WHENUA Issue 11

TWO NEW CALF

MITCHELL RITAI CHARLES BAILEY SCHOLAR HOngong oi 2014 i ssue

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AT HOME WITH

HINERANGI RAUMATI PKW CHAIRPERSON

SHEDS

& AMALGAMATION OF FARMS 13 AND 18

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING DATE CHANGE Save the Date

Saturday, 8 November 2014

Kaupapa PKW AGM In the previous issue of Whenua we indicated that this year’s AGM would be held on Saturday, 1 November 2014. PLEASE NOTE: this has been shifted to the following Saturday, 8 November. The formal notice along with the agenda and venue will be included in the next issue of Whenua.

Do you have an interest in recording, archiving and preserving Māori history?

PKW Trust is pleased to announce that we have secured a place on this exciting new course developed by Te Reo o Taranaki.

We invite interested uri to apply by sending your CV and cover letter to PKW, PO Box 241, New Plymouth 4340 by 23 July 2014. Applicants must be endorsed by a PKW shareholder. Contact Allie for more information.

The successful applicant will receive a travel allowance of up to $250 per wananga, use the PKW digital data as their course project and have their course fees covered. When applying please state your preference for either the weekend or weekday wananga option in your cover letter.

Certificate in Proficiency in Oral History and Archiving Taranaki based, this course is held over two, three day wānanga and uses indigenous archiving principles to cover interviewing, recording techniques, digital preservation and ownership. By the end of the course you will be able to safeguard private collections held by whānau, hapū and others.

For more information about the course contact Te Reo o Taranaki on 06 758 7003 or puteroutiriata@gmail.com

Module 1 - Oral History Recording Weekday option

12-14 August

Weekend option

29-31 August

Module 2 - Archiving Awareness Weekday option

23-25 September

Weekend option

10-12 October

Tēnā koutou te whānau whānui o Parininihi ki Waitotara It’s that time of year where traditionally our people would observe the rise of Matariki (Pleiades) or Puanga (Rigel) in our part of the country, evaluate our relationship to the land and sea, food-harvesting and weather patterns and gather to share hospitality and kai as well as information. It’s an important time to reflect on growth and development.

So as we reflect on our own growth and development we are encouraged as a result of the half yearly shareholder meeting at Muru Raupatu Marae we are on the right track. Being able to successfully plan and execute those plans in a commercial context has been achievable in a large part due to the leadership we have sitting at a

governance level. We acknowledge the significant contribution our retiring director Toko Kapea has provided to us and are pleased he is sharing insights in this issue for potential candidates looking at the role to consider.

We also catch up with our chairperson Hinerangi Raumati who nearly three years later continues to provide the leadership that has enabled us to chart a course towards significant growth in the business and organisation.

Other important areas highlighted in this edition as part of our growth and development, is the appointment of a newly created role of Health & Safety Manager, the addition of new facilities to demonstrate the advancement of our calving unit, the building of a new herd home and amalgamation of two farm blocks. And true to the purpose of Puanga we also take the opportunity to gather

together - to review and celebrate our achievements and this year Aotearoa Marae hosted PKW’s farming staff discussion.

The PKW Trust has also been consolidating its investment plans by appointing the recipients of the new scholarships programme and we are pleased to introduce the latest Charles Bailey scholar Mitchell Ritai a deserved recipient who shares his aspirations and plans going forward.

And lastly we must acknowledge the outstanding achievement of Te Rua o Te Moko Limited in winning the 2014 Ahuwhenua Māori Dairy Farmer award, a true reflection of growth and development for Māori in Taranaki.

No reira

Freepost Authority Number 238821

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Parininihi ki Waitotara Incorporation P O Box 241 NEW PLYMOUTH 4340

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Reminder: You must order your copy of the Annual Report by Friday 29 August.

We have decided to only send annual reports to shareholders who order one. The good news is that an electronic copy will be available on our website so you can still access the information.

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This change was made because many of these reports are returned as shareholders relocate and forget to send through their new address.

What’s in the Annual Report?

The report explains how well the Incorporation and PKW Trust performed from 1 July 2013 – 30 June 2014. Reports from both Chairs, the CEO along with the audited statements are included. We also introduce organisations we have developed a strategic relationship with and provide information on those who received a scholarship or grant from PKW Trust. What also makes this report exciting and uniquely Taranaki is that it includes many photos of whānau, mokopuna and events taken during this period.

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The annual report is a snapshot of PKW, Shareholders and the Taranaki community into a single document.

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To order your report tear out this page, fill it in, fold, sellotape and pop it in the post or email this information to office@pkw.co.nz using ‘2014 Annual Report’ in the subject line Kia ora, I would like to order my 2014 Annual Report My Name: ________________________________________________________ My Date of Birth:

________________________________________________________

My Shareholder Number:

________________________________________________________

My Address is:

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

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109 Devon Street West | New Plymouth 4310 Taranaki | New Zealand

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Email address ________________________________________________________

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___________________________________Postcode ____________

CONTENTS WHAKAMANA

04

RETIRING DIRECTOR TOKO KAPEA Provides insight and adivce for prospective candidates to the role

06

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS To the vacancies on the Committee of Management

07

INTRODUCING BRONWYN MACFARLANE Into the newly established Health & Safety role

NEW CALF SHEDS - FARM 1 17 TWO Constructon is nearly complete for a growing part of the Farms business

AMALGAMATION OF

20 FARMS 13 AND 18

Another development to maximise land utilisation

END OF 22 ANNUAL SEASON FARM STAFF HUI Keeping staff connected across the business means time out together

ĀWHINA

08

WHĀNAU TRUSTS Registrar Nedina Hohaia explains the importance of these trusts

11

AT HOME WITH OUR CHAIRPERSON HINERANGI RAUMATI Continuing her leadership role at the helm of the Incorporation

WHENUA MAGAZINE Editor Dion Tuuta Deputy Editor Amokura Panoho Creative Director Kristy Ramage Photography Quentin Bedwell Graphic Design iStudios Multimedia

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UNDERSTANDING YOUR INCORPORATION Providing more information on the history of the Incorporation

PARININIHI KI WAITOTARA Postal PO Box 241, New Plymouth 4340 Physical Taranaki House, 109 Devon Street West, New Plymouth 4310 Telephone +64 (6) 769 9373 Fax +64 (6) 757 4206 Email office@pkw.co.nz www.pkw.co.nz ISTUDIOS 77B Devon Street East, New Plymouth.

Telephone +64 (6) 758 1863 Email info@istudios.co.nz www.istudios.co.nz

PĀKIHI

16

NEW HERD HOME A new value added business development

RITAI CHARLES BAILEY 23 MITCHELL SCHOLAR Introducing the 2014 recipient

GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS 26 TERTIARY 2014 Funding decisions for 2014 education grants

TAMARIKI, OUR TOMORROW 28 OUR PUKEITI EVENT Promoting the importance of Pukeiti and its significance to the region for the next generation MĀTAURANGA

AHUWHENUA 32 2014 AWARDS AND THE WINNER IS...

