USING TE REO: Westpac Bank customers can now choose to use the bank's ATMs in te reo Maori.
USING TE REO: Westpac Bank customers can now choose to use the bank's ATMs in te reo Maori.
Westpac Bank's Whanganui customers may have noticed something different about the bank's ATMs this week.
Users now have the option of having the ATM's commands given in English or in te reo Maori.
Hilary Marrett from Westpac said although the commands were rolled out in time for Maori Language Week,they would be a permanent fixture on the ATMs.
Users can now get their balance inquiries, withdrawals, and deposits in te reo, as well as single word prompts on the buttons right through to informational messages.
"We have translated the existing 2409 English words on 600 ATMs across New Zealand into te reo Maori," she said. Around 50 ATMs don't have the te reo commands because their older software won't allow it.
"The te reo option will be added when these machines are replaced," Ms Marrett said.
She said adding te reo on ATM machines was an opportunity to use Maori phrases in everyday life and "reflect on the values of cultural diversity and inclusion".
ATMs in larger centres such as Auckland and Wellington regularly have commands in other languages, such as Chinese; but this is the first time te reo Maori has been included.
