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Report To:
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Komiti
Māori
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Meeting
Date:
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13
April 2023
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Report
Authoriser:
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Kataraina O’Brien, Tumu Herenga
Tangata – General Manager Strategic Engagement
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Executive Summary
This
report provides a collective update on matters within Komiti Māori focus
areas and general matters of interest across the regional Māori
landscape including:
1. Manuhiri – Guest Speakers:
· Katie
Paul - Hau Kainga – Te Takinga Marae & Climate Change
· Geoff
Rolleston – Te Arawa Lakes Trust
· Arapeta
Tahana - Te Kotahi a Pikiao - Hau kainga strategic projects
· Corey
Ruha - Tūhourangi Tribal Authority Taiao Project
· Professor
Kura Paul-Burke and Roana Bennett - Te Wahapu o Waihī Project Overview
2. A series
of brief updates on matters including:
· Freshwater
programme update
· Te
Tai Waiora Report and Treads in Māori Wellbeing – The Treasury
· Toi
Kai Rawa Project update
· Whakatōhea
Settlement Signing
· Rates
Remission Policy Project
· Annual
Plan 2024 Update
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Recommendations
That the Komiti Māori:
1 Receives the report, Chairperson's Report.
1. Kaupapa Tuatahi: Guest
Speakers
1.1 Hau Kainga Presentation
– Te Takinga Marae & Climate Change
Presenter: Katie
Paul Te Takinga Marae Life Member Trustee
Katie Paul is a former NZ diplomat, CEO and
professional Director and Trustee. She is now a Senior Associate with Te Whenua
Law firm which aims to strengthen Māori advocacy within the New Zealand
justice system. She grew up on Te Takinga marae and is a lifetime Trustee.
Te Takinga marae is located on the Ohau Channel, nestled
between Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti. It was the first marae to host a Waitangi
Tribunal hearing in NZ in the landmark 1984 Kaituna Claim. Concerned about
climate change on marae lands (flooding and soil erosion), the marae Trust
wants to future proof itself and ensure that the hapū remains resilient in
the face of future environmental shocks.
1.2 Te Arawa Lakes
Trust: Brief Update
Presenter:
Geoff Rolleston, Chairman – Te Arawa Lakes Trust
Geoff is the trustee for Te Ure o Uenukukōpako and
Te Arawa Lakes Trust’s interim Chairman until the Board confirms a new appointment.
Geoff has served on Te Arawa Lakes Trust since 2015 and brings strong
commercial and management experience to the table.
Having spent most of his working career in private
enterprise associated with the timber and agri-business industries, he has
accumulated invaluable experience in sales, marketing, negotiation, and dispute resolution.
With reference to the business
of Te Arawa Lakes Trust, he offers networks to help create a more vibrant and
commercial existence for our iwi, over and above just being recognised as
kaitiaki and administrators for our taonga
Geoff is keen
to support the current vision and strategy to drive the organisation to a whole
new level in terms of its financial and operational objectives and will provide
a brief update at the meeting on key areas of focus for Te Arawa Lakes Trust.
1.3 Te Kotahi a Pikiao
– Guiding Values & Strategic Focus Areas
Presenter:
Arapeta Tahana (Strategy Manager) – Ngāti Pikiao
Arapeta was raised on the shores of Lake Rotoiti at
Tawhakarere bay amongst his Ngāti Pikiao whanau. Arapeta has
recently been appointed to lead a new initiative for Ngāti Pikiao, Te
Kotahi a Pikiao. In this role Arapeta brings a wealth of experience, networks,
and skills to drive collaborative initiatives to strengthen the strategic
impact of over 50 entities across the Ngāti Pikiao landscape.
Arapeta has a background in iwi development, strategy
development, collaborative initiatives, and iwi/government partnerships.
He has served as a BOPRC regional councillor from 2013-2019, is a current
trustee of the Te Arawa Lakes Trust and a Trustee and Director of several
Ngāti Pikiao affiliated land trusts and subsidiaries.
About Te Kotahi a Pikiao
Te Kotahi a Pikiao is a collaborative kaupapa focused on
realising synergies and strengthening the strategic impact of some 50+ entities
that make up the Ngati Pikiao landscape. This kaupapa is guided by the
whakatauki of our tupuna Pikiaorangi - “Herea nga weri o te kiki, kia
kore ai e matata - Fasten the tassels of our cloak so we may never be broken
apart”.
