Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson has acknowledged that the Government needs to find innovative ways to engage with rangatahi Māori to improve Covid-19 vaccine uptake.
Young Māori have been particularly hard to encourage getting the Covid-19 jab, compared to older generations and frontline workers who were a primary focus early on in the pandemic.
Jackson told Breakfast that many young Māori don't access the same media as older generations, so it's essential to look at different ways of getting the message out.
"We've got a group of Māori who are totally disengaged in terms of learning Te Reo, in terms of listening to Māori radio and television," he said.
Jackson added that the difficulties of engaging with rangatahi Māori aren't new, having struggled to find ways to encourage young Māori to vote for years.
"That's been a huge challenge, and this [Covid-19 vaccination uptake] is a challenge too," Jackson said.
"We've got to find a way to get to our rangatahi, and don't tell me there's an easy way to access them - I've been trying to all my political life."
Jackson said the Government is looking at new strategies to get rangatahi Māori vaccinated for Covid-19.
Jackson said engaging with young influencers and role models such as Stan Walker may be pivotal in turning vaccine efficacy around for young Māori.
"There are lots of different strategies that we have to bring together to motivate our young ones; this is not an easy area."
Jackson said it was encouraging to see the Government taking a new approach to vaccine efficacy with rollout of mobile vaccination units on Thursday.
'Shot Bro', the first vaccination bus, hit the road in Auckland, aimed at reaching some of the city's most vulnerable whānau.
It's hoped the vaccine buses will help improve vaccine uptake among those hardest to reach, who may be more hesitant about taking the Covid-19 vaccine.
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