Maori Language Week is off to a enthusiastic start with police, banks and New Zealand Rugby all jumping aboard the te reo waka.

LISTEN ABOVE TO POLICE COMMISSIONER, MIKE BUSH, TALK WITH CHRIS LYNCH ON LARRY WILLIAMS DRIVE

Te Wiki o te reo Maori started in 1975 and this year the theme is 'Kia ora te reo', chosen to celebrate the indigenous greeting.

It kicked off on Monday morning, and hopes to promote discussions about how best to continue revitalising te reo Maori.

Prime Minister Bill English admitted to Newshub on Monday morning he couldn't count to 10 in Maori, but said he had some vocabulary.

"I don't know a whole lot; I can understand roughly about half of what's said, and I can use some of it."

A police car in Counties Manukau also has had a makeover, with yellow and blue koru as the background to a bold-lettered "pirihimana", the Maori translation for police.

Commissioner Mike Bush says they want to to do something visible to show support for the language.

However, the act has been slammed by former National MP Tau Henare, who tweeted it's "insensitive and moronic" given that over half of the prison population is Maori.

Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell has challenged New Zealanders to use the week to make a change that lasts more than the seven days.

"No matter what level your te reo Maori is, everyone should be able to think of a change they can introduce to their own lives to support more Maori in our communities."

This year the week comes during an election campaign where policies that promote te reo Maori have been debated. Among them are whether learning the language at school should be compulsory or not.

Te reo Maori is an official language of New Zealand along with English and New Zealand Sign Language.

TE REO MAORI MILESTONES:
* The ANZ Bank's 650 ATMs will now offer a te reo option
* New Zealand Rugby announced Clayton McMillan as the new Maori All Blacks coach in a press release entirely in te reo
* The first Disney Film to be translated into te reo, 2016 smash hit Moana, will debut on Monday night in theatres around the country.