Arapeta will provide an overview of the guiding values and
strategic focus areas and projects being delivered by Te Kotahi a Pikiao, with
a particular focus on work we are doing to strengthen our influence,
contribution, and action in the environmental space. Arapeta will also
briefly highlight the unique attributes, scale, and potential of Ngati Pikiao
land and environment from a sustainability perspective.
1.4 Tūhourangi Tribal Authority Taiao
Project
Presenter:
Corey Ruha Te Arawa
Ko Paeroa te pae maunga
Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Ruha te tangata
He uri tēnei
Ko Corey Ruha tōku ingoa
He uri whakaheke nō Te Arawa, Tainui me Mātaatua
waka
He uri whakatupu nō Ahitereira.
Corey Ruha has a background in
mechanical engineering but moved into the spaces of environmental enhancement
and research. He currently works part time in several roles including
Environmental Coordinator for Tūhourangi Tribal Authority and Researcher
and Project Manager at Te Kotahi Research Institute.
Corey aspires for all data and information to be
accessible and digestible for all Māori so that we can enact genuine
partnership and all Māori can eventually thrive in their tupuna rohe.
Corey will be speaking on the
Tūhourangi Tribal Authority’s Taiao Wānanga series held in 2022
and the report produced from this and will outline proposed next steps to
ensure an enduring Relationship between Tūhourangi Tribal Authority and
Toi Moana. This project was funded by Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council
via engagement on the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020.
The Tuhourangi Tribal Authority
and Te Mana o Te Wai Aspirations is attached as an Attachment 1.
1.5 Te Wahapu o
Waihī Project Overview
Presenters: Associate
Professor Kura Paul-Bourke and Roana Bennett, Kaiwhakahaere, Te Rūnanga o
Ngāti Whakaue Ki Maketu
Professor
Kura Paul-Burke blends western science with mātauranga Māori to help
coastal communities manage marine taonga.
Using local understanding of natural signs –
ngā tohu o te taiao – and maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar)
to complement western tools, Associate Professor Paul-Burke facilitates
co-developed management plans to revive and sustain important species, such as
shellfish in Ohiwa Harbour and tuna (eel) in the Rangitikei River Catchment.
Her methodologies – along with techniques such as taura whiri (spat lines
woven from plant fibre instead of plastic) – are being eagerly adopted by
scientists and iwi in other regions, normalising mātauranga Māori in
marine science, empowering iwi, and delivering tangible environmental, cultural
and social gains.
Roana
Bennett holds a Bachelor of Management Studies degree from Waikato University
and was a finalist in the New Zealander of the Year Award 2015 for Innovation
in Iwi/Māori Education.
Her professional background is in strategy and governance
and has proven leadership skills.
As a lifelong advocate for Iwi development, Roana believes
Iwi well-being is inextricably linked to the environment. Te Arawa Lakes Trust
provides the potential to transform Iwi, hapū and whānau well-being
through environmental advocacy and collective action.
Te Wahapu o Waihī Project overview
Te Wahapu o Waihī is a taiao project that falls under
the leadership of 5 iwi;
· Ngāti
Whakahemo
· Ngāti
Whakaue ki Maketū
· Ngāti
Pikiao
· Ngāti
Mākino
· Tapuika
The vision of Te Wahapu o Waihī articulates the
moemoea of the iwi and is expressed as follows.
“He oranga te wahapū, he oranga te iwi: the
health of the estuary is a metaphor for the health of the people”
Nā Muriwai Ihakara
“Te Wahapū o Waihī will be succeeding
when we have a healthy mahinga kai, as an indicator of a thriving Waihī
estuary, catchment and community, for the long term.”
The presentation will articulate the work already done
and the planned work going forward, which is represented through these four
workstreams.
