Maori, Islanders reap big dividends

By VANESSA BIDOIS Maori issues reporter

The Government has unveiled a comprehensive package for Maori in an attempt to close the wide gaps between rich and poor New Zealanders.

Labour's powerful Maori caucus is being applauded for the biggest Budget gains ever for Maori, with an extra $175 million on Maori-related initiatives over the next 12 months.

And over the next four years spending aimed at social and economic development programmes for Maori and Pacific Islanders will total $243 million.

Education and employment were the major winners, with funding windfalls for bold, grassroots initiatives.

The task of closing the gaps will be difficult, as the results of a determined effort by former Maori Affairs Minister Tau Henare shows. The second Closing the Gaps report, released this month, said many of the gaps had widened while Mr Henare was in power.

The long-term nature of the new initiatives may also have little short-term impact on statistics.

As well as the $243 million earmarked for education, health, housing and community development, spending to the tune of more than $340 million will benefit Maori and Pacific peoples over the next four years.

Some $114 million has been allocated to allow Maori and Pacific peoples to design and deliver their own development initiatives.

Nearly $30 million over the next year has been allocated for Maori and Pacific communities to devise their own economic and social programmes. Whanau (family), hapu (subtribal) and iwi (tribal) groups will also get more than $20 million over the next four years to strengthen their development as providers of job services.

Te Puni Kokiri (the Ministry of Maori Development) was another big winner, getting more than $6 million over the next four years to help Maori organisations to plan capacity-building programmes.

Maori education initiatives have bagged more than $50 million over the next four years, including almost $20 million for language education and nearly $13 million to increase Maori teachers in mainstream and kura kaupapa (language immersion) schools.

More than $7 million will provide extra places in Pacific early-childhood centres over the next four years.

Maori and Pacific Islanders will get special help to solve housing problems through a $21.6 million four-year pilot scheme involving six housing zones in rural and urban areas.

The $55 million allocated over the next year for income-related rents for low-income state tenants will also contribute to closing the gaps.

Nearly $20 million over four years will be used to help Maori to stop smoking.

More than $20 million will be spent on Maori economic and organisational development to help create job opportunities.

Pacific peoples' organisational development will receive $7.1 million over four years to help with administration, leadership training, information technology and infrastructure development.

Another $10 million over four years will fund initiatives developed by Maori communities aimed at reducing Maori youth offending.

Budget 2000 feature

Minister's budget statement

Budget speech