Hon Te Ururoa Flavell

Te Minita Whakawhanaketanga Māori

Minister for Māori Development

29 March 2017

Whenua Māori Fund success continues

Māori land owners’ aspirations for their whenua are being realised with support from the Whenua Māori Fund says Minister for Māori Development Te Ururoa Flavell.

Just 13 months after the Whenua Māori Fund opened, Te Puni Kōkiri has successfully partnered with 40 projects supporting Māori land owners, Mr Flavell says.

The funding will enable Māori land owners and trustees to start projects that will assist their existing operations, and or diversify and prepare for new opportunities.

“Strong interest in the Whenua Māori Fund from across the motu shows that Māori land owners and trustees are looking at different ways they can use their whenua and return direct benefits to whānau,” Mr Flavell says.

The Whenua Māori Fund supports owners of Māori land to explore different uses of their land and ways of boosting its productivity.

Rewarewa D Incorporation in Te Taitokerau has recently signed an agreement with Te Puni Kōkiri to investigate the feasibility and scope options for land owners to build a marae and papakāinga on 70 hectares of Māori land, the last remaining block of Māori freehold land in the Whangārei urban area.

The Minister says the fund has provided opportunities to work more connectedly in the regions to assist Māori land owners and whānau to achieve their land development goals, while still maintaining rangatiratanga over their whenua.

“As the overall Whenua Māori reforms progress, it is heartening that support for whānau from the Whenua Māori Fund can progress with haste.”

The Whenua Māori Fund was announced in February 2016, and provides $12.8 million over four years to support and empower Māori landowners to utilise whenua Māori as they see fit.

More information is available through the nearest regional Te Puni Kōkiri office or online www.tpk.govt.nz.

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