Fiercely independent Chatham Islanders look to build a sustainable future

Newsroom

29-04-2025

For generations, New Zealand's remotest community existed without outside help.
Now the 600-odd residents of the Chatham Islands can't live and thrive here without a lot of public money.
Millions of dollars is needed for a long-awaited new ship to freight goods on and off the islands, replacing the old Southern Tiare. Residents also want a fairer share of the fishing quota in the waters surrounding the Chathams, better wharf facilities and cheaper electricity.
They want to build their economy and create opportunities for their children who live on the island and bring back those who have left.
Local fisherman Tom 'Chubb' Lanauze recalls dozens of pupils attended the local schools until fishing quotas were introduced in the 1990s.
'There was a huge family base here, like for instance, Kaingaroa School there were 60 kids. Te One school, there was a huge population,' he says.
'Once the quota management system got introduced families moved.'
Gone with the families was a lot of industry and money, he says.
The fiercely independent islanders don't want handouts, Newsroom Pro managing editor Jonathan Milne says, but it is difficult to keep a remote community going in the 21st century.
'This is not some kind of benefit basket-case economy. But times have changed and what we require, what civilisation requires now, the extent of the infrastructure that's required – ports and airports and stuff – that's not something that they can sustain on their own as a community, that's not something they can pay for on their own.'
Milne joined the Air Force Hercules on a brief visit to the Chathams earlier this month. The delegation was led by Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, complete with a brass band and a chilly bin full of kumara, with Jones joking that he would leave with it filled with local seafood.
Crew on one of the Air Force's new C-130J Super Hercules load up in Wellington, before embarking for the Chatham Islands with a delegation led by Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. Photo: Jonathan Milne
Also on board were government officials, other journalists, and business leaders who see the potential for government money to be spent on infrastructure. Milne says there are opportunities in roading and ports construction, water and power.
Soon-to-finish wind turbines will bring down the cost of power on the island but prices will still be double the amount mainlanders pay.
'So there's an opportunity to save money further on electricity,' Milne says.
Lanauze says the community wants fairer access to fishing quotas in the waters surrounding the Chathams and better wharf facilities.
'It gives us more revenue coming back through the island, more incentive for the young ones to come home,' he says in an interview with Milne.
It is not clear whether the Chathams community could be in line for more money from the quota or be given greater access to the surrounding fishing grounds, says Milne.
'Shane Jones says the government's actually kept back a little stash of quota for use in settlement of litigation and whatnot which comes along occasionally.
'So he's looking into whether that quota could be used to help develop the Chatham Islands. He seems a bit equivocal though when you talk to him about whether he would actually hand over that quota to the Chathams to fish themselves or whether he would provide them the revenues from that quota.'
Despite its unique circumstances, the country's remotest community shares more than one common problem with our largest city.
Like Auckland, the Chathams has a housing crisis but on a much smaller scale, because the council cannot afford to build the infrastructure required.
But it is working with the big city in at least one area – water. Under this Government's Local Water Done Well scheme to address infrastructure challenges, the Chathams council leaders met up with their counterparts at Auckland Council.
'Auckland Council agreed to at least support them with advice in the first instance on setting up their new water and wastewater utility,' says Milne. That agreement could one day extend to the Chathams taking a stake in Watercare.
'I think that's quite wonderful. You've got the biggest and smallest councils teaming up, trying to work out how they can help each other.'
Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here.
You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter.