Salient News for the Week ending 7 June 2024
- Last week Statistics NZ released its first set of results from the Census. It shows that there are circa five million residents in Aotearoa, and that one in five are of Māori descent (circa 1 million tangata). This is why Mr Waititi referred to himself as being ‘one in a million’ (see above).
- However, being of Māori descent is not the same self-identifying as being of Māori ethnicity, and on that measure there were 887,493 tangata Māori in Aotearoa on Census night last year. Yet circa 900,000 tangata Māori is a significant increase, reflecting a 14% Māori population growth since the 2018 Census (compared with only 2% growth of the NZ European population).
- The Census figures however have been challenged by Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, who has indicated that people who have some Māori descent are not necessarily Māori, although David Seymour appears to be exempt from his methodology, as shown in two of his recent quotes below.
“Two of the three leaders of the coalition are Māori and there are record number of Māori in Cabinet. If you are Māori and don’t think like them, then you’re not a real Māori.” Winston Peters, 29 May 2024, directed at Te Pāti Māori.
“Please don’t tell me there are a million Maori in this country because if one part in 512 makes you a Maori then you don’t know what a Maori is, or one part in 66 or one part in 32 can’t surely mean you are a Maori in this context but that’s how they are writing this deceitful and divisive census survey in this context.” Winston Peters, 4 June 2024
- While we note the Deputy Prime Minister’s comments are likely offensive to many citizens, and perhaps purposefully so, that aside we consider there is policy work to be done to better understand the full dynamics of the Māori population and diversities within it. We intend to review this topic further as more Census data is released.
Appointments and Awards
- King’s Honours Awards were released this week, Māori of note (or people who have provided services for Māori) include:[1]
CNZM (To be Companions of the said Order):
- Mrs Arihia Darryl Bennett, MNZM, of Kaiapoi. For services to Māori, governance and the community.
- Ms Anne Candy, QSO, JP, of Auckland. For services to Māori and local government.
- Ms Megan Faye Tamati-Quennell, of Wellington. For services to Māori and First Nations art.
ONZM (To be an Officer of the said Order):
Mrs Tere Ngawai Gilbert, of Hamilton. For services to early childhood and Māori language education.
MNZM (To be Members of the said Order):
Mrs Akinihi Miraka Smith, of Kaitaia. For services to Māori and the Anglican Church.
Mrs Amohaere Judith Tangitu, of Whakatāne. For services to Māori health.
KSO (To be Companions of the said Order):
Mrs Josephine Huti Anderson, of Te Kuiti. For services to Māori.
Mr Michael John Hollings, of Wellington. For services to education and Māori .
KSM (King’s Service Medal Recipients)
- Dr Matire Louise Ngarongoa Harwood, of Auckland. For services to Māori health.
- Mr Leslie Tamihana Hokianga, of Hastings. For services to physical fitness and mental health.
Miss Katareina Whaiora Kaiwai, of Tokomaru Bay. For services to women and the civil construction industry
[1] Note it is possible there are other tangata Māori who have received a King’s service award this week that we have been unable to identify through the information provided.
