Chronology for 1835-1899
The colonial redistribution of welfare: Dismantling hapū ora
This period opens with a politically and socio-economically robust iwi Māori population of around 80,000 people.[i] go to footnote Whenua and whakapapa form the basis of hapū and whānau wellbeing. W.H. Oliver argues that the first instrument of social policy in New Zealand was the system set up by Hobson in 1840 for the purchase and resale to settlers of Māori land.[ii] go to footnote Pākehā welfare was dependent on the continued dispossession of Māori land.[iii]go to footnote
The New Zealand Wars (1845–1872) either directly or indirectly impacted all iwi Māori throughout New Zealand.[iv] go to footnote Related legislative measures enabled the Crown to alienate Māori land and taonga across the motu prior to and beyond the next century via confiscation, land tenure reforms, local legislative measures and contested land purchases.
Iwi Māori assertions of rangatiratanga and resistance to the alienation of lands occurred across the motu, either physically, through the courts, via direct petitioning to the government or through the simple occupation of lands. Such measures led to some government concessions, such as the Sims Commission and South Island Landless Natives Act 1906,[v] go to footnote but after 1872 resistance also sometimes led to the government’s use of force in the later 19th century and well into the 20th century. (eg, Parihaka in 1881, Waima in 1898, Takaparawhāu in 1978).[vi] go to footnote
By the end of the 19th century Māori were a minority of the national. In 1896 the Māori population hit an all-time low of 42,650, compared to a Pākehā population of just over 700,000. Although the Māori population was recovering, their communities were reeling from land alienation, decline of resources, indebtedness, diseases and Māori communities survived on subsistence economies, with a growing dependence on paid work.
Māori were either excluded or faced barriers to accessing welfare support introduced during this period.
Chronology events
Displaying 201 - 210 of 270 events.
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The Fiscal Envelope policy
This policy capped all historical Treaty settlements at one billion dollars. Regional hui were held 1994-95 to discuss the Fiscal Envelope which was unanimously rejected by Māori.[i]
Date: 1994 Period: 1990-current -
Community Wage and Job Seeker agreements
Agreements/contracts introduced for up to 20 hours per week. Work for the dole programme replaced unemployment, sickness and training benefits.[i]
Date: 1996 Period: 1990-current -
Hui Whakapiripiri
This hui on strategic directions for Māori health led to a Declaration for Māori Health Researchers and reinforced the belief that research on Māori should be by Māori and for Māori.[i]
Date: 1996 Period: 1990-current -
Post-election briefing
The paper: Strategic Directions: post-election briefing (Wellington: Department of Social Welfare, 1996) proposed further welfare reforms to address welfare dependency.[i]
Date: 1996 Period: 1990-current -
Code of Social and Family Responsibility
Attempted to further strengthen the responsibility of families and communities to meet their own needs but was met with strong resistance and dropped.[i]
Date: 1997 Period: 1990-current -
Community Wage Programme changes
Sickness benefits reduced to same as unemployment benefit.[i]
Date: 1997 Period: 1990-current -
Domestic Purposes Benefit cuts
Including: parents with children aged between 7 and 13 being required to look for part-time work, or full-time work if children were aged over 14.[i]
Date: 1997 Period: 1990-current -
Tῡ Mana Motuhake conference
The Tῡ Mana Motuhake – Beyond Dependency conference was a four-day event sponsored by MSD and other government agencies including Ministries of Health, Women’s Affairs and Youth Affairs and NZ Police as well as Te Puni Kōkiri. The conference ‘aimed to enco…
Date: 1997 Period: 1990-current -
Inequalities highlighed in TPK report
Te Puni Kōkiri report "Progress Towards Closing the Social and Economic Gaps Between Māori and non-Māori" highlights significant inequalities in education, employment, economic and health status. In January 1998, Tau Hēnare, the Minister of Māori Affairs…
Date: 1998 Period: 1990-current -
Super 2000 Task Force appointed
The Superannuation 2000 Task Force was charged with finding a sustainable superannuation solution for New Zealand. In 1999, it commissioned a comprehensive survey of the living standards of older people. Three separate surveys were conducted to meet the ob…
Date: 1998 Period: 1990-current
Footnotes
- [i] go to main content ‘The first Māori census was attempted in 1857–58’. Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney, Aroha Harris, Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington, 2014, p. 246. Earlier censuses were taken during the 1840s, however these were particular to regions and settlements and from there estimates were made by missionaries and colonists as to what the national population level might have been. Salmond and other prominent authors are sceptical of these figures and believe the numbers were greater. A census of Māori was attempted in 1867 but warfare prevented its completion. Tangata Whenua, Appendix One, p. 490.
- [ii] go to main content Cited in Margaret Tennant, Past Judgement: Social Policy in New Zealand History, co-edited with Bronwyn Dalley, 2004, p. 17.; ‘The April report: report of the Royal Commission on Social Policy’, Volume 1: New Zealand Today, New Zealand Royal Commission on Social Policy, Wellington, 1988, pp. 4–5.
- [iii] go to main content Tennant, 2004, p. 41.
- [iv] go to main content For more detailed information see the following link: https://teara.govt.nz/en/new-zealand-wars
- [v] go to main content For more information see: Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney, Aroha Harris, Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington, 2014, pp. 256–301, and https://teara.govt.nz/en/new-zealand-wars
- [vi] go to main content Tangata Whenua, pp.322-3.