Te Reo Kākāriki December 2019 (Issue 5)

Te Reo Kākāriki ISSUE 05

Tēnā koutou Message from the Chair Ko te Reo Kākāriki tēnei e mihi ana ki a koutou e noho whānui ana ki te ao. Tēnei te tuku pānui atu kia mōhio koutou mō ngā mahi e kawea nei ki muri, ki mua rānei mō te tupu rākau ki runga i o tātou whenua. Nō reira ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.

Ki a rātou kua whetūrangatia, e kemokemo mai rā i te rangi, kei te tika ngā kupu e kīia nei, ‘He tātai tangata ki te whenua, ka ngaro. He tātai whetū ki te rangi, mau tonu, mau tonu’.

Nō reira moe mai koutou, okioki atu.

Ka hoki mai ki a tātou e noho nei i te ao mārama me te kī.

Tēnā koutou, tēnā rā tātou katoa.

As we enter the festive season, I take the opportunity to wish all our whānau a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. Please keep safe and watch over our tamariki mokopuna during this busy festive time.

Tupu Angitu Ltd Trustees have established a new entity Tupu Angitu. The name was proposed by our Trustee kaumātua Te Kanawa Pitiroi and means prosperity and growth. The entity is being established to manage the Trust’s commercial assets, including the trees on Trust lands. Māori lands vested to the Trustees will not be placed in the commercial entity. They will remain in the parent Lake Taupō Forest Trust. Trustees will provide more information at the upcoming AGM in January.

Trust Order and Kawenata The Trust Order changes, including the establishment of a Trust Kawenata, received a 90 per cent endorsement from the owners during a voting process earlier this year. You will recall that one of the main changes was the introduction of a Kawenata that allows owners to make

Q U A R T E R LY N E W S L E T T E R DECEMBER 2019

changes to some clauses previously covered in the Trust Order without the need for Māori Land Court approval.

Some of these changes include grant levels for tangihanga and Māori community purposes, and election and meeting proceedings. The purpose of the Trust Order changes is to enable a fit-for-purpose Trust and improve timely decision making.

New Trustees We recently completed the 2019 triennial election of Trustees. Congratulations to new Trustees elect Ngahere Wall, Kelly Te Heuheu, David O’Rourke, and Tangonui Kingi. The Māori Land Court is set to appoint our new Trustees in February 2020. We are looking forward to receiving and working with your fresh ideas, your new perspectives, and your valued skills and attributes that we know you will bring to the Board table.

Also successful were returning Trustees Heemi Biddle, Tina Porou and me, your current Chair, Binky Ellis. I am looking forward to the next three-year term as we complete the transition period for Crown exit from our lands and begin the new journey of managing our future forests.

I want to also thank those who stood in this year’s election but who were unsuccessful. It was great to see such a high level of interest from many owners who wanted to be part of the Trust’s current and future success.

Retiring Trustees Lastly, I would like to acknowledge and thank our two outgoing retiring Trustees, David Flight and Te Kanawa Pitiroi.

David was first elected in 2013 and was instrumental in developing He Māhuri Toa, the Charitable Trust’s Forestry Management Programme. He was also a member of the Trust’s Health and Safety Committee and Audit Committee and was a valued contributor to the early stages of the Trust’s pest management strategy.David gave the Trust insight into

daily harvesting operations that proved useful in understanding the day-to-day safety issues on the forest floor.

Te Kanawa Pitiroi, more affectionately known as Uncle Kawa, has been with the Trust for almost 30 years, and for a significant term during that period, he was a Kaitiaki for the Lake Taupō Charitable Trust. Uncle Kawa has served in many roles on the Forest Trust, but over more recent years he was our kaumatua kaitiaki rangatira. We have indeed been fortunate to have Uncle’s knowledge of Tūwharetoa, tikanga and mātauranga Māori guiding us in our strategy to a better future. Although retiring as Trustee, Uncle Kawa will continue to serve the Trust as our official Pou Tikanga.

