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RNZ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Hawke's Bay iwi Ngāti Kahungunu protest sale of ancestral mountain
Members of Ngāti Kahungunu protest the sale of Kahurānaki Station which includes the mountain of the same name. Photo: Supplied/Myra Lynn Barber Members of Hawke's Bay iwi Ngāti Kahungunu have gathered on Monday at Kahurānaki Station to protest the recent sale of the station which includes the ancestral mountain of the same name. Kahurānaki Station - a 1156 hectare sheep and beef farm south of Havelock North - came up for sale earlier this year, the first time the station had been on the market for over 100 years. The iwi launched a fundraising campaign to buy it, including the 'He Maunga Ka Taea' horse trek from Māhia to the summit of Kahurānaki over 10 days, but were unsuccessful in their bid. Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Chair and Waimārama Marae spokesperson, Bayden Barber said they didn't advertise the protest but the 'kūmara vine' did its work and about 70 whānau turned up. "From our point of view it's unacceptable that we're not the ones being negotiated with to buy back Kahurānaki Station, simple as that," he said. Barber said the station owner unexpectedly met the protest at the driveway and shared some information with the whānau who joined. It's been a month since the iwi bid was unsuccessful and the preferred purchasers had yet to engage with the iwi, he said. "We want to have an engagement, a conversation, so that they understand the importance of Kahurānaki to us. We'd love to buy it off them, we'd actually love for the settlement not to happen." Ngāti Kahungunu Chair Bayden Barber (center) at a protest against the sale of Kahurānaki Station. Photo: Supplied/Myra Lynn Barber Barber said the iwi is hopeful that the purchasers will engage in open dialogue about how the aspirations of marae and hapū can be met, but the iwi can't do anything if they don't know who they are talking to. Tamatea Pōkai Whenua Trust tendered the bid on behalf of the iwi, chair Pohatu Paku said both the trust and wider community were disappointed by the sale of the station to an undisclosed buyer. "We undertook an exhaustive due diligence process engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and conducting thorough investigations in our bid to repatriate this taonga for our people. The overwhelming support from Kahungunu whānau, marae and hapū was a powerful testament to the collective desire to see Kahurānaki returned. Initiatives like He Maunga Ka Taea for example, along with various other fundraising efforts were expressions of that shared commitment. "We are however deeply disappointed that the tender process itself did not allow for the kind of open and transparent dialogue that is essential to honouring the true significance of this whenua. The process was inherently limited, leaving little room for meaningful negotiation or the type of engagement we believe is necessary to safeguard the interests of our people." Paku hoped the preferred purchasers of Kahurānaki Station would engage with Tamatea Pōkai Whenua in good faith. "This is not just about reclaiming land, it is about restoring a deep cultural connection, and we believe there is a real opportunity to work together, honouring the mana of this maunga. By engaging with us, the preferred purchasers will not only acknowledge the ancestral significance of this whenua, but also contribute to a positive and lasting relationship, built on respect and collaboration. We would value the opportunity to share our history and outline our aspirations and expectations as a Trust and explore how we can move forward together in a way that again, honours the true significance of this whenua." He Maunga Ka Taea fundraising campaign organiser, Kelly Aroha Huata said this is not a normal land acquisition. "This is not a straight land and sale purchase. This is whakapapa. Do the right thing. Return the whenua to those who have a deep spiritual, cultural & emotional connection to the land. Come forward and let us buy Kahurānaki back." Kahurānaki Marae and Ngāti Kahungunu kaumātua Jerry Hāpuku said "my ancestor Te Hapuku's dying wish in 1878 was to be placed so that his eyes could close watching the sacred Kahurānaki mountain. To us this is not about the money, but the mana or prestige that Kahurānaki gives our people." Barber said this is the first time in a century that there has been a chance to buy back the mountain. There are 23 marae and over 50 hapū that have a direct connection to Kahurānaki and they won't give up on it, he said. "At the end of the day our final outcome, the only outcome, is for that mountain to be back in Māori hands, Māori ownership." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Scoop
Regional Climate Hazards And Risks Report A Tool To Help Communities With Adaptation Planning
