10 Nov 2014

Board appointments to be revisited

6:59 am on 10 November 2014

Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says he plans to change the way, and who, can be appointed to the board of a new body charged with promoting the Maori language.

The Te Reo Maori Bill will create a new Crown entity called Te Matawai, which will take the policy lead for Te Reo as well as absorb the role of Maori Television's Electoral College.

Mr Flavell said he was setting up an advisory group to help him tidy up some of the recruitment issues.

The minister said it was not really clear how people should be appointed, or even whether the organisations that had been chosen to go on the board were the right ones, and was worried it could result in legal action.

Mr Flavell said he was committed to getting the bill passed as soon as possible in order to halt the decline in the number of people speaking Te Reo.

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