Governor-General urges young to learn Te Reo Maori

Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy has been introduced to life in the Far North this week on her first official visit to Kaitaia. Over three days, she's been welcomed by school children, held a citizenship ceremony, admired Maori industry, training schools and conservation projects, and met many locals. Dame Patsy says she was deeply impressed by the efforts of two people in particular to tackle the problems of health, homelessness and unemployment on the Far North - Dr Lance O'Sullivan and the winner of the recent Local Hero of the Year award Ricky Houghton. But she told RNZ Northland reporter Lois Williams she was saddened by the dire state of some of the housing she saw on her travels. Dame Patsy says she was also impressed by the bilingual children she met at Kaitaia Primary School. She says she first encountered Te Ao Maori as a lawyer, working as a Treaty negotiator for Crown, and she's now making a determined effort to learn te reo Maori.