Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi Annual General Meeting 2009
Over $160.000.00 distributed to Takiwa, Taurahere and Hapu Development. Hapu agreeing to work more closely with Te Runanga-A-Iwi o Ngapuhi and a rise in assets through a turbulent year of recession are just some highlights of Te Runanga-A-Iwi o Ngapuhi’s Annual Report this year.
Over 150 Ngapuhi descended onto Ngati Hines Motatau Marae on Saturday the 14th of November for the presentation of Te Runanga- A-Iwi o Ngapuhis Annual Report 2009. An impressive new whare tupuna filled with the descendants of Hineamaru welcomed the manuhiri who arrived by car and busload from around the motu.
Te Runanga-A-Iwi o Ngapuhi Chairman Sonny Tau was honored and humbled by the large turnout and wanted to thank Ngati Hine for “the expression of their concerns through their one speaker and announcement to the Whakaminenga that their duty for the rest of the day was to “manaaki o ratou manuhiri.” This expression of Tikanga tuturu is a lesson to all that were there and witnessed this occasion. Ngati Hine, tena koutou katoa. Mo nga kai, e hara mai tetahi ahua.”
Reports from the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Teresa Te Pania Ashton were tabled at the hui in which the performance of trustees of the board and the operational staff was outlined which showed major improvement and advances in a range of areas over the past year. Also presented at the hui were the Runanga subsidiary reports the Ngapuhi Asset Holding Company (NAHC) presented by Chairman Sir John Goulter and Ngapuhi Iwi Social Services.
Robust discussion was carried out among those who attended in regards to the day to day operations of the Runanga, the challenges it faced in the year to date and how improvements would be made and implemented over the coming year.
In presenting the annual report of the NAHC an important note raised by Sir John Goulter was the fact that even through a tough year of recession where many organisations had experienced serious slumps in investments and assets it was in fact quite the opposite for Ngapuhi. Sir John Goulter says “While many other organisations suffered a loss the value of Ngapuhi’s assets had actually risen by 4%”. He says “This was an extraordinary achievement for the iwi”.
As well as improving the performance of the Runanga over the coming year, another high point of discussion was Treaty Settlements and a distinct call reverberated from hapu to work together with Te Runanga-A-Iwi o Ngapuhi to build a pathway forward. Mr Tau says it was “heartening to hear that Hapu that are not already working alongside Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi pledge to work together to ensure we have a robust Te Tiriti o Waitangi claims settlement process and we would like to begin those discussions as soon as possible.”
Another important issue was encouragement from the Chairman and CEO for all Hapu members to realise the value and importance of their input in all issues to do with Ngapuhi, especially in the election of their representatives for the Board. Mr Tau says “confidence in our trustees is essential and we want to be 100 percent certain that anyone who claims to speak on behalf of Hapu have the mandate to do so, this can only be achieved by Hapu members taking the initiative and becoming g involved in discussions regarding the Runanga, their iwi and Treaty Settlement korero. To help encourage more participation the Runanga will look into a more robust and effective manner of distributing and disseminating information of importance to its people.
Sonny Tau says “We will give due consideration to the issues raised, especially the Iwi Social Services operations. The iwi supported keeping our iwi social services going but with better controls around the operational spend and measured outcomes for what is funded from the Crown. We do understand that this is indeed a Government responsibility and will endeavor to press them for adequate funding to meet the outcomes prescribed in their contracts.”
Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi CEO takes out top Business Award
Chief Executive Officer of Te Runanga-A-Iwi o Ngapuhi Teresa Te Pania-Ashton has been honored for her outstanding contribution and excellence in the field of leadership in the private sector as well as the tribal business sector of Aotearoa.
Presented with the Dame Mira Szaszy taonga at the Maori Business Leaders Awards at Auckland University, Ms Ashton was both humbled and elated for receiving such an esteemed recognition of her mahi.
Ms Ashton is a descendant of Ngapuhi, Ngati Kahu ki Whaingaroa, Te Rarawa and Te Aupouri, and says the taonga she was awarded is of extreme significance to her and her upbringing.
Ms Ashton says “ Dame Mira Szaszy and I are of the same hapu, Pohotiare and growing up we had a picture of her on our wall, my father would constantly remind me that she was a wahine toa and someone to aspire towards. I got to spend time with her at hapu hui and talk about the challenges and different aspects of life so it felt very special to have met her and now hold a taonga that is in essence a part of her.”
As well as overseeing day to day operations of Te Runanga-A-Iwi o Ngapuhi Ms Ashton has had an exceptional career and impact in the field of business leadership of both Maori and non Maori organisations’. She spent 12 years in the corporate banking arena with CITIBANK and has spent time overseas working for a Danish Engineering Firm which highlights the national and international experience and nouse Teresa brings to her field.
Throughout her career she has managed to maintain a healthy life balance she is a devoted hard working wife and mother who has not only taken leaps and strides in business but has also spent time furthering her education by gaining GDip Bus in Maori Development.
