Te Wiki o te Reo and the election: Comparing te reo Māori policies

Te reo Māori is a taonga and the government of this country is compelled under the Treaty of Waitangi to protect it. So how do the campaign policies of our political parties stack up? In 1985, the Waitangi Tribunal report on the Wai 11 te reo claim found that article two of the Treaty of … Read more

When a judge slaps down a lawyer for a few words of te reo, it’s about power

Summer reissue: High Court judge Justice Timothy Brewer asked a lawyer if she was making a “political point” by introducing herself and her client in te reo Māori. Sociolinguist Vini Olsen-Reeder unpacks the bias underpinning those comments.  This post was first published 12 November 2018. Headlines about things Māori often seem to miss the point. “High … Read more

When a judge slaps down a lawyer for a few words of te reo, it’s about power

Last Tuesday, High Court judge Justice Timothy Brewer asked a lawyer if she was making a political point by introducing herself and her client in te reo Māori. Sociolinguist Vini Olsen-Reeder unpacks the bias underpinning those comments.  Headlines about things Māori often seem to miss the point. “High Court judge asks if interpreter needed following lawyer’s … Read more

The Bulletin: What will te reo teaching look like in 2025?

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Māori language week starts te reo teaching conversation, Tax Working Group looking likely to reject capital gains tax, and landlords propose alternative to rental WOFs. So what exactly is the government’s te reo Māori education policy? As Māori Language Week has got underway, that’s been a … Read more