Te Taumata – Whakatū Regional Hui of Trade

Tēnā rā tatau katoa,

Maximising trade opportunities under the spectre of COVID-19 was the subject of our hui held in Nelson this week. It was the third in a series of four hui organised by Te Taumata and followed on from similar hui held earlier this year in Rotorua and Gisborne.

The hui brought together key trade negotiators and policy makers from New Zealand and United Kingdom as well as ministers, foreign diplomats and Māori businesses.

The first keynote address was delivered by Rino Tirikatene, the Parliamentary Undersecretary and MP for Te Tai Tonga. It was his maiden address where he focussed on the virtues of New Zealand’s Trade for All Policy with the inclusion of Māori threaded throughout the document. He referenced Te Taumata as being a key influencer in this space and noted the partnership they were forging with Foreign Affairs and Trade in terms of realising greater transparency, participation, and understanding.

The second keynote address was given by the British High Commissioner, her Excellency Laura Clarke, who spoke about the long relationship between New Zealand and the UK, the desire to engage with Māori and how this might be expressed in current UK/NZ Free Trade Agreement discussions. The critical issue was how to understand the value add that Māori values and stories provide in trade product and services and how this might be articulated in trade policy. Her excellency had her full staff in attendance headed by their Head of Trade Policy to hear first-hand what the key issues were for Māori. This was an encouraging sign in terms of potential Māori inclusion in the UK FTA agreements.

New Zealand’s Chief Negotiator for FTA agreements, Vangelis Vitalis, presented on the state of play with the international trade environment in particular:

• Global shock and impacts from COVID;
• Pandemic uncertainties and how this will be addressed;
• Fragmentation of International Trade Rules and the inability to take any breaches to Court;
• A greater reliance on trust that deals will be honoured, which sits uncomfortably in the International Trade space;
• Protectionism – the tightening up and increased restriction of trade borders.

He also commented on a proposed Trade Recovery Strategy focussing on retooling exporter support and reinvigorating and refreshing New Zealand’s approach to international trade.

Presentations and panel discussions were held on a range of topics including opportunities through APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) and ABAC (APEC's Business Advisory Council), indigenous trade potential, local and regional intergenerational strategies and action plans, and the potential for significant political support under the current Government’s initiatives to enhance Māori participation.

Overall, the hui was well received by a full house of participants and live streaming of the event. It was well attended by the iwi and community of Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Maui and also included the launch of the ‘Te Tauihu Intergenerational Regional Strategy’, which was co-presented by iwi chairs and regional mayors.

At the outset, Te Taumata committed to completing four regional hui in this current year. However, COVID-19 has created challenges such that the final hui has been scheduled for February 2021 in Te Tai Tokerau.

Te Taumata is pleased with progress to date and the increased access to critical trade information and participation for our people. In the early formation of Te Taumata, the board members were enthused by the message from around the motu, to “get on with it – get it done.” While Te Taumata continues to remain work in progress, the positive feedback that Te Taumata is receiving from successive hui with iwi and within government and diplomatic circles is hugely encouraging.

I tenei wā ka huri ai te waka o Te Taumata ki Te Rerenga Wairua i Te Taitokerau (February 2021). Kia maumahara ki nga korero o te koroua nei:

"Nōku te whenua, nōku te korero"

"Nōku te whenua, ko au te Rangatira"

(It is for Māori to speak for Māori, no one else). - Dr. Apirana Mahuika

“The Te Taumata Whakatu Trade Hui in Nelson was an intense, informative and knowledgeable series of presentations on global trade issues, Covid Impacts and opportunities.  Te TauIhu launched their Intergeneration strategy and priorities for implementation”. - Paul Morgan; Chairman Wakatū Inc

Waiata from Friends of Te Taumata British High Commission