what are they changing the north island name too???

Maori and English are two of the three official languages of OUR country. Each language is different. There should be no problem in each language having different words for the islands. As official languages they have de-facto official names as one using them in court in whichever language would be understood and accepted. So the burocrats are carrying on with the 9 years of divisive rubbish that speeds us deeper into apatite - as with the Maori rugby teams, proposed Maori prisons and existing and proposed Maori seats (all race based selection not the language spoken or culture). If the speakers of English (of what ever race) in our country what to the change place names I suggest we have bigger issues. If we do change the English language names: We had entire OFFICIAL statutes, voting and systems of government base on the New Ulster and New Munster names. So perhaps if anything right the discrimination against the Irish New Zealanders and RE-recognise the English Language names. The Treaty was signed by, Hobson, an Irishman. Many of our first Prime Ministers were Irish. Our national anthem was written by an Irish man. Just because Irish NZers are a harmonious and integrated part on OUR country does not mean they (we) do not have heritage. There was massive discrimination in NZ against Irish (especially Catholics) and this led to the dropping of the names. So, this is not a simple issue. NOR IS IT an important one. If the divisive burocrats can’t read the law that recognised Maori as an official language and if they have failed to update their (our) list of place names to recognise the Maori language equal with the English language – they should be sacked!!!!! WE are not a county of racists, we are just stuck with all the Labour led divisive rubbish that is beginning to polarise strait up Kiwis of all ethnic back grounds. Who can not agree with this?

As a kiwi living afar i would be quite happy to keep using the name New Zealand, but when people want to know what part im from, use either the name north Aotearoa or South Aotearoa.

As a Kiwi living in the North of Ireland, I can only laugh at the usual anti-Maori nonsense in some comments in this forum. We see it over here too from the colonising community in its entrenched anti-Irish attitudes. It's not pragmatism to oppose changes that recognise the native language and culture; it's plain old colonial racism.

Of course my vote for English language names is to revert back to New Munster for the South Island and New Ulster for the North Island. Are we so dour and boring as to want to keep geographic references?

from looking at most of these posts, anyone would think that NZ was made up of presumptuous upstarts, most of which cannot read.

i think its an awesome idea to make both names ALTERNATELY official. i think the maori place names definitely have a place, but obviously as per comments below alot of research needs to go into this to ensure that the final name is accurate. most of us use the standard 'north island' and 'south island' anyway, so this doesnt really make any big change.

its awesome to explain to a visitor to our country the meaning behind certain maori names, like 'aotearoa', 'te ika a maui, etc. we take so many things for granted here in nz, especially things like places names. its awesome to learn of the richness in meaning behind names we use everyday. when are we going to learn to be proud as a nation of our multicultured society instead of bickering and firing ignorant remarks at each other? shame on you

at majority of the comments below.....

HAHAHAHA

Why not embrace the change? Why not assert Aotearoa's independence rather than settle for the convenient, ordinary, dull "North" and "South"? - talk about dumbing down! Lets not be scared of change people. Didn't the maori people have to embrace a whole new way of life upon arrival of the pakeha? What ever happens, I hope it happens quickly. Thats the problem with these processes, they are protracted unnecessarily resulting in polarisation which removes the likelyhood that people will just get over it once implemented. We are no longer a nation of protesters, despite having plenty to protest about in recent years, we have become insular, we seem to actually care less. If we're going to change Wanganui to Whanganui or the names for the North & South islands, it should be done quickly so we can get on with other things. By voting John Key to lead the country, the decision should (and probably does) lie with him & him alone. Go on John, don't just peel the band aid slowly, rip the bloody thing off already! Rangi..

196 comments, and only about 10 people who actually read the article properly. They are not changing the names for the islands, only giving them official recognition. Why is it that when people see 'maori', 'te reo' or 'waitangi' the never read past the headline before calling talk back and posting comments?

How about (the land of the yuppie blow hards) for the north island and trev for the south island

As a South Island Maori, I would like to point out Aotearoa refers only to the South Island - not as those boys in Te Ika a Maui (aka the North Island) would have us believe. It is about time this widely held misconception was cleared up. Do not saddle us with that horrible North Islander's description of The South Island as Te Wai Pounamu - ugh, horrid! Those fish dwellers need to accept that Aotearoa does not refer to New Zealand, it refers only to the Island that the "long white cloud" hangs over...