Waatea News: Māori Radio Station

Waatea News: Māori Radio Station

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Waatea News: Māori Radio Station episodes

  • Tama Potaka | Mā tēnei pūtea e Ora tonu ai ngā Ratonga Pāpāho Māori.

    I whakatahangia te $48 miriona tāra i roto i te Tahua Pūtea 2026 hei whakapau mā te ao pāpāho Māori mō ngā tau e whā e tū mai nei.

    E ai ki te Minita Whanaketanga Māori, ki a Tama Potaka, nā ngā tono a te ao pāpāho Māori me ngā whakataunga o mua a te Taraipiunara me ngā kēhi kōti anō hoki i whakatau ai te Kāwanatanga kia tuku tautoko atu ki ngā ratonga pāpāho Māori.

    Hei tāna, mā tēnei pūtea e tautoko ai i te toitūtanga o ngā ratonga kawe kōrero Māori.

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/irirangi.mp3

    The post Tama Potaka | Mā tēnei pūtea e Ora tonu ai ngā Ratonga Pāpāho Māori. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    1 min
  • Te Kohe Tuhaka | Takahi te Ara Whakaari ki Tāmaki Makaurau.

    Ā te 28 o Hune ka tū te kaupapa o Takahi te Ara Whakaari i tōna pae, he kaupapa mō te hunga e matatau ana ki te reo Māori, e hiahia ana hoki ki te kuhu atu ki ngā mahi whakaari.

    He wānanga kotahi rā ki Tāmaki Makaurau hei whakapakari i ngā pūkenga whakaari mō te atamira me te kiriata hoki. E whai ake nei ngā whakamārama nā te kaikōkiri, nā Te Kohe Tuhaka.

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/whakaari.mp3

    The post Te Kohe Tuhaka | Takahi te Ara Whakaari ki Tāmaki Makaurau. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    0 min
  • #budget2026: Sandra Grey Warns Budget 2026 Will Deepen Pressure On Workers And Whānau

    Budget 2026 continues to spark fierce debate across Aotearoa, with New Zealand Council of Trade Unions president Sandra Grey warning the Government’s economic plan risks making life harder for working people, low-income whānau, and vulnerable communities already struggling through the cost-of-living crisis.

    Grey joined broadcaster Matthew Tukaki and political commentator Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury as part of Radio Waatea’s continuing Budget coverage, where political leaders, economists, Māori voices, unions, and community advocates have been analysing the winners and losers of Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ latest Budget.

    The Government has framed Budget 2026 as a disciplined return-to-surplus Budget focused on reducing debt, easing inflation pressure, and investing in selected frontline priorities.

    But Grey says many working households will struggle to see how the Budget improves their day-to-day lives as unemployment rises, wages remain under pressure, and public services continue facing cuts and restructuring.

    Economic forecasts released alongside the Budget predict unemployment will climb to 5.5 percent, with concerns also growing about inflation, housing affordability, and rising household debt.

    Grey says workers across health, education, local government, retail, manufacturing, and public services are already feeling the effects of economic slowdown and tighter government spending.

    She argues the Government’s focus on reducing the size of the public sector will have ripple effects across communities, particularly in regions where public service jobs play a major role in local economies.

    The Budget includes billions of dollars in funding for defence, roads, prisons, and infrastructure, alongside continued savings measures across government agencies and changes to welfare and housing support.

    Grey says those priorities raise questions about whether the Government is investing enough in the services that directly affect whānau wellbeing, including affordable housing, healthcare, education, public transport, and poverty reduction.

    Housing remains one of the strongest concerns raised during the Waatea discussion. Grey says many workers are now spending large portions of their income on rent, mortgages, transport, and power, leaving little room to absorb further economic pressure.

    She also warned that reductions in support for low-income households could disproportionately affect Māori and Pasifika communities already facing entrenched inequities in housing, income, and employment.

    The discussion highlighted growing concern about child poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, and pressure on community support services as more families seek assistance from foodbanks and social agencies.

    Grey says the Budget risks widening inequality at a time when many workers are already struggling to keep pace with rising costs.

    The NZCTU has continued calling for stronger investment in public services, fair wages, affordable housing, climate resilience, and tax reform aimed at reducing pressure on lower-income households.

