Chair Report - Jacqui King

I am proud to present the Chair’s Report for Te Kāhui o Taranaki Board of Trustees for the financial year ending 30 June 2024. Our iwi priorities set down for us by our whānau – our Whenu – best describe the aspirations we have been tasked with advancing for our Iwi. This report captures the challenges and developments we have experienced this year in pursuit of those aims.

This year has developed into a time of significant challenge for our Iwi / Māori communities. As we navigate through an onslaught of regressive and discriminatory legislative policy changes, we find ourselves fighting not just for our rights but for the partnership gains we have achieved over decades of advocacy.

The coalition government’s shifts in key areas – Treaty rights, language preservation, justice, health, social and housing policy, environmental protection, education, and tamariki welfare – are not mere regressive changes: they are a direct assault on our way of life. These actions deepen the inequities and injustices that our people have long struggled against.

Yet, amidst these trials, our commitment to improving the lives of our whānau remains unwavering. Te Kāhui o Taranaki has mobilised our resources to stand up against this systematic attack on Māoridom.

Even as we fight for our tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake, we must also find the strength to celebrate our victories and recognise the progress we have made as Hapū and whānau. In times of siege, planting seeds for future success becomes even more crucial. I am immensely proud of how our Iwi has embraced our five Whenu – the principles and values guiding our actions. These strategies have not only fortified our foundation but also empowered us to serve our whānau, our Marae/Pā and Hapū, and our entire Iwi community more effectively.

Over the past year, we have undertaken a range of initiatives aimed at promoting the cultural, social, environmental and economic wellbeing of our people. We have stepped up our advocacy and our focus on preserving our reo and rich heritage, caring for te taiao, fostering educational opportunities, investing in Marae/ Pā and Hapū, and supporting sustainable development, including in housing. We have been rewarded with an increase in the participation and engagement of and with our people, reflecting a renewed sense of unity and purpose within our Iwi.

Taranakitanga - Whiria te muka

Our efforts in recent years to strengthen connection, participation and engagement with uri is coming to fruition. Our reo programme again enjoyed a record number of enrolments. Enrolments have lifted every year as growing numbers of uri take the step to connect with their reo. We are engaged with our Marae/Pā and working on improvements in that space. Our kaumātua rōpū Te Kāhui Pāhake was established last year and grows in numbers with every hui. It is heartening to see a revival of connections with and between our pāhake.

We continue to re-establish our presence in our rohe. As an example, our recent purchase of the TSB bank building in Ōpunakē, using it as a hub for our kaimahi and whānau and providing hot desks, work and hui spaces, while retaining the ATM service – all important facilities for whānau.

Our annual Rā Tiripoua event was a resounding success, drawing an amazing turnout with more than 500 uri registering to come together as Iwi to acknowledge the signing of our treaty settlement. Taranaki Iwi also turned out in numbers to proudly represent our Iwi at the 8th biannual Taranaki Tū Mai Festival last year, hosted by Ngāti Tama of Tokomaru waka. The three-day event saw the eight iwi of Taranaki – Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama and Taranaki Iwi – competing in 14 sporting events, debates and kapahaka. The next festival is in 2025 and will be hosted by Taranaki Iwi.

Taiao - Uwhia te huhi

Taiao mahi has been significant over the past year, with a range of initiatives underway to continue to be active advocates for our environment within our rohe.

A key area has been the continued safeguarding of our Takutai, which remains steadfast. We have sought an extension of the current two-year legal rāhui (temporary closure) on shellfish harvesting due to critical imbalances in our coastal ecosystems, which have occurred due to the overharvesting of our mātaitai. This further two-year extension is crucial for the recovery of our shellfish, particularly pāua, which take years to mature.

The priority now moves to undertaking the work with each Hapū and Marae/Pā to develop long-term protection measures that honour our traditional practices and modern sustainability goals.

We are conscious of the sacrifice our whānau are making to protect our Takutai. Working collectively will give us the best chance of re-opening our pūkawa with the necessary protection measures to ensure the resource is not compromised for our current and future generations.

Whanake mai ai - Puia ki te hauangi

It has been hugely rewarding and exciting to follow the progress achieved within this strategic priority. As the founders of Ka Uruora (in partnership with Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa), we are proud of the work our team are doing in this critical space to support us in the advancement of our social impact aspirations to deliver affordable housing for Taranaki Iwi. Our very first new builds were completed in Ōkato, with two three-bedroom houses on Old South Road now offering affordable rental solutions for whānau. In July, we opened our six-house development in Ōpunakē, which offers affordable three-bedroom houses in Tennyson Street to whānau. And, as you will read elsewhere in this Annual Report, we are working closely with our Ngā Mahanga Hapū on our most ambitious housing development to date – our 22-house development in Ōkato, which is progressing well.

