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Kawe Whakahaere - Rurungia ki te pā whakaruru
A proud footprint in Ōpunakē
When the opportunity to purchase prime real estate in Ōpunakē arose last year, Te Kāhui o Taranaki Board of Trustees moved quickly.
Buying the former TSB Ōpunakē branch building presented a chance to advance iwi aspirations by reinstating a footprint in Ōpunakē, the biggest urban area in the Taranaki Iwi rohe.
In March this year, after two months negotiating with TSB and realtors, Te Kāhui o Taranaki bought the property.
It instructed Ngā Waka Whiria Māori Construction Consortium in Taranaki to re-fit the building to a specific high standard.
“We wanted a place that our whānau could be really proud of,” says Pou Kōkiri Mark Wipatene.
“It would have been quite easy to do some work-arounds with the renovation, but we made a conscious decision to re-fit to a standard that’s becoming of our people. We wanted something that’s high quality, fit for purpose, that our people can use with pride. We’re really pleased we’re now represented on main street Ōpunakē at such a high standard.”
In consultation with our kuia Tapakione Skinner, the office space was named Te Whare Kotahi. This name represents the sense of unity the facility will provide as well as an acknowledgement of our tupuna Wiremu Te Matakatea who historically united Taranaki Iwi.
The building was also fitted with facilities needed to hold hui such as audio visual capability, teleconferencing technology, WIFI access and catering equipment.
Mark says when Te Whare Kotahi was officially opened in early July, there was a real sense of pride among the 50 or so uri who attended.
It is proving popular among local Hapū, who have held a number of hui there. A financial literacy course for Ka Uruora is being held at Te Whare Kotahi and it will also be a satellite office for Te Kāhui kaimahi who live locally.
“We really want it to be utilised by uri, whānau, Hapū and like-minded organisations,” Mark says.
Another step as an active and positive contributor to the socio-economic wellbeing of whānau and the wider Taranaki coastal community was the decision to retain the TSB ATM at Te Whare Kotahi through a lease agreement between Te Kāhui o Taranaki and TSB.
Further community support is evident in the board’s decision to form another agreement with regional banking hub entities, after they closed their hub site in the Ōpunakē library. This means a second, new, multi-bank deposit Smart ATM has been installed at Te Whare Kotahi.
Ngāmotu House: making level 4 our own
Ngāmotu House, which brought a cultural narrative to the heart of New Plymouth’s CBD when it was opened by Te Atiawa in February, is now a northern hub for kaimahi and whānau of Te Kāhui o Taranaki.
We have 15 kaimahi – with space for more – working on level 4 of the newly developed six-storey, 4000m2 commercial building that has become a central hub for Māori organisations in Taranaki.
“It’s a real privilege for us to be in this building,” says Pou Kōkiri Mark Wipatene.
“Like any of our offices, we’re definitely focused on our uri and we’ve had lots of visitors and hope to have a lot more.
“One of our key objectives and concerns in moving to Ngāmotu House was being able to maintain our identity as Te Kāhui o Taranaki and not get lost in the shadow of Te Atiawa and other tenants in the building.”
Marks says this has been achieved by Taranaki Iwi being represented in the overall building design – “you can see our tohu” – and in the specific Taranaki Iwi Level 4 design features. This includes the deep greens of the Taranaki Iwi brand colour palette and the choice of complementary natural wood surfaces.
Being in a central hub location with other Māori organisations makes it easier to strengthen relationships through regular interactions such as shared te reo Māori and waiata sessions, as well as promoting easier access to specialist skills within each group.
Mark says it is also important for Te Kāhui o Taranaki to have part of the ownership in the building - where Te Kāhui o Taranaki are no longer simple tenants, but are investing in their own capability building.
“Taranaki Iwi Holdings is finalising an ownership stake in Ngāmotu House in collaboration with the Te Atiawa commercial board.”
New impact investment strategy
A new impact investment strategy has been developed by the board.
This strategy was drafted through a series of wānanga held during the past 18 months with senior managers, and members of the board of trustees and commercial group board.
Impact investing is about making investments in beneficial social and environmental outcomes –such as building warm homes – alongside financial outcomes that might not be the priority.
Professor Sacha McMeeking, from Canterbury University, facilitated the wānanga.
The strategy will be finallised following the strategic review work with our uri. Work will then begin implementing the strategy over the next 12 months.
Risk management policy
How Te Kāhui o Taranaki adjusts risk management practices to align with tikanga and its values forms part of the new, recently adopted risk management policy.
The policy was developed by trustees and senior managers, in line with the audit and risk committee oversight, in a series of wānanga facilitated by risk management consultant Kevin McDonald. It will be implemented over the next six months.
Te Kāhui Strategic Reviews
The Te Kāhui Strategic Plan is up for its 5 year review and we will be going through this process over the upcoming year with a series of engagement hui. We will also be reviewing the Taiao Taiora Environment Management Plan along with updating the Cultural Programme and streamlining the Whakapapa registration process.
Our programme of strategic work will include:
• Te Kāhui o Taranaki 5 Year Strategic Review
• Taiao Taiora Environment Mangement Plan Review
• Whare Turanga Kōrero (Cultural Programme)
• Streamlining Whakapapa Registration Process
