Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Minister of Māori Affairs

14 February 2013 Media Release
Minister welcomes launch of www.MaoriFutureMakers.com

More than 500 young people and their families helped develop a new website that aims to inspire Māori to take on tertiary studies and industry training.

Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples launched www.MaoriFutureMakers.com at Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Tapuwae in Māngere today. The website profiles Maori working in knowledge-based jobs, and the work they do, and maps out courses of study that qualify students to take up those jobs.

“Right now, Māori make up less than six per cent of those employed in New Zealand’s knowledge intensive sector: We have no choice but to challenge this statistic head on and to take every whānau with us on this journey,” Dr Sharples says.

“What’s brilliant about www.MaoriFutureMakers.com is that whānau helped develop it and whānau will ultimately benefit from it.”

As well as presenting information in a format preferred by rangatahi, the website profiles role models that young people can identify with and look up to.

Rangatahi told the website developers: ‘We want to see people like us. We want to hear their stories. We want to be inspired by what they’ve done because we know we can do it too’.

“I congratulate the developers, Black Pearl Limited, for taking on this feedback and developing a wonderful resource for our rangatahi.”

The website is not just for rangatahi – many of those profiled on www.MaoriFutureMakers.com are mature students who have gone on to new qualifications and careers later in life.

Dr Sharples says the website is about Māori having the resilience and self-reliance to shape their own futures and is part of the Crown-Māori Economic Growth Partnership, He Kai Kei Aku Ringa.

“He kai kei aku ringa means providing the food you need with your own hands and is the aspiration of all Māori.

“It’s about determining our own economic and social wellbeing. So this is about education, employment and entrepreneurship but also for Māori, this is about rangatiratanga.

“Mana motuhake is not something the Crown or anyone can give to you: mana motuhake is up to you.”

ENDS

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