without valuing the role played by NZSL Disability Convention and NZSL Act. It would interpreters. There are no minimum acknowledge the vital role deaf people play interpreter standards outside court in the maintenance, promotion and survival settings or any system to assess or rank of their language. the competency level of interpreters after graduation. Workforce development There is no monitoring of when and options, such as potential registration if government agencies consult with processes and a more robust complaints representatives of the deaf community on mechanism, need some external resourcing matters relating to NZSL, or with whom they to be sustainable. The current focus on consult. The Commission proposes improving encouraging a greater supply of interpreters this by establishing a formalised partnership is unlikely to be successful unless there is mechanism. funding to cover current interpreting gaps. There should also be incentives for people In countries that have recognised a national to work away from larger cities or to gain sign language some have created an entity specialist skills. with custodial responsibilities for the language. In 2005, the Justice and Electoral Promoting and maintaining NZSL Select Committee considered submissions on the NZSL Bill. It recommended that serious consideration be given to several improvements. These included establishing Under international and domestic law, the an advisory group to monitor the effects of New Zealand Government has obligations the NZSL Act, providing a focus for contact to maintain and protect NZSL. It must between government and the community, closely consult and actively involve and looking at new areas in which work disabled people in this work. The NZSL could be done. Act has been criticised for not providing a mechanism for promoting and maintaining This Inquiry revisits that recommendation. the language. It has considered overseas models as well as the role Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori This Inquiry report has drawn from the 2011 (the Māori Language Commission) plays in Waitangi Tribunal findings that spelt out relation to te reo Māori. It agrees with the what is necessary for an effective language Select Committee’s choice of an advisory strategy for te reo Māori. These emphasised group. But this should only be as an interim the importance of partnership. Partnership measure to develop options for an NZSL with the deaf community would give real Statutory Board, similar to the successful effect to government obligations under the model in Belgium. 12