Building brighter futures for Murihiku Rangatahi

Building brighter futures for rangatahi in Murihiku is at the heart of a recently signed partnership agreement between the Te Rourou Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation and Hokonui Rūnanga Incorporated. The agreement will see the establishment of a hapū-led iwi-backed employment and training initiative to be developed and housed within Murihiku Regeneration.

Hokonui Rūnanga Incorporated Chair, Terry Nicholas says, “Murihiku Regeneration is excited to have Te Rourou Aotearoa Vodafone Foundation as a partner in this future focused initiative. The Vodafone Foundation is providing us with the support to develop a rangatahi focused skills hub. This initiative sits well with our Te Ara Aukati Kore (TAAK) – Pathways without Barriers initiative designed to ensure all local people can build the capability needed for emergent labour market and broader social and cultural life opportunities in the region.”

The Vodafone Foundation has made a six year commitment to Murihiku to fund initiatives that see young people thriving in their communities. Included in this is a focus on supporting Māori aspirations.

“Murihiku rangatahi are living within a unique local context – a place with its own histories, and complexities. We believe that the best solutions to these young people’s challenges will come from the local community. We’re here to enable and accelerate local solutions through long-term layers of support,” says Lani Evans, Head of Foundation, Te Rourou Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation.

“We have spent the last 12 months conducting research and building relationships among the community. We are thrilled to be working alongside Hokonui Rūnanga and Murihiku Regeneration, whose vision and values are so closely aligned with those of the Foundation.”

The Vodafone Foundation’s support has enabled the employment of local rangatahi Mapihi Kahurangi-Davis, as Kaiarahi Hōtaka-Programme Development Officer. Her role will be to develop the focus on rangatahi, and ensure that they have the support needed to grow. The next step will be to find a physical space and to align the hub to current Murihiku Regeneration initiatives and related work, including:

• Developing pathway planning for rangatahi as they move from school to employment.

• Ensuring strong local partnerships with hydrogen and other business investors to prepare a future workforce for a green energy and decarbonised economy.

• Developing a Worker Transitions programme under the Government’s, Southland Just Transitions programme response to the announced closure of the Tīwai Smelter.

The aim is for the rangatahi hub to be fully operational by early 2023. The focus will then shift to building the scale necessary to meet the needs of whānau and ensure they are empowered to live their best lives.

Ivan Hodgetts, Programme Lead, Murihiku Regeneration says, “We are very grateful to Te Rourou Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation for theirIvan Hodgetts - Te Ara Aukati Kore Programme Lead - speaking about the programme at the Science and Innovation Wānanga held in November last year. long-term commitment to creating a positive future for Murihiku rangatahi and for the funding they are providing to make this happen. We also appreciate the ongoing support and input of Tokana te Raki - Māori Futures Collective.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be on board the waka to build the world we want for our rangatahi and the future generations who come after them. We look forward to working collaboratively with our local Papatipu Rūnanga and our wider Murihiku whānau and community to make the dream a reality.”

Posted: 28 June 2022

Join us in celebrating Matariki!

Posted: 14 June 2022

Southland hydrogen moves ahead with final stage partner selection

Terry Nicholas: Hokonui Rūnanga Representative and Ngāi Tahu lead for this green energy programme.Two Australian companies, Woodside Energy Group and Fortescue Future Industries have entered final stage negotiations to become lead developer of the world’s largest green hydrogen production facility in Southland.

It is proposed the two companies will provide more detailed proposals to the joint Contact and Meridian Energy project team by the end of August, with the final selection of lead developer for the Southern Green Hydrogen project to be announced soon after.

The proposals received from both final counterparties during the initial selection process made it clear that large-scale production and export of green hydrogen or green ammonia in Southland is technically feasible and commercially sound, according to Meridian Energy CEO Neal Barclay.

“This is a complex project in a relatively new global market, and both the final counterparties have given us confidence that an economic project is achievable. Both have demonstrated that global markets for green hydrogen and green ammonia are imminent, and both are engaged in discussions with customers about buying the large volumes that the Southland plant will produce,” Barclay says.

Both Woodside and Fortescue demonstrated the technical capability needed to develop the project in time to capture early mover advantage in emerging global markets, according to Contact Energy CEO Mike Fuge.

“The final two counterparties have the capability, experience and motivation to make this project happen at pace. Importantly they have both mapped realistic pathways for taking this project to commercial operation,” Fuge says.

The final two counterparties were selected from four companies that were invited to submit responses to the Southern Green Hydrogen request for proposal in May. The next stage of the process will see Murihiku Regeneration, representing both Murihiku Rūnaka and Ngāi Tahu interests, working closely with Southern Green Hydrogen and the remaining potential developers to ensure the best possible outcome is achieved.

“We see green hydrogen as pivotal for the future of Southland-Murihiku and for Ngāi Tahu. We will be looking for a partnership that works to benefit our future generations, the community we are a part of, and the wider national interest,” says Terry Nicholas, the Hokonui Rūnanga Representative and Ngāi Tahu lead for this green energy programme.

