From the Marae to the Boardroom
This space is called “From the Marae to the Boardroom” because that’s the journey I walk every day. As a Māori woman in leadership, I carry with me the voices of my tūpuna, the lessons of the marae, and the hopes of our whānau — into boardrooms, policy tables, and organisational spaces where decisions are made.
Here, I’ll share reflections on leadership, culture, community, and the challenges and triumphs of running a kaupapa Māori organisation. Some posts will speak to strategy and systems change; others might just be a kōrero from the heart — about whānau, resilience, or moments that matter.
July 2025: Passports, Priorities and Pretend Problems
Of all the challenges facing Aotearoa right now — rising housing costs, inflation, and a health system under strain — it’s surprising to see so much focus on rearranging the words on our passports.
Changing “Aotearoa New Zealand” to “New Zealand Aotearoa” might be symbolic, but it won’t make groceries more affordable or shorten hospital wait times.
What it does suggest, even if unintentionally, is that there’s something questionable about giving te reo Māori prominence, as if placing it proudly at the front of our passports is a problem that needs fixing.
The real problems we are dealing with today have many causes — but our culture is not one of them.
Honouring Te Tiriti hasn’t caused the cost of butter to skyrocket.
Removing te reo Māori from public spaces won’t ease the pressures families are feeling.
And the order of words on a passport isn’t what’s keeping people from finding stable housing.
June 2025: The Regulatory Standards Bill… Aue, a wolf in sheep’s clothing
MUMA prides itself on its commitment to Kaupapa Māori values, and takes its responsibility as a voice for the communities who rely on us to speak up seriously. The Regulatory Standards Bill is what I would describe as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It looks boring, it sounds boring, but whānau, it is bad for our people, as evidenced by the defeated Treaty Principles Bill.
That’s why MUMA submitted to the Finance and Expenditure Committee. Here is what we had to say.
Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA) opposes the Regulatory Standards Bill in its entirety.
According to the Ministry for Regulation, the purpose of this Bill is to “reduce the amount of unnecessary and poor regulation.” On the surface, this may sound like a reasonable goal. But what is most telling is not just what is included in the Bill – the so-called “principles of responsible regulation” – but what has been deliberately left out.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is entirely absent from this Bill.
There is no reference to the Treaty partnership, no recognition of the Crown’s obligations to Māori, and no acknowledgement of the extensive body of legislation, regulation, and case law that embeds Te Tiriti into Aotearoa’s legal and constitutional framework.
This omission is not an oversight. It is intentional.
In our view, the Regulatory Standards Bill is a rebranded version of the discredited Treaty Principles Bill, designed to sidestep public scrutiny while achieving the same end: the marginalisation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in lawmaking.
Where the Treaty Principles Bill attempted to redefine Te Tiriti, this Bill goes further — it attempts to erase it altogether from the legislative process.
At MUMA, we see first-hand what our communities are dealing with every day.
The cost of kai. Power bills that stretch whānau budgets. Parents choosing between heating their homes or paying for school uniforms.
No one comes to us asking for less te reo Māori.
No one tells us that legislative changes to symbols or language will help them cover the rent or pay the doctor.
That’s why we’re questioning where our focus as a nation should be. Are we addressing the real issues families face? Or are we spending time on things that don’t make a practical difference in people’s lives?
Another change on the horizon is the removal of same-day voter enrolment.
This might seem like a small administrative shift, but it will have real consequences, especially for those who already face barriers to voting.
Undermining Te Tiriti and Māori Rights
The Bill imposes a narrow set of ideological principles — such as individual property rights, business certainty, and minimal regulatory interference — as benchmarks for all future laws. These principles reflect a particular political ideology, not neutral “good governance.” They are presented as objective standards, but in fact they contradict the spirit and substance of Te Tiriti, which affirms collective rights, Māori self-determination, and the Crown’s duty to actively protect Māori interests.
By excluding Te Tiriti, this Bill:
Weakens the legal standing of Māori rights and protections in future legislation;
Discourages or prevents laws that seek to redress past injustices or improve outcomes for Māori;
Empowers future governments to bypass Te Tiriti obligations without public transparency or legal accountability.
Concentration of Power and Political Bias
The Bill centralises significant power in the hands of the Minister for Regulation. This Minister would have the authority to define what counts as “good law,” and future legislation would need to be assessed against their interpretation of regulatory principles.
If the Minister holds publicly stated views that funding targeted to Māori is “racist,” or that Te Tiriti obligations are “divisive,” then it is reasonable to conclude that any future legislation seeking to honour Te Tiriti will be unfairly deemed non-compliant under this Bill.
This is not good lawmaking. This is an attack on Māori rights, masked as regulatory reform.
In 2023, over 110,000 people enrolled on Election Day. Many of them were Māori. For many whānau, the demands of work, childcare, and caring for elders mean that enrolment can slip down the priority list. It doesn’t mean they don’t care; it means they are busy looking after the people who matter most.
Losing the option to enrol and vote on the same day risks leaving more voices unheard.
We all deserve a voting process that is accessible, fair, and encourages participation.
So, while these policy changes continue to roll out, let’s not lose sight of what really matters.
Supporting whānau through the cost of living crisis. Creating opportunities. Keeping the democratic process open to all.
We have a responsibility to take part in shaping our future. That’s why it’s so important to enrol early and vote in the upcoming Tāmaki Makaurau by-election, and in next year’s general election.
Real progress comes from listening to communities and focusing on solutions that make a difference. Together, we can ensure that happens.
Lack of Māori Engagement
Once again, there has been little to no engagement with Māori in the development of this legislation. This breaches the Crown’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi to act in partnership with tangata whenua and to consult meaningfully on matters that may affect our rights and futures.
The potential long-term impact of this Bill on Māori legal protections, Treaty settlements, co-governance arrangements, and constitutional status is profound, yet Māori have been excluded from the conversation.
Conclusion
On election night, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stood before the country and promised to govern for all New Zealanders.
This Bill does not do that.
It entrenches a monocultural, ideological framework that ignores Aotearoa’s founding document and undermines the progress made toward Māori equity and self-determination.
MUMA strongly opposes the Regulatory Standards Bill and calls for it to be withdrawn in full.