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Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell today announced the third annual investment in the Vision Mātauranga Science Fund, which was established to grow skills and capacity in science and innovation and support outcomes that benefit Māori and New Zealand.

“A total of $1.9 million will be invested in 17 new programmes over the next two years,” Mr Joyce says. “This is in addition to the $2.4 million invested in 2013 and $1.8 million in 2014.

The Government today announced further expansion of the Māori & Pasifika Trades Training initiative with the selection of three new consortia to join the scheme.

The three join 12 providers already chosen to assist young Māori and Pasifika people to gain qualifications, New Zealand apprenticeships and employment in trades that are in demand across the country.

Hon Te Ururoa Flavell presented Miraka with the inaugural Māori Excellence in Export award He kai kei aku ringa tonight at the 2015 New Zealand International Business Awards in Auckland.

“It’s great to celebrate the giants of the Māori economy like Miraka, Sealord and Kono that make a significant contribution to the Māori and national economy”, says Mr Flavell.

The Māori Development Minister and the Associate Minister for Economic Development Mr Flavell says the Māori economy is now valued at over $42 billion and growing fast.

Māori Development Minister, Hon Te Ururoa Flavell, has confirmed the appointment of two new board members to Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Commission.

Hinurewa Poutu (Ngāti Rangi, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Maniapoto) has been appointed for a three year term.

She is a graduate of kura kaupapa Māori, with a recent career of studying, researching and teaching te reo Māori. She is close to completing her doctoral studies on how Māori speaking teenagers are using the language.

Māori Development and Whānau Ora Minister Te Ururoa Flavell applauds the local Māori community and the judiciary for establishing a Kooti Rangatahi in Tauranga.
 
The thirteenth Rangatahi Court in the country was launched at Hairini Marae in Tauranga today.
 
“A large proportion of our young people who end up in the justice system are disconnected from their culture. Kooti Rangatahi offers them a unique opportunity to reconnect with their whānau, kaumātua and marae,” says Mr Flavell.
 

Māori Development Minister Hon Te Ururoa Flavell is proud to have launched Te Hononga Pūkenga – the Māori and Indigenous Researcher Directory today in Wellington.

“This online and interactive directory is a milestone in Māori scholarship. It gives Māori, public and private interests the opportunity to connect easily with some of the nation’s leading indigenous experts,” says Mr Flavell.

The new directory has been initiated by Ngā Pae o Te Māramatanga – New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence.

The Māori Development Minister encourages whānau heading to Te Matatini in Christchurch next week to use as much Māori language as they can.

The Māori Language Commission has just launched a “kōrero mai” campaign to urge those attending Te Matatini 2015 to speak te reo Māori day in and day out.

Māori Development Minister, Hon Te Ururoa Flavell is pleased to announce the appointment of a Ministerial Advisory Group to progress the introduction of new Māori land legislation this year.

The Bill will replace Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.  

“I am committed to ensuring that the final details of this Bill are informed by the practical experience of people involved closely with Māori land matters and that Māori are engaged throughout the process,” says Mr Flavell.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says all New Zealanders can take immense pride in the 43 woven artworks that now grace the walls of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York.

“These tukutuku are a stunning representation of our culture and our country. More than one million people every year will get to see these taonga,” says Mr Flavell.

Applications for a new Government fund aimed at helping iwi to improve the quality of their local freshwater bodies are now open, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell announced today.

“The Te Mana o te Wai Fund recognises the special relationship that iwi have with their local waterways. This contestable funding will help iwi to work together with the wider community to improve and restore the quality of freshwater in their regions,” Dr Smith says.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell today welcomed the release of a study confirming Northland has significant economic potential and scope for growth.

“The Northland Regional Growth Study outlines opportunities for the region’s communities and industries to build a stronger and more resilient economy,” says Mr Flavell.

The study identifies a number of resources and industries that have the potential to grow Northland’s economy including tourism, forestry, dairy, aquaculture and horticulture.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell has welcomed the launch today of He Tangata, He Whenua, He Oranga, the Tai Tokerau iwi chairs’ and chief executives’ economic growth strategy for the Tai Tokerau Māori economy.

“This strategy represents the commitment of Te Taitokerau iwi to define on their own terms – the basis and actions to drive their economic growth,” says Mr Flavell.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell is pleased to announce the permanent appointment of lawyer Michael Doogan to the Māori Land Court.

Mr Doogan was temporarily appointed to the court last year to help meet the workload of the Māori Land Court and the Waitangi Tribunal.