Ms Ashton credits the balanced leadership of her own parents for how far she has come. She says “my father migrated to Auckland when we were children and held down several jobs, he was innovative enough to start his own business which was tree felling, through his guidance and persistence in this mahi I became interested and skilled in the field of business, I did all the paperwork for him and I knew how to do tax at a very young age so he inspired me to pursue business options”.
A true believer in inspiring, fostering and providing opportunities to future leaders Teresa was a part of and is now a trustee of Leadership New Zealand which was established to assist in the development of future leaders from all walks of life who want to make a contribution and assist in the development of society.
Teresa says “leadership is a passion I pursue as much as I can, hence we encourage leadership, and for myself a key to my success is surrounding myself with strong confident leaders like our Chairman Sonny Tau and Sir John Goulter Chairman of the Ngapuhi Asset Holding Company to name but a few. She says “this is not something you do alone I could not have gotten to where I am today without a fantastic and committed team and they themselves are leaders in their own fields”.
Funding Approved for 3 Hokianga Community Water Projects
The Government has approved $19 million dollars of subsidies for the communities of Waima, Panguru and Mitimiti to help improve drinking water supplies.
For over 2 years the communities have worked tirelessly conducting research seeking consent from community residents and landowners and finding alternative sources of water, they have worked in conjunction with local consultants and contractors to develop a project that meets the Ministry of Health requirements.
Waima, Panguru and Mitimiti communities will now go ahead with building new water lines and treatment plants in their communities. The water will be obtained from their local streams in the Warawara and the Waima mountain ranges. They will utilise their local labor force to help with the project.
The projects will be led and managed by locals Kereama Maihi, Waima; Buddy Wihongi, Panguru and Hoani Martin, Mitimiti.
Kereama says “the project will provide a safe healthy water supply for the different communities as well as learning and employment opportunities in the building and maintenance of the work involved”.
He also wants to acknowledge the wisdom and understanding of kaumatua and kuia and community members who got in behind this kaupapa and helped pull it through to fruition.
The Northland Health regional TAP facilitator officer Sonny Nesbit who has been assisting the communities through this process says “Talk about the benefits of the Taps program and how more Northland Communities should apply for it.”
It is proposed that when the project is completed in June 2011, that it will benefit over 2000 people. Hokianga Health has been instrumental in supporting these communities to this stage.
Young Ngāpuhi Leaders Praised
17 young Ngapuhi leaders have been praised by Tariana Turia, co leader of the Maori Party for their behavior demeanor and stature on a recent educational excursion to Rarotonga.
The group of young representatives were selected for this honor through a Ngapuhi Iwi Social Services, Social Workers in Schools (SWIS) programme called “Nga Rangatira mo Apopo”. The program was developed to help foster young leaders by enhancing their life outcomes and providing an experience that affirmed for them that being Maori is being Global and what better place to learn about whakapapa connections than Rarotonga.
Ms Turia who was working in Rarotonga at the time attended an educational hui with the group of children at Ngatangiia which commemorated the starting point for the voyage to Aotearoa of seven of the nine waka Takitimu, Tokomaru, Kurahaupo, Aotea, Tainui, Te Arawa and Mataatua.
She says “It was great to know a group of students of Ngapuhi descent from schools right throughout Te Taitokerau were taking such an active interest in their whakapapa, I was very proud to see our tamariki from home acting in ways which reflected so well on their schools and community”.
Barbara Ngawati of Tereora College in Rarotonga who was part of the hosting group says “It was amazing to see what wonderful young leaders we have rising amongst us. From what I could see, the experience these young people were given will ultimately contribute to them becoming inspiring young people for Nga Puhi, Maoridom and New Zealand in the wider sense”.
She congratulated everyone involved in such a positive kaupapa for a group of very deserving young people. “I am sure they will treasure their experience just as I will treasure meeting them all” she says.
SWIS team leader Gaylene Stevens says that while in Rarotonga the tamariki experienced the absolute manaakitanga of their Rarotongan whanau and were also fortunate enough to paddle waka ama with ex-Warrior Arwin Guttenbiel and be hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister of Rarotonga.
Tariana Turia says “It was obvious to me that these students were learning so much from meeting with the local people of the Cook Islands from experiencing their hospitality while at the same time observing the difference in life opportunities available to their peers across the Pacific”
Congratulations Paratene Pehi
Te Runanga-A-Iwi o Ngapuhi would like to congratulate the winner of our Tuhoronuku Ngapuhi Online Survey Competition Paratene Pehi from Kerikeri. Paratene and his whanau are now the proud owners of a bran new Apple Mac Laptop as a result of their efforts to be involved and informed in issues to do with Ngapuhi.
Mr Pehi was presented with his prize by Runanga Chairman Sonny Tau in Kaikohe. Mr Pehi thanked the Runanga for his taonga “I am proud to be Ngapuhi and you can be rest assured me this computer will be put to good use”.
