The coalition government has issued a directive to Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Development, instructing them that – in the interests of clear communication – they are to conduct this year’s Māori Language Week primarily or exclusively in English.
The directive is in line with the Government’s policy – signaled when they came to power – that all departments communicate chiefly in English, for the sake of clarity.
At the time, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the change was about New Zealanders’ right to navigate their government.
Today he welcomed the change to Māori Language Week as a great way to get all kiwis involved.
“I think New Zealanders actually fundamentally do want to participate,” he said, “and I get a lot of people saying to me ‘You know, I do want to get involved in te reo, but I don’t actually speak Maori’, and so our thought was, what if you didn’t have to?”
Asked how he was celebrating this week, Luxon said he had placed a large plastic “Hello!” sign on his office door.
“That means kia ora,” he explained.
The opposition Labour party expressed its strong distaste, protesting the Government’s move by putting out a statement entirely in te reo.
Luxon’s office said he couldn’t respond to Labour’s criticisms, as he was unable to read them.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins, when asked to explain what his party’s statement said, drew a blank.
“Uh… hm… well… uh…” he demurred, staring down at the printout in his hand.
“Hmmmm,” he continued, shaking his head. “I think it goes without saying we’re opposed to what’s happening.”
“This is not ka pai,” he added.
Minister for Māori Development, Tama Potaka, defended the change.
“Obviously we want to promote our reo, but we also have to balance that with the fact that English is the de facto language of our country, and if we’re to really grow this special week, we want it to be as inclusive as possible,” he said. “That’s why we’re simply asking the ministry to use English this year, so that everyone can enjoy it.”
Asked if he was enjoying it, Potaka said he probably was.
“Yeah, no, it’s great,” he said. “Instead of saying things like, ‘haere mai!’, I get to say ‘welcome, everybody’, or instead of saying ‘I’m off to the wharepaku’, I say something like ‘I’m going to take a shit’, and I’m finding that’s all been very well received.”
In a follow-up statement this afternoon, Potaka clarified that, in keeping with the Government’s policy, he’s changed his name to Tim Pawlenty.
*A current version of this story incorrectly referred to Tim Pawlenty as “Tama Potaka”
