Chronology for 1900-1937
On the fringes of mono-cultural welfare
Most Māori lived in rural enclaves of Aotearoa New Zealand and practiced customary ways of living and caring for whānau. However, assimilationist policies and a capitalist economic framework were beginning to impact, especially with the migration of adults in search of paid work. By 1920, Māori land holdings had decreased to 8% of total New Zealand lands and the population had increased from 56,987 in 1921 to 82,326 in 1936.[i] go to footnote Factors contributing to this significant population growth, which continued beyond the 1920s, were ‘falls in infant and child mortality, especially but not exclusively from the end of the 19th century to 1976’, ‘reductions in mortality at older ages’, and ‘the high relative fertility of Māori women’.[ii] go to footnote While Māori women and children were at the forefront of the recovery of te ao Māori, they were also targets of state messaging about their ‘proper’ family roles and places in New Zealand society.
Western concepts of child welfare were introduced legislatively in the early 20th century (whāngai restrictions to whenua) and enforced increasingly throughout the century as Māori children began to enter the child juvenile system. Access to pensions and benefits are either denied or paid at a lower rate than for Pākehā.
Iwi Māori continued to fight for hapū autonomy and control over their own welfare. Wāhine Māori, such as Whina Cooper and Te Puea Hērangi, were among Māori leaders pushing for tikanga-based solutions for the welbeing of their people and Māori nationwide.[iii] go to footnote
Chronology events
Displaying 211 - 220 of 270 events.
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Te Whānau o Waipareira report released
Report released by the Waitangi Tribunal. The Waipareira Trust claimed it had been discriminated against by the Community Funding Agency, a unit of the Department of Social Welfare, in funding and policy because it was not an iwi organisation. The Tribuna…
Date: 1998 Period: 1990-current -
Towards a Code of Social and Family Responsibility
The proposed code outlined National/New Zealand First conservative values perspectives. Intended to garner consensus on family responsibilities, although targeted at beneficiaries.[i] Ultimately abandoned.
Date: 1998 Period: 1990-current -
Work and Income NZ established
Income Support Service and Employment Services merged to become Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ).[i]
Date: 1998 Period: 1990-current -
Department of Child, Youth and Family Services established
Children, Young Persons and their Families Agency was established through the merger of the New Zealand Children and Young Persons Service and the New Zealand Community Funding Agency. Later in the year, it became the stand-alone Department of Child, Youth…
Date: 1999 Period: 1990-current -
Fifth Labour Government
The fifth Labour Government policy of Closing the Gaps/Reducing Inequalities.[i] had goals of decreasing poverty, improving social inclusion, planning and individual development rather than punitive approaches. Job Seeker agreements between case managers …
Date: 1999 Period: 1990-current -
Māori socio-economic update
MSD noted a progressively worse overrepresentation of Māori children and young people in the system. ‘In 2001, Māori made up 45 percent of the total client group. Fifty-five percent of children in care and 48 percent of those in youth justice were Māori.' …
Date: 2000 Period: 1990-current -
Lake Alice apology
Government apology and compensation to approximately 180 former patients of the Lake Alice Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (1972–1978) after a private inquiry into mistreatment in the Unit.[i]
Date: 2001 Period: 1990-current -
Ministry of Social Development established
Amalgamation of the Ministry of Social Policy and the Department of Work and Income.[i]
Date: 2001 Period: 1990-current -
Nga Pae o Te Maramatanga established
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) is New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) funded by the Tertiary Education Commission and hosted by The University of Auckland. The centre's research is driven by its vision of creating the foundations for f…
Date: 2002 Period: 1990-current -
Towards a Māori Statistics Framework released
Statistics NZ released the discussion document Towards a Māori Statistics Framework. Led by Māori Policy Manager and Statistician Whetumarama Wereta and informed by Statistics NZ’s Māori Reference Group, the paper called for Māori statistics in the offici…
Date: 2002 Period: 1990-current
Footnotes
- [i] go to main content The New Zealand Official Year Book 1945
- [ii] go to main content Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney, Aroha Harris, Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History, Bridget Williams Books, Wellington, 2014, p. 491.
- [iii] go to main content Hērangi, Te Kirihaehae Te Puea – Dictionary of New Zealand Biography – Te Ara; Cooper, Whina – Dictionary of New Zealand Biography – Te Ara.