The Māori Language Commission's chief executive says the crisis facing te reo is the fruit of Government failure to back a surge in Māori schools and pre-schools.
A survey in 2006 found just 33,000 fluent speakers of te reo.
The Waitangi Tribunal is calling for a revamp of the sector. It wants the
commission strengthened with support for regional language efforts, and state agencies held to account.
The chief executive at Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori says the tribunal identified a Government failure to support the burgeoning kohanga reo and kura kaupapa sector in the 1980s and 90s.
Glenis Philip-Barbara says her children were in Māori immersion education at the time and her area could have supported another two or three schools, but numbers were capped.
However, Ms Philip-Barbara says attitudes towards te reo are becoming more positive as a result of Māori Language Week.
She says Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori is creating a more positive attitude to Māori language, and that is important to people trying to use te reo in their homes and communities.