The Māori Language Act 2016 (No 17) () is an act which relates to the revitalisation of the

Māori language Māori (; endonym: 'the Māori language', commonly shortened to ) is an Eastern Polynesian languages, Eastern Polynesian language and the language of the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. The southernmost membe ...

Drafting

In designing the legislation, the government looked at evidence provided by Te Paepae Motuhake,

Waitangi Tribunal The Waitangi Tribunal (Māori: ''Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi'') is a New Zealand permanent commission of inquiry established under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975. It is charged with investigating and making recommendations on c ...

and others.

Provisions

The act established Te Mātāwai, an organisation of iwi, urban and Crown representatives. Te Mātāwai works with the government under the public policy framework Te Whare o te reo Mauriora. The status of the Māori language as a "taonga" () was reaffirmed by the legislation. The legislation also placed an obligation on the government to protect the Māori language. The legislation allows for the use of the Māori language lawyers, judges and witnesses in court.

Criticism

Northland iwi Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Northland may refer to: Corporations * Northland Organic Foods Corporation, headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota * Northland Resources, a mining business * Northland Communications, an American cable television, telephone and internet service ...

, Te Poari o Ngātiwai, Te Rūnanga a Iwi o Ngāpuhi, Te Reo Ngāti Hine filed a judicial review, criticising Māori language being "inconsequential" in the country's courts.

References

{{Reflist 2016 in New Zealand law Statutes of New Zealand New Zealand language legislation relating to Māori rights Māori language