Tamatha Paul Defends Te Reo Māori as Bill Seeks to Make English New Zealand's 3rd Official Language
Updated
Updated · My Modern Met · Jul 31
Tamatha Paul Defends Te Reo Māori as Bill Seeks to Make English New Zealand's 3rd Official Language
3 articles · Updated · My Modern Met · Jul 31
Summary
Tamatha Paul used a heated parliamentary speech to defend te reo Māori, arguing its protected status was won only after generations of suppression and activism.
The clash was triggered by a bill to make English an official language even though it already dominates daily life, a move critics say could roll back gains for Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
Paul called the proposal a reaction to te reo Māori's growing visibility and to wider use of Aotearoa, saying even England and Australia function without formally declaring English official.
Te reo Māori gained official status under the 1987 Māori Language Act, and the stakes remain high because only 4.3% of New Zealanders—about 213,849 people—can hold an everyday conversation in it.
Sharon Harvey of Auckland University of Technology said the legislation could embolden future governments to further reduce the place of other languages in New Zealand.