Great news for Te Rua o Te Moko Limited

TOKO KAPEA

RETIRING committee Director Toko Kapea has been on the PKW Committee of Management for nearly a decade and is retiring this year to open up the opportunity for someone else to make a contribution to the organisation. He departs with some personal observations on his time with the organisation.

Thank you – it has been a privilege to be a PKW committee member. I have been a member for nine years. I am leaving because I have so much faith in the current board and management.

Time to let another Taranaki cousin have the experience of being a committee member.

In my parting note, I thought I'd provide some guidance for those that are interested in being a committee member.

Culture: One of the proudest things for me is how PKW Inc has gone back to the marae. I recall the AGM’s being at the Plymouth International Hotel.

While it is a nice hotel, when we have our hui at marae around the maunga, it has so much more meaning and connectivity with our shareholders and our people.

I recall the decision making process to return to the marae was a hard one as we had been making losses with the Gabba project and people were rightly feeling angry and frustrated with what was happening.

The committee made the right decision to speak face to face with the people and be as honest as we could with what had occurred. By going to the marae, we found more “reo” was being spoken and we were also hearing what the shareholders really wanted from their organisation.

We also worked harder at being better communicators both via our leadership with Jamie, Hinerangi and Dion and our

04 | WHAKAMANA

website, Whenua and participation at other hui. The PKW Trust via Hinerangi Edwards and Amokura Panoho and now Allie Hemara-Wahanui are also more active and visible in Taranaki.

Overall, PKW Inc has a different culture and brand than it did 10 years ago.

“ ONE OF THE PROUDEST THINGS FOR ME IS HOW PKW INC HAS GONE BACK TO THE MARAE ” People: The shareholders choose who their committee of management are. We have and have had awesome Taranaki people on board. We have also carried on with the Associate Directorship programme – keep going, we need to encourage more development and succession planning for our own. We are also lucky to have many of our own working for us now.

We are also fortunate in those that are not Taranaki uri, also whole heartily support PKW too. I started in 2005 and we had one staff member. Now we have over 30 staff.

Performance: And last but importantly, we are now a solid performer financially. We have worked hard to focus on our strengths (land and farming) and are continually looking to grow our other investments (eg Port Nicholson Fisheries). We have also continued to purchase more of our land back. I have been proud to be part of a successful, profitable Māori owned, governed and managed organisation.

Committee Member Role: For those thinking about the role, you may want to consider the following themes: Leadership: You are expected to lead and take ownership of hard or delicate issues. The committee is often faced with decisions that will test your personal views and frankly your capability boundaries. You will have to do your best and develop your own way of thinking at board meetings.

Embrace the role and enjoy it and do not shy away from saying what you think.

Whanaungatanga: There will be cultural and commercial matters that will need to be decided and sometimes you will have a strong view on a particular matter. There are seven committee members and you will not all agree on some things. You will be expected to come with your views but always understand that you are all trying to act in the best interests of PKW (and sometimes for Taranaki generally), so it is important you treat your fellow members with respect when debating the issues. Always focus on the issue not the person.

Skill development: You will need to commit yourself to learning new things – new business and commercial sectors, governance and management policies and procedures etc. PKW has achieved a lot so far but there are so many new areas for us to venture into and we will need new skills to do this.

I will leave at the upcoming AGM as a committee member proud of my time at PKW however, like all others that have moved on I will always be a PKW supporter and eventually when my mum transfers her shares to me - a shareholder!

WHAKAMANA | 05

Nominations for the Committee of Management are now open and close on Friday, 29 August 2014.

Tokatumoana Walden, Tokorangi Kapea and Taaringaroa Nicholas are retiring by rotation with Tokatumoana and Taaringaroa indicating that they will be seeking re-election.

The Committee of Management are elected by shareholders and are responsible for setting the strategic direction for the Incorporation.

They are also responsible for monitoring how the strategy is being implemented.

Between now and the August closing date you may know someone who has the skills and expertise for this directorship and may be interested in standing. This is an opportune time to give this some consideration and have that discussion with them.

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Nominations must be made in writing and signed by both the proposing shareholder and the candidate. The nomination must also include a recent digital photo and personal statement (300 word maximum) explaining why they are seeking election to the Committee of Management as well as their skills and experience.

Nominations must be received at the PKW Office, P O Box 241, New Plymouth 4340 before 5.00 pm on Friday, 29 August 2014.

Nominations may also be received by facsimile (06 757 4206) or email (office@pkw.co.nz).

This information will be collected and sent to shareholders for their consideration as part of the election process.

INTRODUCING BRONWYN MACFARLANE New health and safety MANAGER Whenua regularly features new staff that have come on board to contribute to building the capacity of the organisation.

The latest appointment has been Bronwyn Macfarlane who takes on an important newly created role as PKW Health and Safety Manager.

Married to Rodney and living in Toko Bronwyn has three children, Lucy who is the curator of archives at Pukeariki, Sam who is shepherding in Nuhaka, and Tim who is studying agriculture at Massey.

She started her career working as a registered nurse and moved from the hospital environment into a health and safety role in 1995, when these kinds of occupations were in its infancy. Her first actual health and safety position was at Methanex.

After two years she started contracting at Pastoral Foods in Eltham, the Lactose factory in Kapuni and at the Mainland site in Eltham where she witnessed some major changes in the

factory at Collingwood Street. The business was eventually to become Fonterra and the plant was rebuilt with the aim of all secondary cheese processing becoming automated.

Bronwyn continued to work in Eltham until July last year when she decided it was time for a change.

uncontrolled. Health and safety is a growing ‘industry’ in New Zealand where employers' responsibilities are increasing.

To enable our vision to succeed, the strategy is to further develop the health and safety culture within the business, by engaging everyone in health and safety as part of everyday activity and As a result she returned to work at to further develop and utilise throughout Methanex for four months during a the farms the health and safety major shutdown where her role was to focus on the injury reduction process for management system. “ the contractors on site.

With a health background Bronwyn is keen to bring a well-being component Following this she worked as the H&S into the role so that health initiatives Lead for Outages at Contact Energy from an occupational and personnel until joining PKW on 28 April this year. perspective are all delivered regularly.

“Though this is a new role for PKW “The well-being of our people is our vision is that we become health paramount to the ongoing success of and safety leaders within the farming industry in New Zealand,” says Bronwyn PKW.” who recognises we are just at the beginning of that journey.

“No-one wants to be hurt at work, or be in a workplace where risks are WHAKAMANA | 07

WHĀNAU TRUSTS

the way forward for future generations The issue of share fragmentation is a serious issue. Shares in PKW often fragment to an extent that when shares are split between successors, they are of such minuscule fragments that many shareholders will not be paid a dividend for many years.

As time passes and shares continue to break-down, many owners will never receive a financial return. As this pattern persists, Māori land interests for the generations that follow us risk being lost through potential disinterest in such small shareholdings.

We suggest that whānau groups give serious consideration to creating whānau trusts whereby all of the land interests they have succeeded to, are retained and protected, not only for the benefit of the current generation but for the benefit of future generations yet to come.

