Māori Reference Group
The Māori Reference Group advises Family and Community Services and the Ministry of Social Development on the policies, services and initiatives that impact on Māori in New Zealand. It meets three times a year.
Role
The Māori Reference Group also provides strategic advice to the Taskforce for Action on Family Violence and has a member on the Taskforce to provide a link between the two groups. The Māori Reference Group has a responsibility to represent Māori interests as broadly as possible.
The Māori Reference Group’s role is to:
- provide cohesive leadership as a reference group of Māori leaders engaging with Government
- ensure the Taskforce’s Programme of Action is culturally relevant and effective by maintaining robust processes that enable inclusive interaction of all Māori
- contribute to reviewing progress and identifying what works
- inform the monitoring, review and evaluation process and related strategies
- accurately represent the interests of Māori constituent groups.
It is committed to support and advocate the many strategies that exist within whānau, hapū, iwi and communities throughout Aotearoa.
After wide consultation, the Māori Reference Group developed a programme of action to address family violence by focusing on whānau ora. It sets out an overarching vision, guiding principles and high level goals as well as specific objectives and actions to be taken over a five-year period (2008-2013).