· Mana
Motuhake (re-connect, empower)
· Te
Wahapū (learn, study, protect estuarine mahinga kai)
· Repo
(restore wetlands)
· Whenua
(protect sensitive land and waters)
2. Kaupapa Tuarua: Freshwater Programme
Update
The Essential
Freshwater Policy Programme (EFPP) is Toi Moana - Bay of Plenty Regional
Council’s work programme to implement the requirements of the National
Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 (NPSFM) and review the Regional
Natural Resources Plan (RNRP). Simply put, this mahi considers how we, as
tangata whenua, as communities, and as Councils care for freshwater. The
programme provides iwi and hapū an opportunity to have their voices heard
alongside other stakeholders on how waterways and their environments will be
managed at a regional level and at a local level.
Tight
timeframes are necessary to achieve notification of freshwater changes to the
Regional Policy Statement (RPS) & RNRP in 2024 as required by legislation.
This year, the focus is primarily on continuing to involve tangata whenua,
community engagement and continuing to develop draft policy options, prior to
Toi Moana making decisions about what proposed changes to publicly notify in
2024.
At the same
time a number of tangata whenua planning matters are being developed or
explored by staff. These include a review of the current Kaitiakitanga Chapter
of the regional plan, the application of Te Mana o Te Wai to freshwater policy,
and how Mātauranga Māori can influence how planning rules are
implemented.
Freshwater is a
taonga for tangata whenua. The NPSFM clearly sets out increased expectation of
the active involvement of tangata whenua in freshwater management, and
provision for cultural values and mātauranga Māori. Across the motu,
there are iwi initiated freshwater projects and work continues in establishing
Kaupapa Māori EFPP projects.
Toi Moana staff
continue to invite and support iwi and hapū involvement to the extent they
want to be involved or have capacity to be involved. Tangata whenua engagement
continues into 2023 and staff are maintaining a good faith approach to
implementing the aspirations of the NPSFM.
Hui-a-Rohe
This report
provides an update on preparation of a
series of two lots of three sub-regional Hui-a-Rohe for tangata whenua to be
held in the months of May and August.
The Hui-a-Rohe
will be hosted by Toi Moana Māori Councillors and facilitated by
independent contractors. Two sessions will be held on each day from 2pm
to 4pm and 5.30pm to 7.30pm. This enables tangata whenua to have opportunity to
attend either session.
17th May
2023 Ōkurei (Rotorua) Venue TBC
18th May
2023 Mauao (Tauranga) Venue TBC
24th May
2023 Kōhī (Eastern BOP) Venue TBC
Information is
currently being designed including the multiple ways in which tangata whenua
feedback can be captured. We are also reviewing our current iwi and hapū
contact list to ensure a comprehensive list is held and maintained.
It is
anticipated that tangata whenua may be at different levels of understanding of
our programme and NPSFM requirements, therefore our approach to Hui-a-Rohe is
different to the community engagement format (drop-in sessions). A draft
outline of the agenda is below.
Agenda:
· An overview of the NPSFM and what it is asking
of us. We are being careful here to ensure the delivery and language is pitched
to our audience and the values that they hold.
· Our approach to building an understanding from
what tangata whenua have already told us.
· Furthering that understanding by having a guest
speaker from an iwi group at each Hui-a-Rohe to present their journey so far.
· Looking at future ready regulation –
Responding to Mātauranga Māori Currently referred to as the
‘portal’ approach, Council is exploring the challenge of how
Mātauranga Māori (cultural material from iwi and hapū) that is
received in the future can influence resource management decisions.
· Open floor – Q & A.
3. Kaupapa Tuatoru: Te Tai Waiora Report
and Treads in Māori Wellbeing – The Treasury
In November 2022 the Treasury
released Te Tai Waiora[1],
the Treasury’s first report on the state of wellbeing in Aotearoa New
Zealand. Te Tai Waiora uses the Living Standards Framework and He Ara Waiora to
provide a high-level overview of wellbeing across a range of aspects of life
that New Zealanders value. Overall, life in Aotearoa New Zealand has improved
over the last 20 years and is a good place to live comparative to other OECD
countries. However, areas of low or deteriorating wellbeing include the
wellbeing of children and young people and falling educational achievement,
psychological distress amongst teenagers and young adults and access to
affordable housing. The deterioration of the natural environment and climate
change also pose a threat to future wellbeing. This points towards a growing
intergenerational gap in wellbeing in the future of Aotearoa New Zealand. The
report also provides specific information on Māori wellbeing using a
framework with principles drawn from mātauranga Māori, an analysis
that has not previously been undertaken by the Treasury.
