'Maori edge' an economic advantage - Sharples

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Maori leaders must consider bold initiatives to address the impact of the economic crisis, Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples says.

This parliamentary term would be defined by how the "swirling economic waters ahead" were negotiated, he told a Maori economic workshop in Wellington today.

"We have faced these perils before, and for Maori, the experience was disastrous," he said.

"We know that too many of our whanau are still recovering from the inter-generational effects of long term unemployment and grinding poverty."

Between 40 and 50 percent of Maori children lived in benefit-dependent families, and those children should be the driver for negotiating the crisis.

However, he believed Maori were in better shape to face a recession, both economically and culturally, as they had the "Maori edge".

"A tradition as explorers and entrepreneurs enables Maori to develop their growing asset base in innovative ways," Dr Sharples said.

"My desire for this Maori economic workshop today is that we bring together our knowledge and expertise and that indisputable Maori edge; to take a leading role in the nation's economy, in ways which are nothing short of outstanding."

Dr Sharples said the workshop, which involved about 50 people, was not just a one-day wonder. He hoped its discussions would lead to a bigger and bolder movement to sustain and engage Maori economic self-determination and that ideas from it would feed into Prime Minister John Key's economic summit next month.

"It's now our time to take a leading role in New Zealand's economy," he said.

Dr Sharples also announced he would establish a Maori Affairs ministerial taskforce on the economy, which he would chair.

- NZPA