February | Pēpuere 2025

Komiti Māori members 2025: (L-R) Councillors: Te Taru White, Malcolm Campbell, Kevin Winters, Andrew von Dadelszen, Ron Scott, Ken Shirley, Jane Nees, Doug Leeder, Lyall Thurston, Toi Kai Rākau Iti, Stuart Crosby, Kat Macmillan, Paula Thompson, Matemoana McDonald (Komiti Māori Chairperson). (Back) Chief Executive: Fiona McTavish. 

Ngā mihi o Hineraumati ki a tātau katoa.

As we look forward to the first Kōmiti Māori Hui for the year, I want to acknowledge the many challenges we faced in 2024 whilst looking ahead to the opportunities in front of us in 2025.

The start of the Gregorian calendar year is always busy for Te Ao Māori.  We have annual large events and hui to attend such as Rātana and Waitangi, and also recently, the Kiingitanga and Tainui contingent were hosted at Poukai at Kokohinau Marae. This was the first formal engagement in our region from Te Kuini, Ngā Wai hono i te pō. With more than 1500 Māori in attendance, many of whom hold key leadership roles, the opportunity was there to discuss the political climate, with a focus now more than ever on unity and ensuring succession planning is front of mind – opening the doors for the next generation to sit alongside the leaders of today.

What does that look like in local government? We have elections upon us later in the year – haven’t the last three years gone quickly! We must look at the opportunities in front of us and support our whānau to participate in the democratic process. Whether that is ensuring our whānau are enrolled to vote and actually voting or identifying those amongst us who might want to stand as candidates, we have the chance this year to shape our local authorities by actively participating.

As we get back into the swing of mahi and thinking of the work we do to in the taiao which ultimately is good for us all, I want to close with a whakatauki by Kiingi Koroki;

Mehemea he mahi pai moo te tangata, mahia – if the work you are doing is beneficial to the people, do it.

Nā te Heamana

Councillor McDonald

Photograph © Te Kiingitanga  

Nau mai ki Komiti Māori

Komiti Māori will be held at 9.30am on Wednesday 19 February 2025. This meeting will be held in Mātaatua Room, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 5 Quay Street, Whakatane. Due to construction in the area, please allow extra time for travel and parking.

The meeting will be recorded and livestreamed. To watch the meeting live, click on the following link.

The meeting agenda will be available from Tuesday 11 February.

Presentations:

1. Ōhiwa Mussel Trial Project Update – Professor Kura Paul-Burke
2. Te Whānau-a-Apanui: Data Sovereignty & Economic Development – Rikirangi Gage
3. 'Global perspectives on inequity' – Cr Toi Iti 

If you have any further questions, please contact Kataraina O'Brien.

Update key contact details

Have the key contact people within your iwi, hapū, marae, trust, organisation or land trust changed as a result of your most recent AGMs? 

If so, please help us keep our contact list updated by filling in the online form below.

Developing a Mana Whakahono agreement

Could a Mana Whakahono ā rohe agreement help achieve your aspirations for better iwi-council relationships and participation in decision-making?

Papa Pounamu is running workshops to help you understand what you need to consider when deciding if a Mana Whakahono, or another partnership agreement, could achieve aspriations for better partnership and participation in decision making in your rohe.

These workshops are designed for iwi/hapū, council staff and all planners to learn more about Mana Whakahono agreements, how Mana Whakahono could strengthen existing relationship agreements and how these agreements are recognised in new and proposed legislation.

There are three online workshops available, all covering the same content on the following dates:

• Wednesday 19 February, 10am to 11.30am
• Thursday 20 February, 12pm to 1.30pm
• Saturday 22 February, 12.30pm to 2pm

Register for your preferred workshop here.

For more information, visit www.planning.org.nz/papa-pounamu or email mohio@papapounamu.co.nz

Pictured: Students with their maara kai at Glenhome Primary School, Rotorua.

Applications for the School Sustainability and Resilience Fund (SSRF) are now open

We are now receiving applications from educational facilities who wish to apply for our School Sustainability and Resilience Fund (SSRF). 

Established in 2022, the Fund supports educational facilities that want to raise awareness and understanding of climate change, hazards, resilience, and sustainability within their hāpori. We had 31 successful schools and early childhood education providers receive funding for their projects in 2024 and this year we want to see more kura and kohanga reo apply across the rohe. 

All schools, kura, kohanga, kindergartens, early childhood education centres and other education organisations across our rohe are eligibile to apply to this fund.

Projects must contribute to one or more of the following categories:

• Raising awareness of and understanding natural hazards and/or climate change risks.
• Improving long-term resilience and sustainability.
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Applicants can apply for $1,000 - $10,000 in funding (excl. GST).

Successful projects are chosen by the community!  In a two-step process, we have a voting platform where the community can select and vote for the projects they want to see receive funding, and then a Youth Panel will complete a second voting round with the remaining projects.