Iwi from Mātaatua now have a clearer picture on the Māori language bill and the establishment of Te Mātāwai as a new independent statutory organisation that will lead Māori and iwi language strategies.
The consultation meeting took place at Te Uru Taumatua in Tāneatua today with close to seventy people in attendance. The Māori language bill had its second reading last week in Parliament. The bill was introduced by the previous Māori Affairs Minister Hon Sir Dr Pita Sharples.
Professor Rawinia Higgins attended the consultation meeting to support Te Puni Kōkiri who are running the roadshow concerning the Māori language bill.
Professor Higgins sat on the Māori language advisory group who established a framework for the bill. She says that during their workshops it was established that “Māori has a role in protecting the Māori language, however the Crown also has a role in making that happen, but the key issue is for both to work together.”
Changes to the original bill were made following the recommendations by the Ministerial Advisory Group.
Those changes include keeping Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori (The Māori language commission) and Te Māngai Pāho (The Māori broadcasting funding agency) as independent Crown entities.