The Future of Te Arawhiti: Government Entity to Scale Back Functions

The Office for Māori Crown Relations, also known as Te Arawhiti, has announced plans to slim down its functions and workforce. This move comes after Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka announced in August that Te Arawhiti would be shifting many of its functions to the Ministry for Maori Development, Te Puni Kōkiri.

What’s Happening to Te Arawhiti’s Functions?

Te Arawhiti currently carries out four key functions. The first one is the overarching treaty relationship, the second is treaty settlements, the third is Marine and Coastal Area Act settlements, and the fourth is lifting the capability of the public service.

However, under the new arrangement, Te Puni Kōkiri will take over the treaty relationship and lifting the public service capability, leaving settlements and Marine and Coastal Area Act with Te Arawhiti. According to Secretary for Māori Development Dave Samuels, if anything, Te Arawhiti’s focus would narrow in on treaty settlements.

Transfer of Functions: What to Expect

As part of the transfer process, 51 roles are set to be disestablished from Te Arawhiti. The functions being transferred will come with funding for the positions and organizational overhead. Full-time equivalent roles will be transferred to Te Puni Kōkiri, including those for coordinating significant events on behalf of the Crown.

For example, the responsibility for organizing Waitangi Day in 2025 will fall under Te Arawhiti’s jurisdiction until two weeks later, when it transfers to Te Puni Kōkiri. This change is expected to take effect on Monday, February 24, 2025.

Te Puni Kōkiri’s Response

Leaders of Te Puni Kōkiri were before the Māori Affairs Select Committee for their annual review. Deputy Secretary – Governance Steven Sutton stated that the ministry’s vision remained the same despite the changes. The priority areas will be aligned with this government’s focus, including Whānau Ora, economic development, and monitoring.

Next Steps

The chief executive of Te Arawhiti and Dave Samuels will make a decision on the structure of both organizations next week. This move is part of scrutiny week, which focuses on the performance of government entities.

In conclusion, Te Arawhiti’s plans to scale back its functions and workforce are a significant change for the office. The transfer of functions to Te Puni Kōkiri will bring about new challenges, but also presents opportunities for both organizations to focus on their core responsibilities.