An economic strategy launched today is being described as radical and revolutionary in its approach to tackling poverty and deprivation, which affect many Northland Maori.
Te Ururoa Flavell Photo: RNZ / Demelza Leslie
The document has unified the region's iwi leaders who have devised a new strategy with the aim of the rohe or area becoming an economic powerhouse.
The study published by the Iwi Chief Executives' Consortium is being hailed by the Maori Development Minister as a way forward for Northland Maori to operate on their own terms.
Te Ururoa Flavell said Northland Maori needed to implement new policies that work for them, such as in education, creating cadetships, and one-on-one learning environments.
Mr Flavell said the Government would be pushing to ensure local government embraced the changes the strategy promoted and gave Maori are bigger say in decision-making.
He said there was a need for Maori iwi to work with local government to maximise the potential of the whole community.