Labour will stand up for Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Te Reo Māori, and the tangata whenua of Aotearoa

Kia ora. Tena koutou katoa.

When our Country's supreme treaty, te Tiriti o Waitangi, was signed between the Crown's Representative and the leaders of almost all iwi of Aotearoa, the signers of te Tiriti perhaps envisioned this country as a multicultural paradise, where everyone is equal and can achieve their dreams.

However, in recent years, the status of te Tiriti as our country's supreme treaty has been doubted. Some parties are trying to remove te Tiriti o Waitangi as a way to remove the special provisions to protect our iwi and Māori minority, and we cannot see that happen. Labour will strive to protect multiculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand by enshrining te Tiriti and protecting it from being disrespected.

We will also push for equality between Māori and European cultures, by pushing for the use and revival of te reo Māori both in schools and in the community. We will also unlock Whānau Ora's potential by providing further funding to assist Māori family and iwi in health.

The Māori are a vital part to Aotearoa’s history and culture. Labour respects them as a unique people with a rich culture that must be protected and encouraged within this nation. Labour will work to defend Māori interests in Parliament and expand Māori rights, and ensure that Māori are never forgotten.

Tēnā rawa atu koe.

Labour's focuses are:

Make Better Homes for all Māori

Labour’s vision is that all New Zealanders have a fair shot at owning a place of their own, and all of our families have a warm, dry, safe home to live in. Working with iwi and other Māori organisations will be crucial to making that vision a reality. Labour will continue supporting iwi and Māori organisations providing social housing for those who need it, and helping Māori social housing tenants own the homes they live in, bit by bit.

Support Māori Educational Achievement

Our education system must recognise the place of Maori as Tangata Whenua and provide opportunities for Māori to succeed and thrive. Throughout the system, Māori culture and identity should be respected and celebrated.

Labour will fund dedicated professional development programmes that have proven success in raising educational achievement for Māori students such as Te Kotahitanga

Labour will ensure that all early childhood and primary school teachers are provided with an opportunity to undertake lessons in Te Reo Māori

Labour will provide dedicated scholarships to increase the number of Te Reo Māori teachers and ensure that Te Reo Māori is available as an option in all secondary schools

Labour will relaunch Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success with professional development to support its implementation

Labour will pilot the establishment of traditional Wānanga Māori to provide an opportunity for Māori to succeed as Maori through traditional learning that is steeped in karakia, whakapapa, whaikōrero, history and esoteric knowledge that was once usual practice

Labour will investigate the establishment of a unique Wananga Tohu Matauranga qualification at secondary school level to better reflect increasing opportunities for Māori to succeed as Māori.

Support Te Rao Māori in schools

The survival and future of Te Reo Māori as a thriving language is a core value for Labour because we believe it is a unique taonga for New Zealanders. It is also fundamental to our national identity, and it provides an important gateway to better understanding the rich history and culture of Aotearoa.

The Māori language forms part of the broader cultural identity and heritage of New Zealand. Since 1987 the Māori language has enjoyed a national resurgence after Te Reo Māori was given status as an official language of Aotearoa by Labour. Te Reo Māori can today be heard in everyday conversation.

But we can do better. The Government has an important role in protecting and promoting Te Reo Māori. Labour will create more opportunities for the learning of Te Reo Māori for everyone and will be the first major party to make Te Reo an integral part of all students’ education. This will mean the fundamentals of the language are integrated throughout learning, so that children have the foundation to confidently learn Te Reo to a fluent level, and be supported to do so.

Labour’s policies will support a future where New Zealanders from every background will have the ability to use Te Reo Māori in everyday conversations.

Labour will:

• Commit to a target that by 2025:
  • Every child during ECE, primary school, and intermediate school has Te Reo Māori integrated into their learning
  • Every student at high school, once at the point they become able to choose their own subjects, has the opportunity to choose Te Reo Māori as a subject
• Ensure that all early childhood, primary school, and intermediate school teachers are provided with an opportunity to undertake lessons in Te Reo Māori
• Provide dedicated scholarships to increase the number of Te Reo Maori teachers and ensure that Te Reo Maori is available as an option in all secondary schools.

These policies will mean that by 2025 every child has Te Reo Māori integrated into their learning and secondary students have the ability to learn Te Reo Māori.

Labour will start work towards achieving this target by immediately doubling the number of scholarships per year for Te Reo Māori secondary school teachers.

We will also enable 3,000 ECE, primary, and intermediate teachers a year to undertake Te Reo Māori courses. This will allow them to strengthen their understanding of the language to a position where they can confidently integrate Te Reo into children’s learning.

This package will be supported by an initial $14 million of funding over four years. Labour will be regularly reviewing these provisions to ensure we meet our 2025 target.

Labour will also continue to invest in wider professional development programmes as part of our $6 billion investment in education.

Defend Māori Electorates

Labour believes in standing up for Māori at every point, and one place we can do this is defending Māori Electorates. These electorates improve representation and give Māori a stronger say in Parliament, which is important for unity and making up for past harms against Māori. Labour will oppose any attempt from the Right to dismantle this important part of our nation.