Futures
Iwi, hapū and Māori are leaders in future-focused and sustainable sectors.
On this page
Summary
Outcomes
- Successful and sustainable Māori entrepreneurship
- A diverse Māori workforce in future-focused sectors
Immediate actions
- Accelerate iwi, hapū and Māori leadership of, and engagement in, future growth industries
- Build stronger pathways and support for wāhine Māori entrepreneurs
Other actions the Government is taking to achieve these outcomes
- Learning about and addressing challenges that Māori face when accessing capital
- Implementing 'He kai kei aku ringa – The Crown–Māori economic growth partnership'
- Implementing the 'Māori Economic Resilience Strategy' to make Māori more resilient to economic shocks, and create a more sustainable, resilient, inclusive economy for Māori
- Supporting the uptake of a Māori-business-identifier number
- Implementing the Government’s Progressive Procurement policy
How this focus area supports Te Tiriti
The futures focus area envisages a future where Māori, individually and at iwi and hapū levels, genuinely exercise rangatiratanga over developing their resources. Te Tiriti provides for a partnership between the Crown and iwi, hapū and Māori businesses. This focus area supports these Tiriti principles:
- Rangatiratanga
- Equity
- Options
Te Ara Mahi Māori hui feedback
“Rangatahi should know that they have sovereignty, and should have great aspirations with a wide range of opportunities available.”
“Kaumātua [should be] able to influence rangatahi and set them on the pathway to intergenerational success.”
What else the Government is doing
- Implementing the Māori Trades and Training Fund, which funds Māori entities to design and deliver employment-focused programmes for Māori (MSD).
- Mapping support services for Māori businesses, to raise awareness of the services and improve coordination (MBIE). MSD has related work in this area, so the agencies will share information and coordinate their efforts.
- Supporting the uptake of a Māori business identifier in the New Zealand Business Register (MBIE).
- Researching challenges that Māori face when accessing capital. This focuses on Māori SMEs, asset-holding entities and kaupapa Māori entities (The Reserve Bank, Treasury, MBIE and TPK).
- Implementing the Government’s Progressive Procurement policy, which aims to increase the range of suppliers who know about opportunities to tender for government contracts and are capable of doing so. The policy includes a target of awarding 5% of government contracts to Māori businesses. Implementing the policy includes helping Māori businesses prepare to tender for government contracts (TPK and MBIE).
- Continuing the development of Te Ture Whenua Māori reform initiatives to:
- increase available options for land utilisation
- enhance capacity to undertake or participate in residential development on the land
- increase owner involvement and participation in decisions concerning their whenua
- simplify succession to support more active and involved ownership groups
- improve governance of the lands by remedying deficiencies in current processes and structural arrangements (TPK).
- Developing an action plan for ‘start-ups’ and identifying policies that would help start-up founders, especially women and Māori, reach their full potential (MBIE).
- Implementing the Digital Technologies Industry Transformation Plan. This plan has a Māori Tech Success workstream that aims to increase Māori participation in the sector, as business owners, entrepreneurs and employees. Proposed initiatives include a mātauranga-Māori approach to understanding the current Māori tech sector, and a ‘champions’ function, which would connect Māori in the sector and help them pursue careers or businesses (MBIE).
- Implementing the 'Construction sector transformation plan'. This plan includes work to improve Māori participation in education and develop stronger pathways through the workforce. The Construction Centre of Vocational Excellence and Diversity Works NZ is using the Construction Sector Accord to research the barriers faced by learners – including Māori and other priority groups – entering, progressing and thriving in the sector. The centre plans to develop strategies and career pathways that will support a diverse workforce and offer equitable work opportunities and employment outcomes (MBIE).
- Implementing the Construction Sector Accord and defining the work programme for 2022 onwards. This involves working with Māori sector leaders on how the Accord can improve outcomes for Māori SMEs, workforce and youth in the construction industry (MBIE).
Immediate actions
Accelerate iwi, hapū and Māori leadership of, and engagement in, future growth industries
- Rationale— Māori are under-represented in growth industries and high-skilled employment; and they are over-represented in emissions-intensive industries. This makes them more exposed to global megatrends that have significant impacts on society and the economy. We will partner with iwi/hapū and Māori to understand Māori aspirations for the future of work. We will work with Māori and key leaders from different sectors, to develop a plan that achieves their vision of prosperity and supports Māori to thrive in the changing nature of the labour market.
- Overiding objective — Successful and sustainable Māori entrepreneurship.
A diverse Māori workforce in future-focused sectors. - How it will be measured— Reporting on key project milestones.
- Agency — MBIE and TPK.
- Groups of Māori who benefit the most — Māori who need help to acquire and deploy skills needed in future growth industries, Māori businesses, Māori workers in emissions-intensive industries and iwi with assets in primary industries.
Build stronger pathways and support for wāhine Māori entrepreneurs
- Rationale — Wāhine Māori are active in business across Aotearoa New Zealand. They provide local employment and contribute to the wellbeing of their whānau. Many balance work and caring responsibilities.
Ngā wāhine kaipakihi: He tirohanga; Māori women in business: Insights [PDF 5.1MB](external link) - Overiding objective — Successful and sustainable Māori entrepreneurship.
- How it will be measured — This will be considered as the action is developed.
- Agency — MBIE, MfW and TPK.
- Groups of Māori who benefit the most — Wāhine Māori.
Medium-term actions
Embed best practice in government agencies’ core business, so that Māori businesses are just as able to engage in government procurement as non-Māori businesses, and ongoing support to Māori businesses is part of the procurement system rather than an ‘add on’
- Rationale — The ultimate objective is greater supplier diversity in government procurement being the new normal for government agencies, without the need for mandated targets or “add-on” rules for engaging with Māori businesses.
Equitable access to market opportunities for Māori businesses has a flow-on effect to employment opportunities and innovation in procurement solutions. - Overiding objective — Successful and sustainable Māori entrepreneurship.
- Agency — MBIE and TPK.
Work with partners of industry transformation plans (ITP) on opportunities to help Māori businesses succeed and improve employment outcomes for Māori in the ITP sectors
- Rationale — Increasing Māori and businesses, employment and leadership in growth and transitioning sectors will grow the Māori economy and increase Māori economic resilience.
- Overiding objective — A diverse Māori workforce in future-focused sectors.
- Agency — MBIE.
Long-term actions
Research the barriers and enablers to Māori businesses (start-ups, SMEs) accessing support, by designing and implementing a work plan and communication plan with Māori business networks, regional economic development agencies and other business-support organisations
- Rationale — Insights on the enablers for Māori businesses will allow us to develop better solutions to support Māori start-ups and SMEs become thriving, confident and resilient businesses and increase Māori employment.
This action will be in partnership with Māori business networks. - Overiding objective — Successful and sustainable Māori entrepreneurship.
- Agency — MBIE.