Editing Māori language (section)

=== Political dimensions ===
The official status of Māori, and especially its use in official names and titles, is a political issue in New Zealand. In 2022 a 70,000 strong petition from [[Te Pāti Māori]] went to Parliament calling for New Zealand to be officially renamed [[Aotearoa]], and was accepted for debate by the Māori Affairs select committee.<ref name=teAoNews>{{cite news|url=https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2022/10/25/petition-to-reinstate-aotearoa-as-official-name-of-new-zealand-accepted-by-select-committee/|last=Trafford|first=Will|title=Petition to reinstate Aotearoa as official name of New Zealand, accepted by select committee|work=Te Ao News|date=25 October 2022|access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref> During [[New Zealand First]]'s successful campaign to return to Parliament in 2023, party leader [[Winston Peters]] ridiculed the proposal as "ideological mumbo jumbo"<ref name=1News_Englishofficial>{{cite news|url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/08/20/winston-peters-proposes-to-make-english-an-official-language/|last=McGuire|first=Casper|title=Winston Peters proposes to make English an official language|work=[[1News]]|publisher=[[TVNZ]]|date=20 August 2023|access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref> and criticised the use of the name in government reports.<ref name=Herald_NZFirst>{{cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/winston-peters-announces-new-zealand-first-will-be-back-in-2023/HYW3IUM7ZVRDH7X7IRCHBZWRBQ/|last=Cheng|first=Derek|title=Winston Peters announces New Zealand First will be back in 2023|work=[[New Zealand Herald]]|date=20 June 2021|access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref> Peters promised his party would remove Māori names from government departments,<ref name=1News_removeMāorinames>{{cite news|url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/03/24/winston-peters-nz-first-would-remove-maori-names-from-govt-depts/|last=Desmarais|first=Felix|title=Winston Peters: NZ First would remove Māori names from Govt depts|work=[[1News]]|publisher=[[TVNZ]]|date=24 March 2023|access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref> saying "[[Te Whatu Ora]], excuse me, I don't want to speak the Māori language when I go to hospital."<ref name=Herald_notindigenous>{{cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-2023-winston-peters-claims-maori-are-not-indigenous-during-nelson-meeting-with-nz-first-supporters/ZCEBFEUDZJGHXA2SY4KGOFETIQ/|last=Tan|first=Lincolnl|title=Election 2023: Winston Peters claims "Māori are not indigenous" during Nelson meeting with NZ First supporters|work=[[New Zealand Herald]]|date=10 September 2023|access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref> As part of its coalition agreement with New Zealand First, the [[New Zealand National Party|National]]-led government agreed to ensure all public service departments had their primary name in English except for those specifically related to Māori.<ref name=1news_WakaKotahi>{{cite news|url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/12/04/minister-instructs-waka-kotahi-staff-to-use-english-name-first/|title=Minister instructs Waka Kotahi staff to use English name first|work=[[1News]]|publisher=[[TVNZ]]|date=4 December 2023|access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref><ref name=RNZ>{{cite news|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/504248/waka-kotahi-to-use-its-english-name-first-after-pressure-from-government|title=Waka Kotahi to use its English name first after pressure from government|publisher=[[Radio New Zealand|RNZ]]|date=8 December 2023|access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref>