Showing 13–24 of 49 stories
New Zealand First says it will campaign on abolishing Auckland Council’s Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB), arguing the body has too much influence over council decision-making without being directly elected by ratepayers. Party leader Winston Peters announced the policy this week, saying a member’s bill had been drafted and introduced to disestablish the board, also known as Houkura. In its … Read More
Opposition MPs have intensified scrutiny on the government’s disaster response funding model, arguing that the requirement for marae to front emergency costs before seeking reimbursement is unsustainable for community sites acting as civil defence hubs. During a Māori Affairs select committee hearing today, Labour MP Georgie Dansey challenged the government’s expectation that marae should manage upfront payments and receipts during … Read More
As thousands marched through the streets of Auckland and Wellington opposing a bill that would legally define “woman” and “man” in New Zealand law, one protester carried a message etched into her face. Tu Chapman, an intersex Māori leader working in health and mental health governance, says her moko kauae represents whakapapa, identity and belonging — not biology. The Legislation … Read More
More than $5.3 million in Māori Development Fund investments are helping grow Māori-owned businesses, create jobs, strengthen regional economies and expand export opportunities across New Zealand, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. The investments support horticulture and aquaculture developments in Hawke’s Bay, Raupunga and Akaroa, aligning with the Government’s Going for Growth with Māori | Tōnui Māori framework and the … Read More
A critical breakdown in Police communication and decision-making was directly responsible for a fatal pursuit in Rotorua that claimed the life of 15-year-old Trustis Gear on 31 October 2024, a damning investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has concluded. The IPCA’s findings reveal a chain of failures, confirming the teenager died following a high-speed chase that should never … Read More
Two marae-based projects are the latest to benefit from the Government’s Māori Climate Platform, which makes practical investments to strengthen community resilience and emergency preparedness, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The projects cover six marae in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions, with funding coming through Stage 2 of the Māori Climate Platform — taking total funding … Read More
The Government is making it easier for owners of Māori land to build homes, with the release of new National Environmental Standards for Papakāinga (NES-P), say RMA Reform Minister Hon Chris Bishop and Māori Development Minister Hon Tama Potaka. “The new national standards will provide consistent rules across the country for all councils, reducing complexity, time and cost for Māori … Read More
Kua hinga te tōtara haemata nō roto mai o te rohe o Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, a Whatarangi Winiata. Nō te ahiahi o Wenerei rere atu ai tōna wairua ki ngā ninihi o raurangi,ki te mūnga o te tini, ki tōna rahi, ki tāna makau a Francie Winiata,i a ia i te pūāhurutanga o tōna whānau. Kua rongonui ia … Read More
Na Raihania, spokesperson for the National Iwi Chairs Forum, has launched a blistering attack on the government’s Budget 2026, labelling its approach to Māori employment a form of “economic apartheid”. The scathing condemnation follows the release of Budget 2026, which the Iwi Chairs Forum and Te Rōpū Kaimahi Māori o Aotearoa say confirms the Government’s indifference to a Māori employment … Read More
The Government is investing in te reo Māori by strengthening Māori broadcasting and supporting Māori cultural and creative capability, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. Budget 2026 sets aside $48 million over the next four years to support the long-term sustainability of Māori broadcasting by helping Māori media organisations adapt to a changing digital environment, commission new te reo Māori … Read More
Courts Minister Nicole McKee has announced a major $100 million investment in Rotorua’s justice infrastructure, allocated in Budget 2026 for the construction of two new court facilities. The funding will contribute to a new Rotorua Law Courts building, which will house the High Court, District Court, Coroners Court, and relevant tribunals, alongside a new Rotorua Māori Land Court. Minister McKee … Read More
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has announced a $1 million investment from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) to upgrade more than 22 kilometres of tracks and three campgrounds around Ōkataina and Tarawera. “Tarawera and Ōkataina are some of Rotorua’s most iconic visitor destinations, attracting thousands of people every year and supporting local tourism and jobs,” Potaka said. “This … Read More