English 'didn't have to compete' for official status - Māori Language Commissioner

Te reo Māori has had to fight for recognition after generations of suppression, while English has long dominated life in Aotearoa, professor Rawinia Higgins says.

Lawmakers in New Zealand have passed a bill to make English an official language of the country.The move has sparked criticism from some lawmakers and linguistic experts who called it “virtue signalling and a waste of parliamentary time and money while raising the risk of marginalisation of te reo Māori and New Zealand

New Zealand votes to protect English after Maori MP laments 'b*****d language'  GB News

New Zealand's parliament has passed legislation making English its third official language. English is already spoken by 95% of New Zealanders.

The English Language Bill states that the addition of English as an official language, alongside Māori and the country’s sign language, will not mean any new rules are needed for it to continue being used in legal, political and government settings or documents.

New Zealand has a new official language — English  CNN

Passing of bill gives English same status as Māori and sign language but, with it already spoken by 95% of country, critics call it ‘a pointless exercise’ Legislation recognising English as an official language of New Zealand has been passed by parliament, prompting derision from linguists and legal experts and a now-v