Having a common goal is the key to successful relationships between iwi Māori and the Department of Corrections.
Treaty Relationship Manager Charlie Tawhiao says that goal is spelled out in the Department's kaupapa statement.
Kotahi ano te kaupapa; ko te oranga o te iwi. (There is only one purpose to our work; it is the wellness and wellbeing of the people.)
Corrections is committed to being effective for Māori, building relationships with Māori and being responsive to Māori.
Charlie says in recent years Corrections has worked to improve its relationships with iwi around the Country.
"The whole idea is to break down the barriers that exist between organisations like ours and iwi so that we can work better together by forming mutually beneficial relationships."
The first major formal relationships emerged from the new prisions and buy early work by the Community Probation Service in building relationships with local runanga established the platform for subsequent formal relationships.
Charlie says the benefits are many and varied.
At Ngawha for instance, Kaitiaki Ngāti Rangi were involved in incorporating Māori cultural values into the facility’s design and operation. Elders also have an ongoing role working with offenders at the prison.
“From a Māori point of view, being able to have input into the design of policy is important. The benefits come in the long term results of improving Corrections’ systems.”
“We’re grateful that so many Māori organisations and iwi are willing to give their time and energy to work with us. And hopefully Maori will come to see that CPS can play a key role in making prison a less inevitable outcome for our people who offend.”
Cherlie says Māori community is a rich resource of support and ideas for the work Corrections is doing. "We're only limited by what we can physically do at any one time."
"The most compelling motivation for both the Department and iwi is to focus on one goal that's larger than ourselves."
The earliest formal relationship paper was signed in 1999 with Iwi Whanui, in relation to the development of Auckland Central Remand Prison.
Today the Department has formalised relationships with Ngāti Rangi of Ngawha, Te Rūnanga o Raukawa, Rangitane o Manawatu, Te Tau ihu o te Waka, Ngai Tahu Tai Poutini, and Ngāti Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board.
Formal agreements with Pukaki ki te Akitai, Te Rūnanga o Tupoho, Ngāti Naho, and Otakou Rūnanga are close to completion.