A new regional climate change hazards and risks report will help councils, iwi, businesses and communities understand and respond to the risks that may be relevant to them. The technical report was presented to the council's Climate Action Committee last week, along with the council's own organisational climate change risk assessment. Senior Regional Hazards Advisor Whitney Mills, co-author of the report, told councillors it was a one stop shop of all currently known climate hazards and risks for each district in the region. 'It will help the 11 local councils in the Waikato region with climate adaptation planning, and it will help the regional council to prioritise our own adaption responses across the region,' she said. The report details possible risks (impacts) from severe weather and flooding, coastal inundation and erosion, drought, temperature increases, landslides and erosion, increased fire weather and sea level rise. The risks, which were identified in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders, include direct and indirect impacts to people, the natural environment, the economy, the built environment and governance/institutions. 'The report includes a high-level hazard and risk exposure map for each local council area that shows where the identified hazards and risks occur now and for the future,' said Ms Mills. 'There are different levels of climate hazard and risk across the districts and understanding this helps us to prioritise our work.' Chair Jennifer Nickel praised the publication of the regional assessment as being a significant milestone for enabling others – sectors, organisations or individuals – to have as a robust, evidence-based input for making their own plans for adapting to the impacts of climate change. 'People are becoming more aware of the need to build resilience into their lives and the organisations and sectors that they work and play in. 'Not everyone may have it front of mind, considering the many pressing issues in people's lives, but many will likely know someone who has been affected in some way by higher average temperatures or extreme weather impacts. 'The Coromandel Peninsula is highly vulnerable to landslips from intense rainfall events, for example, as seen during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023. This event caused significant road damage, including the closure of State Highway 25A, leaving many communities isolated and cut off. 'The Hauraki Plains, which relies heavily on reticulated water for farming, is highly vulnerable to reduced water availability during prolonged dry periods. This leads to heat stress on animals and plant species, reduced pasture feed, and affects food production, which all impacts our environment, people and the economy. 'This technical report compiles extensive information to help in the development of climate adaptation plans at a range of scales, so can be used by anyone, including businesses, primary producers, communities, iwi/Māori, researchers, local government, and public sector agencies. I hope it will be widely shared and used. 'It's a tool that can help to identify areas needing focused risk management, initiate detailed risk assessments, raise community awareness about climate change and prioritise adaptation responses and investment.' Waikato Regional Council is using the report to inform its own climate change risk assessment. Sustainability and Climate Change Senior Advisor Joy Moir, who presented the council's Organisational Climate Change Risk Assessment to the committee said the report had helped the council to identify 77 physical risks and 18 transition risks to the organisation's assets, operations and responsibilities. Action plans were already underway or being planned to address these risks. 'The main hazards they relate to are extreme weather events, increased intense rainfall and drought,' said Mrs Moir. 'Most of the physical risks identified are to our flood protection assets, but water quality and quantity, the coastal marine area, biodiversity and biosecurity are also spaces we work in that are highly sensitive to climate change.' The greatest transition risks relate to funding, the council's regulatory response and reputation. The regional climate change hazards and risks technical report and Waikato Regional Council's organisational climate change risk assessment can be viewed in the agenda of May's Climate Action Committee. The agenda, a recording of the meeting, and presentations to the committee can be found here:
RNZ News
19-05-2025
- RNZ News
Treaty settlement renames iconic sites in central North Island
A large scenic reserve extending from west of Waimarino south to Horopito has been named Ngātokoerua Scenic Reserve. Photo: LDR/Moana Ellis Tribal place names have been restored for prominent landmarks and places across the central North Island. Eleven name changes to mountains, a lake, scenic reserves and other places have been made following the treaty settlement of iwi collective Te Korowai o Wainuiārua. The changes gazetted by Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board include seven new and altered geographic names, including two Crown-protected area names. Four Crown-protected area names have been discontinued. Lake Hawkes, a lake 19km west-northwest of Waimarino, which feeds into Waikauwau Stream, is now Lake Pohoare. Mount Dawson, 24km west-northwest of