Te Ao Māori Trends & Insights
The stars of Matariki and Puanga are tohu for the Māori New Year, signalling a time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the future. In celebration of Chapman Tripp's 150th anniversary, the 15th anniversary of our Māori business team, Te Waka Ture, and Matariki/Puanga, we are proud to announce the launch of our publication, Te Ao Māori Trends & Insights.
This report highlights the transformative impact of te ao Māori on the legal landscape of Aotearoa, clearly demonstrating how te ao Māori continues to shape the social, economic, and cultural fabric of Aotearoa.
The Māori economy has grown significantly in recent years, driven by diversification into high-growth sectors such as professional, scientific, and technical services, as well as real estate and property services. It is likely the Māori economy will meet, if not exceed, $200b by 2030.
Chapman Tripp Partner and Kaihautū o Te Waka Ture, Te Aopare Dewes stated, "With Māori exports at $5.2 billion and growing, the Māori economy is establishing itself as a distinctive export brand, based on authenticity, sustainability, and indigenous knowledge. As Māori collectives expand, their participation in various sectors is expected to increase, driving collective success and community development."
Te Aopare noted, "Amendments to the Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 are anticipated to enhance the use of Māori land and unlock its economic potential. Policies promoting infrastructure investment and expanding export opportunities are likely to drive business growth and innovation within Māori communities."
Within the legal sphere, recognition of tikanga and Te Tiriti in statute, common law, and policy has increased in recent years reflecting a commitment to the indigenous people of Aotearoa, and the relationship between iwi and the Crown. This publication examines high-profile cases dealing with this recognition, including articles on tikanga as a source of rights, the Te Ohu Kaimoana Trustee Ltd v The Attorney-General decision on iwi and Crown relationships, and the climate change proceeding Smith v The Attorney-General.
However, over the past year, much of the public discourse has centred around the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, which aimed to codify the Tiriti principles. The Bill sparked widespread protests across the country, and was ultimately rejected at its second reading.
Te Aopare emphasised the importance of thorough consultation and collaboration in legislative processes affecting Māori communities, stating, 'The rejection of the Bill underscores the need for inclusive and informed decision-making that respects the principles of Te Tiriti and the rights of Māori.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Mahi with Māori: commercial development projects that succeeded, struggled or failed
They show situations where developers either worked with tangata whenua, or places where there was trouble. At the end, two experts offer commentary on what they see as guides for success and what must happen for projects to work. Precinct and Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei - Pumanawa Downtown West The twin tower development is guided by tīkanga Māori, the developers said when they released plans this year. Photo: Supplied / Precinct Properties NZX-listed Precinct Properties and Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei formed a partnership which could see the pair go sky high. Two towers, one a quarter of a kilometre high, are being planned in a multibillion-dollar exercise. Ngarimu Blair, Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei Trust board deputy chairman, says the two have a shared goal to create a great CBD in the city and region. Ngarimu Blair tells why the relationship works. Photo / Mike Scott 'Precinct, like us, are invested in the waterfront and the CBD,' Blair says. Luxury golf courses at Te Arai: Te Uri O Hau and Ngāti Manuhiri Developers John Darby and George Kerr did the initial work. Then American billionaire Ric Kayne built golf courses north of Auckland on land which tangata whenua owned. Ric Kayne - success with iwi. Photo / Michael Craig In 2012, Ric and Suzanne Kayne struck a deal with Te Uri o Hau. In 2002, the hapu got the land as part of a Treaty settlement and it has negotiated to sell 230ha of the forest to Kayne. In 2020, Kayne did a deal with Ngāti Manuhiri, who bought the Mangawhai south forest as part of their commercial redress under their Treaty of Waitangi settlement. The result has brought world praise for new golf courses there. Ihumātao: how not to do it After years of protest, Fletcher Building sold this Māngere site to the Crown for $29.9m five years ago. It ditched plans to build 480 homes on the land, once confiscated, becoming a lightning rod for protest, drawing the Soul (Save Our Unique Landscape) group led by the charismatic Pania Newton. Ihumātao activist Pania Newton. Photo / Jason Oxenham A memorandum of understanding (he pūmautanga) was signed by the Kiingitanga, the Crown and the Auckland Council, setting out how parties were to work together to decide the future of the land. A steering committee, or rōpu whakahaere, was established with three ahi kaa representatives supported by the Kiingitanga, one Kiingitanga representative and two Crown representatives. Plans to move ahead have stalled. Mataharehare, Parnell - no Erebus memorial Dove Myer Robinson Park became a site of protest by some in Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei when Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage wanted to build the