Maori Affairs Ministers Parekura Horomia said he is delighted that Maori have rated so well in the recent international survey, Global Entrepeneurship Monitor (GEM).

Speaking at the first anniversary of Wairoa dotcom (Friday 16 November), Mr Horomia said initiatives like the community computer hub helped open doors to new possibilities and developed the sense of entrepeneurship demonstrated by Maori ancestors who traded with Australia in the early 1800s.

“Maori need to regain confidence in our natural sense of entrepeneurship. The multi-million dollar deal between Econet and Hautaki spectrum trust is a recent example. This sense of entrepeneurship is important because Maori have significant assets at various stages of development. We have a young and growing population. We have an asset base of more than $5 billion and we have our reo (language) and tikanga (culture).”

“Developing Maori assets will benefit not only Maoridom but also society as a whole. On the other hand, the cost to New Zealand of not developing these assets will be very high indeed. It is the reason that the government is commited to encouraging and assisting Maori development,” said Mr Horomia.

The Minister said the community hub is a best practice model at a local, national and international level.

“Wairoa dotcom is probably the best example of interagency collaboration in the Tairawhiti. I think government investment has really paid off because the computer hub is a part of the fabric of the community. On an international level, Steve Tindall, of the Warehouse fame, is in Geneva talking about Wairoa.dotcom as an example of a successful community sustainable business. It is a model that many can learn from.”

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