On that note, on behalf of the Trustees and staff, he mihi nui tēnei ki a koutou katoa. Ka nui te aroha ki a koutou mō ngā hararei e heke mai nei. Piki te ora, piki te kaha, piki te māramatanga me te rangimārie.

Binky Ellis Chairperson

‘Empowering Owners’ Workshop Earlier in the year on 18 June, an owners’ and beneficiaries’ workshop was held at the Lake Taupō Forest Trust (LTFT) office that focused on the ways Lake Taupō Forest Trust could provide a platform and create opportunities that empower owners to transform their lives for the better.

It was anticipated that this discussion would help yield insights into how future distributions could be better applied to achieve demonstrable positive change in the lives of LTFT owners and beneficiaries and contribute to reversing some of the negative issues facing the Tūrangi community, including poverty and lack of jobs.

The workshop focused on a variety of topics, which could be summarised under three main themes.

Whenua and Tikanga The first theme was a discussion around whenua and tikanga – how there has been owner disconnection from the whenua with the pine trees now planted there, how involvement by owners and beneficiaries has never really been embraced by LTFT and a reminder that these empowerment workshops involving owners and beneficiaries were long overdue. However, there was also appreciation that owner involvement through this workshop and previous workshops had now commenced.

There were questions around the ways empowerment and transforming lives might affect tikanga. There was affirmation that this is a Māori Trust, so tikanga is always important, and for owners and beneficiaries, ‘understanding our kawa is of the utmost importance’.

Nevertheless, it was noted that business does have a tendency to push tikanga to one side so ‘we must also have wise heads to remember where we have come from’.

Understanding our past is important.

There was a discussion of the tikanga associated with food-gathering areas, how this has been largely lost and how it needs to be relearned and shared as part of the respect for each hapū and their rohe. There was also a discussion around old walking tracks or trails that DECEMBER 2019

may be now largely obliterated with the truck traffic and the roads. ‘It would be good to gather the stories about the tracks and wāhi tapu’ and perhaps put together hīkoi to view or walk the tracks and wāhi tapu as a way to re-connect with the whenua and also attract back owners and beneficiaries who have moved away.

Big Picture Elements A second theme focused on some of the big picture elements that were thought to be important.

Vision ‘We need a vision.’ There was discussion of ‘vision’ from a number of angles.

There was talk that a vision is required for Tūrangi and that vision should be put together by the community or community groups, of which LTFT would be just one group contributing to developing a vision for Tūrangi.

There was some thought that the vision for LTFT should be focused on the whenua and ngahere. However, the vision should be new, not just what was done by the previous generation or the generation before that.

The vision should include global thinking so we can prepare ourselves for the future, and future workshops should focus just on what the vision for Tūrangi should be 25 years from now.

Empowerment is an important word For some, empowerment stood for ‘becoming independent’ or ‘creating our own destiny’–concepts that were thought to help combat the poverty and ‘lack of empowerment’ that are currently perceived in Tūrangi.

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There was some discussion around empowerment, independence and selfsustainability. Some held a pessimistic vision of the future with climate change and other challenging issues growing ,so they believed we should become more self-sufficient, ie., learning to grow our own vegetables and set up market gardens, learn building skills and how to use horse and carts.

But there were also views looking to the future where marae should be more self-sufficient and independent, including having their own power supply (solar) so they can operate off the grid.

It was noted some marae are starting to go down this track. Also, there was the potential for micro-hydro power for those marae near rivers.

‘Empowering is learning about who you are as well and where you’re from.’ A discussion followed about reconnecting with marae and with kawa and tikanga or in the case of rangatahi, connecting with marae and some of the barriers they found around this.

Some thought that empowering should not be about providing services that are the government’s responsibility and that the government should be providing already.

Lack of jobs There was discussion about the lack of jobs in Tūrangi. This is causing young people and their whānau to move away as there is nothing to keep them here. It is also preventing older people from moving back as they would become unemployed.

This was thought to have the effect of reducing the number of people at the marae and on the paepae and reducing the number of future leaders.

