Waka Maori surges forward into the future
Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Minister of Maori
Affairs
1 September 2013 Press
Release
Waka Maori surges forward
into the future
Māori are now well placed
to draw on a proud history of innovation to grow collective
assets, Māori Affairs Minister Hon. Dr Pita Sharples said
today.
Dr Sharples was hosting an event at Waka
Maori based in New Zealand’s America’s Cup Village aimed
at celebrating Māori business innovation.
He drew
upon the story of San Francisco’s Silicon Valley and said
the small area had built a huge economy based on
ground-breaking ideas and innovation.
“Our
ancestors were also the ultimate innovators of their time.
They were marine biologists, astronavigators,
horticulturalists, geographers, mathematicians,
meteorologists, anthropologists, civil engineers,
entrepreneurs.
“Like the men and women of Silicon
Valley they used innovation and knowledge to do things no
one had ever done before.”
“In 2013, innovation
and knowledge is once again crucial to the future of Māori
people and our businesses.”
“Our Māori
economy is booming, conservatively valued at $38 billion and
growing and economists have forecast an extra twelve billion
dollars in GDP per annum and 150,000 extra jobs by
2060.”
“But this growth will only happen if
Māori asset holders invest successfully in science and
innovation. Science and innovation remains our people’s
greatest challenge but also our greatest
opportunity.”
Dr Sharples said the Silicon Valley
story showed that being at the edge of the earth would not
prevent Māori from creating cutting edge
technology.
“We too have a legacy of innovation,
of people who think outside the square. Who dream the
impossible and then make it happen,” he
said.
ENDS