One of the functions of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission | Te Waihanga (Te Waihanga) is, at least every five years, to provide the Minister for Infrastructure with a strategy report which, among other things, identifies the priorities for infrastructure for the next 30 years (section 13(1)(b), New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga Act). The first of these strategy reports, Rautaki Hanganga o Aotearoa | the New Zealand Infrastructure Strategy 2022-2052 (New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga, 2022) (the Strategy) was released in 2022. The Strategy recognizes the many roles Māori undertake in the New Zealand infrastructure system (New Zealand Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga, 2022, fig. 7). It also identifies several opportunities where infrastructure can have a role in improving Māori wellbeing, including (relevant to the matters discussed in this report) (2022, pp. 43–44): • supporting iwi (extended kinship group or tribe) aspirations, plans, and goals • using procurement as a mechanism to unlock opportunities for Māori • promoting employment opportunities and improving diversity across the infrastructure workforce • enhancing wellbeing through access to infrastructure services. The Strategy acknowledges that to achieve a thriving New Zealand, and lift the performance of our infrastructure system, we need to: • “strengthen partnerships with and unlock opportunities for Māori” (2022, p. 10) • “recognise and respect Te Tiriti o Waitangi and look for opportunities to build strong, meaningful and enduring relationships with Māori” (2022, p. 13). It prioritises three action areas in relation to these matters (2022, p. 42): • “Creating stronger partnerships with Māori across infrastructure planning and delivery” • “Unlocking opportunities for Māori across the infrastructure system” • “Incorporating mātauranga Māori [Māori knowledge] into infrastructure design, planning and delivery”. The Strategy contains three recommendations regarding how to achieve these things (each with sub-recommendations). The first sub recommendation (1 a.) is: “Undertake a ‘State of Play’ of current Māori engagement activity for infrastructure to help inform and educate readers on how infrastructure providers can engage and work with Māori in a way that works for Māori and infrastructure providers.” In September 2022 the Government released its response to the Strategy (New Zealand Government, 2022a). In relation to the recommendations around strengthening partnerships with and opportunities for Māori, the Government (New Zealand Government, 2022a, pp. 9–11): • supported the proposal to undertake the State of Play work • noted that it supported other recommendations in principle and would consider implementing them (in several cases following the completion of the State of Play).