There is a well-known quote which says "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've

08 | WHAKAMANA

always got." Henry Ford (18631947), American founder of the Ford Motor Company.” We can continue to do what we have always done but now with a distinctive pattern showing us that there will be shares of minimal value for our whānau in the future, it is timely for us to do something different by taking charge of the situation and curtailing the fragmentation of our shares. We can do this by putting our shares into a whānau trust and in doing so; keep our shareholdings healthy and robust.

The constitution of Whānau Trusts ends succession and therefore stops the fragmentation of shares and allows the whānau to contain and protect the land interests that they have now and for the generations to follow.

The constitution of Whānau Trusts is one way of returning to the collective ownership of Māori land interests at the whānau level in place of individual ownership.

Collective ownership is the essence of a whānau trust.

Share fragmentation contributes to the continuing loss of shareholder contact details for some people as there is no incentive for smaller shareholders to maintain contact with the Incorporation.

This disinterest can continue through the generations.

A whānau trust is often established upon succession – constituted (formed) under Section 214 of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993. Ideally, the whānau trust should be constituted at the time of succession. This will prevent the cost of a further application fee to the Māori Land Court.

It is important to understand that once shares and land interests are transferred to a whānau trust they become the property of the trust. The trustees appointed to the trust are then responsible for managing the assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries.

Setting up a Trust The owners first need to have a meeting in which they: • Consent to set up the trust

Applying to the Māori Land Court In support of the application, the following information must be provided:

• Consent as to which shares should be included in the trust

• A copy of the minutes of the meeting which should include all resolutions agreed to

• Nominate trustees to manage their property interests

• A copy of the draft trust order which has been approved by the owners

• Draw up and agree to a draft trust order that sets out the rules governing trustees’ powers, rights and obligations. The Māori Land Court can assist by providing a template guide.

• The written consent of the nominated trustees

• Must record accurate minutes of the meeting

• The written consent of the owners agreeing to contribute their shares to the trust and a list of the land interests to be included in the trust • A fully completed application

form. There is a fee payable upon application The Act allows for the variation and/or termination of the trust order.

More information is available on the Māori Land Court website www.justice.govt.nz/ māorilandcourt and you can search the Māori Land Court records online www.maorilandonline.govt.nz.

If you are intending to succeed to whānau shares please consider constituting a whānau trust. If you have already succeeded and have individual shareholdings, you can return to the Māori Land Court and choose instead to set up your whānau trust.

ONLINE VOTING NOW AVAILABLE Following the acceptance by shareholders of the Special Resolution to introduce electronic voting to PKW's Constitution, it is pleasing to inform you that shareholders will have the option of submitting their vote through online voting as well as the continuing option of postal voting, for the three positions becoming vacant on the Committee of Management. Voting for these positions will take place in October.

In preparation for online voting we need your email address Please email Nedina at nedinah@pkw.co.nz without delay Please quote your name, date of birth and Shareholder No. in your email

WHAKAMANA | 09

Above : Despite the cold wet weather shareholders with Committee of Management members were keen to be shown the drystock farm on Otaraoa Road.

Below : PKW Drystock Operations Manager Andrew Gibson gives an overview of the farm.

AGM DEBRIEF

HALF YEARLY SHAREHOLDERS HUI Over 80 people attended May's hui hosted at Muru Raupatu Marae in Bell Block with whānau travelling from Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. The half yearly meeting is a discussion of performance to the end of December.

As usual the PKW scholars impressed the meeting with their passion for their studies and gratitude to receive a PKW scholarship. “It was important we support our daughter to account for what she received from PKW, our entire whānau is grateful,” said father Paul Bensemann. Daughter Ngareka

10 | WHAKAMANA

(Ngāti Mutunga, Dentistry) presented alongside fellow recipients Campbell Hooker (Ngaruahine, Physiotherapy) and Merryn Wilson van Duin (Te Atiawa, Medicine). All three are actively involved in mentoring other Māori students to succeed.

Following the hui shareholders visited the Tikorangi drystock farm managed

by Chris Paterson who received the award 'PKW Newcomer of the Year' at this year's annual end of season farm hui, (page 22). "Calves are reared at drystock farms like Tikorangi, they are

cared for and eventually transfer to a PKW dairy farm where they begin their life producing milk. Drystock farms save us from having to buy from elsewhere.” says Andrew Gibson, Drystock Operations Manager.

"Seeing shareholders understand why we farm the way we do makes the wet mornings and cold nights worthwhile" says Chris.

AT HOME WITH OUR CHAIRPERSON Hinerangi Raumati

It's almost three years since Hinerangi became chair of Parininihi ki Waitotara. She is pleased with progress to date and looks forward to what the future holds for the Incorporation as it continues to grow.

Being a director for a number of boards and helping to run the largest wananga in the country means Hinerangi Raumati has a very hectic work life and naturally, time at home is a precious commodity. Nevertheless it was at home that Whenua caught up with this busy woman to get an insight into what continues to drive her involvement with PKW Incorporation.

“Well it’s been a busy 2 ½ years,” reflects Hinerangi “but I think the fact that we’ve pretty much had a consistent membership of the board is a reflection of how shareholders are happy with progress – that we have their confidence.”

With one of the director’s Toko Kapea retiring to allow someone new to come onto the committee Hinerangi acknowledges it is a timely reminder of how far the incorporation has

progressed in having a range of skill sets sitting at the board table.

“Its good that we continue to have strong iwi and community perspectives around the table, however, Toko's retirement means we will be losing good commercial experience from the table as well as someone who has had that depth of knowledge that has helped the organisation build a long term view.”

That long-term view has seen the incorporation evolve from a 50/50 share milking model with a hands off management style to a mixed model where the business modelling is based on what is appropriate for each farm.

In Hinerangi’s words, a more hands on approach.

She believes that the next stage of the incorporation’s growth will be focused

more on systems, policies, procedures, better data capture and more standardisation of farming practices that reflect a corporate farmer model.

“That model constantly tests the value their business practices add, how much better they are than our neighbours, I suppose it is understanding the ‘magic’ in what we do,” adds Hinerangi.

In her role as chair of PKW Hinerangi often hears and receives positive feedback that the incorporation is a leading Māori owned agri-business regionally and nationally. However, being immersed in the business sometimes means that perception is overshadowed by the desire to want to constantly improve.

“Well in reality we haven’t done a lot to cultivate that attention and I think we still try to fly below the radar, remain

WHAKAMANA | 11

“Well in reality we haven’t done a lot to cultivate that attention and I think we still try to fly below the radar, remain humble and focus on results.”

humble and focus on results. Pushing for sustainable productivity and profit will lead to more dividends.”

For Hinerangi it’s a combination of all of those things, each one reliant on the other that brought about a highlight as chair in being able to provide a bigger dividend to shareholders.

“Yes it’s important to have quality governance and management, to employ people and consistently grow our milk solid production and profitability but that has to be premised on our desire to ensure shareholders are getting something out of their business too.”

Another highlight has been the restructuring of the business into a limited partnership that has meant the farming business is now taxed efficiently.

Add to that the establishment of calving units to create the farms own stock, the increased milk solid production from just over 2-3 million kg/MS and the building of a management team from just two initially to a team of nearly 30 people. “We keep a close eye on our 12 | WHAKAMANA

debt levels to ensure that we are not stretching ourselves and that our profit and dividend payment aren’t affected if we have a poor season,” warns Hinerangi.

