April 11, 2023
Māori business ready for kaitiaki challenge
The chair of Māori-owned dairy processor Miraka says he expects Māori organisations will embrace tough government changes to environmental laws.
Kingi Smiler says while proposed climate change and carbon emission laws will add extra compliance burdens on business tougher, Māori understand the need for long-term kaitiakitanga.
“Our Māori organisations are prepared to embrace those changes. The immediate problem of having to deal with the compliance issues in the short term are far outweighed by the need to address our next generation, and our organisations have always been well set up in that kaitiakitanga role to actually do that,” he says.
Mr Smiler, who has also been the long term chair of the Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Māori farming, was recently inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.