June 29, 2022
Percentage play in Māori business definition
A cross sector working group has found not only whakapapa and self-identification but also the proportion of Māori ownership needs to be included in a definition of Māori business.
Stats NZ kaihautū Rhonda Paku says a clear and consistent Māori business definition will help ensure coherent data collection and reporting about Māori businesses and their contribution to the economy.
A definition put out for consultation at the end of last year proposed that a Māori business is a business that is owned by a person or people who have Māori whakapapa, and a representative of that business self-identifies the business as Māori.
Many respondents felt a 50 percent Māori ownership threshold should also be included, along with some commitment to te ao Māori values.
Others felt the ownership threshold may exclude businesses that are still controlled by Māori, and the cultural connection could become a barrier for some Māori businesses.
Stats NZ hopes to release a final Māori business definition as a data standard next month.
The report is here: https://www.stats.govt.nz/consultations/maori-business-definition-consultation-findings/