Te hononga i waenga i te Māori me te Karauna Māori Crown relationships

Hei tā te Public Service Act ko te whāinga o te Ratonga Tūmatanui, he tautoko i te kāwanatanga e whai ture ana, e whai ana hoki i te manaporitanga; he tuku kia whakawhanake, kia whakatinana hoki te Kāwanatanga o te wā me ō muri atu i ā rātou kaupapa here, he tuku i ngā ratonga tūmatanui e kairangi ana, e nahanaha ana hoki, he tautoko i te Kāwanatanga ki te whai i ngā painga mō te iwi kei te pae tawhiti, he huawaere i te āta whai wāhitanga o te kirirarau, he whakatutuki hoki i ngā mahi i runga i tā te ture i whakahau ai.

The Public Service works collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders. The Public Service Act states that the purpose of the public service is to support constitutional and democratic government, enable both the current Government and successive governments to develop and implement their policies, deliver high-quality and efficient public services, support the Government to pursue the long-term public interest, facilitate active citizenship and act in accordance with the law.

E hirahira ana te wāhi ki a mātou i te tautokohanga o te Karauna i ana hononga ki ngā iwi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ahakoa he nui ngā momo tūranga mahi, e tapatahi ana ngā kaimahi tūmatanui i roto i te whakaaro nui ki te hāpai i ngā hapori, ka mutu, e arahina ana ā mātou mahi e ngā mātāpono matua me ngā uara o te Ratonga Tūmatanui.

We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under te Tiriti o Waitangi | the Treaty of Waitangi. Whilst there are many diverse roles, all public servants are unified by a spirit of service to the community and guided by the core principles and values of the Public Service in our work. 

The government is committed to improving services and outcomes for Māori and strengthening the Crown’s relationships with Māori. Our role to support the Crown in these relationships is now codified in the Public Service Act 2020. In this role we are continually strengthening the capability of the system to support the Crown’ priorities to improving the outcomes and services for Māori and to better engage with Māori and understand Māori perspectives.

Public Service Act 2020

Section 14 of the Public Service Act 2020 (the Act) explicitly recognises the role of the Public Service to support the Crown in these relationships with Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi | the Treaty of Waitangi.

The Act includes provisions that place specific responsibilities on:

• Public Service leaders for developing and maintaining the capability of the Public Service to engage with Māori and to understand Māori perspectives; and
• The Public Service Commissioner, when developing and implementing the newly required leadership strategy, to recognise the aims, aspirations and employment requirements of Māori, and the need for greater involvement of Māori in the Public Service.

It also carries over the current requirements on Public Service employers to operate an employment policy that recognises the aims, aspirations and employment requirements of Māori, and the need for greater involvement of Māori in the Public Service. The Commissioner and public service chief executives are accountable to their Minister for upholding their responsibilities to support the Crown's relationships with Māori. 

Factsheet 3: Strengthening the Māori Crown relationship(PDF, 309 KB) 

Ka pēhea mō ngā kaimahi tūmatanui
What it means for public servants

The reforms aim to unify the Public Service to fulfil its responsibilities to support the Crown in its relationships with Māori. In practice this means:

• Improving the Public Service’s relationships with Māori by creating and continuing collaborative approaches that are mutually beneficial.
• Greater understanding of te ao Māori woven into the work and ethos of Public Service, including:
  • Māori worldview knowledge, values, and perspectives
  • Te reo Māori | Māori Language
  • tikanga and kawa (protocols and customs) and
  • Understanding how New Zealand history and Te Tiriti o Waitangi | the Treaty of Waitangi applies day-to-day
• Exercise of individual and collective responsibility for a culturally competent Public Service that delivers with and for Māori and is committed to supporting Māori leadership and decision-making roles in the Public Service.