Positive partnership behind city rebuild

Ngāi Tūāhuriri has signed a Heads of Agreement (HoA) with CERA (the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Agency), recognising its treaty-based relationship and providing a formal partnership to continue working collaboratively on rebuilding Christchurch’s CBD.

Matapopore (the Ngāi Tūāhuriri earthquake recovery steering group) has been working closely with the Crown, providing advice on the Central City Recovery Plan.

Ngāi Tūāhuriri rūnanga chair and signatory to the HoA, Clare Williams, says, “our key objective is to weave our values, narratives and aspirations into the fabric of the central city’s built and natural environment, so that our culture is appropriately represented in the future look, shape and feel of our city. We want our children to see themselves in the city and we want to provide a positive example for others to follow and improve upon”.

Atawhai ki te iwi is a saying bequeathed by the first Upoko Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Pita Te Hori, directing his people to show generosity and care for each other. These words convey the same sentiment that the founder of Kaiapoi Pā, Tūrākautahi, bequeathed to his people, aroha ki te tangata (show dignity and respect for each other).

Matapopore has adopted Pita Te Hori’s pepeha as a key principle underpinning their work and advocate it as an overarching theme governing all the work that recovery agencies undertake together. Clare Williams says the Crown response to this way of working has been overwhelmingly positive.

“They too believe that people, not cars, buildings or businesses, are at the heart of designing great cities.”
Matapopore supports the role of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu as statutory partner with the Crown and other local government authorities following the disestablishment of Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua (the Ngāi Tahu earthquake recovery working group) in July 2013.

Warwick Isaacs of CCDU with Clare Williams and Tā Mark Solomon sign the Heads of Agreement.

Warwick Isaacs of CCDU with Clare Williams and Tā Mark Solomon sign the Heads of Agreement.