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 221 - 230 of 270 events.
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Whānau Ora
Whānau Ora becomes part of Ministry of Health’s strategy for Māori health.[i]
Date: 2002 Period: 1990-current -
Families Commission established
The focus of the Commission was as an advocate for NZ families, with the Act also providing for identifying factors that support resilience and strength of families. Importantly, the term ‘family’ is broadly defined to include ‘whānau’. The Commission had …
Date: 2003 Period: 1990-current -
Housing Innovation Fund established
The Housing Innovation Fund, renamed The Social Housing fund from 1 July 2011, was established to increase the availability of rental housing and home ownership opportunities for low-income households and people with special needs. Funding was also availab…
Date: 2003 Period: 1990-current -
National Urban Māori Authority (NUMA) founded
NUMA represents seven affiliated urban Māori authorities in five urban centres across New Zealand. It is responsible for the delivery of approximately 300 whānau and community-based services across the areas of education, health, housing, justice, and soci…
Date: 2003 Period: 1990-current -
Social Workers required to be registered
In 2003 the Social Workers Registration Act was passed to prevent any unregistered person from claiming to be a social worker.[i]
Date: 2003 Period: 1990-current -
Hui Taumata
A national hui focused on accelerating Māori economic development, held at Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington from 1-3 March 2005. The vision for Hui Taumata 2005 was to expand Māori economic pathways.[i]
Date: 2005 Period: 1990-current -
Iwi Chairs Forum convened
The Iwi Chairs Forum was convened at a hui at Takahanga Marae in Kaikōura. The forum is made up of the chairs of iwi governance entities who hold regular meetings to discuss matters of national interest to iwi and Māori more broadly and represents, accordi…
Date: 2005 Period: 1990-current -
Child, Youth & Family integrated into MSD
The Child, Youth & Family business unit of the Department of Social Welfare was fully integrated into the Ministry of Social Development.[i]
Date: 2006 Period: 1990-current -
Claims Resolution Team
Set up within the Ministry of Social Development to respond to claims of historic abuse or neglect against Child, Youth and Family or its predecessor entities.[i]
Date: 2006 Period: 1990-current -
Towards a Māori Statistics Framework presented at UN
The Towards a Māori Statistics Framework paper was presented to the 2006 UN Forum. Discussions at this UN Forum included Indigenous Peoples and Indicators of Wellbeing.[i]
Date: 2006 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.