August 12, 2013
Trust puts indigenous mining on agenda
Te Pūtea Whakatupu Trust, which uses fisheries settlement money to promote education, training and research for Māori, wants to challenge Māori thinking on oil, gas and mining.
Chair Richard Jefferies says its annual conference in Waitangi next month will be a chance for Māori to discuss how they respond to such emerging industries, rather than government and private sector interests driving the agenda.
Conference speakers include David Springgate from global Alaskan operation NANA Development Corporation who can give an indigenous perspective.
NANA, which is owned by 13,000 Inupiat in northwest Alaska, has 11,500 employees and operations in oil and gas, mining, healthcare, hospitality, federal contracting and tribal services.
Mr Jefferies says in the past two years the conference, Ngā Whetu Hei Whai Charting Pathways for Maori Industry Futures, had identified a shared strategic vision for key Māori industries.
The aim this year is to expand the conversation by introducing international models and potential business opportunities.
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