L A K E TAU P Ō F O R E S T T R U S T N E W S L E T T E R

Transition to 2021

There was some suggestion that trade training on marae should be reintroduced for carpenters, builders, plumbers, etc.

Others looked to the future and thought that the jobs for rangatahi have not been invented yet. Either way, we are going to need trades and innovators. It was thought a training centre for rangatahi would be beneficial.

Commercial company update

Involve beneficiaries More work was needed to come up with ways for rangatahi and beneficiaries to be involved in LTFT business and issues.

‘If meetings are only for owners, how do beneficiaries participate?’

Beneficiaries outnumber owners by three or four times and they should be prepared and knowledgeable about what is going on before they become owners.

It was noted that for rangatahi, meetings are not the way to engage – social media would be better, e.g., Snapchat. Ideally, this should be driven by youth.

Rangatahi lacking direction was thought to be another barrier. There may be an opportunity for LTFT to provide direction or inspire rangatahi through supporting youth initiatives or activities and their communications. Whatever approach is taken, it needs to be fun and interactive.

More workshops and communication The greater level of communication with owners and beneficiaries has been appreciated, and it was thought that more participation and workshops like this were needed so people can be informed.

Potential Empowerment Initiatives The third theme centred around specific ideas or programmes that could be implemented to help empower owners

Forest access Summer access hours Summer access hours commenced on Tuesday, 1 October: • Weekday access: 4.00 p.m.–11.00 p.m.

• Weekends and public holidays: 5.00 a.m. –11.00 p.m.

For more information on forest access, visit www.ltft.co.nz/access-to-forest/.

L A K E TAU P Ō F O R E S T T R U S T N E W S L E T T E R

and beneficiaries and help develop momentum for the Tūrangi community.

Some of the initiatives discussed were building a timber mill, developing a business incubator, connecting fibre broadband to Tūrangi businesses, organisations and residents to assist online business development, installing solar power for marae to increase independence and reduce costs, building a bird sanctuary on Motuoapa Peninsula for jobs and attracting people and tourists, and working with the Tūrangi Economic Development Unit and the Tūrangi-Tongariro Community Board to partner on economic and social initiatives.

The workshop elicited good ideas and insights into priorities for owners and beneficiaries, and it will be the first of many workshops as these ideas are discussed and developed further.

Lake Taupō Forest Trust AGM Please note that the Lake Taupo Forest Trust Annual General Meeting will be held on: Date: Satuarday 18 January 2020 Venue: Waitetoko Marae Owners will be sent individual notices in the new year.

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As part of the Trust’s transition to full ownership of the stumpage income from our forest, the development of a commercial company to oversee the Trust’s commercial interests continues.

Commercial assets will transfer from the Trust to the commercial company, named Tupu Angitu Ltd, once the company has been formally approved and established in December 2019.

Following that, the Trust will start work with the Institute of Directors on a process for advertising for and appointing the new company directors.

These directors will be accountable to the Lake Taupō Forest Trust. Commercial skills, experience and leadership will be some of the important attributes that these directors will need to possess.

More information about this process will be provided at the LTFT AGM on 18 January 2020.

He Māhuri Toa The ‘Stealing Diesel’ scenario – Managing in Real Life

Real-life scenarios and experience from industry veterans provided a powerful glimpse into the reality on the job for some managers on this new Toi Ohomai course.

In November, the first module in the First Line Management course on Effective Leadership was completed at the Toi Ohomai campus in Taupo.

Organised by Lake Taupō Charitable Trust in association with Toi Ohomai, the course brought together Toi Ohomai leadership and communication tutors with forestry industry veterans to deliver a valuable range of management techniques to handle a range of situations.

Delivered under the guidance of Toi Ohomai group manager Jack Keogh, the course also worked at presenting Māori leadership that acknowledges mana and Māori leadership models where manaaki, awhi and whanaungatanga are key components along with the more common leadership models.

Jack was keen to make sure that the course was effective.

