Abstract:
Few would dispute that indigenes and immigrants will play an increasingly important part in shaping New Zealand’s, and particularly Auckland’s, economic and demographic future. While much attention has been given to Māori and migrant futures as separate scenarios, productive discussion about their interdependent relationships in the Asia-Pacific neighbourhood remain largely unexplored. Māori, for example, are treated as peripheral to immigration policy and debates, while Māori development aspirations largely fail to engage with New Zealand’s rapidly changing ethnic composition. Additional complexity is added by the increasingly diasporic nature of Māori society, with one in six Māori now living outside of New Zealand. This panel discussion brings together diverse thinkers with connections to Māori and/or migrant communities to address the questions: What are the biggest challenges facing Māori-migrant relations now and in the foreseeable future? What are the potential opportunities?