All of these milestones remain important indicators of success yet Hinerangi admits to some long-standing challenges she struggles with.

“It’s local tribal issues like with Ngāti Tū as it’s not a nice experience going to court – I am constantly trying to see if there is a way out but I’m no closer to coming up with a solution than anyone else.”

Hinerangi balances these challenges with other roles she has such as her present full time role as Executive Director Operations for Te Wananga o Aotearoa (TWOA). Working with Chief Executive, Jim Mather to implement the new strategy and progressive redesign Hinerangi has been very busy interviewing for eight Executive Director roles.

Inevitably her own role will be made redundant but not before she has integrated the subsidiary entity Open

Wananga into TWOA in her capacity as Acting General Manager.

Though she is looking forward to having some time out, Hinerangi is grateful for the experience this transformation programme has given her.

“I’ve found it a fascinating project as the Wananga work on a principle of Matauranga Māori – it’s normalised as part of their organisational culture where Matauranga Māori is in its business approach and practices where it lives and breathes Māori values and ways of doing things,” adds Hinerangi.

“We may be some way off, to achieving that within PKW but we are starting that process with our development of the kaupapa evaluation tool which captures a holistic view of the world we impact when we make decisions.”

Indeed Hinerangi has some time left with the incorporation to continue seeking improvements and with a supportive whānau willing to keep her balanced and strong the value she brings to the organisation will no doubt be reflected in the value given to shareholders.

“Yes it’s important to have quality governance and management, to employ people and consistently grow our milk solid production and profitability but that has to be premised on our desire to ensure shareholders are getting something out of this business too.”

PĀKIHI | 13

UNDERSTANDING YOUR INCORPORATION 1967 – 1975 Halting the loss of land In this edition of Whenua we continue our look back at the history leading to the establishment of Parininihi ki Waitotara Incorporation by examining the period 1967 to 1975.

By the mid-late 1960’s the West Coast Settlement Reserve remained under the control of the Māori Trustee with individual titles now amalgamated into the Parininihi ki Waitotara Mega Reserve. The perpetual leases created in 1892 remained over the land with lessees paying their rental to the Māori Trustee who then distributed rentals to the owners of the reserve.

The owners still had no control and the residual Taranaki Māori lands left over from the confiscations still remained at risk of alienation.

The Māori Affairs Amendment Act 1967 was an important piece of legislation for Taranaki Māori which came into effect on 1 April 1968. The Act was designed by the then Minister of Māori Affairs Ralph Hanan to deal with problems of uneconomic interests, successions and multi ownership.

14 | WHAKAMANA

The legislation was widely condemned by Māori leaders throughout Aotearoa including Taranaki due to its inclusion of mechanisms which continued the process of alienating Māori land.

On the positive side the Act provided for the setting up of Māori Incorporations which would create a legal entity which could assume the management of large blocks of Māori land with very large numbers of shareholders.

However a serious downside of the 1967 legislation was the setting up of a mechanism enabling the shareholders in the West Coast Settlement Reserve to sell their shares should they choose to do so to the Māori Trustee who then in turn was empowered to sell those shares to lessees of West Coast Settlement Reserve leasehold farms thereby enabling such lessees to freehold their properties. In Taranaki the Department of Māori Affairs actively encouraged Taranaki Māori to sell their shares in the West Coast Settlement Reserve.

Many did so.

The rapid sale of tens of thousands of shares in the reserve and the consequent freeholding of many reserve leasehold farms prompted the late Charles Bailey and others to form an Owners Action Group and campaign for the taking over of the administration and management of the Reserve.

The Owners Committee was formally constituted at a meeting in Hawera held on 19 February 1968 attended by between 50 and 60 owners. This committee became known as the Owners Advisory Committee. The committee members elected were Dave Keepa, Te Reimana Bailey, Joseph Roach, Wairehu Hikaka, Emerson Rangi, W Edwards, Derek Roach, Percy Tamati, James Ahie, James Horo, Charles Bailey, Ted Tamati, H.B. Marumaru and Charles Tumaiwaho.

From its original creation in 1880 the West Coast Settlement Reserve had been administered by either the Public Trustee, the Native Trustee or the Māori Trustee. The owners themselves had no involvement whatsoever in the management and the governance of the West Coast

Settlement Reserve. The Owners Advisory Committee was therefore a Taranaki Māori reaction to the continuing alienation of the West Coast Settlement Reserve by trying to wrest the control and administration of the reserve from the Māori Trustee.

Shortly after creation, the Owners Advisory Committee organised a petition that was circulated amongst the owners of the West Coast Settlement Reserves. The petition objected to the provisions of the Māori Affairs Amendment Act 1967 which enabled the continuing alienation of the land and protested against the continuing administration of the reserve by the Māori Trustee.

be of practical benefit to your children – something of which they can be proud, something that will be a living memorial to this present generation.” The petition reportedly received 2,500 signatures.

Between 1968 and 1974 the Owners Advisory Committee continued to advocate for owner control of the reserve through the establishment of an Incorporation.

the further alienation of Taranaki Māori land.

The Commission of Inquiry found that the way the West Coast Settlement Reserves had been managed constituted a grave injustice to the owners and recommended that the beneficial owners be constituted by statue as a Māori Incorporation under the Māori Affairs Amendment Act 1967.

Unfortunately while the Incorporation gave the owners a collective legal identity and the ability to act as a unified force – it did not terminate the perpetual leases. Despite this, establishing the Incorporation created the possibility of the Taranaki Māori owners working collectively The Commission sat in Hawera for the first time to acquire the on 30-31 July 1974 and heard The petition urged the owners extensive evidence in connection leases. Previously the owners throughout Taranaki to stand with the West Coast Settlement had never acted in unison. shoulder to shoulder to protect Reserves including a submission This was a significant their land. The Advisory made by the Owners Advisory achievement for the Owners Committee urged owners to Committee which advocated Advisory Committee but its reject the Crown’s offers to strongly for the establishment work was not over – nor was it purchase shares in the reserve of an Incorporation. The without controversy. In the next and “to have confidence in Advisory Committee also issue of Whenua we will examine yourselves, to insist that the argued that if owners wanted the process used to formally government allow you to take to sell their interests it should establish Parininihi ki Waitotara control of your land, build up its only be possible to alienate Incorporation and the significant value by good management and interests to other owners or the challenges faced at that time. pass on something that will still Incorporation in order to halt The Committee’s work took on added emphasis in 1974 when a Commission of Inquiry into Māori reserved land was established to investigate the administration of reserved land vested in the Māori Trustee.

WHAKAMANA | 15

NEW HERD HOME

DEVELOPMENT AT Opua Road Farm pugging occurs and has negative Sharemilkers Dale and Phillippa Corrigan have operated the Opua Road, environmental and financial impacts also. This is because when the soil Opunake property since 2003. is disturbed in this way there is the This piece of whenua is in a higher potential for the disturbed soil particles rainfall area of Taranaki (made so by its to carry nutrients away from pastured higher altitude location) and the soil type areas and potentially into waterways, has some limitations such as impeded which is undesirable. drainage and laharic contour from As a result of the above, PKW looked at historical volcanic activity and other processes which formed the landscape ways of improving the financial returns, as well as environmental performance of this area. and animal health on the property.

