Iwi leaders have been asked for their blessing for a marae to be built in Sydney.
Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo: AFP
About 60 iwi chairs and more than 100 others have gathered in Te Kuiti for a two-day iwi leaders forum hui.
Ngati Kahungunu authority chair Ngahiwi Tomoana said a group of Maori in Australia wanted to develop a Marae in Sydney to serve the Maori community there.
He said statistics showed one in six Maori lived in Australia ,and most of them would never return home.
Iwi leaders were taking a cautious approach but had agreed to refer the matter to kaumatua and tohunga from each area to consider.
The leaders generally agreed they should address the issue, especially considering the migrational change occuring to Australia, Mr Tomoana.
