PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, July 1, 2003

NATIONAL URBAN MAORI AUTHORITY

NUMA Achieves First Successful Milestone

The National Urban Maori Authority has successfully negotiated its first round of funding from the Community Employment Group in the Department of Labour. This funding will enable the NUMA to undertake the first phase of its planned economic development project.

“We believe this to be an exciting step in supporting our UMA’s develop a shared economic strategy that supports the goal of economic sustainability and jobs for our people”, says Mr Willie Jackson, Chair of NUMA.

Mr Jackson also states “Given the importance we place on this project, we have seen it as critical that this project is both led and supported by our most experienced and senior members of the UMA’s”.

This project will therefore be lead by Mere Balzer, CEO of Te Runanga O Kirikiriroa. Mr Jackson says that Mere is a top urban Maori authority CEO and has the skills and experience to lead this project. Mr Jackson says he plus an advisory group consisting of senior representation from each of the UMA’s will assist Mere to oversee the project. Awerangi Durie (formerly a Director with KPMG and now Principal of The Durie Group) has been appointed as a consultant for NUMA. Mr Jackson says it is important that we have someone of Awerangi's background to call on in these early stages of building NUMA. He states her background especially in Maori economic development will prove to be an asset for our organization. END