Green Party pledges $200 million for te reo Māori to mark Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

On the anniversary of the 1972 Māori language petition, the Green Party has announced a significant $200 million policy to bolster te reo Māori initiatives across Aotearoa. Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, joined in Wellington by colleagues Hūhana Lyndon and Mike Davidson, detailed the plan which integrates the language into the heart of the party's 2026 election platform. The strategic funding seeks to provide long-term stability for language revitalisation, positioning the reo as a central pillar of their cultural and educational policy. The announcement, timed to mark Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, focuses on the theme 'Ake, Ake, Ake: A Forever Language.' As reported by RNZ and Waatea News, the policy allocates a recurring $50 million annual investment. This includes $30 million per year specifically for the professional development and education of teachers and the broader workforce. The initiative aims to build the confidence and capability of educators to use the language naturally in daily classroom environments, acknowledging the immense pressure currently on the education sector to normalise the language for tamariki and rangatahi. A further $20 million annually would be split between Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission) and Te Mātāwai, the entity responsible for the protection and revitalisation of the language at the iwi, hapū, and whānau level. Speaking in Wellington and later to Waatea News, Davidson emphasized that for the language to flourish, it requires sustainable funding rather than being treated as a temporary project. She criticized the current coalition Government for shifting resources from Te Ahu o te Reo into mathematics and creating conflict around language use in the public sector. Davidson also connected language advocacy to the protection of te taiao, noting both are central to the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. While schools and broadcasters play a role in normalisation, Davidson stated that the survival of the language ultimately depends on it being spoken between mātua, tamariki, and kaumātua within their own homes and kāinga. The commitment aims to reverse recent funding cuts and ensure te reo Māori is treated as a treasured national asset that is lived rather than just learned.