Waimarino, is now Ōruru Maunga. Tahora, a small site on State Highway 43 Forgotten World Highway, 14km north-northeast of Whangamōmona, is now Tahorapāroa, and Tahora Saddle, a pass on the highway about 10km north-northeast of Whangamōmona, is now Tahorapāroa Saddle. The fifth altered name is Mount Humphries in the Matemateaonga Range, 45km east of Stratford, which becomes Whakaihuwaka Maunga. A new Crown-protected area name has been created. A large scenic reserve extending from immediately west of Waimarino, south to Horopito, has been named Ngātokoerua Scenic Reserve. The reserve has been created through the reclassification of Erua Conservation Area and Erua Forest Sanctuary as a scenic reserve. Another Crown-protected area - a scenic reserve on State Highway 43 Forgotten World Highway, about 15km north-northeast of Whangamōmona - has been changed from Tahora Scenic Reserve to Tahorapāroa Scenic Reserve. The names Erua Forest Sanctuary (for a sanctuary area 6km south-southwest of Waimarino), Ngapakihi Scenic Reserve and Raetihi Scenic Reserve (for scenic reserves immediately south of Raetihi), and Pipiriki Scenic Reserve (for a scenic reserve at Pipiriki) have been discontinued. The Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Act 2025 came into effect in March, bringing an end to decades of claims work by the people of Uenuku, Tamakana and Tamahaki (represented collectively as Te Korowai o Wainuiārua) over breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Geographic Board gazetted the changes last week. In December last year, Land Information Minister Chris Penk approved changing the name of National Park Village to Waimarino, following a request by Te Korowai o Wainuiārua researchers. Waimarino is the original Māori name for the area, referring to "calm waters" pooling on the plains as they leave the mountain. The Geographic Board considered more than 2000 submissions on the proposal. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
16-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Whānau Ora commissioning agency Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu farewells staff
Photo: Maxwell Productions South Island iwi have been celebrating the successes of Whānau Ora commissioning agency Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, as they farewell staff at a series of events around the South Island. As of the end of June, the organisation will no longer provide Whānau Ora services after a change in Government direction, with Te Puni Kōkiri opening the contracts to other providers . It means around 40 staff will be without jobs, with a further 100 from the partner navigator network. Six poroporoaki (farewell events) have been held across the South Island, where staff and whanau have spoken of their devastation at the agency's closure, and celebrated the many success stories that resulted from its mahi. Whānau Ora was created in 2010 by the late Dame Tariana Turia in an effort to improve social and health services for Māori. Dame Tariana Turia led the establishment of Whānau Ora and said it was about empowering whānau to take control of their future. Photo: RNZ Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu general partnership board chair Tā Mark Solomon said the agency worked on behalf of eight South Island iwi to determine the best ways to support whānau development. Solomon recalled when he first heard about Whānau Ora, at a meeting with Dame Turia in Christchurch more than a decade ago. "I stood up at the end and asked her, if I could get all the tribes of Te Waipounamu to come together, could we put in a bid for the Whānau Ora commissioning agency? "She gave a bit of a giggle and said yes, if you think you can get the tribes together by all means." Solomon said two meetings later, they were united. He said it was the first time in history that all the tribes of Te Waiponamu had come together to work collectively. They put in a bid for the contract and were successful. Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu general partnership board chair Tā Mark Solomon says in the last 11 years, the agency has worked with thousands of whanau across the South Island. Photo: Maxwell Productions An independent evaluation of the agency's direct social investment model hailed it as an "outstanding exemplar of an organisation delivering public services that actually work". The evaluation demonstrated that the most conservative impact implied an economic benefit of $2.40 for every $1 of investment. It also found that across 83 funded initiatives, almost 5000 Māori were positively impacted, with the value of increased life satisfaction combined put at $7.2m. "Proud is an understatement. I'm absolutely in awe of what has been done and the good that it has brought to Te Waipounamu," Solomon said. In the last five years, Te Pūtahitanga navigators had worked with 14,973 whanau and more than 8,000 people had been supported into employment within communities across the South Island. The poroporoaki (farewell) for Whānau Ora commissioning agency Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu at Ngā Hau E Whā Marae in Ōtautahi. Photo: