The Office for Māori Crown Relations intends to slim down its functions and workforce. Photo: RNZ/Vinay Ranchhod
The Māori Affairs Select Committee has heard how Te Arawhiti - the Office for Māori Crown Relations - is planning to slim down its functions and workforce.
In August, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka announced plans to scale back the responsibilities of Te Arawhiti - shifting many of its functions to the Ministry for Maori Development, Te Puni Kōkiri.
Last month Te Arawhiti confirmed 51 roles are set to be disestablished.
Leaders of Te Puni Kōkiri were before the Māori Affairs Select Committee on Tuesday for the ministry's annual review.
It is part of scrutiny week, which this week focuses on the performance of government entities.
Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke asked members of Te Puni Kōkiri if the transfer of functions would cause challenges to carrying out remaining Treaty Settlements.
Secretary for Māori Development Dave Samuels responded that Treaty Settlements were one of the functions which would not transfer to Te Puni Kōkiri.
"Very broadly 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.
"We are taking over the treaty relationship and we are also taking over lifting the public service capability, that leaves settlements and Marine and Coastal Area Act with Te Arawhiti."
If anything Te Arawhiti's focus would narrow in on treaty settlements, Samuels said.
Te Puni Kōkiri deputy secretary - governance Steven Sutton said they were working towards having the functions transferred on Monday 24 February 2025.
"One example would be the third of those functions that's coordinating significant events on behalf of the Crown, so in practical terms that means Waitangi Day in 2025 falls under the responsibility of Te Arawhiti, two weeks later those functions transfer to Te Puni Kōkiri so Waitangi Day 2026 sits with Te Puni Kōkiri," Samuels said.
Sutton said part of the move 44 full time equivalent roles would transfer from Te Arawhiti to Te Puni Kōkiri, with those roles comes funding for the positions and the organisational overhead.
Samuels and the chief executive of Te Arawhiti would make a decision on what the structure of both organisations looked next week, he said.
Deputy Secretary - Strategy Terina Cowan said Te Puni Kōkiri's vision remained the same in spite of the changes.
"Our role with the inclusion of Te Arawhiti will be slightly different and we're currently looking at what our priority areas will be aligned with this government's focus. Whānau Ora... will be one of our priorities, economic development, monitoring and then we'll also have a te reo focus."
Te Arawhiti will be before the Māori Affairs Select Committee for their annual review on Wednesday.
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