June 21, 2024
Whenua Māori tagged for regional investment pūtea
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The Government is committing about $20 million for projects to support iwi, hapū and Māori businesses.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says the money is coming from a number of sources.
Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa is to get $3.1 million reprioritised from the Provincial Growth Fun to go towards its North Taranaki Visitor Centre, which is part of the Tapuae Roa Taranaki Crossing project on Taranaki maunga.
Another $600,000 will go to Ngā Hua o Ngāti Pukenga in Bay of Plenty to convert underutilised whenua Māori into a high-value gold kiwifruit orchard, as well as restoring wetlands and protecting a pā site.
Funds from the North Island Weather Event Primary Producer Scheme will be used to restore three whānau businesses hit by last year’s cyclones – $3.5 million to the Miro-Meihana Koata berry-growing joint venture in Te Teko, $12m to Ngāi Tukairangi Trust’s cyclone damaged kiwifruit orchard in Hawke’s Bay, and $600,000 to Torere Macadamias in eastern Bay of Plenty.
Mr Jones says they are crucial regional horticulture businesses that employ and support many local Māori.
He and Maori Development Minister Tama Potaka have agreement from Cabinet that Māori development will be one of the initial focuses of the Regional Infrastructure Fund announced in Budget 2024, because of the barriers to investment faced by Māori entities, whenua Māori, iwi and Māori business.