Budget 2016 provides $34.6 million of operating funding over four years to support the revitalisation of te reo Māori across key Māori language initiatives.
Minister of Maori Development , Te Ururoa Flavell says, "this demonstrates the wider commitment that the Government is making towards the revitalisation of te reo Māori, a taonga for all of Aotearoa."
The Minister says, “The funding will enable whānau, hapū and iwi to play a greater leadership role in the design and planning of initiatives that makes a real difference to the revitalisation of the Māori language,”
The funding includes $12 million to support the establishment and operations of Te Mātāwai, the new Crown entity to be set up under Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016.
A further $12 million is also set aside for Te Reo Māori Whānau and Community planning. This will allow whānau, hapū and iwi to develop Māori language strategies within their communities, a key objective of Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016.
Māori Television will receive $10.6 million to reach a wider audience via high-definition broadcasting on multiple platforms.
Māori Television Chief Executive Paora Maxwell says, "the funding boost further supports the Government's Māori Language Strategy by helping Māori Television to attract and grow its viewing audiences, particularly youth.
Because young people spend less time using traditional television, and more time using mobile devices, We need to make sure our content is entertaining and engaging, and is accessible wherever our people are and on whatever device they are using." says Maxwell.
Mr Maxwell says the funding is a strong signal from the Government of its support for Māori Television’s role in improving the attitudes of all New Zealanders towards the use and unique position of te reo Māori as the indigenous language of Aotearoa.
Te Kāea reporter Numia Ponika-Rangi will have more on this tonight at 5:30pm.