Statement From The Māori Working Group On Aerospace On The Govt's Launch Of Aerospace And Advanced Aviation Strategy

The Māori Working Group on Aerospace has been in operation for a number of years to advocate for Māori rights and interests in aerospace. The Working Group also served as an advisory panel to the NZ Space Agency in the development of the previous Aerospace Strategy.

Our Māori Working Group on Aerospace was shocked to hear for the first time this morning from the Minister for Space that the new government has just released its Aerospace and Advanced Aviation Strategy.

We have had only a brief opportunity to read the strategy, and we make the following comments:

• The strategy makes no reference whatsoever to Māori, the Crown’s partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This is a marked shift from the 2023 strategy and represents a lost opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with tangata whenua in the protection and appropriate use of aerospace resources.
• The strategy has been released without prior engagement with Māori aerospace stakeholders. This is very disappointing, and its publication today was a complete surprise.
• We are committed to continuing to advocate on behalf of Māori rights and interests in aerospace and have completed a landscape report based on surveys and interviews to better understand and provide for those rights and interests in our aerospace industry, regulation, and enhancement as a treasured resource: a taonga tuku iho.
• By developing policy centred on tikanga, there is a significant opportunity for ethical and responsible exploration, caring for our environment, and unlocking economic and social benefits.
• We invite the government to partner with us within a Treaty-compliant context for the mutual benefit of us all.

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