New research highlights growing economic value of te reo Māori across Aotearoa

The Economic Value of Te Reo Māori report has found that te reo Māori is not only a cornerstone of identity and culture in Aotearoa New Zealand, but an increasingly important contributor to economic participation, workforce capability and long-term opportunity.

Commissioned by Te Māngai Pāho, with the support of Whakaata Māori, and undertaken by Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL), the study provides a comprehensive population-level analysis of how proficiency in te reo Māori is associated with labour market outcomes across Aotearoa.

The findings reflect more than 40 years of sustained revitalisation efforts, including the growth of Māori-medium education and the role of Māori media in normalising and strengthening everyday use of te reo Māori. Together, these systems have contributed to a growing, confident and skilled Māori-speaking workforce, with impacts that will continue to unfold as younger generations progress into the workforce.

“This research represents the positive momentum for te reo Māori in Aotearoa,” says Larry Parr, Kaihautū of Te Māngai Pāho. “Growth in te reo Māori capability is evident across all sectors, reinforcing that te reo Māori is increasingly part of everyday life. It is particularly encouraging that education and broadcasting are standout sectors, highlighting the important role they play in normalising and amplifying te reo Māori.”

The research aligns with the Maihi Karauna strategy and reinforces the importance of a coordinated, system-wide approach to revitalisation – spanning education, media, public services, iwi, hapori and whānau.

It also highlights the need for continued investment into systems that enable language use in everyday life, alongside ongoing work to strengthen the evidence base for understanding language outcomes over time.

Key Findings: 

The research shows that te reo Māori capability is steadily increasing across the workforce alongside improved employment and higher income for speakers.

• Growing te reo Māori capability in the workforce
  The share of workers who speak te reo Māori has increased from 1.8% in 2013 to 3.3 in 2023, representing a near doubling over a decade. Education and training are the highest proportion with 8.2%, followed by television (7.2%), radio (7.0%) and public administration (4.9%).
• Strong pipeline of rangatahi
  More than 70% of highly proficient speakers began learning before 2013, demonstrating the long-term impact of early immersion. The proficiency gap between those aged 15-34 and those aged 35 and over shows that many highly proficient speakers are at the early stages of their career or are still in education, shaping both current and future labour market dynamics.
• Improving economic outcomes 
  Income gaps between speakers and non-speakers have closed and, for Māori speakers, reversed. Māori speakers of te reo Māori now earn slightly more (0.7%) than Māori non-speakers, after earning less in 2013 and 2018.
• Māori-led pathways are driving capability 
  Māori-medium education and culturally grounded learning environments are associated with both linguistic and academic success.

The full report is available here.