Māori Budget continues investment in whānau, whare and whakapapa

• Extra funding to build and repair more homes
• Boost for Te Matatini and ensuring Matariki is funded into the future
• More funding for Whānau Ora to provide more services
• Increased funding for hauora providers, Iwi-Māori Partnerships Boards, rongoā practitioners, and more prevention funding
• More support in Māori education for kura, kaiako and ākonga across the country
• More funding for Māori media
• Funding made available for the Te Ao Mārama programmes in the courts

The Māori Budget this year continues investment in whānau wellbeing, access to whare, and whakapapa, all of which support the Government's plan to address the cost of living.

The total Māori package this year is just over $825 million.

"We continue to put our best foot forward for our whānau. With six Māori Ministers within Cabinet, we bring whānau voice to the decision-making table," Minister for Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis said.

"This Budget shouldn't come as a surprise to our communities - previous budgets have always revolved around whānau. Over the past few years Māori have responded to crises, from supporting each other through a global pandemic, to the response and recovery from the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle. In these tough times economic resilience and security are more important than ever," Willie Jackson said.

WHARE

Housing

Today marks another vital step on the journey to delivering better Māori housing for our whānau," Associate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Willie Jackson said.

"We are delivering on our ongoing commitment to improve housing for Māori in Budget 2023 with a $200 million investment through the Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga programme, for long-term housing supply, capability building and whare repairs.

"With the cost-of-living pressures across the motu, the Government's investment across the Māori housing continuum will ensure whānau can get access to safe, dry and affordable homes. Through this investment the Government is contributing to a range of housing solutions that will be delivered by Māori for Māori.

"Since last year, the Government has approved or contracted 1,018 homes, enabled 1,615 infrastructure sites, and made repairs 415 to existing homes, so more of our whānau get into their own whare," Willie Jackson said

Whenua

"In addition to our Māori Housing kaupapa, we are extending Te Ringa Hāpai Whenua Fund which enables landowners to undertake whenua-based economic, cultural, social and environmental projects. This investment is over $23 million over four years," Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson said.

"By supporting whānau to unlock the full potential of their whenua, we are supporting communities to become more resilient, including adapting to current cost of living pressures. Whenua Māori development creates regional jobs and enables Māori landowners to strengthen their economic security and prosperity.

"Moreover, we are providing more funding to Aotearoa's largest administrator of whenua Māori - Te Tumu Paeroa to ensure landowners can develop their land in line with modern regulations. A further $8 million will be funded to Te Tumu Paeroa to support whenua Māori owners to take proactive steps to comply with ongoing regulatory changes."

Cyclone recovery efforts

"Climate change is at our doorstep, and we need to equip our Māori communities with the information to help safeguard their homes and livelihoods. Spread over four years, a $19.9 million investment will provide a data sharing system for improved community and economic resilience planning," Willie Jackson said.

WHĀNAU

Whānau Ora

"Whānau Ora has seen more and more whānau engaged in its services in the wake of cyclone devastation and increases to the cost of living," Minister for Whānau Ora Peeni Henare said.

"Our commissioning agencies sprang into action to support communities affected by recent weather events, helping to clear rubbish post cyclone, planning for housing repairs and ensuring displaced whānau had safe accommodation and immediate supplies

"Whānau Ora navigators are our tauira here, they are often the first to recognise the needs for whānau. This Government backs Whānau Ora and has committed a further $168.1 million over four years to ensure immediate needs of communities are met, while working alongside them to meet their long term aspirations. This longer-term, resilience building support is even more crucial during a time when the cost of essential items has increased.

"We have previously invested in Ngā Tini Whetu, a programme to support pēpi and māmā during their first 1000 days. The programme has changed the wellbeing of these families for the better, we are seeing families take up trade apprenticeships, getting back to studies, financial literacy classes, counselling, substance abuse support, and small business training.

"This year's budget will see the programme expand to support more whānau.

"I take my hat off to our Whānau Ora Provider Collective who are out there getting on with the mahi, this extra funding is for you to continue putting in the care and effort for our people.

"The Whānau Ora kaupapa belongs to our people, Government's job is to support the kaupapa, and I am proud of our commitment to increase the Whānau Ora budget by 145 percent since we came into Government," Peeni Henare said.

Hauora

"In Budget 2022 the Government made a record, multi-year investment in resetting our health system, including establishing Te Aka Whai Ora as an equal partner at the heart of the new system.

"Over the past year, we have worked alongside Te Aka Whai Ora, to invest in our Māori health providers and services, and to grow our hauora workforce," Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare said.

"This years' Hauora funding of $132 million will continue to fund Māori Health providers including cheaper access to primary care, innovation funds for data, more rongoā services, and provide workforce development.