    Supporters of the Government argue Budget 2026 reflects responsible economic management after years of inflation and high spending. However, critics say the savings programme may deepen hardship before any wider economic recovery reaches ordinary New Zealanders.

    As the political battle over Budget 2026 intensifies, unions, Māori organisations, economists, and social advocates are continuing to scrutinise whether the Government’s economic strategy delivers stability — or shifts more pressure onto working whānau across the motu.

    #RadioWaatea #Budget2026 #SandraGrey #NZCTU #WorkersRights #CostOfLiving #Whānau #Māori #Aotearoa #HousingCrisis #PublicServices #Unions #NZPolitics #MatthewTukaki #MartynBradbury #ChildPoverty #EconomicJustice

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Sandra_Gray_-_Budget_2026.mp3

    The post #budget2026: Sandra Grey Warns Budget 2026 Will Deepen Pressure On Workers And Whānau appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    8 min
  • #budget2026: Māori Business Lens Puts Budget 2026 Under The Microscope

    Budget 2026 has come and gone, and as part of Radio Waatea’s wider coverage, Māori economic and business voices are weighing in on what the Government’s spending plan means for whānau, communities, and the wider economy.

    A Professor of Māori Management and Associate Dean Māori at He Manga Tauhokohoko Auckland Business School says the Budget reveals a Government strongly focused on fiscal restraint, public sector savings, infrastructure, and a return to surplus, but raises serious questions about whether it provides a long-term plan for inclusive economic growth.

    From a Māori and Indigenous business perspective, the Budget’s priorities appear clear: tighter government spending, investment in selected infrastructure, and targeted funding for areas such as health, education, justice, housing growth, te reo Māori, and cultural development.

    But the deeper question is whether those investments are enough to support communities facing cost-of-living pressure, housing insecurity, rising unemployment, and ongoing inequities.

    The Budget has been promoted by the Government as a disciplined economic reset, with New Zealand forecast to return to surplus earlier than previously expected. Ministers say the approach will help take pressure off inflation and interest rates.

    However, critics argue the Budget offers limited immediate relief for working people, low-income whānau, renters, beneficiaries, and communities already experiencing hardship.

    From an Indigenous economic lens, the biggest winners are likely to be sectors aligned with the Government’s growth agenda, including infrastructure, defence, roads, courts, and some parts of the housing and health systems.

    There are also targeted gains for Māori language, Māori broadcasting, taonga Māori, and cultural leadership, with Budget funding aimed at strengthening te reo Māori and supporting Māori art and taonga on the world stage.

    But the biggest losers may be those relying on strained public services and income support. Concerns remain around child poverty, homelessness, social housing changes, public sector cuts, and whether frontline services can keep pace with demand.

    The Budget also raises questions about Māori economic development. While targeted cultural and language investments are significant, a long-term Māori economic strategy would need to go further, supporting Māori enterprise, whenua-based development, regional economies, skills, procurement, innovation, and rangatiratanga in decision-making.

    The Professor says a genuine long-term plan would need to measure success not only through surplus forecasts and balance sheets, but through intergenerational wellbeing, whānau resilience, community wealth, and the ability of Māori and Indigenous businesses to thrive across multiple sectors.

    What may surprise many observers is the contrast between the Government’s language of securing the future and the scale of concern from community organisations, unions, poverty advocates, and parts of the Māori sector.

    Budget 2026 is likely to remain a major political battleground, with supporters pointing to discipline and targeted investment, while critics argue it lacks the ambition needed to transform lives for those under the most pressure.

    For Māori communities, the test will be whether this Budget delivers real outcomes beyond the headlines — more secure housing, stronger incomes, better health access, stronger education pathways, thriving Māori enterprise, and investment that reflects the realities of whānau across Aotearoa.

