The Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy will be learning Te Reo Māori. The announcement was made during the Bledisloe Address over Waitangi weekend where she voiced her concerns about the lack of te reo Māori teachers not meeting the demands of students.
In her speech, she says it is not just a matter of strengthening the future of te reo Māori - though this is of vital importance. Te reo Māori opens a door into understanding and respect of te ao Māori.
Reddy then went on to quote how Sir Eddie Durie observed, the foundation of Māori relationships is aroha - love - and 'inherent in love…is a deep comprehension of another's point of view'.