Hui ā Tau Minutes
TŪWHARETOA MĀORI TRUST BOARD Live streamed from AVP Studio, 53 Matai Street, Taupō, 20 November 2021, 1:30 PM
WELCOME AND KARAKIA
Opening karakia: Ngahere Wall
Mihi: Ngahere Wall welcomed whānau to the hui. Ngahere then handed over to the Chairman, John Bishara.
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS HUI-Ā-TAU
FINANCIAL REPORT
Chairman
Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board Members
Present
John Bishara (Chairman), Judy Harris, with Shane Heremaia (CEO).
Ngahere Wall (Taupō office), Heemi Biddle, Tangonui Kingi, Patricia Otimi (Turangi office), Channey Iwikau (Taumarunui) joined from remote locations.
Present Recorded on the Attendance Register.
Opening
The Chairman opened the meeting acknowledging the passing of Gus te Heuheu who is lying in state at Waitetoko Marae. The Chairman outlined the agenda for the day. He then invited Judy Harris to run through house-keeping matters. Judy outlined how questions and answers would be conducted in the livestream hui.
APOLOGIES
Hon Dame Georgina te Heuheu (Deputy Chair) Te Takinga New Danny Loughlin
RESOLVED:
That the apologies for the Hui-ā-Tau of the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board held 21 November 2021 be received.
Moved: Kim Alexander
Seconded: Courtney Marshall
CARRIED
The minutes (distributed with the Annual Report) of the previous Hui-ā-Tau of the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board held 21 November 2020 were taken as read. The Chairman advised that any matters arising from the minutes would be addressed during General Business.
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the previous Annual Hui held via livestream of the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board held 21 November 2020 be confirmed as a true and accurate record, subject to approved corrections.
Moved: Janet Galbraith
Seconded: Trish Otimi
CARRIED
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
John Bishara presented the Chairman’s Report.
RESOLVED: That the Chairman’s Report be received.
Moved: Dominic Bowden
Seconded: Kyla Ngawairau
CARRIED
CEO REPORT
The CEO Report was presented by way of a 10-minute video.
RESOLVED:
1. That the 2021 Annual Report be received.
2. That the CEO Report be received.
Moved: Vernon Rameka
Seconded: Bubs Smith
CARRIED
The Financial Report was presented by Danny Loughlin by way of a 10-minute video.
RESOLVED:
1. That the Financial Report be received.
2. That the Summarised Financial Statements of the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board for the year ended 30 June 2021 be received.
3. That the budget for the next accounting year 1 July 2021 – 30 June 2022 be received.
4. That the appointment of Silks Audit as auditors for 2021-2022 be approved.
Moved: Hinemoa Henderson
Seconded: Cheyenne Marshall-Duff
CARRIED
The Chairman advised that this programme has proven to be a big help to marae. This is something that the board would like to continue which means the board will be seeking more funds. The Chair encouraged further comments from any of the board members.
Heemi Biddle
On behalf of Korohe Marae, Heemi thanked the Trust Board for the Ringa Raupā project, the work done has been very good. This is a kaupapa he was hoping the board would continue with to support our marae.
Pirihira Haira
Do I need to write to the office to get the consolidated accounts?
Response - CEO
NGĀ MEMA POARI
WHAKAWHITI KŌRERO / GENERAL BUSINESS
Riria Anatoria Trewartha
Is there a Covid QR-code for checking into a marae when attending a hui or tangihanga.
No, you don’t need to write to the office to get the consolidated accounts. They are contained in the Annual Report all be it a summarised version. You can also request a physical copy by calling the office and these can be sent out in the post.
Amy Walker
Ngā mihi ki TMTB for the capital grant. Ngāti Tūrangitukua, Hīrangi Marae.
Chairman
The Chairman understood that it was up to individual marae to apply for this code.
Courtney Marshall
Tēnā koutou, on behalf of the Otukou Marae
I would like to thank you for the Ringa Raupā support earlier this year. The crew did an amazing job.