(Continued on page 5)

DECEMBER 2019

LAKE TAUPŌ FOREST TRUSTEES HEMI BIDDLE AND MIKAERE PITIROI IN FRONT OF THE NEW WHAREPAKU AT TOKAANU MARAE

New Wharepaku for Tokaanu Marae

Although it may have taken 25 years to bring the idea to fruition, the new ‘wharepaku’ at Tokaanu marae has now arrived and brings a new sense of pride as well as functionality to the marae.

Hemi Biddle is the Marae Chairman and is also a Trustee on the Lake Taupō Forest Trust. ‘One of the reasons I wanted to be involved was about helping to bring our

Emissions Trading Scheme

The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is the New Zealand Government’s response to global climate change.

Industries that emit greenhouse gases, such as those producing oil and power, and most industries, have to offset their emissions by buying carbon credits.

Forests absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and help reduce the impact of climate change. The world wants more forests, which had led the New Zealand Government to introduce rules that ensure forest area is not reduced and encourage more forests to be established.

The ETS as it relates to plantation forestry divides plantations into two categories: pre-1990 forests and post1989 forests. Most of Lake Taupō Forest was established before 1990, so it qualifies as pre-1990 forests. The Trust also has 510 hectares of post-1989 forest registered.

The ETS locks pre-1990 forest land into forestry by requiring payment of a deforestation tax if the land is not DECEMBER 2019

people back here to Tokaanu as well as upholding the mana of the hapū involved here. Not only Ngāti Kurauia but also all the other hapū that are associated with this land like Ngāti Tūrangitukua, Ngati Te Aho, Ngāti Waikari, Ngāti Raumai, Ngāti Hotu and others.’

Long-promoted by David Livingstone and Mika (Uncle Banjo) Paurini, the idea was to replace the previous facility with a more modern and practical setup that included rooms for kuia and kaumatua and a mattress room.

replanted after harvest. As partial compensation, owners of these lands were awarded carbon credits, which they can sell to industries that emit greenhouse gases. The Trust has around 23,700 hectares of pre-1990 forest registered under the ETS, and in return, the Trust has received 1,430,000 carbon credits (known as New Zealand Units or NZUs).

The Trust registered around 600 hectares of post-1989 forest, being the forests planted in the mid-1990s on what were Te Rangiita farm blocks. The Trust then claimed 105,000 NZUs for the carbon stored in these trees as they grew during the years of the first commitment period of 2008–2012. We freed-up those units by taking the forest out of the ETS then re-registering it, meaning Lake Taupō Forest Trust had around 1.5 million NZUs. After some in-depth strategising on what we should do with these NZUs, including getting advice from a number of experts in the field, the Trust has elected to sell around 50 per cent of the units over the next two years and hold the rest while we track how their value moves. At 30 June 2019, we had sold 4

‘It’s definitely a huge improvement on what was here before,’ said Hemi. ‘We’ve had a really good building committee.

It was led by David Livingstone to get the building built and moved here and now we have Ngahuia Foreman who has taken over, and our committee chairperson is Virginia Church. We’ve also been really lucky with funding from Lake Taupō Forest Trust, Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust, Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board and Kawakawa Farms to help make this happen.’

The building was delivered in two parts, with the second part arriving on 5 November 2019.

‘There is still some work to be completed including building a deck, stairs and entry ramps, connecting the plumbing, completing the landscaping and reinstating the paepae, but this will be done in time for the opening,’ said Hemi. ‘For me it’s the start of a process.

Once this is in, we’ll be definitely looking at the rest of the complex.’

The official opening is proposed for Saturday, 25 January 2020, Auckland Anniversary weekend.

50,000 NZUs, receiving $1.27 million ($25.35/NZU). By 30 October 2019, a further 100,000 units had been sold for similar returns. The allocation of NZUs to the Trust’s pre-1990 forests was a one-off event. They can be sold only once, so when and how many to sell are therefore key decisions. After a period of low prices, a strengthening of the New Zealand Government’s commitment to fighting climate change saw NZUs return to over $20 in late 2018. The Trustees consider that such prices are at a level where we should start selling.