He Ara Waiora – Māori Wellbeing Framework
He Ara Waiora is the Māori
framework that presents a holistic, intergenerational approach to wellbeing and
aims to provide a better perception of wellbeing from a te ao Māori
perspective. It emphasises the fundamental concept that Te Ira Tangata (the
human realm) and Te Taiao (the wellbeing of the environment) are intertwined.
Te taiao
continues to be integral to cultural identity and practices for Māori with
92% of Māori rating the health of te taiao as very important.
The diagram of the He Ara
Waiora, represents the dynamic way each component interacts with each other and
is reflected in the Treasury’s findings in the report.
The trends in wellbeing for
Māori provide useful social and economic data and demonstrate that
cultural connection and identity continue to play a vital role for Māori
wellbeing outcomes. Highlights in the report include an increase in Māori
speaking conversational te reo, an increase in Māori achieving NCEA level
3 education, a rapid increase in Māori in higher-skilled employment and
faster growth in the Māori economy than the wider economy. However, other
trends provide for grim reading as Māori continue to experience lower
wellbeing than the general population on average and across several areas
including health, income and material hardship. This data will be crucial in
informing future policy initiatives as key government institutions respond to
these outcomes.
Key Māori wellbeing
trends
The following is a summary of
the key trends in Māori wellbeing from Te Tai Waiora:
Positive wellbeing outcomes
· Cultural
wellbeing: Māori report a strong sense of identity and belonging,
reflecting the strength of cultural connections by iwi, hapū and marae and
increased visibility of Māori in public places through recognition of
Treaty partnerships. The collective approach to wellbeing has also supported
Aotearoa New Zealand respond to economic shocks and national emergencies. Marae
is a key institution that connects people to their communities and surrounding
environment, however Māori living in urban areas are less likely to return
to their ancestral marae compared to Māori living in rural areas.
Māori are also more likely to spend a higher proportion of time performing
mahi aroha or unpaid work, reflecting the importance of manaakitanga and caring
for the wider community.
· Te
reo Māori revitalisation: The overall number of Māori that speak
conversational te reo has increased between 2001 to 2018, with census figures
showing that in 2018 21% of Māori could have a conversation in te reo about
everyday things. This has been supported by an increase in Māori led
initiatives that are giving momentum towards the revitalisation of te reo
Māori.
· Education:
There has been a 19% increase in Māori achieving NCEA level 3 between 2010
and 2020, compared to a 12% increase for non-Māori over that period.
However, Māori remain below non-Māori by a 19% gap for achieving NCEA
level 3 or university entrance.
· Employment:
Māori have experienced rapid growth in higher-skilled employment which has
increased by 83% between 2006 and 2018. However, Māori are still more
likely than non-Māori to work in lower-skilled employment and are
therefore more susceptible to economic downturns. Māori also have lower
levels of income than other groups with around 18% of Māori in 2018
reporting that they didn’t have enough money to meet their day-to-day
needs.
· Māori
economy: In 2018 the Māori economy represented 6.8% of GDP and is
growing faster than the rest of the economy. Iwi and Māori institutions
are often more innovative and incorporate Māori values and principles in
their strategic direction and operations.
Wellbeing challenges
· Loneliness
and psychological distress: The findings on loneliness and psychological
distress for Māori were of particular concern with Māori reporting
the highest rates of loneliness in 2021 compared to other ethnic groups and 1.6
times more likely to experience psychological distress. This could partly be
attributed to isolation experienced during Covid-19 lockdowns and the legacy of
historical dispossession and the breakdown of traditional Māori social
structures.
· Health:
The Treasury acknowledge that the underlying factors contributing to lower life
expectancy amongst Māori are complex, with drivers related to unequal
distribution and access to income, education and employment. Excessive alcohol
consumption is directly linked to increased feelings of psychological distress
and has an impact on all other aspects of a person’s hauora. This is
reflected in other wellbeing areas that show that Māori are
over-represented in lower overall life satisfaction outcomes.
· Discrimination
and low trust: Māori also report higher levels of discrimination and
low trust in institutions compared to non-Māori, which is likely to have a
compounding effect on overall life satisfaction outcomes. In 2018 around 66% of
Māori experienced discrimination at some point in their life, causing low
feelings of trust in government institutions. This impacts the ability of key
government institutions to work with Māori.
