Our intentions: Looking at how well the public sector is supporting improved outcomes for Māori

4 November 2021: Supporting better outcomes and well-being for Māori is a priority for the Government. Our performance audit will look at the arrangements put in place to deliver programmes to support improved outcomes for Māori by examining three government initiatives.

This performance audit is part of our programme of work looking at how well the public sector is contributing to improved outcomes for Māori. We have two other related pieces of work due for completion in the first half of 2022: research on Māori perspectives on public accountability, and a performance audit looking at how well the public sector is supporting the Whānau Ora approach.

For this performance audit, we are focusing on three initiatives where the Government has announced funding specifically aimed at supporting improved outcomes for Māori:

He Poutama Rangatahi funds community-driven programmes that help rangatahi receive training and find employment. From 1 July 2021, the Ministry of Social Development has taken over the lead agency role from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Supporting Māori learners and Te Reo Māori post Covid-19. We are looking at two parts of the 2020 Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund Foundational Package, both of which are led by the Ministry of Education.
The Māori Agribusiness Extension Programme is led by the Ministry for Primary Industries. It supports owners or trustees of Māori-owned whenua or agribusinesses to connect with others to explore opportunities for their assets.

We have selected these three initiatives because they include a mix of significant and smaller investment amounts, and feature a range of social and economic outcomes, sectors, and lead agencies.

What we’re focusing on

We will provide Parliament and the public with an independent view on the effectiveness of the arrangements the agencies have put in place to develop, deliver, and monitor the selected initiatives, and the results that are being achieved.

To do this, we will consider:

how effectively the agencies planned for the initiatives, including the extent to which they engaged with Māori in developing and implementing the initiatives;
how well funding and other resources are being used; and
the effectiveness of the agencies' arrangements to monitor and report on what is being achieved.

The difference we expect to make

Our report to Parliament will provide more transparency over government initiatives designed to support better outcomes for Māori, and a better understanding of the results being achieved.
Although the three initiatives we have selected are all under way, our findings can have a positive effect on how these initiatives are delivered.

Our work may also identify areas of good practice or potential improvements that could inform the approach to other initiatives aimed at supporting improved outcomes for Māori.

Please use the feedback form on the right if you’d like to speak to a staff member about this audit, make a suggestion, or ask a question.

We expect to complete this work and report to Parliament in mid-2022.