The work to develop Marae/Pā and Hapū capacity and capability continues to focus on providing resources for whānau. It has been pleasing this year to see the first Marae/Pā administration grants taken up. These $15,000 annual grants have been established to assist all Marae/ Pā, over and above the $60,000 distribution allocated annually. Our E Tū Hapū Grants programme was opened last year, and we look forward to whānau taking up this opportunity soon.

Alongside all these exciting developments, our educational grants have continued to be subscribed to well, with additional funds being added to continue this important investment into our whānau.

Taketake Tangata - Takea ki te pūtake

As a kinship organisation, we hold an ever-more critical role in today’s political landscape by representing and advocating for Taranaki Iwi and Te Ao Māori.

In the past year, in the face of rising political rhetoric that undermines Te Tiriti, cultural identity and Te Ao Māori wellbeing, we are standing firm against the racist political oratory. Our collaboration with other Iwi / Māori is vital to defending our rights and fostering Māori development and self-sufficiency.

These efforts include active collaboration with ngā iwi o te motu (Kotahitanga movement), National Iwi Chairs and Ngā Iwi o Taranaki Iwi Chairs forums, who are collectively focused on creating opportunities for Māori development and self-sufficiency and standing as a redoubt against efforts to erode Māori rights.

You will read more about this important mahi on page 43 of this Annual Report.

Kawe Whakahaere - Rurungia ki te pā whakaruru

Our organisational structures are evolving to support our strategic goals. We are engaging in impact investment planning, which is a commitment to developing organisational capability. During the past 18 months, we have worked alongside a facilitator to identify and set criteria on investing for impact. Whether in social or commercial investment, this type of planning aims to set in place a framework that prioritises strategic investment and ensures our programmes and activities are informed and supported by research and data. In this way, we will be enabled to support uri during each life stage, aligning programmes and activities where and when impact is needed most.

This early impact investment work will be finalised following a series of strategic planning workshops with whānau, which will be held around the motu. These workshops mark the advancements of five years of working under our five Whenu, or strategic objectives. They are now due for review, and we will begin that process in September 2024 with hui ā-iwi held firstly at home, then across the motu, following the same process used to develop our Whenu strategy five years ago.

The hui will share some of the impact investment work with whānau and gain your views and insights to shape our long-term aspirations for the future. Our five strategic Whenu established a strong strategic foundation; now it is time to broaden our thinking to set aspirations for longer-term 25-year, 50-year and 100year timeframes and beyond.

Financial Highlights

Financially, Te Kāhui o Taranaki has maintained a strong and resilient position in what has been a challenging economic environment. Prudent management and strategic investments have ensured that we continue to grow the asset base, and I am pleased to again report a strong financial performance for the past year.

A net surplus after tax of $3.3m (FY23 $2.4m) has been posted for the 2024 year. This is made up of $111k (FY23 $1.0m) in cash operating profit and $3.2m (FY23 $1.4m) in non-cash capital gains. Total equity is $129.4m (FY23 $126.1m), an increase of $3.3m or 2.6% on the previous year.

Looking Ahead

Alongside our annual performance of whenu based mahi, we have a range of exciting and important reviews planned.

First up is the finalisation of our Impact Investment work and our Strategic Review. Next will be a roll-out of a series of wānanga focused on our shared whakapapa and common iwi tupuna. This mahi will be an opportunity for us to come together as whānau to understand our shared history and uniqueness as Taranaki Iwi. Other reviews will see us reach out to whānau to review our Taiao, Taiora (Iwi Environmental Plan) as well as streamlining our registration process. While we have a lot planned for the year ahead, our team is excited to be focused on mahi that will continue to work with our whānau to advance their aspirations.

In closing

To our hard-working Board members, I extend my thanks for your commitment and tautoko over the past year. In particular, I acknowledge Sharleen Maoate-Davis, who retired at the last election, and Hayden Wano, who was elected to the Board alongside re-elected members Jamie Tuuta and myself. My gratitude goes out to our kaimahi whānau, led by our Tumu Whakarito Wharehoka Wano, and all those who have supported us over the year.

We will face ongoing challenges with this current government, so I implore each of us to draw on our legacy of resistance and resilience. Together, we will face these challenges, create our own opportunities and continue to advance the wellbeing of our Iwi.

Let us remain united and determined, celebrating our achievements, defending our rights, and planting seeds for future success. Our shared vision and collective action will ensure that our legacy endures for generations to come.

The greatest tactic we can utilise right now is our collective strength. Stand together, e te whānau –engage, participate, and contribute to our shared journey. The strength of our Iwi lies in our unity and our relentless and tenacious pursuit of a brighter future for all.

Me tōngai harakeke e te whānau.