Tui Tuia Issue 2, 2025
Chairperson's message
Whakarongo ki te tangi ā te manu
Tui, tui, tuituiā
Tuiā i runga, tuiā i raro, tuiā i roto, tuiā i waho
Tuiā te here tangata
Ka rongo te pō, ka rongo te ao
Tīhei mauri ora
The trust has been busy this last period meeting with our commercial subsidiaries, government officials, Kāhui and other iwi. Not to mention keeping pace with the number of changes this government has been throwing at iwi Māori. On behalf of the trust and members we wish to farewell our outgoing commercial board directors, Jason Rogers, Michael Crawford, Richard Brooking and Deeanne Wolferstan. Some have served extended terms and others finish their current term. It hasn't been smooth sailing with covid and a cyclone to deal with over their time, however much of what we have achieved has involved our commercial board and we are grateful for their service. Renata Hakiwai and Shayne Walker will continue on the commercial board to ensure we have consistency over the transition and induction period of new directors. The trust via our independent recruiter have appointed the new directors and are awaiting the final details before announcing the new board. We had a high number of applicants wanting to be a part of what we are doing, which is a great testament to our progress so far.
We also appointed three independent members to our finance, audit and risk committees. The organisation is developing critical capabilities to grow and manage our settlement assets responsibly.
The trust is also undertaking key projects to assist us moving forward with confidence. Building a strategic vision for the next 50 years, a tidy up of the trust deed and the commercial limited partnership agreement. The period ahead will be busy with our end-of-year accounts, the launch of our strategy and induction of our new commercial directors.
Stay safe and keep warm over this period. Matariki tumanako nui, tu mai ra!
Ngā mihi nui,
Leon Symes
Chairperson, Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa
KĀKĀ WAHA
Tēnā tātau e whakanui ana i ngā tini kaupapa ā-whānau, ā-hāpori, ā-iwi mō Matariki. He wā ano kia whakatōngia ngā kakano ki ngā maara tapu, ki ngā maara takiwā, ki ngā maara kaingā kia puawai, kia hua hai oranga mō te whānau.
The last part of the financial year is naturally quite busy with annual plan projects ending, new budgets, new plans and contracts to deal with. This year we've had an unusually busy time with BDO Gisborne closing their audit service and needing to find a new auditor before the end of June.
Engagements with Kāhui around Deferred Settlement Properties continues, as well as new housing projects and moving whānau into Te Rauaa. This has been the major highlight since our last newsletter. The Te Rauā journey started as a concept back in 2021 to address the desperate housing needs of whānau and create a sense of community. The 2025 harvest for Haumako was also a highlight with new picking technology, seeing our original cadets come into their own and many more local whānau employed for the season. This kaupapa started as a concept in 2020 to improve the productivity of our whenua and provide employment for whānau. Seeing these achievements reminds me of the hard work from the many hands, minds and hearts at the board table all the way to those making it happen on the ground every day. Mai kore ake kōutou e whakapau kaha nei kia tutuki ai ngā hiahia o te iwi.
Looking ahead, the next period will focus on more whānau moving into homes, new housing projects, the establishment of our mātauranga Māori programme and the implementation of our taiao monitoring framework.
Enjoy the read and keep up to date via our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Ngā manaakitanga ā te wāhi ngaro ki a kōutou katoa.
Lewis Ratapu
Chief Executive Officer of Tatau Tatau o Te Wairoa Trust
Update on the Wairoa River Bar Management Plan
Wairoa bar from the shoreline
New Intermediate Management Plan
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has released a new Intermediate River Bar Management Plan for Wairoa, aiming to reduce flood risk by lowering part of the beach crest. Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa contributed to the plan, urging that tangata whenua values and awa health be central. They’re calling for a Cultural Impact Assessment, stronger safeguards, and better public engagement.
Te Rauā housing development
A new chapter for Wairoa whānau
The Te Rauā housing development in Wairoa is creating quality, affordable homes, with 11 whānau already moved in. The project supports local jobs, reconnects families with their whenua, and offers affordable rentals. Once complete, it will include 43 homes and a kaumātua precinct, addressing housing needs and supporting community wellbeing after floods and housing shortages.
Te Raua: homeowners' perspective
Emily Hiko and Lucky Hawkins arrive at their new whare
Kaumātua Emily Hiko and resident Lucky Hawkins are among those whose lives have been transformed by the Te Rauā housing development. After living in a garage, Emily now enjoys a warm, accessible home and a strong sense of community. Lucky, displaced after Cyclone Gabrielle, having to move 14 times in two years, has finally found stability for her whānau.
Te Ara Tipu: Growing futures in Wairoa’s construction industry
Te Ara Tipu programme’s first cohort
The first cohort of the Te Ara Tipu programme has successfully wrapped up, with participants gaining practical skills and jobsite experience in Wairoa’s construction sector.
Three of the five are already on track for long-term employment. Delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development’s Jobs and Skills Hub, the programme connects locals to real opportunities—empowering whānau with confidence, training, and a pathway to meaningful work.
Haumako’s harvest season a technological turning point
Haumako’s 2024 harvest marked a major step forward for Wairoa horticulture, with new automated picking platforms improving fruit quality and worker wellbeing. At Tara and Whakapau Orchards, locals—including cadets—are gaining skills and jobs. Community connections remain strong, with surplus fruit shared locally. More than apples, Haumako is growing futures and leading innovation in sustainable, people-focused horticulture.
Some of the surplus fruit - Gala apples
Planting complete at Paritu Station
A win for jobs, nature, and the future
Planting is now complete at Paritu Station, marking a major milestone for Wairoa whānau. The 1100-hectare project blends radiata pine and native forest to generate jobs, protect whenua, and create long-term income. With a 30-year work programme ahead, it offers sustainable employment and environmental restoration, while reconnecting iwi with their land and supporting future generations through culturally meaningful initiatives.
Planting team at Paritu Station
Mōrere Hot Springs
Looking back, moving forward
Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa and DOC are developing a long-term plan to revitalise Ngā Hua o Mōrere hot springs and hope to return it to whānau, hapū and iwi. A steering group is exploring successful models from other springs, focusing on strong governance, cultural leadership, and sustainability. Community hui are shaping a shared vision—centred on healing, identity, and future opportunities for whānau and hapū.
KĀNOHI KŌMIROMIRO
Did you know?
The name of our maunga Whakapunake is Whakapunake-o-te-matau-ā-Māui-tikitiki-ā-Taranga. Meaning the causing [of the maunga] to become the receptacle of the fishhook of Māui-topknot-of-Taranga. This refers to the maunga as the figurative repository of the legendary jaw bone of Muri-ranga-whenua, from which was fashioned the fishhook used to raise Te Ika-ā-Māui (north island) from the depths of the sea.