Many commentators believe that the value of NZUs will continue to climb in forthcoming years though we also recognise that the New Zealand Government has some influence over that price through its ETS policies, which are periodically reviewed. Looking ahead, there are uncertainties about the market, both in the New Zealand Government’s domestic trading rules and whether any international carbon credit units may be allowed to be traded here. Despite these uncertainties, the general consensus is that prices are likely to rise further.

L A K E TAU P Ō F O R E S T T R U S T N E W S L E T T E R

STUDENTS JOINED BY LAKE TAUPŌ CHARITABLE TRUST TRUSTEES BACK ROW: HEMI BIDDLE (TRUSTEE), CHAUNCEY OWENS, MANAWA OWENS, JUDY HARRIS (TRUSTEE), LOGAN DAVIS, RAU FLIGHT, HAPETA FLIGHT, TUMA HARRIS, HAKI KEOGH (TUTOR).

FRONT ROW: MIKE PITIROI (TRUSTEE), RAWIRI HEREMAIA.

He Māhuri Toa (Continued from page 3)

The course is about 50 per cent practical and 50 per cent written, but I didn’t want to treat it like a class, more like a conference training session. Treat them like the industry people they are and it all becomes more engaging.’

Jack brought in two forestry industry experts who are now Toi Ohomai tutors – Bill Tiopira and Mack Hudson – to provide a range of scenarios that students may be faced with and look at how they would manage the situation.

Raukura Dunster Team Leader, Trust Support Services ‘I moved back from Sydney to Tūrangi in 2002 and started with the Lake Taupō Forest Trust approximately 6 months later as relief receptionist. In Sydney, I worked for the NSW Australian Services Union in Records Management working alongside union reps for transport (rail, shipping) and other services.’

Raukura Dunster is Team Leader for Support Services (TSS), a role she’s held since 2007.

The relief receptionist role expanded into Records Management Officer with supervisor at the time, Linette Leach. ‘A big part of the role was digitising owner records, vesting orders and LTFT/LRFT historic records. We had about 5,000 owners at that time, and each owner had a paper file or booklet about 50 millimetres thick. All that paperwork had to be scanned and transferred into a database, and eventually into Alchemy (EDMS). The scans produced a huge file, so it took months! Once completed, I moved to Information Administrator managing LTFT/LRFT Trust records.’

Trust Support Services is a small but busy team. ‘Logan Davis, Casey L A K E TAU P Ō F O R E S T T R U S T N E W S L E T T E R

Scenarios such as these were given: • What would you do if you caught someone stealing diesel from your work site?

• What if you have two gang members from opposing gangs on your crew – one gets hurt and the other won’t help?

• How do you handle people turning up at work with a hangover or bringing problems from home to the workplace?

These scenarios were converted into role plays so the students could then take on Thompson and myself, we look after the operational aspects of the Trust.

We manage Trust records for both Lake Taupō Forest Trust and Lake Rotoaira Forest Trust. We organise AGM and Special Owners meetings onsite/offsite, manage Trustee and staff services, which include organising events, transport and accommodation, monthly and special meetings, minute taking as well as any arrangements for Geoff and Patrick at Lake Taupō Forest Management. I also manage building maintenance and I’m a member of the Health and Safety Committee.’

Opportunities for staff are important.

‘Recently we’ve had Logan attend a new First Line Management course with Toi Ohomai. Logan has just finished the first semester and has really enjoyed it’.

But it’s not all about business. ‘My most memorable moments and highlights would have to be being in the presence of some of our kaumātua and Trustees who are now deceased – Darkie Downs, Timoti Te Heuheu, Stephen Asher, Arthur Grace, Arthur Smallman, Jim Biddle, Jim Maniapoto and Rangi Downs. Their wealth of Trust knowledge set the foundation and enhanced my work ethic and knowledge, which provided me with a sense of excitement of a journey of building whanaungatanga within the 5

the role of worker, boss and manager and see how they would react.

Both students and tutors were nervous at the start of the course.

Says Jack, ‘The first day was probably the best – they weren’t sure what was going to happen and neither were we! By the end of the day though, they said it was cool and not what they were expecting.

