A boost for Māori broadcasting is the one main highlight for Māori in this year's Budget.
Budget 2026 sets aside $48 million over the next four years to support the "long-term sustainability" of Māori broadcasting.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is confident the Budget has delivered for Māori, saying "Māori want the same thing as every other New Zealander."
Funding agency Te Māngai Pāho (TMP) would see $16 million of time limited funding expire in 2026.
Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori, the umbrella organisation representing iwi radio, had threatened legal action if TMP's budget was cut further saying cuts would threaten the survivability of stations, a threat they withdrew in the lead up to the Budget.
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said the funding will support the long-term sustainability of Māori broadcasting by helping Māori media organisations adapt to a changing digital environment, commission new te reo Māori content, develop talent and strengthen their capability.
"The investment in Māori broadcasting focused on supporting the people and organisations already doing the work to grow te reo Māori and connect with audiences in modern and evolving ways.
"Māori broadcasting and storytelling play an important role in strengthening cultural confidence, creating opportunities across Māori creative industries, and sharing uniquely Māori perspectives with audiences."
Some $10 million of funding reprioritised from the Māori Development fund will go towards Te Māori Tū over five years.
This would support the activities of Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust to deliver a programme of trade-focused events and digital outreach activities that showcase traditional and contemporary Māori arts, goods and services.
"Te Māori Tū builds on the legacy of Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust supporting new opportunities for Māori artists, creatives, businesses, and exporters to share Māori culture and creativity with audiences here in Aotearoa and around the world," Potaka said.
Savings and cuts
Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Development, would see baseline savings of $23.6 million over four years.
Savings would be achieved through reductions in personnel, and contractor and consultant expenditure.
Te Tari Whakatau would also see baseline savings of $3.2 million over four years. It now operated as a smaller departmental agency, focusing only on Treaty Settlements and Takutai Moana claims.
The savings would largely be achieved through reduced spending on services Te Tari Whakatau procures from the Ministry of Justice.
Te Matatini would likely also see a reduction in funding as part of baseline savings for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
It was one of many entities impacted, including the Royal New Zealand Ballet, NZ on Air, Te Papa and RNZ.
Other initiatives
The Ngārimu VC & 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships would be expanded, with $0.4 million in funding for five additional scholarships increasing the annual number of awards to 14.
This story was first published on rnz.co.nz |  |
