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Download AudioThe Data Iwi Leaders Group is challenging the Government over how it collects, stores and uses Māori data.
Parliament is considering the Data and Statistics Bill, which updates the Statistics Act to take into account changes from paper-based systems.
But the group says Māori weren’t properly consulted, and it’s concerned about trends like offshoring data to the cloud for supposed cost and security benefits.
Spokesperson Tahu Kukutai says there are long-term benefits to investing in local data infrastructure.
She says upholding the principles of Māori data sovereignty relating to control, jurisdiction, accountabilities and guardianship are crucial for the Government to meet its responsibilities to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
“We just want a completely different approach and at the heart of that is Māori being able to make the decisions about what happens to Māori data,” Dr Kukutai says.
Māori must be an integral part of any decision-making about the storage and stewardship of data from Māori people, their language, culture, resources or environments.
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