As the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand and treaty partners, with the government, Māori hold a particular significance for our activities. We acknowledge their unique status as tangata whenua.
In our desire to deliver results and services that benefit all New Zealanders, in a culturally meaningful way, we work especially with them in building and maintaining collaborative working relationships. On the other hand, we also work with colleagues from other government agencies to engage, to communicate, and to work with Māori. In pursuing these two objectives we provide our own people with the knowledge and skills to appreciate and understand the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori language, culture and protocols.
As a Crown agency, we:
- work to achieve the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi
- extend the opportunity for Māori to participate in our decision making
- build Māori capacity to contribute to our decision making
- consult with Māori wherever possible on activities that are likely to affect them or their interests.