    #RadioWaatea #Budget2026 #MāoriEconomy #MāoriBusiness #IndigenousBusiness #Aotearoa #NZPolitics #Whānau #CostOfLiving #MāoriDevelopment #TeAoMāori #AucklandBusinessSchool #PublicServices #Housing #ChildPoverty #EconomicJustice

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Professor_Jason_Mika___Associate_Dean_Maori_in_He_Manga_Tauhokohoko_Auckland_Business_School.mp3

    The post #budget2026: Māori Business Lens Puts Budget 2026 Under The Microscope appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    0 min
  • #budget2026: Māori Business Expert Questions Whether Budget 2026 Truly Delivers For Whānau

    As debate over Budget 2026 continues across Aotearoa, Māori business expert Matt Roskruge says one of the biggest questions facing the Government is whether Māori businesses, whānau, and economic aspirations were genuinely part of the Budget’s long-term vision.

    Speaking as part of ongoing Waatea coverage analysing the winners and losers of Budget 2026, Roskruge examined whether the coalition Government’s spending priorities are likely to shift the dial for Māori economic development or simply maintain existing inequalities.

    The Budget includes targeted investments into te reo Māori, Māori broadcasting, taonga Māori, health services, housing infrastructure, and regional development. Ministers have promoted the Budget as a disciplined plan focused on returning the economy to surplus while maintaining selected frontline investments.

    But from a Māori economic perspective, Roskruge says the wider picture is more complicated.

    While there are pockets of investment relevant to te ao Māori, the Budget stops short of presenting a comprehensive Māori economic strategy that builds long-term independence and intergenerational wealth.

    For many Māori businesses and whānau, the immediate pressures remain the same — rising living costs, housing insecurity, inflation, workforce instability, and continued pressure on frontline services.

    Treasury forecasts released alongside the Budget predict unemployment will rise while economic growth remains sluggish, raising concerns about how Māori communities may be disproportionately affected if economic conditions worsen.

    Māori are often overrepresented in sectors most vulnerable during economic downturns, including lower-income employment, casualised work, and communities facing housing shortages and infrastructure gaps.

    Roskruge says those realities mean many Māori whānau are likely to feel the effects of Budget 2026 quickly, particularly where changes affect housing support, public services, education, and income assistance.

    While the Government argues tighter spending is necessary to control inflation and stabilise the economy, critics say fiscal restraint risks slowing momentum in areas where Māori economic development requires sustained investment.

    Questions also remain around whether Budget 2026 creates genuine pathways for Māori enterprise growth.

    Long-term Māori economic independence is often linked to investment in Māori-owned businesses, whenua development, innovation, procurement opportunities, skills training, education, digital capability, and iwi-led infrastructure projects.

    Although the Budget contains investment in selected areas connected to Māori development and cultural revitalisation, some commentators argue it lacks the scale and transformational vision needed to significantly accelerate Māori economic growth.

    Housing remains one of the clearest pressure points. Māori communities continue to face disproportionate rates of overcrowding, homelessness, and housing stress, while many Māori businesses also navigate difficult lending environments and rising operational costs.

    The Budget’s broader focus on public sector savings and reduced government spending growth has also raised concerns about how Māori organisations and providers may be affected in sectors reliant on Crown contracts and social investment funding.

    At the same time, supporters of the Budget argue returning the economy to surplus and reducing inflationary pressure will create more stable conditions for businesses and households over time.

    For Roskruge, the key issue is whether Māori are being positioned as active participants in shaping the future economy, or whether Māori communities are once again being asked to wait for wider economic gains to eventually flow through.

    As discussions continue around the Government’s economic direction, Budget 2026 is likely to remain under close scrutiny from Māori business leaders, iwi organisations, economists, and whānau assessing whether the Government’s priorities align with the realities facing communities across the motu.

    #RadioWaatea #Budget2026 #MāoriBusiness #MāoriEconomy #MattRoskruge #Whānau #Aotearoa #CostOfLiving #HousingCrisis #MāoriDevelopment #EconomicGrowth #TeAoMāori #PublicServices #NZPolitics #IwiEconomy #IndigenousEconomics

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Professor_Matt_Roskruge___Associate_Dean_Maori_in_the_School_of_Economics_and_Finance-2.mp3

    The post #budget2026: Māori Business Expert Questions Whether Budget 2026 Truly Delivers For Whānau appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    0 min
  • #budget2026: Chris Hipkins Says Budget 2026 Leaves Whānau Behind

    Labour leader Chris Hipkins says Budget 2026 fails to deliver meaningful relief for struggling New Zealanders, arguing the coalition Government’s economic plan will deepen pressure on whānau already battling rising living costs, housing stress, and stretched public services.

