May 18, 2023
Māori programmes get budget boost
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has tagged a total of $825 million for Māori in this year’s Budget.
The big ticket items are $225 million for Māori education, $200 million for housing, $132 million for hauora and $168 million for Whānau Ora.
There’s also $51 million for Māori media over the next two years, $18 million for costs associated with the Matariki public holiday, over four years, $19.9 million for cyclone recovery and a massive $34 million injection into the iconic Māori cultural festival Te Matatini over the next two years – up from the $2.9 million.
Māori Development and Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson says the investment in Māori media strengthens the voices of tangata whenua on kaupapa important to Māori.
He says it will help Māori radio and television deal with increasing costs and upskill kaimahi capability.
The housing spend includes support for Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga, which allows Iwi, hāpu and Māori organisations develop and supply long term housing to whānau.
There’s also an increase in putea to repair existing whare, which has been a popular programme as it targets kaumatua-kuia and whānau whare.