In addition to public and scholarly deliberations regarding increased inequalities in society, this project responds to the continued socio-economic exclusion of many Māori households.

We draw on recent scholarship on the precariat as an emerging social class comprised of people experiencing unstable employment, unliveable incomes, inadequate state supports, marginalisation and stigma. Our focus is on the Māori precariat, whose rights are being eroded through punitive labour and welfare reforms.

While we document issues of employment, food, housing and cultural insecurities shaping precarious lives, we also develop a focus on household connections, practices and strengths. This focus is important because connections, practices and strengths can buffer whānau against adversity for a time, render aspects of their lives more liveable, and enable human flourishing.

The original research pilot for this project arose out of a desire to make the transition for many whānau relocating from their city/urban lives back home, as comfortable as possible. It was felt that this could be best achieved by facilitating access to innovative solutions for essential infrastructure technologies, which would enhance the quality of life (and death) experienced by our whānau. To this end the project identified needs related to water capture and storage, energy generation and waste management.

Dr Marion Johnson is the Principal Investigator of Te Rongoā Pastures: Healthy Animals, Resilient Farms.

The Te Rongoā project identified a number of plant species that could be used on farms to promote animal health. The focus was on browse species that would contribute to biodiversity and pasture resilience. Grazing provides a large proportion of an animal’s intake and pasture is the major productive component on a farm and the research studied what rongoā species could be incorporated into pastures to make a useful contribution to animal health and productivity, while also describing how to manage and sustain the species on farms.

Te Reo Māori represents an amazing opportunity to New Zealand for its potential to enrich society and culture and transform the experience and consciousness of those who are exposed to and use the language. The Māori language is an official language of New Zealand and is indigenous to our country. It is part of our country’s national character and identity. The richness and vibrancy of the language distinguishes New Zealand in areas such as tourism, exporting, employment, education and broadcasting, and plays an integral role in cultural identity.

He Mangōpare Amohia: Strategies for Māori Economic Development

Critical success factors for Māori economic development have been identified in a just released report on the three-year Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) research programme – Te Tupunga Māori Economic Development.

This significant research programme was led by Distinguished Professor Graham Hingangaroa Smith of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, who partnered with four participating iwi - Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ngāpuhi and brought their values, insights and aspirations to the project.

Wānanga are iwi located and managed events whose purpose is to share knowledge, create knowledge and to foster community identity, cohesion and wellbeing. Wānanga are conducted regularly by every iwi community in the country and are highly valued by those communities. Wānanga are critical events in the development of iwi/Māori communities and are perhaps only eclipsed by tangihanga as the pre-eminent event of our communities.

This research project looks at what the basic conditions are that would need to be in place in order for whanau/hapu and iwi communities to be ready to engage with Extractive Industry (EI); enter joint ventures with EI; or undertake their own EI projects? It will also investigate what the extractive industries perceptions are of international indigenous rights and business and human rights, as well as how recent developments in international law relating to indigenous rights and corporate accountability could promote Māori economic development through EI?

Despite the proliferation of equity and diversity plans and policies that have been established in universities across New Zealand over the past 25 years, Māori academic staff make up only a very small proportion of the nation’s academic workforce (6%) and the proportion of Pacific academic staff is even smaller (2%).