Te Ao Mārama is a part of the cosmological whakapapa that features in the creation story of Rangi and Papa in Maori mythology.
[4] Royal used the term Te Ao Mārama to describe the worldview and cultural context from which all Mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge) was able to develop from.
[10] Chief judge, Heemi Taumaunu notes that there is a lack of supportive services in many communities such that currently they "have no presence in the courtroom".
[11] This will be difficult to achieve as currently, only about 5% of the 60,000 people appearing in court each year have an alcohol and drug assessment - even though more than half of all crime in New Zealand is committed under the influence of drugs or alcohol,[12] and 91% of prison inmates have been diagnosed with a substance abuse or mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime.
[13] The coalition government's decision in March 2024 to remove legal aid funding for cultural reports will also make it difficult for judges to be well informed about the defendants appearing before them.