WHERE IS MĀORI LANGUAGE PLANNING USEFUL?

In The Office

Internal communications
A Māori language internal communications policy can ensure that your staff can choose to communicate in either Māori or English, whether that is in simple greetings, casual conversations or formal communications. It can also be used to standardise bilingual messages in letterhead, automatic email messages and other written forms of communication.

Recruitment
A recruitment policy can set guidelines for bilingual job advertisements, job descriptions, succession planning and identifying the skills you are looking for in new employees.

Staff Training
A Māori language training policy like other training policies can set guidelines for who can access training, and defines the type, purpose and duration of training.

Proficiency Assessment
A Māori language proficiency assessment policy can enable staff to have their Māori language proficiency skills assessed by a nationally recognised system such as Whakamātauria Tō Reo Māori.

Communicating With Clients

External Communications
A Māori language external communications policy can ensure that Māori and English language is used appropriately and consistently in all modes of communication with clients/the public.

Quality Assurance
A quality assurance policy for Māori language text ensures that bilingual documents and translations are accurate and of a consistently high standard.

Bilingual Publications
A bilingual publications policy can ensure that Māori and English language is used appropriately and consistently in all types of publications.

Bilingual Websites
A bilingual website policy can ensure that Māori and English language is used appropriately and consistently on your organisation's website.

Statistics
Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Māori Language

Data collated from the ‘Survey of Attitudes, Values and Beliefs towards the Māori Language’ show thatapproximately 94% of Māori (and in some categories more) agreed that the following features are of importance for the future good of New Zealand and New Zealanders:

• Māori culture and heritage
• Māori language
• learning Maori language and culture and understanding Māori issues
• that the Government support Maori language

Further, with regard to the use of Māori language in the public domain:>

• 89% of Māori agreed or strongly agreed it’s a good thing that Māori speak Māori in public places
• 94% of Māori agreed or strongly agreed they have a lot of respect for people who can speak Māori

goto: http://www.tpk.govt.nz/maori/language/default.asp 

Māori in Business

Māori people make a significant contribution to the economy as both employees and employers.

164,300 Māoriearn $4.3 billion in wages/salaries each year.

Māori collectively owned assets and businesses produce $1.9 billion each year, and Māori exports are worth at least $650 million. (source, Te Puni Kökiri).

Māori Language in the Regions

http://www.tpk.govt.nz/maori/language/default.asp

Māori Language Survey

Socialising or when shopping, are two activities (or domains) where Māori language is not now commonly used, though in the past it was the primary language of communication in these domains.  This is of concern given that most people tend to spend a significant part of their time engaged in either of these types of activities and there is the potential here to create a niche market.

Māori Television and Radio

Key data from the Māori Language Survey 2001 shows:

• Approx 245,000 Māori adults had access to a Māori radio station>
• Nearly 73% (178,495) of these people listened to Māori radio
• Mostly older people (55+) were more likely to listen to Māori radio everyday
• Over half of Māori radio listeners were satisfied, or very satisfied with the amount of Māori language content they heard while listening>
• All Māori have access to Māori television programming
• 85% watch this programming, with viewership increasing with the level of Māori language proficiency.

Television and Radio have the potential to educate and develop a wide range of Māori language speakers and so are key mediums for the regeneration of the Māori language.  Most proficient speakers use these media as a means of either improving their skills, or as an interactive outlet (particularly if they do not have access to other Māori language speakers).

go to: http://www.tpk.govt.nz/maori/language/default.asp

If clients don't know a service is available, then they most often aren't going to be proactive and ask for it. In terms of better business practice and effective service provision, clients should be informed as to the current availability of public services delivered in the Māori language.
go to: http://www.tpk.govt.nz/maori/language/default.asp