A new Mäori strategy and a commitment to working with Mäori by the Department of Labour was reflected in Te Puni Kökiri's report, 'Follow up Review of the Department of Labour's Service Delivery to Mäori, released today. The first report on the Department of Labour was completed in 1999.

Chief Executive Leith Comer says it is pleasing to find that throughout the Department of Labour's organisational changes, staff and senior managers have made a demonstrable commitment to working with Mäori.

"The report shows that a key focus for the Department of Labour has been building and maintaining effective relationships with Mäori," he says. "Just as importantly there is a commitment to building the internal capacity so the Department of Labour can interact effectively with Mäori.

The review had two major objectives. The first was to assess the Department of Labour's progress since the 1999 report. The second objective was to identify strategic objectives, priorities and performance indicators for the Department's work with Mäori.

All of the Department of Labour business units were assessed within the Te Puni Kökiri review. These included the Office of the Chief Executive, the Labour Market Policy Group, the New Zealand Immigration Service, Workplace Safety and Health, the Community Employment Group and the Employment Relations Service.

Te Puni Kökiri has made a number of recommendations it believes will assist the Department of Labour in building on the Mäori Strategy it has developed. They are:
* Continuing to monitor the on-going implementation of the Mäori Strategy and incorporating performance measures relating to it into accountability documents,
* Using the Community Employment Groups expertise in working with Mäori throughout the organisation, and
* Working with Te Puni Kökiri where appropriate to develop an understanding of any implications of the Treaty of Waitangi for labour market issues.

The report is available on www.tpk.govt.nz/publications/docs/DOLReview.pdf

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Te Arotake a Te Puni Kökiri i Te Tari Mahi

Ko te ngako o te pürongo a Te Puni Kökiri arä, "Te Arotake o muri mo te ähua o te Hononga i waenganui o Te Tari Mahi räua ko te Mäori", ko tëtahi rautaki Mäori höu me te kï taurangi a Te Papa Atawhai ka kaha ake tä rätou mahi tahi me te Mäori. Nö te rä nei whakaterea ai te pürongo nei. Ko te pürongo arotake tautahi o Te Papa Atawhai i oti i te tau 1999.

Hei tä Leith Pirika Comer te Manahautü o Te Puni Kökiri, e ähuareka ana ki a ia ki te kite i roto i ngä whakarerekëtanga ki te hanganga o Te Papa Atawhai, kei te titikaha ngä kaimahi me ngä kai-whakahaere matua ki te mahi tahi me te Mäori.

" E whakaatu mai ana te pürongo nei ko tëtahi wähi nui o ngä kaupapa e whakahaerehia ana e Te Tari Mahi e pä ana ki te hanga me te whakapümau hononga whai kiko me te Mäori. Waihoki, kei te pümau rätou ki te whakarahi ake i ö rätou äheinga ake e aha ai, e tarea ai e te Tari te mahi tahi me te Mäori. "

E rua ngä whäïnga o te arotake. Tuatahi, ki te aromatawai i te pai o te haere o Te Tari Mahi mai i te wä o te arotake tuatahi i te tau 1999. Tuarua, ko te tohu ki ngä whäinga rautaki me ngä mea tuatahi hei mahinga ma te Tari, me te tohu ki ngä mea e ine ana i te mahi a te Tari me te Mäori.

I arotakengia tënä me tënä wähi mahi i roto i Te Tari Mahi. Ko ëtahi o ënei wähi ko Te Tari o te Tumuaki Whakahaere, Te Röpü Kaupapa Here Puninga Mahi, Te Ratonga Manene, Te Hauora me te Haumaru i te Wahi Mahi, Te Ahu Tangata me Te Ratonga Hononga Taimahi.

Kua whakatakotoria e Te Puni Kökiri ëtahi tütohunga e whakapono ana ia he äwhina kei roto mö Te Tari Mahi me te whakahiatotanga mai o tana Rautaki Mäori. Ko ënei ko te: * Haere tonu o te aroturuki o te whakamahia o te Rautaki Mäori, me te whakakuhu i ngä kawenga mö tënei ki roto i ngä tuhinga ökawa e tika ana, * Whakamahia o ngä mätauranga mö te mahi me te Mäori kei te wähanga Te Ahu Tangata, hei painga mö te Tari puta noa, * Mahi me Te Puni Kökiri i ngä wähi e tika ana, ki te whakatö i te märamatanga mö ngä rara o Te Tiriti o Waitangi i roto i ngä take mahi katoa.

Ka taea te pürongo i www.tpk.govt.nz/publications/docs/DOLReview.pdf

Mö te roanga atu o ngä whakamärama, tënä whakapa ki a Linda Hughes (04) 922 6024.

Questions and Answers:

What was the focus of the original review?

The initial review of the Department of Labour was completed in 1999. This focussed on the internal processes and capacity.

What's the purpose of this review?

The purpose of the follow up review is to: * assess the Department of Labour's progress since the initial reviews of its services to and for Mäori; and * explore the potential for identifying strategic objectives, priorities and performance indicators for the Department's work with Mäori.

What was the intention of the follow up review?

This review seeks to add value to the existing and future relationship between the Department of Labour and Te Puni Kökiri by:

* recognising areas where the two departments have a shared interest and shared objectives;
* recognising the constructive work that has occurred between the two departments in the past; and
* identifying opportunities for the two departments to work together in the future.

What were the key findings of the report?

* A number of changes have affected the environment in which the Department of Labour and its business units operate. These have had a direct impact on the services the Department of Labour provides to and for all its stakeholders including Mäori.
* Departmental staff and senior managers have made a demonstrable commitment to working with Mäori.
* Since 1999 progress in working with Mäori has been uneven across the Department's business units.
* At the time of the follow up review, the Department of Labour released its new Mäori strategy. That document builds on the work that the individual business units have already undertaken in relation to their work with Mäori, and provides the overall framework for them to continue this work. The challenge now lies in successfully implementing that framework.

* The Departments work is currently focussed on two areas:
* building effective relationships with Mäori; and
* increasing internal capability to interact effectively with Mäori;
* In the Community Employment Group, the Department of Labour already possesses expertise in relationship building and managing relationships with Mäori.

What progress has been made since the 1999 review?

Since 1999 the Department of Labour has undergone significant change to make better use of its skills, experience and resources. The Department of Labour has identified three components of its overall capability-building programme, and has set up projects to address each of these.

Does the Department of Labour have a Mäori Strategy?

Yes. The Mäori Strategy concentrates on building and maintaining the internal capacity. The aim is to increase the Department's organisational capacity to improve its work in the Mäori community, its ability to support Mäori development, and its understanding of Mäori issues generally.

The Mäori Strategy also provides a framework for the Department of Labour to assess its work with Mäori.

Has the follow up review added value to the existing relationship between the Department of Labour and Te Puni Kökiri?

Yes. Department of Labour will work with Te Puni Kökiri where appropriate and required.

What mechanisms are in place to monitor the agreed expectations?

Te Puni Kökiri has recommended the Department of Labour continue to monitor the on-going implementation of the Mäori Strategy and incorporating performance measures relating to it into accountability documents.

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