Auckland’s Independent Maori Statutory Board wants the Auckland Council to take a prominent role in advancing Maori language, education, health, housing, and economic development.
Chair David Taipari says the board’s Maori Plan for Tamaki Makaurau released yesterday is a blueprint for a happy and prosperous Maori community.
It was developed by the board working with Waikato University’s Te Kotahi Research Institute after extensive community consultation.
He says coming on top of a Treaty of Waitangi audit that found the council did not understand its statutory obligations towards Maori; the plan will serve as a benchmark for measuring future council actions.
He says the $29.5 million cost of the plan is small in relation to the council’s $3 billion annual budget.
