December 06, 2023
Reo pay cut sign of disrespect
Labour’s Māori development spokesperson, Willie Jackson, says stopping te reo Māori proficiency payments for public servants is a sign of disrespect for Māori.
Public Service Minister Nicola Willis is looking at the change, which would overturn a long-standing feature of public sector collective employment contracts.
Mr Jackson says it shows the Government has no respect for the language and tikanga.
“That is something we have encouraged for years because we have to grow the language, the language is an integral part of this country so we’ve encouraged that and given extra payments for that and I have no problems at all supporting anyone who has done that because those people are extras and helpful in your workforce,” he says.
The Māori Language Commission Te Taura Whiri recommends a top rate of $7500 a year for fluent Te Reo Māori speakers, while .
more than a dozen state agencies pay te reo allowances starting at $500 and topping out at $3500 a year.