Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Maori seek lead role in bid to cut benefit numbers

Updated at 7:30 pm on 29 March 2011

Maori leaders say their people must be in charge of any partnership with the Government to reduce Maori welfare dependency.

The Welfare Working Group has recommended a formal partnership between iwi leaders and the Government be set up to tackle the high numbers of Maori on benefits.

The report says a third of working-age Maori - almost 113,000 people - are on a benefit.

One of the report's authors, Enid Ratahi-Pryor, says Maori are over-represented because of many issues including health and education problems.

The Maori Council supports a joint approach, and a member of the Iwi Leaders Forum, Toko Renata, says it would work as long as the Government does not set the policy guidelines.

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