Te Puni Kōkiri set for new direction

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.”

“Te Puni Kōkiri’s responsibilities have progressively increased beyond those generally expected of a policy Ministry; and the Ministry’s core advisory functions are broad, currently spanning multiple sectors including social, economic, natural resources and culture and heritage.”

Dr. Sharples said “the nature of the Crown’s relationships with iwi, hapū and whānau Māori is also changing.  Māori are increasingly seeking Treaty-based relationships with the Crown and moving into a post-settlement era.  The Māori population is growing and becoming more diverse; and has broad social and economic interests as citizens and as iwi, hapū and whānau Māori.”

“Accordingly, Te Puni Kōkiri will focus its efforts on three core roles, in order to have more influence and impact.  Those roles are:

• Ārahitanga: Provision of strategic leadership and guidance to Ministers and the state sector on the Crown’s on-going and evolving partnerships and relationships with iwi, hapū and whānau Māori
• Whakamaherehere: Provision of advice to Ministers and agencies on achieving better results for whānau Māori
• Auahatanga: Development and implementation of innovative trials and investments to test policy and programme models that promote better results for whānau Māori”

Dr. Sharples said “Te Puni Kōkiri will fulfil these new roles through enhanced strategic capabilities. A strategic policy unit will be established, and Te Puni Kōkiri will be required to publish on a four-yearly basis, a long term report forecasting trends for Māori.”

“In protecting and upholding the Treaty of Waitangi, Te Puni Kōkiri will also publish and update, on a two yearly basis, a Treaty of Waitangi based framework for the provision of advice by the state sector.”

“Alongside maintaining its regional presence, Te Puni Kōkiri will also establish Te Pā Whakawairua, a group of iwi and Māori Leaders to regularly advise the Chief Executive.”

“These changes will make the organisation more agile and responsive to the needs of Māori, and ensure the government delivers better results for Māori communities.”

“The Chief Executive of Te Puni Kōkiri is currently developing a new operating model to deliver on these changes, and will be consulting on this with staff. The allocation of full time equivalent staff and the total appropriation in Vote Māori Affairs remains the same,” said Dr. Sharples.

Te Puni Kōkiri will continue to deliver other core responsibilities such as administering and modernising Māori Affairs legislation; monitoring Crown and other entities funded through Vote Māori Affairs; and establishing and overseeing the Whānau Ora NGO Commissioning model.

The refocus is the result of the National Party and Māori Party Relationship Accord, and was informed by a working party established by Cabinet last year.