National Iwi Chairs Forum The National Iwi Chairs Forum was established in 2005 and is made up of elected leaders or chairs of hapū and iwi from across Aotearoa. The national collective of 71 iwi entities meets four times a year to discuss national matters of interest. The National Iwi Chairs Forum has also established Iwi Leader Groups to research and work on specific issues. For example, the Iwi Chairs Forum divides its work into five areas or pou: • • • • • Pou Tikanga – constitutional, Treaty claims, reo and tikanga. Pou Tangata – social issues. Pou Taiao – environmental issues. Pou Tahua – economic Issues. Pou Take Āhuarangi – climate crisis. Regarding this discussion paper, Pou Tahua includes prioritising the advancement of iwi/ Māori housing aspirations alongside other socioeconomic related matters. While the National Iwi Chairs Forum operates at a national level, it reflects its assignment of responsibility by marae, whānau and hapū. Some leaders may lead or chair their iwi through trust entities, such as Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust, while others lead rūnanga. However, despite this, they reflect the cultural principles and ways of doing including tikanga Māori. Early childhood Māori language learning and accountability Te Kōhanga reo Recognising that Māori language capability was fast disappearing by 1970s, Māori leaders set up kōhanga reo62 to focus on total immersion in te reo and tikanga Māori for preschool children. Based on a whānau style of learning, leaders such as Iritana Tāwhirirangi developed the idea and socialised it to marae and hapū around the country. The National Te Kōhanga Reo Trust was formed in 1982/83, supported by a small grant from Māori Affairs for their secretariat. The Trust’s policies include accountability for the kaupapa and for any funds. Government involvement included the Department of Social Welfare, Māori Affairs, and the Māori Education Foundation for seed funding. In the 1980s, seed funding and training gained the financial support of the Labour Government, although kōhanga reo often needed 26 to cover running costs and many of those working at kōhanga reo, who were mainly women, were volunteers. The Early Childhood Education Taskforce released a report after failing to consult with the Trust, and a claim to the Waitangi Tribunal led by the Māori King was the response. This resulted in policy and legislative changes as the reply to Waitangi Tribunal recommendations, which has helped arrest the loss of te reo Māori.63 With the transfer of oversight to the Ministry of Education in 1990, kōhanga reo experienced a cultural struggle with bureaucracy. Conversely, in 2010, UNESCO recognised kōhanga reo for empowering whānau to take responsibility for the future. Te Aho Matua o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori is a philosophical, linguistic, spiritual, values Te Kāhui Tika Tangata New Zealand Human Rights Commission Housing Inquiry