“He has been a temporary judge of the Māori Land Court since January 2013 and in that time has proven to be a valued member of the Māori Land Court bench and has gained the trust and respect of Māori Land Court, court staff and his peers,” said Mr Flavell.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has released two reports today showing good progress in developing the potential of Māori agribusiness.

“These reports confirm the importance of partnering with Iwi, Māori asset owners, local communities and industry, and show very promising results,” says Mr Guy.

It is a great honour to host this evening’s proceedings to mark the Wellington release of the book Parekura Horomia ‘Kia Ora Chief’.

The official release of this biography occurred over the weekend at Parekura’s beloved Hinemaurea ki Māngātuna at Uawa.

There, his people poured over the personal anecdotes; the funny stories; the heartfelt memories; and the poignant, often intimate photos.

They laughed, they cried, they remembered.

Tonight, we - his parliamentary colleagues - do the same. 

Māori Development Minister, Te Ururoa Flavell acknowledges the need for Māori wardens to find a durable solution to the complex set of issues facing the organisation in its management and administration.

The Waitangi Tribunal released a 600 page report today on the Crown's review of the Māori Community Development Act 1962 and the role of the Māori wardens.

The Minister for Māori Development is pleased to announce the establishment of a Māori Language Advisory Group to provide independent and expert advice on the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill.

“I’m committed to ensuring we get this language legislation right,” says Minister Flavell.

“I wholeheartedly support the intention of the legislation which is to ensure iwi and Māori lead the revival of te reo Māori but I see the value in working through the practical implications of the bill and making sure it’s as workable as it can be.”

We are here tonight to celebrate a very special person.  For 26 years has worked vigilantly as a volunteer firefighter to keep this community safe.

It is my privilege to be at this community recognition ceremony to honor Maera Maki-Anderson, chief fire officer of the Murupara Volunteer Fire Brigade.  

In September this year, Maera was bestowed with the Pride of New Zealand Award in the Emergency Services category.

Tena tatou katoa.

Thank you for the invitation to be present at this event.

This week, many men will wear a white ribbon, not because it’s a new trend, not because it’s a fashion statement, and not because it’s popular.

It’s because it’s a symbol of hope. It is hope for a world where our wahine, women, and our tamāhine, girls live in a world free from the fear of violence.

Wearing the ribbon challenges the acceptability of violence by men getting involved and helping women to break the silence.

Six iwi representatives have been appointed to the Whānau Ora Partnership Group Finance Minister Bill English and Minister for Whānau Ora Te Ururoa Flavell say.

“These iwi representatives are well-placed to contribute to the work of the group,” says Mr English.

The representatives, nominated by the Iwi Chairs Forum, are Raniera (Sonny) Tau, Naida Glavish, Rāhui Papa, Sir Mark Solomon, Dr Hope Tūpara, and Richard Steedman.

“We are delighted with the depth, wisdom, and iwi connections that these appointees bring,” says Mr Flavell.

The Minister for Māori Development is committed to progressing the Māori Language (Te Reo Maori) Bill and the establishment of a new entity Te Mātāwai to lead the revitalisation of te reo Māori.

“I support the principle of the legislation that iwi and Māori should lead the revitalisation of te reo Māori. We must have whānau, hapū and iwi at the helm if we are to hear and see our language thriving again,” says Hon Te Ururoa Flavell.

The Minister for Māori Development Hon Te Ururoa Flavell is looking forward to a series of regional visits scheduled over the next few months.

“I gave an undertaking when I became a Minister to get out to communities and listen to those people who work with our people every day.  It’s really important that Ministers understand how Government policies impact on our people and I know there are some stark differences across the regions.

Speaking after the UNICEF Big Picture Art Exhibition in Parliament today the Minister for Māori Development, Hon Te Ururoa Flavell described child and whānau poverty “as a crisis that demands all political parties and agencies to work together on reducing the inequities in our country.”

Mr Flavell described the estimated 100,000 tamariki Māori living in poverty as a shameful record for our country.

“These are children whose greatest challenge comes from having been born into a situation they have no control over.

A new chapter in a 30-year effort by iwi in the Far North to seek redress for Crown breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi began in Parliament today with the introduction of the Te Hiku Claims Settlement Bill. 

The breaches resulted in large scale loss of lands and had a devastating impact economically, socially and culturally on the four Te Hiku iwi – Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kuri and Ngāi Takoto. In 2008 Te Hiku iwi decided that a collective approach to negotiations would make it easier to deal with the complexities presented by their overlapping areas of interest.