The wider Maori strategic environment

Outcomes for Māori across a number of areas are showing positive signs of improvement. Continual improvements, particularly Māori contribution to the economy and within the education and employment sectors, are expected to make a positive impact on our environment over the longer term. For example:¹

• Māori contribution to the economy has steadily increased over the past two decades
• the proportion of Māori school leavers with NCEA Level 2 qualifications or above is improving
• tertiary education participation rates for Māori are improving
• labour market participation rates are improving
• Māori life expectancy is improving
• Māori culture and identity is strong
• Māori have high rates of participation in sport, culture and art.

Even as we now turn to the less positive side of the equation, it is important to bear in mind that:

“On 1 June 2008 95.4 per cent of Māori over the age of 17 years were not serving a sentence managed by Corrections.”

_{1: These examples have been sourced from Te Puni Kokiri (For Māori Future Makers), the Ministry of Social Development (The Social Report 2007) and from the Department of Labour.}