Wellington, July 5, 2016
The Electoral Commission celebrates Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Māori Language Week.
The theme ‘Ᾱkina te reo – behind you all the way’ is about using te reo Māori to support people, to inspire and to cheer on.
The Electoral Commission is encouraging New Zealanders to support their communities and use their voices to have a say on the issues that will shape their future.
“Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is a great chance to use your voice and speak te reo. We also want everyone using their voices on the decisions that affect their lives and the lives of their whānau,” says Chief Electoral Officer Robert Peden.
Getting on the electoral roll is the first step to actively participating in that decision-making. In the past, enrolment and participation by Māori in elections has been considerably lower than the non-Māori population.
“The Electoral Commission wants this to change, and encourages everyone to spread the word about the importance of enrolling to vote amongst their whānau and communities,” says Mr Peden.
The upcoming local government elections are the perfect opportunity for you to have your say on who runs your local council and district health board. They make decisions on things like the local environment, rates, parking, rubbish, parks and health services. Enrolling to vote is easy – go online at elections.org.nz, free text your name and address to 3676, call 0800 36 76 56 or go to any PostShop.
The Electoral Commission has a wide range of resources available in te reo Māori, including education resources specifically for use in Māori-medium classrooms. Information in te reo Māori about enrolling, voting and the upcoming local elections is available at www.elections.org.nz/maori
