Conservation Minister Tama Potaka is defending advice to the Department of Conservation to use te reo Māori “everywhere and anywhere”, despite contradictin
Specifically about the DOC part of this, isn’t one direction (the NZ First led one) about the public interacting with the departments in English, where as the Minister’s comments on using te reo were about usage internally within the department?
Despite this, departments and agencies have received no official government directive on the use of te reo and English.
No Government entities have been directed to change their names to English.
A small number of agencies, including the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotaki, have voluntarily opted to change their names in line with the government’s position.
I don’t think this can be true. A government department doesn’t change their name without a Minister’s input, and even if the government provided no “official” advice, if the government’s (very public) position is the name should be English and the Minister supports that then how can they say no? I’d probably put money on it that it didn’t feel voluntary to them.
All National want is for the racists to think they’ve done something about it. I’m less clear on whether NZ Fist or Act actually care or are similar just wanting to be seen to do something. Its just a dog whistle.
Specifically about the DOC part of this, isn’t one direction (the NZ First led one) about the public interacting with the departments in English, where as the Minister’s comments on using te reo were about usage internally within the department?
I don’t think this can be true. A government department doesn’t change their name without a Minister’s input, and even if the government provided no “official” advice, if the government’s (very public) position is the name should be English and the Minister supports that then how can they say no? I’d probably put money on it that it didn’t feel voluntary to them.
All National want is for the racists to think they’ve done something about it. I’m less clear on whether NZ Fist or Act actually care or are similar just wanting to be seen to do something. Its just a dog whistle.
Wasn’t this policy what NZ First campaigned on?