The activists behind the historic 1972 Māori Language Petition have not given up on their dream to have te reo taught in all schools.
Jim Bolger entered parliament that same year.
He doesn't recall the petition having much impact at the time but that changed.
It led to the first annual Māori Language day and later Māori Language Week, but successive governments have not gone as far as to make te reo compulsory.
When Jim Bolger became Prime Minister in 1990 he tried and failed to make this happen at the Primary level.
He spoke to RNZ reporter Te Aniwa Hurihanganui.
