August 25, 2020
Catchment fund nourishes Māori land
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says the new Jobs for Nature package offers a way to reconnect Māori with their land.
He’s announced funding under the Government's Jobs for Nature package for catchment restoration projects in Hawkes Bay, Uawa on the East Coast, Hiruhārama on the Whanganui River and the Pomahaka catchment feeding into the Clutha River in Otago.
He says it’s an attempt to create jobs, get better environmental outcomes and do something practical about the quality of water in a way Māori landowners aren’t marginalised.
"I’ve really tried my best to ensure that Māori are in a position where practically they can change their fortunes by receiving pūtea but that is dedicated not for consultancy, not for endless cultural seances otherwise known as hui but genuine practical investment," Mr Jones says.
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