  The Government believes an additional member with experience in this field is important to advise on the implementation of He kai kei aku ringa,” Mr Joyce says.

Pita Sharples Steven Joyce Māori Affairs Economic Development
Release

Iwi radio will receive an extra $12 million over the next four years to support the operational costs of the 21 stations currently funded by Te Mangai Pāho and to assess the feasibility of expanding the iwi radio network, Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples says.

“Since its inception in the mid-1980s, iwi radio has played a critical role in making our reo available to whanau in their homes, in their cars, and in a range of settings,” Dr Sharples says.

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs Budget 2014
Release

Budget 2014 supports three major initiatives as a result of the Māori Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan He Kai Kei Aku Ringa, Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples says.

They are:

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs Budget 2014
Release

A Māori Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) will be funded as part of the Government’s increased investment in research excellence, Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples and Associate Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Tariana Turia say.

Vote Tertiary Education provides about $5 million a year to establish a Māori-focused CoRE. This will start on 1 January 2016, when the current contract expires for Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, a CoRE hosted by the University of Auckland.  

Tariana Turia Pita Sharples Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Māori Affairs Budget 2014
Release

Up to $5 million over two years will be invested in developing the science and innovation potential of Māori people, resources, and knowledge, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples announced today.

The 2014 Te Pūnaha Hihiko - Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund investment round aims to develop people and organisations undertaking research in areas that support the four themes of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Vision Mātauranga policy:

Pita Sharples Steven Joyce Science and Innovation Māori Affairs
Release

The Government is drafting a new Te Ture Whenua Māori bill to reform the governance and management of Māori land based on the findings of an expert review panel released today, Associate Minister of Māori Affairs Christopher Finlayson has announced.

Mr Finlayson today released the final report of the panel reviewing Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, which outlines the panel’s recommendations for reform of the laws that will serve as the basis for new legislation.

Key features of the bill will include:

Christopher Finlayson Māori Affairs
Release

All Ngāpuhi members will be entitled to vote in elections for representatives to the independent mandated authority that will negotiate the iwi’s historical Treaty settlement with the Crown, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson and Minister of Māori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples announced today.

Pita Sharples Christopher Finlayson Māori Affairs Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
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Consultation hui on the proposed new Māori Language Strategy will take place between 10 – 21 February 2014, announced Māori Affairs Minister, Dr. Pita Sharples.

Dr. Sharples said “Te Reo Māori is unique to us in Aotearoa. It’s the indigenous language of this place, and in the lead up to Waitangi Day it’s important to remember our collective responsibility to protect our unique language, culture and identity.”

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

Strengthening the focus on whānau, hapū and iwi, and consolidating Māori leadership, are the key principles underpinning the proposed new Māori Language Strategy which the Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples, has released today for consultation with Māori language stakeholders.

“Te reo Māori is the cornerstone of our Māori culture and identity. We must look to new approaches to continue our journey of language revitalisation in order for it to survive,” said Dr Sharples.

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

The Minister of Maori Affairs today pays tribute to the descendants of Te Whakatōhea rangatira, Mokomoko, and welcomes the passing of the 3rd reading of  the Mokomoko (Restoration of Character, Mana, and Reputation) Bill.

“The passing of this Bill marks the end of a long journey for Te whānau a Mokomoko, who have fought to restore the character, mana, and reputation of their tipuna Mokomoko, who was tried, convicted and executed for his alleged role in the murder of Rev Carl Sylvius Volkner,” said Dr. Sharples.

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

The Government has received the Constitutional Advisory Panel’s final report which recommends that the conversation about New Zealand’s constitutional arrangements should continue, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples say.

The 12-member independent panel spent more than six months having a conversation with New Zealanders about  our constitutional arrangements. These included the role of the Treaty of Waitangi, Maori representation in Parliament and local government, the Bill of Rights Act and other matters.

Pita Sharples Bill English Māori Affairs Deputy Prime Minister
Release

Te Puni Kōkiri will have an enhanced strategic and leadership role across government, as part of changes announced by the Minister of Māori Affairs, Dr. Pita Sharples today.

“There will be changes to refocus Te Puni Kōkiri’s core functions, which will position them better to lead the Crown-Māori relationship into the future, and to help the Crown deliver greater results for Māori,” said Dr. Pita Sharples.

“The changes reflect the fact that Te Puni Kōkiri’s work has become too thinly spread.”

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

The Ngārimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board has announced two new education initiatives as part of this year’s 70th anniversary celebrations of one of New Zealand’s greatest war heroes.

In recognition of the awarding of the Victoria Cross to Second Lieutenant Te Moana Nui a Kiwa Ngārimu, the Board will invest $250,000 into resourcing histories of each of the Māori Battalion's four rifle companies and related initiatives.

Pita Sharples Hekia Parata Māori Affairs Education
Release

Māori Affairs Minister, Hon. Dr. Pita Sharples is reassuring people that there is no agenda to get rid of the New Zealand Maori Council, and is urging Māori to have their say on the Māori Community Development Act 1962 which is currently out for public consultation.

The Act established three mechanisms to support Māori community development; the New Zealand Māori Council supported by three levels of Māori Committees, Māori Wardens and Community Officers.

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

Māori are now well placed to draw on a proud history of innovation to grow collective assets, Māori Affairs Minister Hon. Dr Pita Sharples said today.

Dr Sharples was hosting an event at Waka Maori based in New Zealand’s America’s Cup Village aimed at celebrating Māori business innovation.

He drew upon the story of San Francisco’s Silicon Valley and said the small area had built a huge economy based on ground-breaking ideas and innovation.

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs
Release

Māori Affairs Minister Hon Dr Pita Sharples urges Māori business leaders to hold steadfast to our traditions as the Maori economy grows.

Dr Sharples spoke today at the Māori Bootcamp being held this week at Stanford University. The Bootcamp is focused on Māori in primary industries and exposes leaders to world-leading business perspectives.

Pita Sharples Māori Affairs