Our Vision

Now is a great time to join the New Zealand public service, as Te Tari Taiwhenua – Department of Internal Affairs focuses on successfully building a transformative relationship with iwi and Māori.

“We really are focused on doing our very best for New Zealanders today, but also for future generations of New Zealanders.” Hoani Lambert – Deputy Chief Executive Enterprise Partnerships

For some time now, Te Tari Taiwhenua has heard from iwi that they would like to see the services that are delivered through the National Library and Archives New Zealand become more responsive to their needs. Some excellent work has been already delivered, where Māori specialists have worked alongside both institutions to bring a Te Ao Māori worldview into their work. National Library and  Archives New Zealand are ready now to accelerate that work.

The Vision for These Roles

These two Kaihautū (Director Ratonga Māori) roles will be part of their respective leadership teams, playing an important role by contributing to an uplift in capability across both organisations to build closer, enduring partnerships with Māori.

You will also support non-Māori leaders to be more confident in building their own cultural capability, in the way that they are engaging with Māori and using te reo, tikanga and kawa in their everyday work.

The Kaihautū for Archives New Zealand will report to Stephen Clarke, and the Chief Archivist Kaipupuri Matua, and the Kaihautū for National Library will report to Rachel Esson, National Librarian Te Pouhuaki.

Why Are These Roles Significant?

The National Library works with iwi Māori and holds material that is important to the heritage and future of all New Zealanders. There is a strong desire to work more closely with communities to make sure that this material it is looked after in the right way, and to support communities to look after their own information and taonga so it is appropriately accessible. There are some exciting opportunities on the horizon to do more with the material that the National Library holds, and to create relationships and grow engagement.

“The fact that there’s a role at archives New Zealand as well, means that they can support each other and really develop that capability.” Rachel Esson, National Librarian Te Pouhuaki

For Archives New Zealand, there is a responsibility to develop their workforce and develop the capability right across the sector, particularly in their relationships with iwi and whare taonga – to look at developing accessibility for Māori, but equally to support the regulatory side of the work that Archives New Zealand does. The Kaihautū will lead and influence how the whole of government conducts information and data management for the benefit of iwi and Māori, from Māori data sovereignty, through to how government information is handled, created and maintained on behalf of Māori.

“We can’t expect someone to be all things to all people, but there has to be that desire to be able to connect with as many audiences as they possibly can.” Stephen Clarke – Chief Archivist Kaipupuri Matua