    Hipkins joined broadcaster Matthew Tukaki and political commentator Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury as part of Waatea’s extensive post-Budget coverage, where reactions from across politics, business, unions, and Māori leadership have continued to pour in following Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ latest Budget announcement. (rnz.co.nz)

    The Government has framed Budget 2026 as a disciplined return-to-surplus Budget focused on reducing inflationary pressure, controlling debt, and investing in selected frontline services.

    But Hipkins says the Budget reflects what he describes as the wrong priorities at a time when many households are struggling simply to keep up with rent, mortgages, groceries, transport, and power bills.

    He argues the Government is cutting back support in areas that directly affect ordinary New Zealanders while increasing spending in prisons, defence, and infrastructure projects that will take years to deliver meaningful benefits.

    Budget 2026 includes billions in new funding for health services, defence capability, roads, housing infrastructure, and justice, alongside continued public sector savings measures and reductions in government spending growth.

    Labour says many of those savings will ultimately be felt through reduced frontline services, pressure on schools and hospitals, and growing hardship among lower-income households.

    Hipkins also raised concerns about unemployment forecasts released alongside the Budget, which predict joblessness will rise over the coming year as economic growth slows.

    He says Māori, Pasifika, young people, and working-class communities are often the first to feel the impact when unemployment rises and public investment tightens.

    Housing remains one of the biggest flashpoints in the Budget debate. While the Government says new infrastructure funding will help councils unlock housing growth, critics argue there is little immediate relief for renters or families trapped in emergency and insecure housing situations.

    Hipkins says Labour believes stronger investment is needed in affordable housing, health, education, and cost-of-living support rather than relying heavily on fiscal restraint and public sector cuts.

    The Waatea panel also discussed concerns around child poverty, homelessness, and pressure on regional communities facing rising costs and fewer employment opportunities.

    Hipkins says many whānau will judge the success of Budget 2026 not through Treasury forecasts or surplus projections, but through whether their day-to-day lives become easier or harder over the next year.

    The Labour leader also criticised what he sees as a lack of long-term vision in the Budget, arguing New Zealand needs sustained investment in productivity, climate resilience, public transport, healthcare, skills training, and regional development.

    Supporters of the Government say Budget 2026 reflects responsible economic management after years of inflation and increased public spending. However, Hipkins says the Government risks widening inequality and leaving vulnerable communities to absorb the cost of economic tightening.

    As political debate intensifies ahead of Election 2026, Budget 2026 is increasingly becoming a battleground over competing visions for the economy, public services, and the future direction of Aotearoa.

    #RadioWaatea #ChrisHipkins #Budget2026 #Labour #CostOfLiving #Whānau #Māori #Aotearoa #HousingCrisis #PublicServices #NZPolitics #MatthewTukaki #MartynBradbury #Economy #ChildPoverty #HealthCrisis #Election2026

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Chris_Hipkins_-_Budget_2026.mp3

    The post #budget2026: Chris Hipkins Says Budget 2026 Leaves Whānau Behind appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    0 min
  • #budget2026: Marama Davidson Slams Budget 2026 As ‘Wrong Priorities’ For Māori And Working Whānau

    Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson says Budget 2026 reveals a Government focused on austerity, prisons, and military spending while Māori whānau continue struggling through rising living costs, housing insecurity, and pressure on frontline services.

    Davidson joined broadcaster Matthew Tukaki and political commentator Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury as part of Waatea’s continuing Budget coverage, where the panel unpacked what the Government’s latest economic plan means for Māori communities, workers, renters, and vulnerable households across Aotearoa.

    The coalition Government has promoted Budget 2026 as a disciplined pathway back to surplus, arguing tighter spending controls are necessary to reduce inflation and stabilise the economy.

    But Davidson says the Budget sends a clear message about the Government’s priorities — and Māori communities are unlikely to see themselves reflected in many of the major decisions.