Judy Harris
Gave a shout out from Rauhoto Marae to Ringa Raupā, last week the marae held their karakia opening of the mara kai, raised garden. Ringa Raupā have done a terrific job.
Titaha Tarawa
How many new start-up Māori owned businesses has the board supported in the financial year - 2021?
Chairman
The answer to that is zero, one of the things that the Board has not done is to progress into individual ownership of businesses assuming that you are talking about businesses on the lake. However, one of the goals inside the commercial space is to support Ngāti Tūwharetoa people to start business on the lake.
Sharon Te Rangi
Tēnā Koutou katoa will there be discussions around vaccination status for marae hui in the future.
relatively broad, and we do accept tertiary grant applications in other areas and are inclusive in the grants system. It was recommended that we make it clearer through our communications.
Jonathan Te Rire
Pehea te kaha o ngā honongā o Tongariro, o Tauhara ki Pūtauaki, arā, mai i te Trust Board ki Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau?
Response - CEO
Chairman
Considered the matter to be ongoing with marae, hapū and whānau. The Chair expressed the need for whānau to keep the discussion up.
Veronica Turner
He aha te Ringa Raupā?
Response - CEO
We have taken the kupu from a whakataukī for a project that the Trust Board have undertaken for the last year. This involves 10 kaimahi being sent to support 5 marae to assist with marae renovations. Those marae being Waihi, Korohe, Kakahi, Otukou and Rauhoto. It has been a very successful project as per the comments that are being received.
Ko Tūwharetoa, ko Tūwharetoa ahakoa kei hea, kei te whakaae tātou katoa ki tērā. We are needing to strengthen those relationship particularly with Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau, we have tried to do so in certain circumstances. Last year with COVID-19 we were trying to send out support and we tried to make an effort to send that support out to Kawerau. We have to continue looking for those opportunities to keep strengthening the bonds between us.
Jeanette Heather Autagavaia
Regarding the Marae Insurance Scheme and Procurement of Services – what was the Procurement process in appointing AON and were other providers considered?
Response
- CEO
Christian Asher
Will you consider broadening educational grants to include tertiary students’ areas other than law, science, commerce & indigenous studies?
Chairman
Understood that the grant eligibility was
Yes, the board undertook a very robust procurement process which involved sending out invitations to those the board thought suitable. There were four candidates that we worked through a process with to determine how they stacked up against what we needed. At the end Aon was selected.
Hine Mohi
Re: Ringa Raupā grants, would TMTB consider separating capital grants from
maintenance grants? The two criteria capital and maintenance are unrelated.
Response - CEO
That is the way things are tracking at the moment. The Ringa Raupā programme is pretty much a maintenance works programme and then this year we also have a change in the capital grants programme. The change is in that we are trying to undertake more significant projects with the capital grants projects and retain the Ringa Raupā for maintenance grants. So that change is occurring within the capital grants. The aim is trying to focus on those marae that have big and serious projects.
Riria Anatoria Trewartha
Would you consider broadening education grants to whānau living and studying overseas?
Response - Member Biddle
This is being considered but to date we haven’t done so. The member lived in Australia for a period of time and tried to access a number of grants noting that at that time there was some difficulty in sending grants to Australia. We understand that the population at the last census was 37 thousand and information has been received, that hasn’t been confirmed, that there is a similar number living in Australia.
Response - CEO
This was a question raised at last year’s AGM and off the back of that we investigated the issue. The board has sought advice, and we are needing to look at what the impact may be, we anticipate that might be quite significant. This is a decision that the board are still in the process of making.
Warren Osborne
Congratulations to the Trustees and staff for another outstanding sustainable year of governance and management performance once again. Ka nui Ngā mihi.
Heni Unwin
Thanks to the board as a receiver of the education grant. My pātai is what is your plan to capture those who have graduated and creating succession within iwi?
Chairman
The succession in Tūwharetoa is something that all board and industries are considering strongly. The Chair referred to his report where we members at the Trust Board get natural succession as we all stand down and it is up to our people to elect those ones with the skills and attributes that they believe should be on the board. As the Board becomes more transparent about the strategies that we have in place you become more engaged in the work that we do.
