I recently met with the Public Service Commission to discuss its advice regarding public servant participation in the Te Wiki o te Reo Māori Parade. I appreciated the constructive conversation and discussions.

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori will continue to advocate for opportunities that encourage all New Zealanders to celebrate and use te reo Māori, the Crown to uphold its responsibilities and I welcome the ongoing dialogue on how best to support those goals.

To be clear, Te Taura Whiri does not consider participation in the parade to be political activity. The parade is a cultural celebration of New Zealand's first language and, over the ten years it has been held, it has brought together whānau, schools, kaumātua, community groups, businesses and public servants in a positive and inclusive way.

While decisions about staff time are ultimately matters for individual agencies, I think it is important to remember that supporting te reo Māori is not solely the responsibility of Te Taura Whiri. The revitalisation of te reo Māori is a shared responsibility across government, reflected in legislation, public service agency language plans, and the efforts many agencies have made to build capability and confidence in te reo Māori. Public servants have regularly supported the parade over the last 10 years, including in an election year. There is history and a precedent.

My concern is that advice of this nature, this year, could unintentionally discourage public servants who are committed to te reo Māori from participating in practical activities that support its revitalisation. That commitment comes from New Zealanders of all backgrounds, not just Māori, and many are looking for opportunities to put their learning and support for te reo Māori into action, in line with their role as public servants, their agencies’ respective language plans, and te reo Māori as an official language. So I would encourage agencies to see how the parade can support the delivery of their language objectives in their Whāinga Amorangi plans.

As we mark ten years since the first Te Wiki o te Reo Māori Parade, I hope we continue to see support for te reo Māori as a normal part of public life and public service. This year's theme “Te Reo Towns” celebrates towns and communities embracing te reo Māori in their everyday places and spaces. That is how language revitalisation succeeds: when te reo Māori is seen, heard and valued every day, by everyone, every year, throughout Aotearoa.

Professor Rawinia Higgins

Toihau (Board Chair), Māori Language Commissioner