It also established the Māori Language Commission, initially called Te Komihana Mo Te Reo Maori, to promote the language and provide advice on it.

The law was enacted as the Maori Language Act 1987 and originally written without macrons.

By the mid-1980s, the treaty had acquired increased relevance thanks primarily to the Waitangi Tribunal.

For example, tax records must be kept in English unless the Commissioner of Internal Revenue agrees otherwise.

[5] It also slightly expanded the range of legal settings in which Māori could be used, to include bodies such as the Tenancy Tribunal and any Commission of Inquiry.