15 April 2011

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (The Māori Language Commission) was pleased to see a focus on language in homes emerge from the Ministerial Review Panel in their report released yesterday.

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori believes that the success of language revitalisation in homes is contingent upon the successful coordination of a raft of initiatives across a range of sectors, combined with expert advice and wise investment. This is the current focus of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and combines language aspirations for homes, communities, schools, broadcasting and the public sector.

While somewhat surprised by the recommendation to establish a new infrastructure with a six hundred million dollar budget, Board Chair Erima Henare is confident about the future of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori going forward.

“We appreciate the review has just been publicly released and as such, needs to be fully considered by our Minister and his ministerial colleagues. Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori as the only statutory independent body for the language looks forward therefore, to providing advice to our Minister about this work” said Erima Henare.

Having been established out of the 1986 Māori Language Claim to the Waitangi Tribunal, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori was intended to provide strong and independent advocacy and advice for te reo Māori as a living language.

The Ministerial Review Panel report highlighted the fact that Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori has undertaken its work to date on a very modest budget. “The Board and Staff of our organisation remain fully committed to our work. We look forward to working with those aspects of the report that will enable homes, communities and wider society to support normalised language use – kia māori te tipu o te reo Māori” said Erima Henare.

This statement is an initial summary of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori views regarding the Māori Language Strategy and Sector Review report. As per our legislation we will continue to review the report and provide a more considered independent analysis of its contents and recommendations directly to the Minister of Māori Affairs.

ENDS

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