    She argues the Budget continues a pattern of reducing investment in areas that directly affect whānau wellbeing, while increasing spending in corrections, roads, and defence capability.

    Budget 2026 includes billions in spending directed toward infrastructure, prisons, military upgrades, and transport projects, alongside savings measures across parts of the public sector and changes to social housing and welfare support.

    Davidson says those decisions come at a time when many Māori households are already facing deepening hardship from rising rents, grocery prices, transport costs, and power bills.

    The Green Party has consistently argued for stronger investment in poverty reduction, housing, public transport, climate resilience, and public services, while also calling for tax reform aimed at wealthier New Zealanders and large corporations.

    During the Waatea discussion, wider concerns were raised about whether Budget 2026 provides any transformational pathway for Māori communities already disproportionately affected by unemployment, homelessness, food insecurity, and inequitable health outcomes.

    Davidson says Māori are often the first to feel the impact of economic downturns and public service reductions because of longstanding structural inequities across housing, income, employment, and access to services.

    Housing remained one of the strongest areas of criticism. While the Government says infrastructure and housing funding will help unlock future supply, critics argue the Budget offers little immediate relief for renters, emergency housing demand, or whānau experiencing overcrowding and housing stress.

    Climate resilience was another major point of concern. Davidson says communities already facing repeated weather events, flooding, and infrastructure strain need far greater investment in adaptation and resilience planning, particularly in vulnerable rural and coastal regions.

    The Budget debate is also unfolding against a broader political backdrop as parties position themselves ahead of Election 2026, with economic inequality, cost-of-living pressures, and Māori rights emerging as key battleground issues.

    Supporters of the Government say Budget 2026 reflects necessary financial discipline and long-term economic management. But Davidson says many whānau will judge the Budget not by surplus forecasts, but by whether they can afford rent, kai, transport, healthcare, and stable futures for their tamariki.

    As reactions continue from economists, unions, iwi leaders, business groups, and political parties, Budget 2026 is shaping up as one of the most contested Budgets in recent years — particularly over the question of who carries the burden of economic restraint.

    #RadioWaatea #Budget2026 #MaramaDavidson #GreenParty #CostOfLiving #Māori #Whānau #Aotearoa #HousingCrisis #ClimateJustice #PublicServices #NZPolitics #MartynBradbury #MatthewTukaki #ChildPoverty #EconomicJustice

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Marama_Davidson_-_Budget_2026.mp3

    The post #budget2026: Marama Davidson Slams Budget 2026 As ‘Wrong Priorities’ For Māori And Working Whānau appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    0 min
  • #budget2026: Fran O’Sullivan And Willie Jackson korero Budget 2026 Direction

    Budget 2026 continues to divide opinion across Aotearoa, with BusinessDesk editor Fran O’Sullivan and Labour MP Willie Jackson offering sharply different views during Radio Waatea’s ongoing post-Budget coverage alongside broadcaster Matthew Tukaki and political commentator Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury.

    The wide-ranging discussion reflected the growing national debate over whether the coalition Government’s latest Budget represents responsible economic management or a failure to address the pressures facing ordinary New Zealanders.

    Finance Minister Nicola Willis has framed Budget 2026 as a disciplined pathway back to surplus, with the Government arguing tighter spending controls are necessary to reduce inflation, stabilise debt, and restore confidence in the economy.

    The Budget includes major spending commitments in health, roads, defence, justice, housing infrastructure, child protection, and selected Māori initiatives, alongside savings measures across parts of the public sector and changes to housing and welfare support.

    O’Sullivan focused on the economic balancing act facing the Government, particularly around inflation, business confidence, investment, and the need to maintain credibility with financial markets and international investors.

    The veteran business commentator has consistently argued New Zealand faces long-term productivity challenges and that governments must balance social spending with economic growth, infrastructure investment, and fiscal sustainability.

    At the same time, concerns were raised during the discussion about whether the Budget provides enough immediate relief for households struggling with housing costs, food prices, power bills, transport expenses, and rising unemployment.

    Jackson approached the Budget from the perspective of whānau wellbeing, public services, and Māori communities already under pressure from the cost-of-living crisis.

    The Labour MP questioned whether the Government’s priorities reflect the realities facing lower-income families, renters, beneficiaries, and communities dependent on frontline public services.

