Te Röopü Awatea

In recognition of the special contribution of its Maori staff, the Ministry has established Te Röopü Awatea. Te Röopü Awatea is a network open to all staff. Te Röopü Awatea provides support and advice to the Chief Executive and managers to develop positive and effective ways to work with Maori. The Ministry requires all staff to have the skills "to do their job" as part of being a Treaty partner and managing the Ministry's statutory responsibilities and it wants a workplace which values the contribution of its Maori staff, as it does the contribution of all of its staff.

Te Röopü Awatea offers expert advice to help the Ministry achieve the following outcomes:

• staff to be comfortable with tahä Maori
  
• managers to be comfortable and confident to manage and motivate staff in taha Maori and attending "events Maori"
  
• policies, processes and an internal environment to reflect the values and beliefs of Maori and the needs of Maori public servants
  
• recruitment and retention issues with Maori staff
  
• Maori represented in positions and levels throughout the Ministry.