Title

Senior Associate

Profile

Paul Hamer is an independent researcher and writer.  He is the author of a major research report about Māori in Australia.  This report, which was written for Te Puni Kōkiri and released in September 2007, provides the most comprehensive historical, demographic and social profile to date of the burgeoning Māori population across the Tasman.  Paul’s research for this project took place while he was a visiting fellow at Griffith University in Brisbane during the first nine months of 2006.

He has been a Senior Associate of the Institute of Policy Studies since April 2008 and, in July 2009, joined the team working on the 'Missing Men' research project led by Paul Callister.  His main focus for this project is on the impact on te reo Māori of trans-Tasman migration, with a particular view to establishing:

- whether the migration of such a large number of Māori to Australia inevitably includes the departure of many people skilled in or learning te reo and mātauranga Māori, and what if any impact on te reo this is having;

- how Māori are faring in maintaining te reo Māori in Australia; and

- to what extent return migration to New Zealand is motivated by a desire to learn te reo.

This research will be supported by the purchase of census data that profiles Māori speakers in Australia, as well as questionnaires for those involved in teaching te reo in Australia and New Zealand.  To learn more and download the questionnaires click here.

Career History

Paul is an historian by training whose work to date has largely been in the Treaty settlements area.  He began his professional career in 1992 as a policy analyst at the then Treaty of Waitangi Policy Unit in the former Department of Justice.  In late 1993 he began working at the Waitangi Tribunal as a research officer.  Early on in his career at the Tribunal he began to focus predominantly on helping Tribunal panels write their published reports, and in 1996 was made the Tribunal’s Senior Report Writer, the manager of the staff assisting Tribunal members with this work.

In his time at the Tribunal Paul helped write the Maori Electoral Option (1994), Ngai Tahu Ancillaries (1995), Turangi Township (1995), Whanganui River (1999), Ngati Awa Raupatu (1999), Pakakohi and Tangahoe Settlement Claims (2000), Mohaka ki Ahuriri (2004) and Te Arawa Mandate (2004) reports.  He also contributed significantly to other reports in his capacity as leader of the staff report writing section.

In late 2004 Paul commenced working for Te Puni Kōkiri, initially as a senior analyst and, from mid-2005, as a policy manager.  While at Te Puni Kōkiri he researched and wrote the Māori in Australia report, managed the Ministry’s Treaty settlements work, and also had spells as manager of monitoring and research.  He left Te Puni Kōkiri in late 2007.

Aside from his work for the Institute of Policy Studies, he is also currently contracted to the Tribunal to help write the Wai 262 report on Māori claims to indigenous flora and fauna and intellectual and cultural property rights.

Paul has a BA from Victoria University, a BA Hons (First Class) in history from Canterbury University, and an MA in history (Distinction) from Victoria University.  His Masters thesis was a study of evolving Pākehā attitudes to the indigenous in New Zealand.

Selected Recent Publications and Speeches

Hamer, P (2009), 'One in Six? The Rapid Growth of the Māori Population in Australia', New Zealand Population Review, 33/34, pp 153-176.

Hamer, P (2009) Measuring Māori in Australia: Insights and Obstacles, Social Policy Journal of New Zealand,36, pp 77-81

Hamer, P (2008) 'Māori in Australia: Voting Rights and Behaviour' Policy Quarterly , Vol.4(3)

Hamer, P (2008) 'The Māori Land Court's Australian Clients' Presentation to the Maori Land Court judges’ seminar, 11 June.

Hamer, P (2008) 'Rumour has it wrong about lure of the mines' New Zealand Herald, May 2.

Hamer, P (2008) 'Maori in Australia: education issues' Speech to Te Whanau o Waipareira’s 21st Century Education – Summit 2008, 16 April

Hamer, P (2008) 'Maori in Australia: the rise of a trans-national people' Ministry of Culture and Heritage public talk, 5 March

Hamer, P (2008) 'Living and dying in the lucky country' New Zealand Herald, February 12

Hamer, P (2007) 'Tracking the Australian-resident Maori population' Paper presented to the Population Association of New Zealand conference, 3 July

Hamer, P (2007) Maori in Australia: Nga Maori i Te Ao Moemoea (Wellington: Te Puni Kokiri)

Hamer, P (2005) 'Rugby and Race in New Zealand' Alternative Law Journal (Melbourne), 30(5), pp 244, 251.

Hamer, P (2004) 'A quarter-century of the Waitangi Tribunal: Responding to the challenge' in Janine Hayward and Nicola Wheen (eds), The Waitangi Tribunal: Te Roopu Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi (Wellington, Bridget Williams Books), pp 3-14