ANNUAL REPORT 2025
MIHIATE HEAMANA KOWAI MĀTOU
HEHOROPAKI: WHATWEDO TIROHANGAĀ TAU HIGHLIGHTSAND PROFILES
FINANCIAL REPORT 2025/2026 BUDGET APPENDICES: GRANT RECIPIENTS
MIHIATE HEAMANA
He pātaka kai, he pātaka kōrero, he pātaka taonga a Tūwharetoa
E kore e mimiti ngā puna o te wai, ngā puna o te whakaaro, me ngā puna o te aroha e pupuri nei i te mana o te iwi
This year has been about celebrating wins and also seeing where we can do better Through NTMDG we’ve supported kaupapa across sport, culture and iwi events, while also noticing that fewer taiao and rangatahi projects have come forward Our job is to make sure this fund reaches all parts of Tūwharetoa in a fair and lasting way.
Looking ahead, we’ll be making some changes. We want to see more kaitiaki kaupapa coming through, continue to build strong connections with marae and hapū, and ensure funding is shared more evenly across all areas. These steps will help us stay true to the intent of this fund – caring for our taiao, strengthening our people, and keeping ourtikanga strong.
We are also progressing work through TMTB to change the make-up of the group so that it has only Tūwharetoa membership. This has been requested at a number of AGMs, and we thank our Mercury partners for supporting us in this important next step
Thank you to everyone who applied, contributed, and gave back to our iwi this year. With your support, we remain committed to ensuring this fund continues to serve Tūwharetoa well into the future
SARAHASHER
KOWAIMĀTOU
MERCURYREPRESENTATIVES
LEAHWYATT MOKOTAUARIKI
HEHOROPAKI: WHATWEDO
OVERVIEW
The Ngāti Tūwharetoa Mercury Development Group (NTMDG) was set up in 2002 through an agreement between Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Mercury We manage and distribute funds provided under that agreement to projects that strengthen our people, culture and environment A six-member team - three from Tūwharetoa and three from Mercury - meets regularly and reports back to iwi each year.
OBJECTIVES
Keep our connection to Lake Taupō and the Waikato River strong, protecting our mana, knowledge, tikanga and wāhi tapu
Care for the environment through restoration, research and remedial work. Support Tūwharetoa to exercise kaitiakitanga
Back education, jobs, health and wellbeing for our hapū.
TIROHANGAĀTAU
This year we invested over $680,000 back into our people and places. We received a record 206 applications, up from 186 the year before, showing the growing demand for NTMDG support.
Sporting grants continue to be one of the most sought-after areas, with whānau and rangatahi striving to represent Tūwharetoa at regional, national and international levels.
We had budgted $120,000 for sporting grants but approved approximately $230,000 of grants, this was possible due to lower application rates in other areas.
$230k
Sporting applications approved Increase in expenditure
KAUPAPAAHUREA
This year NTMDG invested in kaupapa that strengthen our cultural identity and preserve the knowledge of Ngāti Tūwharetoa We allocated $87,000 towards wāhi tapu and oral history projects, ensuring our stories, tikanga and sacred places are recorded and protected for future generations Alongside this, we supported wānanga kaupapa with $10,000, creating spaces where whānau and hapū could gather, learn, and pass on mātauranga
PROTECTINGTHETAIAO ISCENTRALTOWHOWE AREASTŪWHARETOA
Caring for the taiao has always been a key focus of this fund, right back to its original objectives This year we set aside $300,000 for environmental kaupapa, with $116,000 spent on projects that protect and restore our awa, moana and whenua
Our support went into a range of initiativesfrom taiao enhancement wānanga, to restoration work along the Waikato awa, through to kaupapa that help our people, from tamariki to pakeke, reconnect with our wai. These projects remind us that kaitiakitanga is not only about looking after the environment itself, but also about strengthening the relationship of Ngāti Tūwharetoa with our taiao
The projects we supported made a clear difference, but there is still more to do. The resources are there, and we are committed to backing kaupapa that leave a lasting legacy of care and connection for generations of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
INVESTINGINRANGATAHI
We had $80,000 set aside for rangatahi programmes this year, but only $8,600 was taken up This tells us that while the funding is there, our current approach may not be reaching our young people in the right way
Supporting the next generation is vital, and we need to look at different ways of backing kaupapa that truly connect with and empower our rangatahi
BRINGINGOURPEOPLE TOGETHER
This year we proudly supported kaupapa that bring our people together and celebrate who we are
