Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is playing down differences between her ministers over whether to make te reo Maori compulsory in schools.
Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta caused a stir this week when she said it was just a matter of time before te reo was compulsory in schools.
The government's official policy is that te reo Maori be universally available - but not compulsory - in all primary schools by 2025.
Ms Ardern said Ms Mahuta had been talking about future possibilities, not current government policy.
"Right now, we simply do not have enough te reo teachers to even have that aspiration."
She insisted all her ministers were on the same page.
Associate Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson made a slip-up on the same topic late last year, saying he thought the language would be compulsory in schools by 2025.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was reported on Tuesday as having issued a sharp rebuke towards both Ms Mahuta and Mr Jackson.
"If they want to be in this government, they'll be on the same page," Mr Peters told Stuff.
Today, Mr Peters told reporters he was just making clear that the ministers' aspirations were not government policy.
"People can be enthusiastic and they can push policies and they probably can campaign on them in 2020 - but it's not a policy that we are campaigning on or implementing now.
"They need to make sure that it's not portrayed as present government policy."
Ms Ardern said she was comfortable with Mr Peters' slap-down.
"Our ministers are all very robust. We have these decent exchanges from time to time," she said.
"I'm not concerned by our relationships whatsoever ... I have no concerns about those exchanges."
Ms Mahuta said the government ministers were not divided.
"We're absolutely agreed ... that our education curriculum has everything to gain by ensuring we have Maori teachers who can teach the curriculum in te reo Māori," she said.
"That will undoubtedly make te reo Maori a language that is accessible to many New Zealanders - and I want to see that."
8 comments
More useless education
Posted on 10-05-2018 07:41 | By Angels
Why not educate our children with useful information that they may use in the future.Teaching useless info that will almost never ever be used after leaving school.Teach them useful skills, not waste time and energy for nothing.Why do the minorities in the world get most of the attention. Who is going to use this.This is a cultural thing and should be offered as on option for those who wish to learn it. Not mandatory.
trio
Posted on 10-05-2018 08:29 | By dumbkof2
here we go again, it's like a cracked record. same old same old
No thanks
Posted on 10-05-2018 09:55 | By Captain Sensible
No thanks. Let whoever wants to learn it do it AFTER school....and see how many can't be bothered because they have better things to do.
It's a cracked record, dummkopf,because
Posted on 10-05-2018 10:08 | By R. Bell
it is not being addressed. You and angels just don't understand. The value in teaching Te Reo Maori is to bring about a change in understanding of cultural differences that are here to stay. It is a pity you two were not able to benefit from such enlightened thinking. Robin Bell.
enlightened
Posted on 10-05-2018 12:42 | By dumbkof2
sorry mr bell but we are enlightened. if anybody wants to learm mayori culture,fine, but not everybody is interested in it. would rather spend my time understanding something thats important
Not
Posted on 10-05-2018 13:40 | By Merlin
Not Government policy but personal opinion.It will be a sad day when that can not be expressed without it being construed as a rift.
Not
Posted on 10-05-2018 13:40 | By Merlin
Not Government policy but personal opinion.It will be a sad day when that can not be expressed without it being construed as a rift.
trio
Posted on 10-05-2018 13:42 | By dumbkof2
sorry mr bell but most people are enlightened. they just think it is not ralavant in today's enlightened society
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