Labour’s Māori Manifesto: Working together in partnership
Together, Māori and Labour have walked a new path in our first term of Government. Based on the articles of the Treaty and the promise of equality, this path has been one of partnership and collaboration.
Our Māori Manifesto builds on the work we’ve undertaken with Māori during our first term in Government. This work includes setting up Te Arawhiti and investing hundreds of millions of dollars in targeted Māori spending, in partnership with Māori.
We’ve also worked to celebrate and raise awareness of Māori culture and identity, including supporting Māori events, making sure New Zealand history is a core curriculum subject in all schools and kura by 2022, and setting aspirations for the revitalisation of te reo Māori. Most recently, we announced a public holiday for Matariki, beginning in 2022.
We are proud of the work we have done in partnership with Māori. But there is still much more to do.
Our Māori Manifesto sets out our commitment to continue working with Māori. Alongside our Matariki announcement, other key policies include investing $20 million into a fund to support Māori boarding schools, and further support for Whānau Ora.
Labour is also committing to strengthening Māori housing outcomes through collaborative partnerships, home-ownership models and papakāinga provision. We’ll continue to build on the work already undertaken with iwi across the country to build more papakāinga and to improve Māori home ownership rates.
We’ll also make sure Oranga Tamariki partners with iwi, hapu and Māori organisations to find the best solutions for our kids. Protecting our most vulnerable whānau and children has and always will be a priority for Labour.
Finally, we want to back our whānau in business. We will support Whānau Māori enterprise and build opportunities through a progressive procurement policy that would set a target for Māori business procurement.
Our Māori Manifesto also details our ongoing commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and how we’re backing the Māori economy to recover from COVID-19.