The executive chairman of the National Urban Maori Authority believes he has a key ally.
Radio New Zealand's Waatea News reports that after a meeting with Prime Minister John Key, John Tamihere is optimistic community groups on the ground will be given more responsibility and resources to address their own social problems.
For too long, he says, Maori have suffered at the hands of bureaucrats who think they have all the answers, and next year he will put pressure on underperforming government agencies.
Mr Tamihere says he and fellow urban Maori advocate Willie Jackson met recently with Mr Key to outline some of the initiatives they believe will help address alarmingly poor rates of literacy and numeracy among Maori children.
