Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says the Government is considering whether to provide more funding for Te Matatini so that the event is more in line with groups like the Symphony Orchestra and the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
Hipkins attended the finals over the weekend and says it should be "a point of pride for all New Zealanders".
He noted that the ballet and orchestra had paid performers but said: "Do I think we need to find [Te Matatini] a sustainable funding platform? Yes, I do."
Hipkins said he wanted to understand more about the event's costs, and what its "ultimate ambitions" are.
The seasoned kapa haka group, hailing from Mātaatua, wowed the judges and crowds alike with their performance at Auckland's Eden Park. (Source: 1News)
"Let's work with them to make sure we can do that in an enduring and sustainable way."
In response to the PM's comments, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said he had missed the point of calls for more funding.
"The prime minister has missed the point; we've had 'sustainable' funding for 50 years.
"We need a level of funding that will advance the kaupapa and recognise the cultural and economic return Te Matatini brings to Aotearoa. The prime minister's lack of understanding is missing valuable opportunities for our country," he said in a statement.
In the past week, the party has renewed its calls to increase the budget for Te Matatini to $19 million.
Last year, Te Pāti Māori's co-leaders penned an open letter to the then-associate arts minister Kiritapu Allan — highlighting the difference in funding compared with other "Performing Arts Services".
In Budget 2022, Te Matatini received a boost of $1 million — bringing the full annual funding from the Government to $2.9 million.
In comparison, the Symphony Orchestra receives around $16.5 million a year, while the Royal New Zealand Ballet receives $7 million.
The biennial kapa haka festival took place for the first time in four years at Eden Park last week — after a hiatus due to Covid-19.
More than 40 groups from around the country competed this year.
This year's winners were Te Whānau-ā-Apanui — many members of whom would travel to the Eastern Bay of Plenty for training every weekend for several months.
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