The Maori Party wants bilingual coins as notes are expected to feature te reo Maori this year. Photo / File
The Maori Party wants bilingual coins as notes are expected to feature te reo Maori this year. Photo / File
The Maori Party is calling for any new distribution of New Zealand coins to have Maori and English on them.
The Reserve Bank is expected to roll out the first lot of $5 and $10 bank notes, which will feature more te reo Maori in October, followed by the $20,$50 and $100 bills next year.
Party co-leaders Marama Fox and Te Ururoa Flavell have enjoyed celebrating the 40th anniversary of Maori Language Week. The pair have been thinking about various ways the language can be shared with other people.
One idea the two co-leaders have come up with is to encourage te Putea Matua (the Reserve Bank) to go one step further and make a commitment to splashing more te reo on upcoming coins.
"In celebrating Maori Language Week, we think this small idea could make some huge change because everyone uses money. The Reserve Bank's already made a commitment to change the bank notes," Mrs Fox said.
