Frequently Asked Questions

Māori data are data that are produced by Māori, and data that are about Māori and the environments we have relationships with. Data are a living tāonga and are of strategic value to Māori. Māori data include but are not limited to:

• Data from government agencies, organisations and/or businesses

• Data about Māori that are used to describe or compare Māori collectives

• Data about Te Ao Māori that emerges from research

Public sector: The Crown has developed the capability to link individual-level data from multiple government sources. It is intended that linked data will be used to inform ‘social investment’.  The Integrated Data Infrastructure or IDI is the main linked data repository. In current practice data linked across agencies are anonymised. This means that individuals in the IDI cannot be identified. However, data linkage within agencies are not subject to such controls and can be used for operational purposes. This creates concern among some communities (including many Māori) that these data will be used for surveillance purposes, rather than for the benefit of hapori Māori. There are strict controls on who can access the IDI and users are required to have a high level of technical skill.  

Every five years Aotearoa has held a Census. The Census is important for a range of reasons, it helps the government, and data users (such as hapū, Iwi and hapori Māori) to determine. However, declining response rates to the Census, especially for Māori, have been well documented. In 2025, the government announced that the Census would no longer be ‘enumerated’ but instead rely on administrative data. This will create challenges, including for Māori data sovereignty. Our response is available here [add links]. 

Private sector: Data innovations are occurring at a rapid pace in the private sector. There are a range of international and local initiatives to link, centralise, store, visualise and commercialise data.Some of these use new technologies like artificial intelligence, others use Māori data in various ways. Over the past decade, awareness of Māori data sovereignty has increased in the private sector, and many TMR members have worked within organisations to work through the implications of MDSov for their activities. However, there are still a range of challenges for the next decade, especially in response to technological change.

Artificial Intelligence and rapid technological change: All sectors are currently experiencing the impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including Large Language Models (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, DeepSeek and others) and a greater use of predictive modelling and algorithms (e.g. use of a computer to create a model to determine risk or the likelihood of an outcome, based on data). The ethical and social implications of these technological changes are gradually being acknowledged and addressed by scholars, communities, governments and Indigenous nations around the world. Māori, hapū, and Iwi are no different. 

These data innovations are occurring in the absence of a robust Māori data governance partnership that is representative, enabling, and provides clear lines of accountability back to Māori/Iwi. It is important to note that:

• Data from us, and about us and our resources, are valuable assets. Once control of it is lost, it is difficult to regain.

• Data can be powerful mechanisms for informing and driving Māori/Iwi development at national and local levels but only if we are able to exercise authority over our data;

• In order to reap the full benefits of data innovations, there will need to be  a sustained investment in building infrastructure and capability; 

• Planned legislative reform could have a major effect on the processes for controlling data and its use; without strong Māori leadership and input, these processes might not include Māori values and interests;

• The Statistics Act includes important provisions about the determination of the Māori electoral process, including the independence of the Government Statistician in determining the Māori electorates.

Start by exploring our resources. Our website provides a number of resources including a ‘live’, searchable resource hub, which we update from time-to-time with new resources. We also maintain an archive of virtual webinars and similar talks. Sign up to Te Mana Raraunga’s mailing list in the Join section of the website for pānui. We would encourage you to approach learning about Māori data sovereignty in the way you would any other topic, start small, read widely, kōrero, and ask around. 

Te Mana Raraunga is mahi aroha for us (volunteer work) so we have limited availability. Once you have read the resources on the site, if you still have questions or would like to talk to an expert about something then please get in touch with us and we may be able to help. Note that given this mahi is in addition to our day-to-day jobs that it might be some time before you get a response.

The first step is to sign up to our mailing list and follow us on social media. From that, attending our ā-kanohi or online events is a great next step. If you would like to offer time, sponsorship or other support then please get in touch with us.