Can te reo Māori withstand the political headwinds? An interview with Taura Whiri i Te Reo Chair Professor Rawinia Higgins

The fight for te reo Māori has entered a new phase. From school books and government agencies to eacher training and even passports, the place of te reo is under intense scrutiny. In this episode of Mata, Te Taura Whiri Māori Language Commission chair Professor Rawinia Higgins joins Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira to discuss the future of Aotearoa's first language.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As voters head to the poll for the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection, Labour’s Peeni Henare and Te Pāti Māori’s Oriini Kaipara join Mihingārangi to discuss the issues facing whānau in the biggest Polynesian city in the world. From housing to health to te reo Māori, he wānanga kei te haere.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick joins Mihingarangi for an unflinching conversation about the surge in homelessness and energy poverty, the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the electoral law changes that could reshape democracy in Aotearoa.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Former Black Fern Cheryl Waaka represented Aotearoa New Zealand with pride. Now she's fighting stage 4 bowel cancer, which she believes could have been caught earlier. As the government walks back a targeted Māori screening programme, she's speaking out about the cost of delay, the price of treatment, and the lives still at risk.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Labour spokesperson for Children and Education, Willow-Jean Prime explains why she believes the education system and Oranga Tamariki are failing Māori, her opposition to Act’s bootcamps, and why Shane Jones’ Ngāpuhi settlement plan is a non-starter.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Mayoral candidate Kerrin Leoni lays out her vision for Tāmaki Makaurau, the challenges facing the Super City, and makes her case to voters in a race that could reshape Auckland's future.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In the wake of an unprecedented punishment for the haka that drew global attention to the Treaty Principles Bill, Te Pāti Māori legal representative Tania Waikato reflects on the fallout, the opposition to the Regulatory Standards Bill, and what this moment reveals about Māori political power.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Chris Hipkins discusses the impact of the budget on Māori and how Labour plans to win back voters.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

With ACT’s record 2023 election result and David Seymour’s rise to Deputy Prime Minister, the party is reshaping Aotearoa’s political landscape. But behind its growing power is a network of ideas—some homegrown, some imported—that raise questions about its stance on Te Tiriti and indigenous rights. Mata explores the forces shaping David Seymour’s ideologies, through the eyes of a former party insider.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

E tū Union National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh discusses the government’s controversial Equal Pay Amendment Act that makes it harder for women-dominated workforces to achieve pay equity. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details