· Crime
and victimisation: Māori report the highest rates of crime
victimisation of any ethnic group, with around 34% of Māori experiencing a
crime against them in 2022. Māori continue to be over-represented in the
prison system, representing over half of the prison population for both males
and females, although the number of young people entering the prison system has
decreased.
· Housing:
Māori are more likely to live in rented homes and report unaffordable
housing. Housing inequality also makes it more difficult for groups on low
incomes who do not own a home to move into home ownership, creating a barrier
to intergenerational prosperity. This has exacerbated pre-existing differences
in material wealth with approximately 25% of Māori children and young
people growing up in households considered to be in poverty.
Overall, the findings from the
Treasury’s first report provide a broad view of Māori wellbeing and
how it has changed overtime, as well as trends that pose a threat to the
continued wellbeing of Māori in the future. The findings and analysis will
be helpful in informing policy advice and responses from key government, iwi
and Māori institutions.
4. Kaupapa Tuawha: Toi Kai Rawa
Project Update
Key highlights/milestones
Toi Kai Rawa (TKR) is in their
2nd year of delivery and are pleased to report some of the key highlights for
the period 2022/2023 across the Pakihi Ora, Tangata Ora and Whenua Ora
activities.
Pakihi Ora
· As
part of TKR’s objective to mobilise the Māori Business sector in the
wider Bay of Plenty, TKR is approaching this from both the demand and supply
side.
· Supply
- TKR’s focus to build a strong pool of Māori Businesses in the
region is to support locally built sub regional Māori Business Networks
(MBN’s) which are connected to a region wide infrastructure supported by
TKR. This regional mechanism creates an important connection point and cohesion
to ensure strong alignment to high value opportunities arising from progressive
procurement.
· Of the
7 MBN’s to be developed, we have two active networks (Tauranga Māori
Business Networks and Pakihi Ora), both of which are run independently from
TKR.
· With
Toi EDA actively operating in the Māori and Pacifica business sector in
the Eastern Bay of Plenty now, TKR looks forward to seeing how we can add value
to this space to avoid duplication.
· Demand
– Building on from the extensive scoping work TKR has undertaken over the
past three years in progressive procurement for Māori, TKR is working
closely with local government agencies who have signed a memorandum of
understanding with us to unlock the opportunity in our region.
· As
outlined in previous TKR insights reports, the size of the procurement
opportunity for Māori in the region is circa $126M annually (Jay
Whitehead, Social Procurement Report, March 2021).
· TKR is
seeking to work with partners who are passionate about unlocking this
opportunity further across the wider Bay of Plenty.
Tangata Ora
· The
Hihiko Te Rawa Auaha Programme (Innovation Hubs in Communities) is in full
delivery mode with engagement with over 20 schools across the wider Bay of
Plenty.
· The
purpose of the programme is to provide a mechanism for schools to access STEAM
(Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, Maths) and digital products and services to
build capability at a student, teaching and learning and community level.
· The
team have developed seven Innovation Plans with another 13 in progress.
· TKR
are actively scanning the STEAM and digital technology market to keep up to
date with what’s available for schools. We are also heavily connected to
the tech network including Te Matarau (Māori Tech Association) and Te
Hapori Matihiko.
· The
common priorities coming through from engagements with Schools in the wider Bay
is access to updated devices and the technology to realise their STEAM
priorities. Although most of the schools we are working with have devices, they
are not equipped with devices that can access software necessary for them to
take full advantage of the tech systems available.
· A
common barrier identified among schools has been awareness of, and access to
funding opportunities to progress their STEAM aspirations. This is becoming a
frequent barrier as we continue the develop more Innovation Plans across the
region.
· Professional
development for teachers or PLD for STEAM has also been identified as a
challenge in terms of access to quality PLD and funding.
· Next
steps for this programme will be to complete 30 Innovation Plans for schools by
the end of 2023 and start compiling regional insights for our respective
programme funders/ sponsors.
Whenua Ora
· Drawing
on from the TKR Whenua Māori opportunities scoping paper completed in
2021, TKR has completed a strategic scoping report that to identify
opportunities to accelerate Whenua Māori development in the wider Bay of
Plenty region and builds on work previous commissioned for TKR.
