Te Mana Raraunga regularly meets with policymakers and makes submissions on policies or proposed laws.
WHO ATTENDS THESE MEETINGS?
Te Pokapū members with an interest in the specific topic attend, and also identify and invite relevant members and experts who might be interested or available. Meetings could be with a government agency, local government, a member organisation, an independent review, or even private sector organisations or companies.
How do you write submissions?
This is our broad process for submissions on behalf of Te Mana Raraunga: TMR written submissions start from the Māori Data Sovereignty principles and seek to apply them to the issue at hand. As above, Te Pokapū members lead these and engage relevant experts or read relevant academic works, online posts and reports.
When writing submissions we try to follow the evidence base for writing effective submissions. For instance, this link provides a guide to writing submissions by expert Dr Will Dreyer.
Our submissions start from the TMR principles and stick to the key issues in Māori Data Sovereignty. Given the nature of our work as volunteers and timelines for submissions, we often do not have time to canvas the views of a large range of TMR members (i.e., our mailing list includes 800 members).
Submissions Archive
This is a list of our submissions on a range of policies and proposed laws. We will update this as we make submissions. However, note that this is not a complete archive of older submissions.
Click the date to download each submission.
March 2025: We made a submission to the Privacy Commissioner on the draft Biometric Privacy Code expressing the need for a full canvassing of Māori views, given issues around surveillance and bias in these systems.
February 2025: We submitted on the Treaty Principles Bill in February 2025, arguing that among other issues, revision of the principles would undermine Māori data sovereignty.
June 2024: We wrote to StatsNZ during their consultation on the Census Modernisation and Census 2028 arguing for more Māori engagement and Māori data sovereignty.
April 2024: We submitted to the Science Sector Advisory Group arguing that they embed Māori data sovereignty and build capacity in the area.
We made a submission on the Data and Statistics Bill 2022, and then appeared in front of the Governance and Administration Select Committee. We expressed support for parts of the Bill but advocated for increasing rangatiratanga such as including wording that data are a taonga and establishing a Māori Chief Data Steward.
December 2021: Submission on the Data and Statistics Bill to the Governance and Administration Select Committee
February 2020: Te Pokapū made a submission to the government on the Draft Algorithm Charter, arguing that the draft charter was insufficient to protect Māori rights and interests, and for greater Māori data governance
November 2019: ANZSRC review
April 2019: Law Commission Review of the law governing the use of DNA in criminal investigations in New Zealand (submission by Donna Cormack)
October 2018: Submission on the Review of the Statistics Act 1975