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Improved access to capital for Māori

Improving Māori access to capital has benefits for the Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand economy.

Published:

18 May 2022

Updated:

22 August 2023

What we are doing and why

The Māori economy is key to the wellbeing of Māori and is a significant and increasingly important contributor to the wider economy of Aotearoa New Zealand.

$69 bn

Value of the Māori economy

The Māori economy is an integral part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy, valued at $69 billion in 2018. It is comprised of businesses across a wide range of industries.

30 %

Māori population growth

Since 2013, the Māori population in Aotearoa New Zealand has grown by 30%. Māori represent an increasing proportion of Aotearoa New Zealand’s population.

47 %

Māori employment growth

Since 2013, the number of Māori in employment increased by 47%. Māori are a continually growing part of the Aotearoa New Zealand workforce.

In our role as kaitiaki of the financial system, we seek to support a thriving Māori economy. We continue to work with a range of stakeholders to understand the Māori economy and the challenges around Māori access to capital.

Te Ōhanga Māori - The Māori Economy

In partnership with Business and Economic Research Limited, we released our report Te Ōhanga Māori – The Māori Economy in 2018.

Our report found that Māori are underrepresented in business ownership, and Māori business that does exist does not realise their full potential. Challenges include access to capital and higher interest rates.

As kaitiaki of our financial system, it is incumbent on us to tackle these inequalities.

Read the Te Ōhanga Māori – The Māori Economy report

Māori access to capital work programme

Our Māori access to capital work programme has researched the current system and has developed potential pathways for future change.

An efficient, effective, and stable financial system is one where capital is allocated based on risk and return and where there is equitable access to capital for all firms, including Māori firms.

The Māori economy – with $69 billion in assets in 2018 – can be grown for the benefit of all.

Improving Māori Access to Capital consultation

We published our Improving Māori Access to Capital issues paper, which outlines some potential factors that act as barriers between Māori and specific forms of capital in the financial system and summarises potential pathways towards solutions.

We then published a summary of the information submitted by members of the public and interested parties throughout a six-week consultation period on the issues paper.

We are now progressing with the recommendations and initiating actions to contribute to an external work programme across the financial system.

Find out more about our Improving Māori Access to Capital consultation

Timeline

January 2021: Te Ōhanga Māori report launch
April 2021: Working group established
July to October 2021: Preliminary findings
January to March 2022: Wānanga/workshops
end of May 2022: Final report to Minister of Finance
end of June 2022: Public release
June 2022: Submissions welcome on report
end of August 2022: Submissions close

More information

Improving Māori Access to Capital consultation

Read our issues paper and a summary of the submissions we received.

Colleagues having discussion in a meeting

Te Ōhanga Māori – The Māori Economy

Read the Te Ōhanga Māori – The Māori Economy report we released in 2018.

Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi

As kaitiaki (guardians) of the financial system of Aotearoa New Zealand, Te Tiriti o Waitangi is central to our mahi.