Erebus memorial there. Protestors fought against this planned memorial in Parnell, since ditched. Photo / Dean Purcell But it was storms, not the protests, which resulted in that being ditched. Papatūānuku had spoken, some said. A large slip in the lower part of the park into Judges Bay caused by the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods raised concerns about cantilevering the concrete and steel structure over the park. Putuki Bay - built but at great cost Tony Mair and Kitt Littlejohn completed and opened their 181-berth marina, despite weeks of stopwork and much protest. Trouble hit when protestors and security guards fought each other mid-winter on a slippery pontoon. Pūtiki Bay, Kennedy Point on Waiheke Island earlier this decade when protestors came out in force. Photo / Dean Purcell By July 2021, protesters had been occupying the site for more than 120 days, saying work endangers a nearby kororā (little blue penguin) colony, disputing the resource consent and saying they had mana whenua. Summerset with Ngāti Whātua at Bayswater This retirement village developer bought land on Auckland's North Shore which the hapū had bought under its 2013 treaty settlement. Summerset worked long and hard on the 5.7ha deal, said to have gone for $70m but that was never confirmed by either party. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei received shares in Summerset and won education and employment opportunities at the planned village. Marutūāhu-Ockham Group A true collaboration between a prominent Auckland apartment development business, previously fronted by Mark Todd, and the collective of five iwi, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Whanaunga and Ngāti Rongoū. Back in 2021 at the opening Kokihi in Waterview: Paul Majurey, the now-ex Housing Minister Megan Woods and Mark Todd. Photo / Alex Burton This successful partnership is nearing completion on yet another apartment block: Toi on ex-Unitec land near the heritage Carrington Hospital. But work has certainly slowed now for the development business, which got a Crown guarantee on the new project. Douglas Links golf course near Levin Xero co-founder Hamish Edwards expressed frustration about development, even though he won consent for the golf course. Xero co-founder Hamish Edwards at Douglas Links, the golf course he is constructing at Ohau, near Levin. Photo / Mark Mitchell 'The process is so long, overly complicated and the involvement of iwi makes the decision to invest in these projects questionable. If I knew then what I know now, I would not have bothered to even start this investment,' he said. But he won't provide the document sent to Cabinet ministers Chris Bishop and David Seymour, saying what must change. The Douglas Links golf course under construction at Ohau, near Levin, in April. Photo / Mark Mitchell It was reported elsewhere that his company being called Grenadier upset some. Calling the course Douglas Links when the whenua already had a name for it was distressing too. It was the site of a pre-1900 pā, Tirotirowhetū. Engagement with tangata whenua was criticised by Ngāti Tukorehe Trust chairperson Tina Wilson as 'tokenistic', leaving a deep sense of sadness and anger. Media referred to activities being the 'act of the coloniser'. How to engage successfully Paul Majurey, a prominent Auckland lawyer, has been part of a number of longstanding commercial relationships: the Pouarua Farms partnership with Southern Pastures, Marutūāhu working with Ockham and Fletcher Living projects. Paul Majurey. Photo / Dean Purcell He also chairs Te Puia Tapapa, the iwi-led $115m investment fund which is a preferred co-investment partner of the NZ Super Fund. 'The key to these partnerships is mutual respect and taking a long-term approach. When Pakeha organisations have engaged with Marutūāhu in that way, it has been the basis for successful commercial partnerships.' Māori are long-term investors and looking for arrangements with entities which also reflect the te ao Māori world view, Majurey says. Investment periods of 15-20 years plus are sought. 'We like assets where we can own the asset for the long term, and prefer sectors like property, infrastructure, and the primary sector,' he says. Expert on rules of engagement Grey Lynn-based consultant Mike Dreaver describes himself as being 'comfortable in uncomfortable spaces'. Mike Dreaver is a consultant who works with iwi, the Crown and others. For 30 years, he has worked with iwi and hapū, the Crown and the private sector, involved in negotiating Treaty settlements, on governance and partnership arrangements for natural resources and many infrastructure projects. 'I've probably been involved in working on negotiating about 40 to 45 Treaty settlements, most for the Crown side but several on behalf of iwi.' He was involved in negotiating the Mahi Ngatahi Agreement with iwi of Auckland which gave them development rights for housing on Crown land - 'the trigger for the Marutūāhu-Ockham, Avent-Te Akitai, and Unitec arrangements'. Ihumātao - how not to do it. He has negotiated partnership arrangements between Waka Kotahi and iwi in north Taranaki, Manawatū/Tararua and Horowhenua and is now helping offshore-based wind developer Parkwind to build partnership arrangements with iwi in south Taranaki. Dreaver has assisted in building relationships between iwi and hapū and developers for projects on commercial land, golf courses and research institutes. He describes himself as a specialist in facilitation, negotiations and policy design development, 'committed to genuine change in the way we do things'. Asked to list some important