About Us

Māori Potential Approach

The Māori Potential Approach is a Māori public policy framework that has been developed by Te Puni Kōkiri.

The ultimate aim of the Māori Potential Approach is to better position Māori to build and leverage off their collective resources, knowledge, skills and leadership capability.

At the core of the Māori Potential Approach is the belief that Māori are the key catalyst for achieving exceptional life quality for themselves, their whānau and their communities. The Māori Potential Approach affirms that Māori have the capability, initiative and aspiration to make choices for themselves, in ways that support their cultural identity, while contributing to exceptional life quality.

Together, the Māori Potential Guiding Principles and Framework provide for a consistent and co-ordinated approach to the Māori Affairs portfolio and Māori public policy.

Māori Potential Guiding Principles

The Māori Potential Approach is guided by three principles that are intended to guide the development and implementation of Māori public policy. They are:

Māori Potential

Recognises that Māori are diverse, aspirational people with a distinctive culture and value system.

This principle highlights that Māori are a diverse people with significant potential as an indigenous people. It recognises that all Māori have positive potential, regardless of age, gender, location or socio-economic status. This principle guides Te Puni Kōkiri in supporting Māori to identify their strengths and to develop and facilitate opportunities to maximise this potential.

Culturally Distinct

Recognises the Māori community and their indigenous culture as an overall contributor to the identity, wellbeing and enrichment of New Zealand society.

This principle recognises that Māori communities are both a part of, and significant contributors to, New Zealand society. It distinguishes Māori as the first people of New Zealand, while acknowledging the positive contributions they bring to their communities as an indigenous people, as cultural beings, and as citizens of New Zealand and the world. This principle guides Te Puni Kōkiri in supporting the creation of opportunities for Māori to sustain and leverage off their indigenous identity and culture.

Māori Capability

Affirms the capability, initiative and aspiration of Māori to make choices for themselves.

This principle guides investment in Māori to bring about change in their life circumstances and their environments. This principle advocates strengthening organisational and infrastructural capacity, while at the same time also building the capability of people and their sense of choices and power to act. This principle guides Te Puni Kōkiri to support opportunities for investment in Māori people that build upon their own capability and initiative to be catalysts for change in their own lives.

Māori Potential Framework

The Māori Potential Framework is a tool to assist in identifying where and how to support the realisation of Māori potential. It provides a framework for exposing priorities for intervention, and to measure, track and report the sustainable development of Māori over time.

The state of realised potential described within the framework is Te Ira Tangata, which refers to the Māori person and the full realisation of their physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

As wellbeing ultimately depends on people having a sense of choice or control over their lives, the framework describes the state of Te Ira Tangata as one in which Māori are exercising confident and responsible choices about the quality of their life experiences.

The Framework identifies three key enablers that are fundamental to Māori achieving improved life quality and realising their potential. These are:

Mātauranga – Building of knowledge and skills

This area acknowledges the importance of knowledge to building confidence and identity, growing skills and talents, and generating innovation and creativity. Knowledge and skills are considered key enablers of Māori potential as they underpin choice and the power to act to improve life quality.

Whakamana – Strengthening leadership and decision-making

This area recognises that Māori success relies on their capacity to lead, influence and make positive choices for themselves. It acknowledges that the capability and opportunity for Māori to make decisions, to act in self-determining ways, and to actively influence decisions that affect their lives, is integral to individual and collective wellbeing. This area includes all forms of leadership and decision-making, from governance, management and leadership of collectives, through to individuals exercising responsible choices for the benefit of themselves and others.

Rawa – Development and use of resources

This area recognises the importance of ensuring Māori can access the necessary resources to meet their basic needs, as well as taking advantage of opportunities to use, develop and retain their resources in ways that will improve their quality of life. Resources may include: natural resources (e.g. land, water, plants); financial resources (e.g. income, assets); or physical resources (e.g. food, technology, buildings); and any other resources required to meet needs and provide opportunities for Māori cultural, social and economic development.

Last modified: 10/04/2008