Maxwell Productions The new provider, Solomon said, was working under a "totally different" framework. "Whānau ora to me is families themselves determining what they need and what goals they need to set to change their life, it's not to be dictated by a government policy." Te Taumata, the iwi shareholder council of Te Pūtahitanga, co chair and Ngāti Kuia representative Hina-i-te māra Moses-Te Kani said the poroporoaki in Ōtautahi on Thursday was an emotional celebration. She said for the last 11 years, it had been given the opportunity to celebrate mana motuhake, self determination, with funding from the Crown. It had supported countless business ideas through Tūātea, the social investment fund that gave whānau the agency to realise their own aspirations. The Te Whanau O Waipareira vax team help vaccinate locals in Papakura as part of Whanau Ora campaign on November 30, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. Photo: 2021 Getty Images "Whānau would come to us with their dreams and aspirations and we had coaches and support people and champions who supported them to set up their organisations in the right way, to live the dream that they wanted to live... one of the outcomes was getting more people into jobs and we created thousands of jobs in this kaupapa." Many of those businesses were focused on hauora, health and fitness, rongoā Māori, hospitality, art and design. "We had a 12-year-old who wanted to be the leading poi manufacturer in the world and she achieved that at 14." She said research showed that the agency had developed one of the most successful international indigenous commissioning models in the word, supporting whanau intergenerationally. "It's one of the key celebrations for us - this is intrinsically kaupapa Māori all day, every day." The Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu main office in Christchurch will close on Friday, after the agency lost the contract to provide Whānau Ora services across the South Island. Photo: She was still in disbelief at the Government's change in focus, which was now directed at deprivation instead of self-determination. "How could such a successful life-changing model - moving whanau from deprivation without even focusing on that - how could it be seen as not the right model?" Moses-Te Kani said the iwi alliance across the South Island remained strong and the whanau ora movement created in Te Waipounamu would continue to shine through. "I think that the legacy from Te Pūtahitanga will morph into something new and something brilliant and we won't completely disappear. What we have created here is like a beautiful flowing awa across the whole of Te Waipounamu and the next brilliant thing will turn up, maybe it'll be international money, or maybe it'll be somebody else's money that will support the kaupapa that we're doing." Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka says the government continues to back the initiative, as seen by the commitment of $180 million in last year's Budget. Photo: RNZ/Samuel Rillstone Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka announced earlier this month that four new community-based Whānau Ora commissioning agencies will replace the three agencies that have led the scheme since its inception. The South Island contract has been awarded to Te Tauraki Limited, a subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. He said the agencies were selected to deliver on the government's focus to provide better public services, which were moving in a "refreshed direction". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
16-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Whānau Ora commissioning agency Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu farewells 200 staff
Photo: Maxwell Productions South Island iwi have been celebrating the successes of Whānau Ora commissioning agency Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, as they farewell staff at a series of events around the South Island. As of the end of June, the organisation will no longer provide Whānau Ora services after a change in Government direction, with Te Puni Kōkiri opening the contracts to other providers . It means around 200 staff will be without jobs. Six poroporoaki (farewell events) have been held across the South Island, where staff and whanau have spoken of their devastation at the agency's closure, and celebrated the many success stories that resulted from its mahi. Whānau Ora was created in 2010 by the late Dame Tariana Turia in an effort to improve social and health services for Māori. Dame Tariana Turia led the establishment of Whānau Ora and said it was about empowering whānau to take control of their future. Photo: RNZ Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu general partnership board chair Tā Mark Solomon said the agency worked on behalf of eight South Island iwi to determine the best ways to support whānau development. Solomon recalled when he first heard about Whānau Ora, at a meeting with Dame Turia in Christchurch more than a decade ago. "I stood up at the end and asked her, if I could get all the tribes of Te Waipounamu to come together, could we put in a bid for the Whānau Ora commissioning agency? "She gave a bit of a giggle and said yes, if you think you can get the tribes together by all means." Solomon said two meetings later, they were united. He said it was the first time in history that all the tribes of Te Waiponamu had come together to work collectively. They put in a bid for the contract and were successful. Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu general partnership board chair Tā Mark Solomon says in the last 11 years, the agency has worked with thousands of whanau across the South Island. Photo: Maxwell Productions An independent evaluation of the agency's direct social investment model hailed it as an "outstanding exemplar of an organisation delivering public services that actually work". The evaluation demonstrated that the most conservative impact implied an economic benefit of $2.40 for every $1 of investment. It also found that across 83 funded initiatives, almost 5000 Māori were positively impacted, with the value of increased life satisfaction combined put at $7.2m. "Proud is an understatement. I'm absolutely in awe of what has been done and the good that it has brought to Te Waipounamu," Solomon said. In the last five years, Te Pūtahitanga navigators had worked with 14,973 whanau and more than 8,000 people had been supported into employment within communities across the South Island. The poroporoaki (farewell) for Whānau Ora commissioning agency Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu at Ngā Hau E Whā Marae in Ōtautahi. Photo: Maxwell Productions The new provider, Solomon said, was working under a "totally different" framework. "Whānau ora to me is families themselves determining what they need and what goals they need to set to change their life, it's not to be dictated by a government policy." Te Taumata, the iwi shareholder council of Te Pūtahitanga, co chair and Ngāti Kuia representative Hina-i-te māra Moses-Te Kani said the poroporoaki in Ōtautahi on Thursday was an emotional celebration. She said for the last 11 years, it had been given the opportunity to celebrate mana motuhake, self determination, with funding from the Crown. It had supported countless business ideas through Tūātea, the social investment fund that gave whānau the agency to realise their own aspirations. The Te Whanau O Waipareira vax team help vaccinate locals in Papakura as part of Whanau Ora campaign on November 30, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. Photo: 2021 Getty Images "Whānau would come to us with their dreams and aspirations and we had coaches and support people and champions who supported them to set up their organisations in the right way, to live the dream that they wanted to live... one of the outcomes was getting more people into jobs and we created thousands of jobs in this kaupapa." Many of those businesses were focused on hauora, health and fitness, rongoā Māori, hospitality, art and design. "We had a 12-year-old who wanted to be the leading poi manufacturer in the world and she achieved that at 14." She said research showed that the agency had developed one of the most successful international indigenous commissioning models in the word, supporting whanau intergenerationally. "It's one of the key celebrations for us - this is intrinsically kaupapa Māori all day, every day." The Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu main office in Christchurch will close on Friday, after the agency lost the contract to provide Whānau Ora services across the South Island. Photo: She was still in disbelief at the Government's change in focus, which was now directed at deprivation instead of self-determination. "How could such a successful life-changing model - moving whanau from deprivation without even focusing on that - how could it be seen as not the right model?" Moses-Te Kani said the iwi alliance across the South Island remained strong and the whanau ora movement created in Te Waipounamu would continue to shine through. "I think that the legacy from Te Pūtahitanga will morph into something new and something brilliant and we won't completely disappear. What we have created here is like a beautiful flowing awa across the whole of Te Waipounamu and the next brilliant thing will turn up, maybe it'll be international money, or maybe it'll be somebody else's money that will support the kaupapa that we're doing." Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka says the government continues to back the initiative, as seen by the commitment of $180 million in last year's Budget. Photo: RNZ/Samuel Rillstone Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka announced earlier this month that four new community-based Whānau Ora commissioning agencies will replace the three agencies that have led the scheme since its inception. The South Island contract has been awarded to Te Tauraki Limited, a subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. He said the agencies were selected to deliver on the government's focus to provide better public services, which were moving in a "refreshed direction". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