For more information about Southern Green Hydrogen, visit www.southerngreenhydrogen.co.nz

Posted: 13 June 2022

New member of the Murihiku Regeneration Rōpū

Murihiku Regeneration is pleased to announce that Mapihi Kahurangi Davis will be joining Murihiku Regeneration as Kaiarahi Hōtaka-Mapihi Kahurangi Davis - Kaiarahi HōtakaProgramme Development Officer on 20 June 2022.

Mapihi brings new energy and enthusiasm for our kaupapa alongside her immersion in Te Ao Māori.

Portfolio Director, Terry Nicholas, said “it’s great to be bringing in a new generation into our mahi - someone who has the capability to work alongside whānau and help grow opportunities as our region transforms”.

Mapihi will be working with Ivan Hodgetts (Programme Lead, Te Ara Aukati Kore) as we develop our whānau capability strategy. We will have some exciting announcements of new initiatives in the next couple of weeks that Mapihi will play a key role in delivering.

Keep an eye out for further updates.

Posted: 8 June 2022

Tā Tipene O’Regan - Member of the Order of New Zealand for his services to Aotearoa

From article written by Jody O’Callaghan - Stuff

New Zealander of the Year – Tā Tipene O’Regan – can now add ONZ to his name, after receiving the highest of the country’s royal accolades.Tā Tipene O’Regan

O’Regan has been named an additional Member of the Order of New Zealand in this year’s Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours List for his services to Aotearoa.

He and fellow 2022 member Dame Silvia Cartwright join 25 existing members on the prestigious list.

The Ngāi Tahu kaumātua has worked “tirelessly throughout his life to improve the economic, cultural and social standing of Māori communities”, his award brief says.

O’Regan received a Knight Bachelorhood in 1994, even though he “wasn’t actually that keen on the idea” of the more British honour.

Just months after receiving the title of New Zealander of the Year, the news of receiving a “direct New Zealand honour” came as a “very substantial surprise”.

“It’s been an interesting year,” he said. “I relish it because it’s a very indigenous thing which still recognises the relationship I hope we will continue to have with the British.”

O’Regan was pivotal in bringing about the 1997 Ngāi Tahu Deed of Settlement and Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998.

He helped negotiate and shape legislative responses to Māori interests in fisheries, both commercial and non-commercial, and was the founding Chair of Te Ohu Kaimoana (Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission).

The historian with a love of knowledge established the Ngāi Tahu Archive in 1978, was appointed upoko (head) of Te Runaka o Awarua in 1999, and has held numerous responsibilities on boards, universities and organisations.

After battling the Crown for many years for his iwi, Ngāi Tahu, and Māori in general, and now receiving the highest of Royal honours, he quotes anthropologist Marshall Stahlins, and a concept that “has been very important to me”.

“He said: ‘Indigenous people when adopting new ideas, concepts and technologies do so in order to become more like themselves’ … it’s not from a desire to be something else.”

But Māori evolution did not lack memory, or identity. “I’ve fostered that.”

He was grateful to have the things he had stood for, and the battles he had taken, acknowledged as having been a significant contribution to the nation’s evolution.

There would be a certain amount of family celebration, and “I’m pleased for our people”.

“You should always recognise if you’re leading the way as I have – you’ve got more battle scars on your back than your front.”

There was some way to go in the country’s evolution as a bi-cultural society, he said.

He hoped there was a “richer and more diverse culture, but which is nonetheless increasingly cohesive”.

The voice of discord in society might be more intense now than ever, “but it’s much smaller”, he said.

“I’ve been able to make a contribution to that, and I’m feeling very happy.”

Estelle Leask - New Zealand Order of Merit

From article written by Georgia Weaver - Stuff

Estelle Leask’s love of conservation had led to her being named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to conservation and Estelle Leask.Māori in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.

When Estelle Leask began volunteering on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island more than 30 years ago, she was shocked to learn she was one of only a few Ngāi Tahu who had been there.

She couldn’t believe her people did not have access to their own island, so asked herself: “how can we change that?”

Now, partly thanks to her determination there is active co-management of the island between Iwi and the Crown.

Her love of conservation had led to her being named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to conservation and Māori in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Leask (Ngāi Tahu, Te Whakatāea, Ngāti Ruanui) says working with kākāpō on Whenua Hou is life-changing.

Her drive for the protection of the native parrot and other species is the explanation she wants to give future generations.

“I don’t want to be responsible on my watch to explain to the next generation ‘sorry, we couldn’t do it’. Especially iconic species like kiwi and kākāpo. How can we be Kiwi without kiwi?”

Growing up in Bluff with a mother from Rakiura and a father from Whakatāne, Leask learnt from an early age what being a kaitiaki meant.

“That realisation and sadness of losing native species because of pests.”

Leask also dedicates her time to Te Korawai Whakahau, a community-based facility and native plant nursery that is growing trees for the restoration of Bluff Hill.

The Jobs For Nature fund allowed them to employ young people to do the work.

“It’s been a game-changer for us - 30,000 trees have been grown and will go towards restoring the mana of Bluff Hill.”

It was important also to give birds a safe haven, she said.

Leask has had a lot of support from her husband, who encourages her to volunteer in the community.

Posted: 7 June 2022