These soil limitations make grazing This culminated in the construction cows through the winter and spring of a herd home animal shelter which periods on the property problematic, is presently in its final stages of as the cows tend to pug the soil. This construction. This will allow the cows in turn has negative effects on the to be stood off the paddocks in times subsequent pasture growth where 16 | PÄ€KIHI

when there is the potential of harming the soil, or at times when the cows will be better cared for inside the animal shelter away from inclement weather.

This development is a significant one for PKW and is in line with its drive to improve each property's financial performance, alongside achieving greater protection and stewardship of the environment.

We will update progress in the next issue of Whenua.

AND TWO NEW CALF SHEDS Farm 1

Farm Managers Derek and Irene Cruikshank might be picking up calves to bring back to Farm 1 for a while yet. The complex is continuing to grow with the new calf rearing unit doubling in size and Whenua caught up with the recent developments that give PKW the ability to house up to 600 calves at one time.

“The quality of autumn born calves we purchased this March, April and May has been outstanding and we must thank the Putt, Honeyfield, Poole, Buhler and Taylor families.

It makes it so easy to rear calves from top herds where they have had a good start and had colostrum from birth.”

Though Irene wasn’t present when Whenua visited, Derek Cruikshank “At present we have 470 autumn born pointed out the features that were calves that have been through the incorporated in the calving sheds where sheds and are either inside or out on Irene’s designs for interior calf comfort green pasture,” advises Andrew Gibson, had been worked on by Doug Fowell Drystock Operations Manager.

Builders, the contractors that won the

tender to build the new sheds.

“Nothing’s been a problem for these guys”, says Derek who has watched the new buildings go up since the builders have been on site from late February.

Features that ensure the sheds have sufficient stalls are rodent proof and have good air circulation, all contribute to creating fully covered nursery sheds that will see the Cruikshank’s manage between 1,600-1,800 calves per annum.

“The new sheds are a starter base for young calves and rotating the calves

PĀKIHI | 17

18 | PĀKIHI

through the stalls allows them to be hand fed before moving into the fully automated calf feeder sheds by the time they are 14 days old,” says Derek.

Having slightly older calves to teach on the automatic feeders makes the job easier for the Cruikshank's as the calves are stronger and also eating more hay and calf meal.

With the purchase of the leasehold property on 403 Mawhitiwhiti Road, just around the corner from Farm 1, it is planned that by spring milking 190 cows once a day will supply fresh milk for the calves, cutting out a lot of milk powder costs and giving the calves the best feed possible. The cows to be used will be early calving cull cows from the dairy units thereby reducing cow wastage.

“The complex at Farm 1 continues to grow and is a real credit to PKW and the hours Derek and Irene put in each day to produce the best calves is a credit to their work ethic,” says Andrew.

"What we look for in contractors is to support local businesses that provide the best service at the best price and supply the best finished job."

"The companies we use to supply PKW tend to do their best regarding timeframes while keeping the standard of service at the top level. We appreciate the work all contractors do for PKW."

LOCAL CARPENTER BRENT ROBINSON

Getting to apply his carpentry skills for a Māori farming business is a bit of a bonus for Brent Robinson who is the site foreman for Doug Fowell Building Contractors, working on Farm 1.

With Ngāruahine whakapapa (his grandparents are Buck and Vivian Robinson and parents Tony and Lynette Robinson) Brent has four siblings and says most of his family lives around Manaia.

Middle right: From left Hayden Parkes, Brent Robinson and Doug Fowell - the construction crew at Farm 1 are pleased they are involved with building quality facilities that makes Irene and Derek Cruikshank's calf rearing job easier.

“We’re pretty close”, he says “but I don’t know of our connections to PKW – so if I’m in their magazine I suppose I better read it then”, laughs Brent.

Doug Fowell is also the supplier of Extreme Farm Buildings and Brent has been with the company since 2009.

“I enjoy the outdoor aspects of the job. It requires working mainly on rural farm buildings from cowsheds to milking sheds and anything else that needs repairing or erecting,” says Brent.

“I’m not too sure about being in business myself,” adds Brent “but knowing that there is a business like PKW around that provides this kind of work for us builders means there’s always the opportunity.

I'd encourage everyone to learn a trade.”

PĀKIHI | 19

AMALGAMATION OF FARMS 13 AND 18 AND NEW COWSHEDS Two of our Skeet Road, Oeo farms are currently in the process of being amalgamated for the beginning of the new calving season in mid-July. The amalgamated structure will bring a number of large-scale efficiencies to this block of whenua, providing for greater financial returns to be generated and at the same time replace two old cowsheds which are no longer up to PKW’s standards of providing a safe environment for its farm staff.

The amalgamation is being made possible by the addition of a new 60bail rotary dairy-shed currently being constructed on the property, which will be capable of milking approximately 500 cows per hour.

The two farms being amalgamated historically milked cows through two different cowsheds, one being a 200cow farm with an old herringbone where Colin Foley has been the sharemilker, and the other a 300-cow farm which utilised an old rotary shed which has been managed by Robert Walden in recent seasons. The amalgamated property will initially milk approximately 500 cows and will be managed by Robert Walden, with Greg McLean as the second-in-charge on the property.

Both Robert and Greg affiliate to Taranki Iwi. The new cowshed will encompass some of the latest dairy shed technology, which will provide benefits for both animal health and the staff operating the farm. At the same time, PKW will be upgrading the property's dairy-shed effluent system to ensure PKW is at the forefront of dealing with effluent in both an environmentally sensible manner, while ensuring the effluent is utilised effectively on-farm for the nutrient value it contains.

20 | PÄ€KIHI

TRISTIN HORO

Rabobank farm managers course-australia From 16 to 20 June PKW Farm Manager Tristin Horo (Taranaki Iwi), pictured above middle, will attend the Rabobank Farm Manager’s Program in Australia as part of his ongoing development within PKW Farms LP. Rabobank created the Farm Managers Program specifically for farm managers who will be running and/or taking ownership of a progressive agribusiness in the future. The Farm Managers Program is presented

by leading business professionals, agricultural specialists and academics who introduce the key themes of business management – managing yourself, managing others and managing a business – through interactive presentations, class discussions, work groups, farm tours and case studies.

them to contribute to the strategic direction of their farm business.

The small group size and residential nature of the program provides an opportunity for farmers from across New Zealand and Australia to mix with and learn from, like-minded individuals from a diverse range of enterprises.

The week-long management course provides the platform from which farm managers acquire the skills that enable

PĀKIHI | 21

ANNUAL END OF SEASON farm staff hui

On 5 June 2014 PKW Farms LP staff gathered together at Aotearoa Marae for the annual end of season review hui.

John Hooker, Aroha Wharemate and Aunty Rutu Herewini of Okahu-Inuawai hapū welcomed the group of 32 staff and contractors for the day long get together with a powhiri.