lessons from his work, Dreaver provided what he sees as some of the principles or rules of effective engagement. Back in 2021: Protestors at Putiki Bay, Kennedy Point on Waiheke Island. Photo / Dean Purcell He emphasised this is only a starting point and there's so much more to relationships which form true partnerships. Dreaver's advice for developers working with Māori: Start early and invest time in developing genuine relationships. Understand your partner-representatives, role of those on the ground as well as those in the organisation and iwi/hapū dynamics. Appreciate and value what mātauranga Māori brings to your project – knowledge, experience, connections, relationships. Respect cultural intellectual property. Listen more than you talk. Recognise iwi and/or hapū have competing demands and you are not necessarily their top priority. Frame discussions around people, place and project. Recognise the commercial value of partnership or collaboration at value – land, opportunities, relationships, mātauranga and efficient processes. Don't promise what you can't deliver. Write things down. Record agreements and stick to them. Implement your commitment to the right relationship throughout your organisation. The first element stressed the need to begin at the project conception via building trust, he said. 'Doing this shows it's more than a tick-box exercise. Don't start when you prepare your resource consent application. Starting early allows you to build relationships over time and look at the range of different ways you can work together.' For Dreaver, there is no one model or off-the-shelf advice that would work. But for him, the need to emphasise people, place and project is a key to successful relationships. Anne Gibson has been the Herald's property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Campaign launched to highlight Māori success in trade, reverse drop-out rates
The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) has launched a campaign in time for Matariki, aiming to highlight the achievements of Māori in the building and construction industry and reverse the dropout rates. Today, the Advocate speaks with two Northland tradies whose lives have changed for the better
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Aotearoa To Host World-leading Conference On Women's Entrepreneurship
Press Release – University of Auckland A major international conference in Auckland is putting the spotlight on how to better support female founders and highlighting wāhine Māori perspectives on entrepreneurship. What do female entrepreneurs really want and why is the system still stacked against them? These are a couple of the big questions due to be tackled at the world's leading research conference on women's entrepreneurship held in Aotearoa New Zealand for the first time ever this year. The Diana International Research Conference from 1-4 July, brings together top researchers and industry experts from around the world to tackle funding inequities, structural barriers and discuss the future of women-led enterprise, with a spotlight on te ao Māori perspectives. 'This is the only conference that focuses solely on women's entrepreneurship research, and it's an opportunity to garner insights from interested attendees, researchers and founders,' says Professor Chris Woods, the Business School's Theresa Gattung Chair for Women in Entrepreneurship, and Diana Conference co-chair. 'We'll be asking: What do women entrepreneurs want? How do we bridge the gap between academic research and industry, and how can we tackle the barriers women face when building businesses?' Hosted by the Business School's Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women, the conference includes keynote talks, academic sessions, and a public-facing Impact Day on Friday 4 July, a one-day forum featuring panels on capital access, wāhine Māori leadership, and entrepreneurial futures. The day opens with 'A boomer, Gen X, millennial and Gen Z walk into a panel': Mana wāhine across the generations'. Business School senior lecturer Dr Kiri Dell (Ngāti Porou) says the panel will spotlight the unique strengths wāhine Māori bring to entrepreneurship. The kōrero will also explore te ao Māori concepts of sovereignty and entrepreneurship. 'It's about being role models, sharing networks and giving each other emotional support, challenging mainstream models of the 'hyper solo, winner takes all' entrepreneur model,' says Dell. 'We'll discuss what values-led approaches, honouring both the past and the present, can look like.' Next up, 'The Supply and Demand Challenge: Getting More Capital to Women-Led Businesses' panel will discuss why women still receive just 2 percent of global venture capital investment, with insights from venture capital, angel investment, and female founders actively raising capital. In the final session, business leader, author, philanthropist and investor Dame Theresa Gattung joins Darsel Keane (Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship), Sophie Bradley (co-CEO, Girls Mean Business), and research fellow Dr Amanda Elam (co-founder, Galaxy Diagnostics) to explore what the future holds for wāhine entrepreneurs in Aotearoa and beyond. Panel MC and conference co-host Dr Janine Swail, a senior lecturer at the Business School, says it's a privilege to host a conference that spans academic research, PhD students, practitioners and community voices. 'This is the only global conference that bridges academic research with real world insights and perspectives, with a dedicated focus on women's entrepreneurship, and it's happening here in Tāmaki Makaurau.'