We had wide-ranging discussions – starting with business but then branching out into Māori business, iwi business, what Tūwharetoa is doing, what Tainui is doing – they just kept asking questions.

They were a good group to work with.

‘That completed the first module on Leadership. The next module is going to be in February on Team Management and Motivation.’

The course fits into He Māhuri Toa educational pathway under He Mātanga, increasing the capability for those already working in the forestry industry. The course is also an NZ Certificate in Business Level 4 programme and aims to ensure graduates can lead and manage teams in bi- and multi-cultural environments to meet organisational goals.

PROFILE

RAUKURA DUNSTER

Trust. Owners entering our building is one of our priorities, like to anyone walking into your own home. We are a unique business; presentation and manākitanga go a long way, and you are guaranteed to be met with a familiar face’.

And as for the future? ‘I think the future is exciting for the Trust. I’m interested in the work of the Waahi Tapu committee and would like to be involved with that.

We have the development of the new commercial company coming up and there’ll be more opportunities for people to be involved. I think we’re only going to grow.’

DECEMBER 2019

2019 Trustee Elections

The triennial Trustee elections were held in November 2019 with 19 eligible candidates vying for seven Trustee positions. Four new Trustees were elected together with three current trustees – Binky Ellis, Heemi Biddle and Tina Porou – being re-elected.

In total, 1,378 votes were cast from 5,072 eligible electors, giving a return of 27.1 per cent; 40.3 per cent voted via the internet and 59.7% voted by post. The election was overseen by Electionz.com.

The Lake Taupō Forest Trust welcomes the new Trustees and looks forward to working together on our next important stage of development.

The four new Trustees are:

Kelly Te Heuheu

Tangonui Kingi

Ngahere Wall

David O’Rourke

Senior Investigator at Māori Land Investigation & Research NZ

Councillor – Tūrangi/Tongariro Ward – Taupō District Council

Chairman – Te Pae o Waimihia Trust

Accounting, Information Systems & Strategic Management

Trustee – Motutere Point Trust

Trustee – Tūwharetoa Maori Trust Board

Trustee – Tauranga Taupo 1B2A2 Trust Trustee – Tauranga Taupo 2B2M3B3B Trust Committee member – Waione Incorporation

Trustee – Ngāti Tūwharetoa Fisheries Charitable Trust Trustee/Chair – Tūwharetoa FM Charitable Trust

Do you know these people or their uri?

The owners below are owed significant funds of unclaimed monies. If you know these people or their uri, we would really appreciate knowing their whereabouts so we can get them registered and have their monies paid.

SURNAME

FIRST NAME

SURNAME

FIRST NAME

AKUHATA

Akaneta

NGAHUIA

Mariana

BATTIN

Kim Irihapeti Horiana

NGAPINE

Hinekura

ERUETI

Maeke

NUKU

Tangiora

HADDON

Wahinepai Bernice

PARATI

Tawhi

HAPUKU

Harata

PITIHIRA

Temetera Tini

HINETAI

Te Raukohe

RAWHITI

Tutakamaiwaho

HINEURU

Ngawae

TAHAU

Ivan

HINGAIA

Kahukirangi

TAURI

Caroline

HURAE

Hungahunga Richard

TE KAEWA

Tuturu

HURINUI

Teresa Hara

TE KAPUA

Maro

KAPE

Ivan Mattam

TE MATARINA

Takihi

MIHAERA

Ngarangi

TE PUANGA

Tomara

NAPIA

Chrystal Louise

TOHUTOHU

Te Horiwai

NEPIA

Kerehi

TUHINGAROTO

Marewaiterangi

HEAD OFFICE

81 Town Centre PO Box 102 Tūrangi, New Zealand Telephone: 07 386 8839 Fax: 07 386 0188

CONTACT US

general@ltft.co.nz

+64 7 386 8839 www.ltft.co.nz

IMAGE PERMISSIONS:

Kākāriki courtesy of firinosa/123RF Stock Photo Other images courtesy of Lake Taupō Forest Trust and HUIA