For some, this was their first time on a marae so we took the opportunity to explain the powhiri process and what was expected of them. “I was especially proud that the staff had the confidence in us to lead them through this process and while many did not fully understand or know the waiata tautoko after the CEO’s whaikorero, they all stood as a show of support and unity” says Dion Maaka, General Manager Corporate Services.

The annual end of season farm staff whanaungatanga hui is a chance for the PKW Farms team to review and celebrate the past season and discuss their thoughts on improvements for the coming year.

Over time, as the business has grown, the event has widened to include all 22 | PĀKIHI

staff and is growing into an annual organisation-wide conference. It is now used as an opportunity to welcome new staff for the following season and farewell those who might be moving on at the end of the season.

and continuing development of the Little Tempsky Road Calf Rearing Unit.

• Drystock Manager Chris Paterson was recognised as the Newcomer of the Year for his outstanding first season on the Otaraoa Road This year's session included property sub-leased from Todd presentations to staff, PKW's long term Energy. In addition to being a hard strategy, animal health and special focus working farmer, Chris has on health and safety in the workplace. demonstrated great commitment to the partnership and has been a great This year the team was proud to ambassador for PKW Farms LP with note they had collectively produced educators and students. over 3 million kilograms of milk solids (kgMS) for the first time - a record for • PKW sharemilkers and long term PKW Farms LP. What was even more business partners Ross and Shelley pleasing was the fact that this record Clark were recognised with an award production coincided with Fonterra's for Highest Production of the Year highest ever payout at $8.40 per kgMS. with average production of 500 kgMS per cow (compared to the regional This year PKW Farms LP introduced a average of 350 kgMS per cow). new tradition and awarded three new trophies recognising individuals who had achieved something significant during the year.

All of the farm staff spoke positively of the hui and especally being hosted by Aotearoa Marae.

• PKW calf rearers Derek and Irene Cruikshank were recognised as He mihi aroha ki te whānau o Aotearoa Outstanding Achievers of the Year for Marae mo ōu koutou manaakitanga ki their work in leading the management a Parininihi ki Waitotara. Mauriora!

MITCHELL RITAI Charles Bailey scholar returns to Waitara

Continuing with our profiles on Charles Bailey Scholars, Whenua caught up with Mitchell Ritai the latest recipient of the 2014 award during a visit to Owae Marae where four generations of Ritai whānau had gathered.

A new mokopuna and a new scholarship have made 2014 a milestone year for Mitchell Ritai.

Having been a young father himself

he knows his son Taimus and partner Linda will benefit from the large extended family that surrounds them.

Mitchell and wife Ali have been benefactors of that same support and credit that for what they have achieved to date with their family of five children.

“We met each other in Australia through kapa haka ”, says Mitchell.

“My parents had moved there

when we were young as dad (Alex) followed his brothers there to go into the building trade and Ali was there for work as well.”

The desire to return from Australia to live in New Zealand was nurtured

by Mitchell’s parents Alex and Pam Ritai who always promoted the importance of their own Taranaki roots. They made sure sending Mitchell and his brothers Alex Jr and ĀWHINA | 23

Damon to Hato Petera College as boarders during the 1980’s reinforced that bond.

When Mitchell and Ali initially returned from Australia they lived with Ali’s family in Matamata for a number of years and Mitchell completed his Bachelor in Business Studies at the Waikato Tertiary Institute, Wintec.

Having an aunt that had a career as a business advisor for an international consultancy agency opened Mitchell’s eyes up to the world of business and influenced his choice of career.

“My Aunt Susan Denness motivated me to want to understand the way in which business functioned and her influence is a major part of my wanting to build my skills in this area. That knowledge helped me to establish my family back here in Taranaki. Though it took a couple of years by 2004 I was working for PwC one of the largest corporate accounting firms based here. Fortunately they were looking for Māori staff to assist in providing business development and marketing advice,” reflects Mitchell.

Returning to live in Taranaki was inevitable when Mitchell’s parents and siblings had also made the move enabling their wider whānau to reconnect and become an active part of Māori community development with roles that range from Health and Primary Care Services to Education.

Contributing to the development of the Māori community in Taranaki is all part and parcel of their whānau kaupapa something that Mitchell acknowledges his koro Sonny Waru role modeled.

“His focus on the community kind of rubbed off on quite a few of us – that desire to be actively engaged. It’s something we acknowledge and reflect on and to a certain extent we have kind of figured out our respective roles and now it’s about how best to support each other whether we are in a leadership role or 24 | ĀWHINA

behind the scenes,” adds Mitchell.

Now as the Manager for Te Reo o Taranaki, Mitchell is looking at how his ongoing tertiary study will add value.

As an organisation that has at its core the revitalisaton of Taranaki reo, Mitchell acknowledges that it is important to find ways by which the entity can become sustainable.

“We are a Not for Profit organisation – working in that social enterprise space. We need to be able to look outside the box about how we can progress from being solely dependent on funding – whether that is from government sources or elsewhere.”

For Mitchell that is the challenge he is looking forward to examining as part of his Masters research.

“My current programme of study is a Masters in Business with a Management endorsement. This type of programme introduced me to practices around knowledge management, leading change in organisations, project management, entrepreneurship, and strategic governance.”

“In my essay for this scholarship I focused on these five principles because though they may be mainstream in their application there is a synergy in how we can evolve our own models of management.”

Mitchell recognises that in a post settlement environment within the Taranaki region the role Te Reo o Taranaki can play will be critical.

“I believe that culture and language leads to self identity, which in turn results in an individual who can easily transition the cultural divide within which we all operate. Language is a major component of culture and identity when we consider our Māori communities.”

“To that end our organisation can make a significant contribution to building that cultural capability by

supporting the language acquisition of our future business and community leaders. That must be a positive effect for post settlement entities who will be constantly challenged around their ability to manage their commercial imperatives against their cultural obligations.”

Testing these assumptions in the context of social enterprise models is going to be part of the analysis Mitchell will be applying to his Masters research.

However, there aren’t many examples in New Zealand and finding these business models in a social enterprise context will be part of the challenge Mitchell is keen to examine and a major reason behind his application for the PKW scholarship.

Recognising that the common denominator of economic, social and cultural objectives is people Mitchell points out that the 4 principles of the PKW strategy (ie, active management, structure and capability, developing people and collaboration) is also about people.

“While strategies and objectives can stand alone, they actually require motivated and inspired individuals to achieve them.“ “That is why I am very proud to have been awarded this honour.

The Charles Bailey Scholarship is not just a highly valued scholarship in Taranaki but it represents an opportunity to take a lead role in the PKW leadership programme that connects previous scholarship recipients back to kaupapa that are important in Taranaki.”

For PKW Community Development Manager Allie Hemara-Wahanui, the selection of Mitchell to this scholarship was a reasonably clear decision.

“Competition for the scholarship was tough with high quality applicants.

Mitchell’s commitment to sustaining and advancing Taranaki reo as well as his business focus was a key

Captions

strength to making this decision” says Allie.

"His contribution has spanned across the business community, to hapū and iwi roles, even to voluntary roles in the community. His knowledge in financial management matters has really added value to these small entities and shown his commitment to growing our communities. As a result we feel he is a deserved recipient for this award.”