    Housing, healthcare, child poverty, and public sector cuts remained central themes throughout the Waatea panel discussion, with debate intensifying over whether spending restraint risks worsening inequality.

    Jackson argued Māori communities are often among the first to feel the effects of economic tightening because of existing disparities in income, employment, housing, and access to healthcare and education.

    The panel also explored wider concerns about unemployment forecasts released alongside the Budget, with economists warning joblessness is expected to rise as economic growth slows.

    For regional communities and Māori providers, the question remains whether infrastructure investment and long-term economic reforms will deliver meaningful benefits quickly enough to offset growing hardship on the ground.

    O’Sullivan acknowledged the Government faces difficult economic conditions, including weak growth, inflation pressures, and constrained public finances, but the discussion highlighted continuing disagreement over how those challenges should be managed.

    As political positioning intensifies ahead of Election 2026, Budget 2026 is increasingly becoming a contest over competing visions for the economy, public services, and the role of government in supporting vulnerable communities.

    Waatea’s continuing Budget coverage has brought together voices from across politics, economics, business, unions, and te ao Māori, reflecting the depth of concern and debate surrounding the Government’s economic direction.

    #RadioWaatea #Budget2026 #FranOSullivan #WillieJackson #NZPolitics #CostOfLiving #Whānau #Māori #Aotearoa #Economy #HousingCrisis #PublicServices #MatthewTukaki #MartynBradbury #BusinessDesk #Labour #EconomicDebate

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Willie_Jackson_and_Fran_OSullivan_-_1.mp3
    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Willie_Jackson_and_Fran_OSullivan_-_2.mp3

    The post #budget2026: Fran O’Sullivan And Willie Jackson korero Budget 2026 Direction appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    14 min
  • #budget2026: Tama Potaka Defends Budget Priorities

    Budget 2026 has triggered intense debate across Aotearoa, with Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka joining broadcaster Matthew Tukaki and political commentator Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury as part of Waatea’s extensive Budget Day coverage.

    Potaka defended the coalition Government’s Budget strategy, arguing the focus on fiscal restraint, infrastructure investment, frontline services, and Māori development initiatives reflected what ministers believe is needed to stabilise the economy and prepare for long-term growth.

    The discussion came as reactions poured in from economists, unions, political parties, Māori organisations, and social service groups following Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ third Budget, which the Government says is designed to return New Zealand to surplus while keeping inflation and debt under control.

    Potaka, who holds portfolios including Māori Development, Whānau Ora, Māori Crown Relations and Social Housing, faced questions around whether the Budget does enough for Māori communities amid rising living costs, housing pressure, unemployment concerns, and ongoing debate over public sector cuts.

    Budget 2026 includes targeted investments in health, housing infrastructure, child protection, Māori broadcasting, te reo Māori initiatives, and justice services, while also continuing wider Government savings programmes and reductions in public sector spending growth.

    The Waatea panel discussion explored whether those investments would translate into meaningful improvements for whānau on the ground, particularly as Treasury forecasts point to higher unemployment and continued economic pressure for many households.

    Housing remained a major focus of the debate, especially around emergency housing reductions, social housing reform, and ongoing affordability pressures. Potaka has previously defended the Government’s approach to reducing reliance on emergency motel accommodation while increasing long-term housing supply through social and affordable housing developments.

    The conversation also touched on Māori development priorities, including support for te reo Māori, iwi radio, Whānau Ora, and Māori-led economic growth.

    For many Māori organisations and commentators, Budget 2026 represents a balancing act between fiscal discipline and the need for continued investment in communities already facing entrenched inequality and hardship.

    Critics argue the Government’s savings programme risks worsening poverty, housing insecurity, and pressure on frontline services, while supporters say tighter spending is necessary to reduce inflation, restore economic stability, and create conditions for growth.

    Waatea’s Budget Day coverage brought together a wide range of political and economic voices throughout the afternoon, reflecting the growing tensions around the Government’s economic direction heading into the 2026 election campaign.

    As debate continues over the winners and losers of Budget 2026, Māori communities will be closely watching whether commitments in housing, health, te reo Māori, broadcasting, and social support lead to measurable change for whānau across the motu.

