E te Atua ora tonu Whakatata mai ki a matou.
Homai to kaha, me to ora,
Paimaarire.

Tena koutou e ngaa iwi o te motu.
E te Tumuaki o te Haahi Ratana, Manuao, Haere mai e hoa. 
E mihi ana ki a koe.

Pomare Ariki, tena koe. Thank you for hosting us earlier this year and for your support. We share in your journey as you share with us.

Let’s walk together – Kia manuia!

E ngaa Rangatira o te motu, ngaa maunga whakahii o ngaa iwi katoa, haere mai ra, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa.

It’s been a very busy year. So much has happened. So much to think on.

A month ago, we celebrated Matariki – the start of our New Year.

Matariki is a time for reflection. A time for remembering those who have gone before us. We remember them all – haere koutou, moe mai.

Te Iwi Maaori you really are magic people.

In this last year, we have travelled the motu and the world – we've been on the road and in the sky. But home is home, my awa, my maunga, they ground us.

Together we dream of all the things we want to achieve and then work hard to make them happen. We belong here and here we will stay.

The world faces big challenges, and one thing is for sure – Te Iwi Maaori can help the world. We do this by making small changes here at home.

Being Maaori in Aotearoa isn’t easy. When we hear about the cost-of-living crisis, we think - yeah, what’s new?

It has been hard to get ahead for a long time.

Change is needed.

As Patron of Children’s Health, I visited Starship Hospital a few weeks ago.

As I walked around the hospital, I noticed most of the tamariki belong to us. How is it that being Maaori means you are going to be more sick? A system like that doesn’t make sense.

Change is needed.

There is a saying that the darkest hour is before the dawn.

Darkness came in the form of Cyclone Gabrielle. A storm that brought pain and destruction to many, especially Te Iwi Maaori. The floods left a mark on Kahungunu, Tairaawhiti, Taamaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau.

But, after the storm the light came, and when the dawn arrived, I had the privilege to visit the people of Kahungunu and Tairaawhiti to offer the Kiingitanga’s support for their recovery.

In Wairoa, a pakeha farmer told me he owed his life to two Maaori fullas who raised the alarm during the rising floodwaters. He and his wife got out just in time. The farmer said he didn’t know anything about the Kiingitanga, but was pleased to see us, as he waited for the Government to show up.

We heard that story many times.

Iwi leaders told me how they had opened their marae to those in need. They gave food to the hungry and shelter to the homeless. This is what we do in Te Iwi Maaori.

We open our hearts and our homes to those in need.
We share our resources. 
We coordinate services.
This is what kotahitanga looks like.

The thing I noticed on the east coast was the flooding seemed worse in suburbs close to Marae. How is it that being Maaori means you’ll get flooded? A system like that doesn’t make sense to me.

The system is broken. Full of half-pai promises.

Change is needed.

We know we have answers and solutions. 
We did it with Covid once the government stopped trying to control everything.
We have always known Mana Motuhake works. 
We know that a “by Maaori, for Everyone” approach is right. 
This is the model for us all. 
Letting Te Iwi Maaori lead is good for this nation.

Instead of getting caught in battles over words and details, let’s live up to the potential of the Treaty of Waitangi. 
Focus on the future and embrace the true spirit of the Treaty. 
Let us be the change and unlock the potential of our nation.

The system is designed to divide us. Let’s stay focused and progress together.

Who among us is brave enough to be different? 
Who will embrace a new way?
Who will stand up for whanau and bring solutions to them now?

Change is needed now – not in the next generation.

I challenge the Government – whoever it will be after October – to be builders, not wreckers. Work with us – we know what to do.

From the beginning, our people have put Kaupapa first. 
Kaupapa always comes before putea (money). 
We need to remind ourselves that Settlements were given to acknowledge past mamae. However, Settlements can shift our focus if we are not careful.

We should work together for Kaupapa – then the resources will follow. Kaupapa unites us, it keeps us strong. We can do it - we’ve always done it.

Yesterday, we had the leaders of political party here.

Working with Government is important, but our plan is just do it. If Government comes along, ka pai. If not, haere tonu.

We need to use our power together when we vote.

To all Maaori candidates, use your voice for Te Iwi Maaori. We will only see the change we need with unity in the Beehive. Maaori MPs must be the change Aotearoa needs.

I don’t understand why parties “rule out” working with other parties. That’s not mahi-tahi.

The path forward for our nation lies in building a future where we learn from our past.

I offer the Kiingitanga as a korowai for iwi, hapu and for all in our country. It is a korowai that protects us all and gives room for our rangatahi to grow and our kaumaatua to be safe. That’s the Aotearoa we need.

We’ve got some work to do to make it better. 
Let us be the change that Aotearoa needs. 
You be the change our whaanau need and deserve.
Mahia te mahi, let’s get to it.

Purutia te tawiri e kotahi ai te iwi.
Purutia te ora o te taiao, o te whanau,
Purutia te ara ki tua.

Paimaarire.

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