Te Pāti Māori are demanding that the Māori Development Minister move quickly to prevent a financial restructure
announced by Whakaata Māori yesterday.
"Minister Potaka must immediately intervene and recommit funding to Whakaata Māori. A 25% reduction is cutting Whakaata
Māori at their knees; we cannot accept that," said broadcast spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris.
"For too long, Māori media has been inequitably funded. The last government set aside a temporary fix; we are demanding
that this government make an enduring commitment.
"Whakaata Māori has not had an increase in operational funding since 2008. Despite that, their commitment to Te Ao Māori
and Te Reo Māori is unwavering. The content produced by Whakaata Māori is a vital tool to preserve and retain our
language, tikanga, and kōrero tuku iho.
"Whakaata Māori broadcast almost 50 hours of non-stop live content for the Kura Tuarua Kapa Haka competition last week.
It is the same broadcast where the messages from our taiohi were made loud and clear, and the Minister himself pledged
to fulfil the aspirations of te iwi Māori.
"It appears the Minister is already falling short of that pledge.
"Failing to intervene and provide a solution relegates the Minister to being nothing but a puppet to the coalition
government, ceding his sovereignty at the expense of our own storytelling, language revitalisation, and the livelihoods
of the Whakaata Māori kaihoe," said Ferris.