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Labour MP Winnie Laban - Source: ONE News
Former Labour MP Winne Laban has called for the Tokelauan, Niuean and Cook Islands languages to be accorded official status in New Zealand.
Ms Laban, now an associate professor at Victoria University, made the call in a Waitangi Rua Rautau lecture outlining a Pacific perspective on the Treaty of Waitangi.
In her speech at Te Herenga Waka Marae at the university, Ms Laban noted that English, Maori and New Zealand sign language were the three official languages.
"New Zealand has the responsibility of ensuring that the languages of the realm and our near neighbours are preserved.
"The people of Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands are New Zealand citizens and New Zealand has constitutional responsibilities.
"After English, Samoan is the most daily spoken language in New Zealand. Why are these languages not 'official' in New Zealand?"
The Maori Language Act 1987 declared Maori to be an official language and created a right to use Maori in court proceedings. The associated Maori Language Commission was also established.
"New Zealand does not have a Pacific language policy.
"Perhaps it is time for the development of a language policy to protect, maintain and rejuvenate Pacific languages spoken in New Zealand," Ms Laban said.
Race relations conciliator Joris de Bres said Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands remained a part of the "New Zealand realm".
All had a majority of their population living in New Zealand and language retention in New Zealand was vital to the survival of their languages.
There were 265,974 people who identified themselves as Pacific in the 2006 census, representing around 7% of the total population.
Samoans are the largest group at 131,103, followed by Cook Islanders at 58,011.
At the time of the 2006 census there were 22,476 Niueans in New Zealand and 6819 Tokelauans.
Pacific Island Affairs Minister Hekia Parata was unavailable for comment last night.
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