Funding went toward the Tūwharetoa Kaumātua Lunch, a time to honour and uplift our pakeke. We also contributed to Waitangi ki Tūrangitukua, where our iwi gathered in unity. Another highlight was the inaugural Tūwharetoa Ahurei - Ruia Taitea, which marked an exciting new chapter for our cultural calendar Together, these events strengthen our whanaungatanga and keep our tikanga vibrant across generations
APPLICATIONSATA
KAPŪTERUHA KAHAOTERANGATAHI
The Tūwharetoa Waewae Rākau Rangatahi
Leadership wānanga, held at Hirangi Marae in February 2025, brought together young leaders to strengthen their confidence, cultural grounding, and connection to whakapapa Across three days, participants engaged in powhiri, storytelling, whakapapa kōrero, physical challenges, and wānanga sessions led by respected kaumātua and whaea From learning about Ngātoroirangi’s journey to sharing the kōrero of Pihanga and Ngāti Turangitukua, the rangatahi were encouraged to see themselves as carriers of ancestral wisdom and future leaders of Tūwharetoa. Early morning training and team challenges instilled discipline, resilience, and the value of collective strength
The programme wove together tikanga, mātauranga, and aroha, creating a space where rangatahi could grow their leadership skills while being nurtured by the support of whānau and iwi. The report affirms that investing in rangatahi through cultural leadership remains central to the future of Ngāti Tūwharetoa
PADDLINGFORGOLD INHAWAI’I
With support from an NTMDG grant, Te Whareoranga Smallman represented Aotearoa at the 2024 International Va’a Federation World Sprint Championships in Hilo, Hawai‘i She returned with an incredible haul of three gold medals, one silver, and a fourth place in the singles division.
The grant helped support costs for travel, accommodation and other essentials, allowing her to focus on performance Competing in Hawai‘i meant adjusting to unpredictable tides and constantly shifting lanes. Despite the challenges, the team adapted quickly and backed each other, proving their strength on the international stage
“Competingagainstthebestpushesmetogrow,notjustasapaddlerbutasa person.ThisexperienceshowedmewhatI’mcapableofandwhereIcangonext.”
Off the water, the trip offered new experiences - swimming where fresh and salt water meet, spotting turtles and stingrays, and connecting with Hawaiian culture Friendships made and knowledge shared continue to shape her journey as an athlete.
This achievement shows the power of NTMDG support in helping our people reach the world stage and proudly carry the name of Ngāti Tūwharetoa
Te Whareoranga Smallman and her Team at International Va’a Federation World Sprint Championship
OKEA URUROATIA
“Playing for the New Zealand 35’s Masters team at the Trans Tasman Challenge in Cairns was one of the proudest moments of my hockey career”
“With NTMDG support, I was able to represent Aotearoa on the world stage and set my sights on the 2026 World Cup in the Netherlands”
CARRYINGAOTEAROATOTHETRANS-TASMAN CHALLENGE
Unity and Inspiration - The tournament gave our kōtiro a platform to showcase their skills, grow as a team, and strengthen bonds
The girls displayed resilience and passion across four tough games, with standout player Ahshae Konui-Tulloch selected for the NZ Māori Rugby League team - a testament to both talent and the support of Ngāti Tūwharetoa Mercury Development Group
Tūwharetoa Māori Rugby League Kotiro U13s
Hoete TeKapaiwahoMitai-Ngatai
NGĀTAIKURAO TŪWHARETOA
TAIKURAMATARIKI CELEBRATIONS
In July 2024, Ngā Taikura o Ngāti Tūwharetoa travelled to Wellington to be part of He Kura te Tangata Taikura Matariki Celebrations ki Te Papa Performing our waiata and haka on a national stage was a highlight, but the real value of the trip was in everything that happened around it.
In the weeks leading up, whānau met every Sunday to practise These sessions gave everyone a focus, a chance to reconnect, share what was happening in their lives, and support each other The practices were also about passing on waiata, poi, and haka to our tamariki and mokopuna, making sure these taonga keep moving through the generations.
The haerenga itself strengthened our sense of being Tūwharetoa Along the way, stories and histories were shared, giving people a stronger connection to who we are and where we come from A special moment for many was being able to see Tūwharetoa taonga at Te Papa, items not usually on public display
For our tira haere, representing their iwi filled them with pride - pride in themselves, their whānau, and their identity as Ngāti Tūwharetoa
FINANCIALREPORT
$50K $210K $300K
$40K $100K $200K
$870K
$53K
$1.823M
APPENDICES: GRANTRECIPIENTS