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February 02, 2022
Māori spectrum entity to hold 20 percent of future allocation
Adam Gifford
Posted On February 2, 2022
A 30-year battle for recognition of Māori interests in the spectrum has been resolved with an agreement to allocate 20 per cent of future national commercial spectrum allocations to a new Māori spectrum entity, at no cost.
The deal signed at Parliament today also includes seed funding of $32 million for the first five years operation of the Māori spectrum entity, kickstart capital funding of $25 million to allow it to invest in a spectrum/digital technology business, and transfer of the $17.8 million remaining in the Ka Hao: Māori Digital Technology Fund to the entity.
The $30 million Ka Hao Fund was created by the previous National Government as a concession for refusing to allocate any 4G spectrum to Māori.
The outline of today’s deal was signalled in 2019, and filling in the details has taken three years of talks with the Māori Spectrum Group, which includes claimants Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i Te Reo and the New Zealand Māori Council as well as Te Huarahi Tika Trust, the Iwi Chairs Forum and Māori telecommunications and technology industry representatives.
Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson says it’s a fantastic opportunity not just for Māori but the whole of Aotearoa.
Digital Economy and Communications Minister David Clark says the Māori Spectrum entity will work with the Government on spectrum policy decisions while advocating for Māori interests in the radio spectrum, including digital enterprise and jobs, healthcare, rural economy and connectivity, education, broadcasting, and revitalisation of te reo Māori.
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