    #RadioWaatea #Budget2026 #TamaPotaka #NZPolitics #Māori #Whānau #Aotearoa #CostOfLiving #TeReoMāori #WhānauOra #HousingCrisis #PublicServices #Economy #MatthewTukaki #MartynBradbury #MāoriDevelopment

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Tama_Potaka_-_Budget_2026.mp3

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    10 min
  • #budget2026: Budget 2026 Under the Microscope as Economist Warns Māori Outcomes Hang in the Balance

    As ministers enter Budget lock-up ahead of the release of Budget 2026, economist Professor Matt Roskruge says Māori communities will be watching closely to see whether the Government delivers policies capable of improving long-term wellbeing, resilience and economic opportunity.

    Roskruge, whose research focuses on wellbeing economics, regional development and Māori economic outcomes, says Budgets are more than financial documents — they are signals of political priorities that directly shape the everyday realities of whānau and communities across Aotearoa.

    With many Māori households continuing to face pressure from rising living costs, housing insecurity, strained public services and employment uncertainty, expectations are growing that this year’s Budget must go beyond short-term fiscal management and deliver meaningful investment into areas that improve long-term wellbeing.

    Roskruge says the impacts of Government spending decisions are often felt most strongly in communities already facing structural inequities, particularly Māori communities disproportionately represented in lower-income households, regional economies and sectors vulnerable to economic downturns.

    Inflation, food prices, fuel costs and interest rate pressures have placed increasing strain on whānau budgets over recent years, while changes to public spending and social services can significantly affect access to healthcare, housing, education and employment support.

    The economist says Budgets influence daily life in practical ways — from whether roads and infrastructure are upgraded, to the availability of healthcare services, school support programmes, housing developments and regional employment opportunities.

    For many whānau, Budget decisions can determine whether local services remain accessible, whether jobs are created in regional communities, and whether vulnerable households receive the support needed to navigate economic hardship.

    Roskruge says Māori are often more exposed to broader economic shocks because of longstanding structural inequalities tied to income distribution, employment patterns, housing access and historical underinvestment in Māori communities.

    Māori workers are disproportionately represented in industries vulnerable to economic cycles, including manufacturing, forestry, tourism, agriculture and construction, meaning downturns and employment shifts can have amplified impacts on whānau and regional economies.

    At the same time, Māori communities are also more likely to rely on public services already under pressure, including health, housing and social support systems that become increasingly stretched during periods of fiscal restraint.

    Despite those challenges, Roskruge says the Māori economy continues to demonstrate significant growth and resilience, becoming an increasingly influential force within the wider New Zealand economy.

    The Māori economy is now valued in the tens of billions of dollars, with iwi, trusts and Māori enterprises expanding across agribusiness, fisheries, tourism, technology, infrastructure and export industries.

    Roskruge says there is a growing argument that Government Budgets should place greater emphasis on recognising Māori economic development as a key contributor to national prosperity rather than treating Māori investment as a niche or isolated issue.

    Advocates say stronger investment into Māori-led innovation, infrastructure, workforce development and regional enterprise would not only improve outcomes for Māori communities but strengthen economic resilience across the country.

    There are also increasing calls for Budget policies to better reflect Māori models of wellbeing, which often place greater emphasis on collective prosperity, whānau stability, environmental sustainability and intergenerational outcomes rather than purely individual economic measures.

    As Budget 2026 is unveiled, Roskruge says the real test will be whether the Government’s decisions improve lived realities for communities on the ground — particularly those already carrying the greatest economic pressures.

    #WaateaNews #Budget2026 #MāoriEconomy #MattRoskruge #WellbeingEconomics #CostOfLiving #RegionalDevelopment #Whānau #EconomicResilience #MāoriBusiness #Aotearoa #NZPolitics #PublicSpending #MāoriDevelopment

    https://waateanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Professor_Matt_Roskruge___Associate_Dean_Maori_in_the_School_of_Economics_and_Finance-1.mp3

    The post #budget2026: Budget 2026 Under the Microscope as Economist Warns Māori Outcomes Hang in the Balance appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

    13 min

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