Māori hope Budget 2023 will increase putea for kapa haka extraordinaire Te Matatini

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NZ Herald

17 May, 2023 07:50 PM2 mins to read

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Māori hopes are high that the huge TV and attendance ratings of Te Matatini will mean a boost in funding in today’s budget for the iconic Māori cultural event.

Following the success of Te Matatini in Tamaki Makaurau 2023 - where more than 1.8 million Kiwis tuned in to watch, and almost 730,000 New Zealanders watched the live broadcast on TVNZ 2 - it is vitally important to keep that movement going.

Budget 2022 provided an extra $1 million to lift the funding to $2.9m and with the next Te Matatini in 2025 in Whanganui, planning has already begun.

Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson says Māori have high Budget 2023 hopes. Photo / Supplied

Māori Economic Development Minister Willie Jackson said he knows there’s high expectations for Te Matatini to receive additional funding.

“We will see,” Jackson told Waatea News.Com.

Te Pāti Māori and Māori have long complained about the funding the event receives. They say the event exceeds funding obligations.

In comparison, the Symphony Orchestra receives around $16.5m a year, and the Royal New Zealand Ballet receives $7m. They do not require television coverage of any of their performances nor meet the same spectator threshold.

Jackson was quick to add: “But let me say this if we do [see more funding], it won’t be due to the Māori Party.”

Speaking about Budget 2023 - which will be released today - Jackson said Māori have to be realistic about the allocation of funding.

“I know expectations are high, but I think our people have to be a bit realistic because it’s a really tough time, we’ve had cyclones, high prices.”

Last year’s Māori budget package was around $1.252.9 billion.

Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue. Photo / Andrew Warner

With budget allocations from 2017 to 2022, the total distribution to te ao Māori is in excess of $3 billion, Jackson said - the most monies ever allocated to Māori by any Government.

Budget 2023 will be announced by Finance Minister Grant Robertson at 2pm.