The New Zealand Herald has caved to public pressure and is changing its policy of banning death notices in Te Reo Māori without an English translation.
It comes after pressure from Bay of Plenty woman, Te Atarangi Whiu, and others on social media who were outraged the paper refused to publish Ms Whiu's mother's one-year-memorial notice - because it was written in Te Reo. Ms Whiu was told she would have to pay for the space taken up by both the Te Reo version and the English translation.
The Herald's parent company NZME has apologised and the notice was published in another NZME newspaper The Bay of Plenty Times.
NZME adds it is reviewing the policy in regards to publishing material in other languages.
Ms Whiu told Newshub she's pleased with the outcome, despite it taking until 2016 for things to change.
"I don't think it's just a win for me, it's a win for the nation and a win for the [Māori] language," she says.
"I think this should be celebrated by all New Zealanders as it means the policy has been changed across their whole media network."
Ms Whiu adds Te Reo should never be seen as a burden and needs to be normalised in New Zealand society.
The New Zealand Herald called the incident "regrettable" and says it respects Te Reo.
In a statement to Māori Television, Neil Jackson, the Herald's General Commercial Manager for Auckland and Northland, says "the Herald is championing Māori Language Week but we have let ourselves down in this instance."
Newshub.