"Whānau should expect to see more prevention work for Long Term Conditions, HIV, and Cancer. In addition, we want to see by Māori for Māori solutions for these services, and for priority population groups - kaumātua, taiohi, rangatahi and tāngata whaikaha.

"I am also pleased to see the finalisation and recognition of the first 11 iwi-Māori partnership boards that will help ensure locality plans are tailored to their communities' health needs and represent the views of whānau Māori in the broader system," Peeni Henare said.

Māori Education

Māori Education will again receive a substantial boost in the Budget, with kura, kaiako and ākonga across the country benefitting.

An investment of $225 million directly into Māori Education will see more buildings being built and modernised, as well as Learning Support coordination funded for Kaupapa Māori and Māori medium education that will benefit around 25,000 ākonga in 325 schools and kura.

To support the new Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum rollout, almost $10 million will go towards work with up to 57 more iwi to help develop the local content needed so schools and kura can work together with mana whenua.

"This Government has been deeply committed to addressing the massive inequities that have been allowed to develop in Māori education for too long.

"Over the years we have invested more than $1 billion to properly fund this space, while also developing and nurturing te reo," Associate Minister for Education (Māori) Kelvin Davis said.

"The work which we are building on today has included our significant lifts in funding for Kōhanga Reo, including a big boost to kaiako pay, and our previous support for building and expanding Kaupapa Māori and Māori medium education, which has construction underway around the country."

Māori Justice

Funding has been made available for Te Ao Mārama, which is currently operating in Hamilton and Gisborne and soon in Kaitāia.

"Te Ao Mārama is an all of justice sector approach, working alongside communities, iwi and the legal professionals to ensure the court process is getting the best outcomes for the broader community. Based on tikanga Māori, Chief District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu has been leading a new approach to justice which the Government has continued to support, with $11.7 million provided for the 2023/24 year," Minister of Justice Kiri Allan said.

WHAKAPAPA

Te Matatini

Through the significantly increased investment in Te Matatini, the Government continues to recognise and support the important place of Kapa Haka in Aotearoa.

"Te Matatini 2023 showcased incredible talent and mana from across the country and I'm delighted that this Government is further investing in the delivery of the biennial national Kapa Haka festival," Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Willow-Jean Prime said.

"This new investment builds on the hard mahi over the past year to solidify the foundations for Te Matatini to expand from a biennial, national festival, to also foster and support kapa haka in our regions.

"Our investment of $34 million over two years ensures that this kaupapa is funded in an equitable way, embedding a rohe-based Kapa Haka network and assisting across the motu to plan for the future and achieve the vision of Te Matatini - Mana motuhake ki te kāinga. Matatū, Mataora, Matatini ki te ao.

"Te Matatini is more than just an event that takes place every two years. It is a reason for Māori to connect to their culture and support their wellbeing - ā hinengaro, ā wairua, ā tinana. In Māoridom, the price of wellbeing is not just in dollar value, it is knowing your whakapapa. This funding will continue to support the importance of culture in uplifting whānau in these recent difficult times and into the future."

Matariki

"Last year's Matariki celebrations were embraced across the country, with over half the population celebrating our first ever Māori public holiday. Whānau, hapū, marae and hāpori across the country celebrated with events and activities, regenerating mātauranga Matariki. It is estimated that the benefit to domestic tourism was up to $160 million," Willow-Jean Prime said.

"This year's investment of $18 million over four years will build on this momentum, and enable people across the country to grow their knowledge of Matariki. This will be a contestable fund that our communities can apply to. The aim is to see expanded public awareness and understanding of Matariki through more resources, practices, and customs on a national scale.

"The theme for 2023 is hoki mai ki te kainga, encouraging whānau to come home. Like Te Matatini, cultural identity has benefits for all New Zealanders, as a way of coming together, celebrating our rich history, culture, language, practices and ceremonies. I am proud to be a part of a Government that looks to create new ways to uplift and enhance wellbeing for all."

Māori Media

Māori media plays a vital role in revitalising te reo Māori and strengthening the voices of tangata whenua on issues important to Māori.

A $51 million investment spread across two years will build on the $40 million set out in the previous Budget, Minister for Broadcasting Willie Jackson said.

"This investment will help safeguard the industry against increasing costs and upskill kaimahi capability."

Māori Tourism

"An $8 million boost to New Zealand Māori Tourism will provide more support for the sector to put Māori culture at the heart of our visitor experience," Associate Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta said.

"This investment will help the industry continue to recover from COVID-19 disruptions, withstand cost-of-living pressures and also meet increasing demand as international travel resumes. The investment will enable the New Zealand Māori Tourism system to provide business support to the sector relating to marketing advice and expertise, and support for compliance."

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