· The
report has been conducted through a kaupapa Māori lens and has been
informed by surveys, focus groups and literature reviews across Toi Kai Rawa
pou; rangatahi ora, tangata ora, pakihi ora and whenua ora. Of particular
interest is the work conducted with focus groups of Māori landowners in
the wider Bay of Plenty.
· Our
approach can be described as a triple helix consisting of the following
dimensions:
§ Te
Ao Māori
§ Kāwanatanga
§ Te
Ao Hurihuri
Toi Kai Rawa looks forward to
presenting our key findings to Council at the upcoming Komiti Māori Hui in
April.
5. Kaupapa Tuarima: Whakatōhea
Settlement
The Whakatōhea Deed of
Settlement will be signed on 27 May 2023. This follows the recent ratification
of the settlement package by Whakatōhea iwi members,
The settlement provides for the
establishment of the Whakatōhea Kaitiaki Forum, a natural resource
arrangement over the rivers and their catchments in the Whakatōhea area of
interest (Ōpōtiki). Bay of Plenty Regional Council will be part of
the Forums membership.
The Forum will be inaugurated
once the legislation giving effect to the settlement is empowered, anticipated
early 2024.
6. Kaupapa Tuaono: Rates Remission Policy
Project
The Rates Remission Policy
Review is part of the development of the Long Term Plan 2024-2034.
A Regional Council workshop is
scheduled for 12 April 2023 and the first report for the project will be
presented to Council to consider and provide direction on the project planning
to date.
The review will address
remissions on all land, both Māori Land and General Land, with two
separate project workstreams accommodating the different engagement approaches
required for each.
The Council workshop on 12
April will cover:
• An overview of the current
remission policy, adopted in June 2021 as an interim policy.
• High level analysis
of the 2022/23 remissions granted by BOPRC i.e. a profile by district, land
category, land ownership and size of remission.
• Legislative and policy context for the
review.
• Timeline for the review.
• Planned approach for engagement with
respect to Māori Land.
In May 2023 Council will
consider the initial principles and objectives of the policy. Once the
feedback from the initial engagement is received, the policy direction may be
reconsidered, then policy options identified and a draft Policy prepared for
formal public consultation in March 2024, alongside the Long Term Plan
consultation.
7. Kaupapa Tuawhitu: Annual Plan 2024
At the Council meeting on 16
March 2023 Council expressed the need to communicate and build awareness about
the Annual Plan with communities around the region. An Annual Plan
Communications and Engagement Plan has been developed to identify the
engagement approach. This approach includes the following tools:
· Social
media posts.
· Information
in Regional Council e-newsletters – Komiti Māori e-pānui,
Regional Council Kōrero, Participate.
· Advertising
in ‘Around our Rohe’ – the monthly Regional Council news
update in local papers.
· Information
resource at events - making information available to elected members and staff
at events to encourage conversations about the Annual Plan.
· Direct
outreach to the most affected targeted ratepayers.
It was acknowledged that there
have been some cost increases, however, the work programme of the Regional
Council is consistent with year three of the 2021 – 2031 Long Term Plan
(LTP).
8. Ngā Pānga ki te Māori
Implications for Māori
The items presented in this
report cover a range of initiatives at both a national and regional level,
which will potentially have a positive impact on Māori.
The specific focus on enhanced
provision for tangata whenua across national policy, will yield a positive
impact for tangata whenua locally, as they are brought online at a future
point. The co-design of strategies with tangata whenua groups to align
processes with mātauranga have provided impetus on co-partnering and
building relationships with tangata whenua and further promoting Te Mana o Te
Taiao.
The
implications for Māori can only be positive where Council recognises
opportunities to enhance shared decision making with Māori, in alignment
with its Partnerships with Māori Impact Statement. The RMA
processes, and any future RPS Changes and Plan Changes all involve
consideration of implications for Māori, engagement, and including Iwi
planning documents.
9. Ngā Pānga a-Pūtea
Financial Implications
There are no unbudgeted
financial implications within the current financial year.
Tuhinga Tautoko
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Tūhourangi & Te Mana o Te Wai Aspirations ⇩
Attachment 2 - Essential Freshwater Timeline 2023 ⇩