Mitchell’s parents, Alex and Pam agree.

“We think it is fitting that the scholarship has gone to someone who is from here and living in Waitara given who it represents. Though

it was Mitchell’s aspiration he has achieved that not just for himself but also for our whānau.”

Top Right Mitchell stands in front of

No reira,

brother Wharepouri Bailey who stand in

his tupuna Te Rangimatatoru Watene alongside of Tiri Bailey-Nowell daughter of Charles Bailey and Charles youngest

He mihi kau atu tēnei ki te whānau o Charles Taare Terutu Bailey.

front of their tupuna Taitoko ki Ngāmotu

Ko te tūmanako ia, ka taea e au te whakatutuki pai i ngā wawata kia hāpaitia nuitia tēnei karahipi, tēnei tahua me kī.

Top Left Mitchell's parents Alex and Pam

He mihi aroha anō ki a PKW Trust me PKW Inc e tautokohia ana taku mahi ako, arā, nōku te whiwhi.

Ritai whānau, Mitchell, second eldest son

Mitchell Harry Te Uira Ritai

Bailey

Ritai and partner Alison join Mitchell at Owae Marae

Bottom Right Four generations of the Taimus holding his son Te Ua Tonganui and father Alex Ritai Bottom Left Mitchell and Alison

Ritai with their tamariki Huria (left) and Ngatupara (right) and latest edition to their whānau, mokopuna Te Ua Tonganui Ritai ĀWHINA | 25

PKW Trust was inundated with applications for a 2014 tertiary grants or scholarships and management believes that one of the reasons for this increase is PKW Shareholders promoting and encouraging their whānau to apply.

As the criteria stipulates, applicants must whakapapa to a Taranaki Iwi and be endorsed by a living PKW Shareholder. The shareholder does not have to be a relative but we are pleased that nearly all of the applicants (92%) have a whakapapa relationship to their shareholder.

This year’s postgraduate scholarships have been awarded to: Recipient

Scholarship

Iwi

Field of Study

Mitchell Ritai

Charles Bailey

Te Atiawa

Master of Admistration

Hayden Hamilton

Matekitawhiti Carr

Ngāruahine

Master of Science

Te Aroha Hohaia

Edward Tamati

Ngāruahine

PhD

Raiha Hooker

Gloria Kerehoma

Ngāruahine

Master of Management

PKW Trust introduced new criteria that attempts to create an atmosphere of reciprocation. For example all postgraduate applicants had to show how their programme of study could contribute to the core business activities of PKW. Secondly those applying for the Charles Bailey Scholarship had to be available to PKW throughout the term of the scholarship and take a leadership role in the PKW alumni. These were added because the future success of PKW is dependent on skilled and qualified people.

Five undergraduate scholarships have been awarded to: Recipient

Iwi

Field of Study

Natasha Bishop

Taranaki

Bachelor of Nursing

Kowhaiwhai Hohaia

Taranaki

Bachelor of Science

Saoirse O’Sullivan

Te Atiawa

Bachelor of Arts

Te Waikapoata Tamati

Taranaki

Bachelor of Health Science (Oral Health)

Tawera Trinder

Te Atiawa

Bachelor of Midwifery

26 | ĀWHINA

Applications approved

Scholarship applicants Each scholarship is awarded for a maximum of three years subject to the recipient maintaining the conditions of their award, an example of this is academic performance and a scholarship can be withheld if this is not met.

Over and above the scholarships PKW Trust budgets for 100 tertiary grants and this year we surpassed that target by awarding grants to 177 recipients. Recipients study in a whole variety of fields from te reo, theatre, education, law, medicine, music, design and floristry. The advantage of supporting each applicant is that we always know who may find their way into the Agribusiness sector and possibly a future career with PKW. While we employ farmers who run multi-million dollar operations we also need people with skills in engineering, animal science, property valuations, food science and environmental studies like soil and water. Plumbers, electricians, fencers and builders are also important roles because they service the farms; and like every other organisation we also need people with management, financial and administration skills.

It is our collective responsibility to think about who will be running PKW in the next 10 years and beyond therefore investing in each recipient as they gain the skills and qualifications they need for a successful career is an excellent place to start.

A full list of the 2014 recipients will be included in this year’s Annual Report. See page 2 to order your copy.

Tertiary grant recipients

177

Total amount awarded

Ä€WHINA | 27

OUR TAMARIKI, OUR TOMORROW Pukeiti Event

Puke te Whiti (also known as Pukeiti) is an internationally recognised garden situated on the Maunga and the rainforest surrounding these gardens is PKW land leased to the Taranaki Regional Council for the enjoyment of all.

Puke te Whiti is the dome like hill on the northern side of Pouakai and Taranaki and is a sacred wāhi tapu. Creating opportunities for our tamariki to learn about the environment and connect with sites that are culturally significant to Taranaki is extremely important and this is the second time PKW has invited Taranaki school children to experience Puke te Whiti. “The PKW vision of He Tangata, He Whenua, He Oranga is about our land being the foundation for our well-being and prosperity and events like these enable our tamariki to connect and appreciate wāhi tapu like Puke te Whiti.” says PKW Community Development Manager Allie HemaraWahanui “When people understand they care and advocate more; this is a quality we want to nurture.”

28 | ĀWHINA

Te Waonui a Tane specifically the birdlife was the focus of the day and different workshops were held where tamariki learned about the birds’ habitat and their food sources. They also explored how they could make their schools more attractive to bird life and enjoyed a bush walk where they started to identify the birds through their calls. The day concluded with the children designing a feather that became part of a beautiful korowai (cloak).

While most of the participating schools teach in english PKW appreciated total immersion kura kaupapa Te Pihipihinga Kakano mai i Rangiatea attending and with the support of fluent speakers Kaareen Hotereni, Maakere Edwards and Dennis Ngawhare (2011 Charles Bailey recipient) their workshops were conducted entirely in te reo māori.

Coordinated by local organisation Hive Taranaki who are a longstanding advocate of environmental sustainability works closely with Taranaki schools promoting this kaupapa. “Once again

we’re overwhelmed by the response from schools and the participation by the children who were enthusiastic in sharing their ideas and asking questions.” says Hive Educator Rachel Eckersley. The relationship between Hive Taranaki and PKW is built on mutual respect for the environment and the role of the future generations.

Last year tamariki took away a seedling and this year we hope they will implement what they learned and forever remember that wāhi tapu like Puke te Whiti play a key role in the future of our region. This event captures the PKW vision perfectly; ‘He Tangata, He Whenua, He Oranga’ in that through the land we will prosper.

ĀWHINA | 29

Photo courtesy of WIIT

TE KĀHUI MĀUNGA

community event sponsorship PKW Trust sponsored the recent Aotea Māori Performing Arts Event held at the TSB Stadium in New Plymouth. Kamaka Manuel, chair of the organisation that ran the event, Te Kāhui Māunga reports on the days event.

Tūtū Kā'ika (4th)

Previously known as AMPAC - Aotea Māori Performing Arts Committee the name change to Te Kāhui Māunga came about from a strategic planning hui held in 2013 as the committee wanted to widen its scope and acknowledge the unique situation that covers the relevant tribal boundaries in recognition that some are on the borderline of Aotea, Kurāhaupo and Tokomaru waka.

