Maori leaders say their people must be in charge of any partnership with the Government to reduce Maori welfare dependency.
The Welfare Working Group has recommended a formal partnership between iwi leaders and the Government be set up to tackle the high numbers of Maori on benefits.
The report says a third of working-age Maori - almost 113,000 people - are on a benefit.
One of the report's authors, Enid Ratahi-Pryor, says Maori are over-represented because of many issues including health and education problems.
The Maori Council supports a joint approach, and a member of the Iwi Leaders Forum, Toko Renata, says it would work as long as the Government does not set the policy guidelines.