Succession is more about the work that we do and what is needed and having the skills to be able to implement it. We believe that the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board is one organisation that takes it seriously.
Richard Rameka
With the strong equity, will there be further consideration to allow more benefits in grants and support to marae and our kaumatua?
Response - CEO
Yes, as you can see from the financial results achieved this year there is substantial equity there. Although there are a number of things;
1. It comes from the re-evaluation of the
lake;
2. It also comes from the excellent results on our financial portfolios.
Chairman
The Chairman continued that the learnings that we have had in the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board after 95 years of service to Ngāti Tūwharetoa that proven financial management is key. I am glad that we have a good, stable, and sustainable result and what we have achieved in the financial area. That gives us confidence to be able to not just deliver grants to our marae and kaumatua but to look at other ways that we increase the wellbeing of those that we are trying to target. The answer is yes in the context of prudent financial management. This is important to the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board.
Angela Ritohu Malcom
Tēnā tātou, I just wanted to say that the High Court ruling on Taupō lakebed in favour of Ngāti Tūwharetoa is absolutely fantastic and shows great leadership.
Donna Inia
What is Tūwharetoa thoughts regarding the three waters & do they have a voice with these discussions.
Chairman
The Chairman didn’t think that there was collective Tūwharetoa view at present. The legislation is moving quickly. The Minister appointed the Chair to the board that is considering this legislation, the Chair withdrew because of professional and personal reasons. We are a major water contributor to this nation. This is something where we have to have one view, we are yet to have this discussion.
Connie Underwood
Would the trust consider lowering the age for kaumātua grants?
Chairman
Yes, we get this question often, and it is always considered in the context that our people don’t live that long or the journey to 60 is a little more difficult.
Phillip Monaghan
Tēnā koe. A big thank you from me and my babies to the board for all the mahi that is being done!! Ngā mihi.
Richard Rameka
Kia ora koutou, well done on a strong balance sheet, revenue forecasts were mentioned, is there a strategy for further investment for the future?
Chairman
The Trust Board have a number of investments. Investments are managed by Iwi Investor and the Taupō Moana Group Holdings. Our commercial company Taupō Moana Group Holdings is looking at other investment opportunities also. Understanding where best to invest our money to get the best returns. The Board is very conservative, and this helps to ensure that we don’t throw money away.
Charles Patrick Davidson
Just to say thank you to the board for the supermarket gift card sent to Tamaki Makaurau kaumātua. Much appreciated ngā mihi nui.
Pirihira
Maria Haira
Insurance is a killer. Is there a feasible
option to paying insurance companies, by potentially looking at collaborating with other boards around the motu.
Chairman
The Board has looked at self-funding rather than having insurance, at the time when looking into this we hadn’t had any major claims. However, we now see the value of insurance with just recently some major claims from our marae. We are cautious about it but practical in the approach for that day where having this will save our marae.
Jeanette Heather Autagavaia Risk Management – in the next Annual Report can we include the risk framework specifically each risk category, mitigations vs the risk appetite position.
around the marae. This is something that is discussed with the marae around their capacity to manage that risk.
What we are doing is protecting our marae, our whakapapa, our tikanga. The Trust Board takes up that responsibility that if we do lose those taonga there is some value associated to it and then they can lodge a claim.
CLOSING REMARKS
The Chairman thanked the CEO and staff for their work in organising the hui via livestream.
3:10 pm the Hui-ā-Tau closed with karakia.
Karakia Whakamutunga: Channey Iwikau
Response - CEO
Yes, there is a risk management framework that we use more internally within the organisation, and we have an Audit and Risk Committee that monitor that framework alongside the board. The CEO noted that that was a question that could be put forward to the Audit & Risk Committee and made more available.
Jeanette Heather Autagavaia
Is there a path to reduce insurance claims? Do we have these incidents recorded on the Risk Register to mitigate claims?
Chairman
The majority of insurance claims and insurances are over our marae and what we do to reduce the claim is to assist and work with marae and their risk mitigation
