Ka tangihia ngā mate huhua huri taiāwhio i te motu. E māpuna tonutia ana tērā rangatira o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, ki a koe Johnno. Mōu i whakatangetange riaka mō tō iwi, hei aha? Hei oranga mō tātou, kia eke panuku, kia eke tangaroa i tēnei ao kōmiro. Ki ngā mate huhua, nawaki atu rā ki te kāinga wairua, ki ngā mātua tīpuna, haere, haere, e oki atu rā.
Tēnā tātou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Nāia hoki te whakamiha o te Tau Hou ki a koutou katoa. Ko te tūmanako ia, e ora ana koutou i te whakatā me te nohotahi ki te whānau. Mauri ora ki a tātou.
Happy New Year to you all. I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday with whānau and friends and feel rejuvenated for 2014.
First, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate Michael Skerrett, Upoko Rūnaka and Waihōpai Te Rūnanga representative, on receiving the Queen’s Service Medal for services to Māori and the community. Over the years, Michael has worked tirelessly for his rūnanga and has greatly contributed to the development of the wider Southland area. Ka nui te mihi ki a koe e te rangatira.
Recently the government announced the first seven groups selected for the expansion of the Māori and Pasifika Trades Training initiative. Te Tapuae o Rehua has been selected for the He Toki ki te Rika (Māori trade training) and Whenua Kura (Agriculture) initiatives. It is great to see the continued support from government for these style of programmes. With more resources and support from the government we can support more Māori to contribute to the rebuild of Christchurch and with the Whenua Kura initiative this funding will provide opportunities for Māori which focuses on practicing sustainable agriculture and applying mātauranga Māori to land use and management. I look forward to the development of these two initiatives.
Over the past few months both Te Rūnanga and Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation (NTHC) have been in discussions with Ngāti Kahungunu and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council where NTHC is actively exploring an investment opportunity in the Ruataniwha Dam.
The Ruataniwha Dam proposal currently sits with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Board of Inquiry. Ngāti Kahungunu made a submission expressing concern about the lack of consultation they have received on the project. They have also expressed the desire for special consideration to be given to their sacred sites and have outlined their views on water quality matters.
In early January I travelled to the Hawke’s Bay and attended the last week of the hearings, to show our support to our Ngāti Kahungunu whanaunga and to gain an understanding on how these hearings and the process works.
I have reassured Ngāti Kahungunu of our continuous support for their kaupapa throughout the proceedings.
Te Apārangi (Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu committee) met with Ngāti Kahungunu in October last year to discuss the Ruataniwha Dam proposal. Tā Mark Solomon subsequently attended some of the hearings on the dam.
Ngāhiwi Tomoana, Chair of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, during his visit to Ōtautahi to discuss the Ruataniwha Dam proposal with Ngāi Tahu.
This year’s Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival was hosted by Ōtākou Rūnaka. The spirit of whakawhanaungatanga was paramount throughout the day and it was awesome to see whānau and friends enjoying the festivities and activities on the marae. This year we were joined again by Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull. We both participated in a friendly forum and discussed the concept of Treaty Partnership and the idea that when we build on the partnership created by the Treaty, great things can be achieved for communities.
Our Treaty is the foundation on which we build a future together and I am impressed with the relationship that Ōtākou Rūnaka has developed with the Dunedin City Council. Congratulations to the whānau of Ōtākou for organising a very successful Waitangi Day Treaty Festival.
Kia tau te rangimārie ki runga i a koutou katoa.
Mark Solomon.