The leader of Maori Development Ministry Te Puni Kokiri says new official government targets, such as increasing the proportion of te reo speakers, is achievable.

Te Ika a Maui and Te Waipounamu are not names that trip off the tongue for most. But that is no reason to prevent them following the example set by Aoraki/Mt Cook and Taranaki/Mt Egmont.

Kiwis have offered up a range of alternative names for the North and South islands - some serious and some not so serious.

Cultural commentators hope for a reasoned debate on a move to recognise alternative names for the North and South Islands - but one says it's likely to bring out rednecks.

Peter Jackson is said to be enthusiastic about monitoring off-set conditions for animals used in film productions, writes John Drinnan.

It's a sobering experience to be in a room where no one is speaking your native language.

It's not the education system that is at fault, but the economic and social systems which, if they were doing their job, would be identifying and helping those who start life on the back foot.

For Talking Heads, Maitreya and Awa talked about their relationship with te reo Maori.