Ngā Pakeke o Rātana

Te Huatahi Te Taikura o Te Awa Tupua Taranaki ki te Tonga Te Rōpū Taikura o Te Kāhui Herekawe Te Tira o Te Arakamu Pūtiki Wharanui Aotea Ūtanganui Tahupōtiki Mai Taranaki Mātongatonga

The Aotea Regional Kapahaka Competition was first established in 1996. The competition is held biennually and is the qualifying event for teams to represent Aotea at Te Matatini The following groups participated at this National Māori Performing Arts Festival.

The competition is about supporting year’s regional competition; the development of traditional māori performing arts within the region and Te Reanga Mōrehu o Rātana (1st) in particular those aspects that are Ngā Purapura o te Taihauāuru (2nd) indigenous and unique to the Aotea rohe.

Te Matapihi (3rd)

30 | MĀTAURANGA

This year the competition reached a new pinnacle with the most teams ever, participating. This meant that for the first time four teams could qualify and represent Aotea rohe at Te Matatini 2015.

Te Kura Matatini o Taranaki (WITT) headed the organising host committee in association with Te Kāhui Māunga with the overall organisation and facilities provided raising the standard of the competition to another level.

The estimated audience targets, team participation and financial targets were all met with positive outcomes.

The sponsorship was imperative to the operational costs of holding such an event of this magnitude. In recognition of PKW's sponsorship, PKW was recognised as a sole 'key partner' to the event creating the highest profile at the festival.

We thank PKW for their tautoko and endorsement of this important kaupapa.

Photo: Rob Tucker

Your partners in Taranaki’s growth Over the last decade the Taranaki region has consistently outperformed the national average – we have been one of the fastest growing regions in terms of population, GDP, business number and employment growth.

While a lot of this growth has been a result of our natural and mineral resources, it also reflects the spirit of innovation for which the region and its residents are legendary and the energy that is a necessary condition of living in Taranaki.

Venture Taranaki is proud to have assisted thousands of local businesses and business people – right around te Maunga – to translate ideas and energy into business growth, and through this

growth help to raise the standard of living for families and communities.

Our mission is to drive and facilitate the creation of economic wealth for the people of Taranaki. Between 2004 and 2013 we’ve supported 2,535 new business ideas through our free Business Start-Up clinics, matched 1,179 business people to Business Mentors, and connected our region’s businesses to $13,390,632 in government research and development funding. This number is set to grow by a further $1.98 million this year. This year we’ve also linked our businesspeople to more than $287,000 in government funding to help them build their business capabilities.

We assist more than 1,800 business growth enquiries every year, produce both Taranaki Trends and the Taranaki

Business Survey twice a year, and put out 12 regular newsletters to help keep the region’s businesses, people and communities up to date on what’s available to help them grow even more.

Venture Taranaki is also Massey University’s business partner in the region and has connected more than 30 local companies to their tertiary expertise. We also have a range of tools to help local companies find, attract, welcome and retain the skilled staff they need to grow.

If you have a business idea, a business, or an opportunity to grow that you think has the potential to help your whanau, community or our region to get ahead, then talk to the team at Venture Taranaki.

We’re here to help you, your business, and Taranaki, grow.

Taranaki’s Regional Development Agency 9 Robe St, PO Box 670, New Plymouth 4340 Phone: 06 759 5150 Email: info@venture.org.nz

www.taranaki.info

MĀTAURANGA | 31

2014 AHUWHENUA AWARDS and the winner is...

Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd (Normanby) won the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Māori Excellence in Farming Award for Dairy.

The Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples made the announcement on Friday 13 June at a special awards evening held in Tauranga that was attended by more than 850 people.

is held each year. The other finalists were Putauaki Trust – Himiona Farm and Ngāti Awa Farms – Ngakauroa Farm, both of whom are located near Whakatane.

PKW Incorporation has developed a close association with Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd as reported in Whenua Issue 8.

The trophy was presented to the Chairman of Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd, Dion Maaka by the Governor General Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae. Dion Maaka was also presented with a replica of the trophy by Hon Nathan Guy and received the winner’s medal from the Chief Executive of the Bank of New Zealand, Anthony Healy. The Trust also receives about $40,000 in prizes donated by sponsors.

“On behalf of Te Rua o te Moko we are honoured to win the Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Māori farming”, says Dion Maaka, who is also PKW General Manager Corporate Services.

Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd was one of three finalists in the competition, which

Situated close to Hawera the Trust runs 500 kiwi cross cows on a 170ha

32 | MĀTAURANGA

“Winning is acknowledgement that what our owners sought to achieve has been realised. The owners must be congratulated for their courage and conviction to seek greater value and become active landowners.”

effective milking platform. It is a highly successful operation, which is now into its fifth season and is producing 190,000 kgMS. What is so special about this operation is that it is an amalgam of four separate Māori trusts who have all combined their resources to create an economically and environmentally sustainable dairy operation.

The Chairman of the Ahuwhenua Trophy management committee which runs the awards, Kingi Smiler says Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd was a shining example of how Māori are collaborating with small trusts cooperating to create larger more economically viable enterprises which serve local people and New Zealand better.

“A feature of this year’s competition is that all the finalists were an amalgam of smaller entities that had put aside their individual interests for the greater

Photos courtesy of ALPA PIX Photography

good of a larger whānau. Today the collaborative approach is now gaining greater momentum and as we see in this Ahuwhenua Trophy event, resulting in some outstanding achievements.”

Kingi Smiler acknowledged that Māori agribusiness has now become a powerhouse of the New Zealand economy and truly come of age.

“One of the reasons for this is that trusts such as Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd, the other finalists and a large number of others have lifted their game and have become highly successful multi million dollar businesses. In the early years of the competition the winners were held up as great role models.

The modern day finalists and ultimate winners are the same. Today they can benchmark successfully with all farms – not just Māori farms. They are adopting all the technologies that modern day farming has to offer. But they have not

compromised their quest for financial gain at the expense of retaining Māori values,” says Smiler.

BNZ head of agribusiness, John Janssen, says that by amalgamating smaller land holdings Te Rua o Te Moko is able to drive growth until now only achieved by larger land owners.

“Every year the Ahuwhenua competition highlights and shares innovative farming business practices driving growth in the agribusiness sector and this year is no exception.”

“Amalgamation of landholdings highlights the power of mahitahi to achieve scale and resources needed to reach the next level.”

PKW Incorporation agrees and congratulate Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd for their success at the Ahuwhenua Awards.

“Amalgamation of landholdings highlights the power of mahitahi to achieve scale and resources needed to reach the next level.”

Left Te Rua o Te Moko Whānau enjoying their success Top Dion Maaka holding aloft the winning trophy

Bottom John Janssen BNZ, Minister of Primary Industries Hon Nathan Guy, The Governor General Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mataparae, Minister of Māori Affairs Hon Dr Pita Sharples, Dion holds the replica and Michael Prankerd Sharemilker.

109 Devon Street West | New Plymouth 4310 Taranaki | New Zealand

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