Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:632;Page:4271] 
3.  
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: E whakapono ana ia ki ta te Kaiwhakahaere Matua o Te Taura Whiri i te Reo a Haami Piripi i ki ra “kare te Tahuhu o te Matauranga i te whakamanako i Te Reo Maori a kare hoki i te whakauru ahuatanga Maori ki roto i nga hotaka ako o nga kura” koina te kaha aro pono mai o taua tari ki Te Reo Maori ae ranei kare ranei; ki te kore he aha ai? 
[ 
Does he believe that “the Ministry of Education does not give te reo Maori the acknowledgment that it should and is failing to push Maori in school work programmes” as stated by Maori Language Commission Chief Executive Haami Piripi is a true reflection of his ministry’s commitment to te reo; if not why not? 
] 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) 
: 
 No. I understand that the comment was from a discussion on the  
Te Karere 
 programme about the need to strengthen our acknowledgment of Maori language learning in the school curriculum. The new draft curriculum which is being launched on 31 July includes specific acknowledgment of Maori language learning. I am also pleased to announce that for the first time a draft curriculum to support the teaching of te reo Maori as a curriculum subject is being developed. That is due to go out for national consultation at the end of this year following regionally based trials. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: He aha te take e panui atu ana Te Ara Reo a-Iwi i nga ara ki Te Reo Maori ki Aotearoa whanui mo nga Tari Kawanatanga e ono ara Te Tari Hiranga Tangata Te Ratonga Manene Te Tari Koporeihana Whare Te Tari Taiwhenua Te Koporeihana Awhina Hunga Whara me Te Tari Pirihimana engari e ngaro nei Te Tahuhu o te Matauranga? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Why does the Office of Ethnic Affairs Language Line advise New Zealanders that they can request Maori language services at six Government departments—namely Work and Income Immigration New Zealand the Housing New Zealand Corporation the Department of Internal Affairs the Accident Compensation Corporation and the New Zealand Police—but the Ministry of Education is not included in that list? 
] 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I was not aware that they were not being referred to the Ministry of Education. It is probably because of the very wide range of schools which of course would deal directly with parents who were concerned about the issue. But I am happy to take that up with the member and see whether it would be a useful development. 
Dr Ashraf Choudhary 
: What else is the Government doing to support the teaching of te reo Maori in New Zealand schools? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The Government supports the full range of te reo Maori learning. That includes providing nearly $18 million a year to support teaching in Maori immersion $7 million a year for Maori medium resources $5 million over 4 years for the teaching of Maori in mainstream settings and $500000 through Budget 2006 to develop a Maori language education outcomes framework. I should say that today my colleague Parekura Horomia is launching a radio dramatisation of the first Maori language novel. It was developed in partnership with the Maori Language Commission and will be a welcome addition to the resources currently available in the Maori language. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: He aha i kore ai a ia i kite i etahi putea hou mo nga rawa a-reo Maori nei i te wa e umere ana nga kura mo aua rauemi? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Why did he not seek any funding for Maori language resources at a time when schools were screaming out for such resources? 
] 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I will just take the member back to the fact that we already have in the Budget substantial money that is still being rolled out—$18 million around Maori immersion $7 million around Maori medium resources and other areas in the Budget like the $500000 for the language education outcomes framework. There is the fact that we are regionally trialling the curriculum I mentioned before and the fact that next year it will go out nationally. All that funding is there already. That is why I do not at the present time need additional funding above that. We have a large amount to implement right now. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Hei whai haere i te whakaaro nui o Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o te Rotoiti ki te whakamohio i te kupu ‘kura’ i te taha o te kupu ‘school’ i o ratou tohu a-kura he aha ta te Tahuhu o te Matauranga i te taha o LTSA ki te whakakohatu i Te Reo Maori hei reo tuturu i Aotearoa nei?  
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Following the initiative of Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rotoiti to introduce the word “kura” alongside the word “school” on their bus signs what work has the Ministry of Education initiated with the Land Transport Safety Authority to affirm the official status of te reo Maori? 
] 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The member is right. That is a matter for Land Transport New Zealand but I have personally made it clear that I am comfortable with having both words on the bus.