Regional Development Minister Shane Jones is reflecting on the immense contribution of Māori education pioneer Te Kepa Takataka-o-Rangi Stirling, while also sharpening his political focus on jobs, investment and economic development across the regions.
Te Kepa Stirling died this month aged 88, leaving a legacy spanning Māori education, te reo Māori, tikanga and the advancement of generations of Māori.
His passing has prompted tributes across te ao Māori, recognising a lifetime devoted to ensuring Māori knowledge, identity and language remained at the heart of education.
For Jones, the loss is also a reminder of a generation of Māori leaders who fought to create opportunities for their people at a time when te reo and mātauranga Māori did not enjoy the institutional recognition they have today.
Stirling’s contribution extended beyond the classroom. His work belonged to a wider movement that strengthened Māori education and helped create pathways for generations of rangatahi to succeed without leaving their identity behind.
As Jones reflects on that legacy, his own attention as Regional Development Minister is increasingly centred on another challenge facing Māori communities — economic opportunity.
His portfolio has become one of the Government’s major vehicles for investment outside the country’s main metropolitan centres, with the Regional Infrastructure Fund supporting projects intended to generate employment, increase productivity and unlock private investment.
Recent announcements show the breadth of that agenda.
The Government has set aside $30 million from the Regional Infrastructure Fund for hydrogen projects, with Jones positioning emerging energy industries as an opportunity to create investment and jobs in the regions.
Another $15 million is supporting a Southland facility expected to produce critical minerals and green hydrogen using technology developed in New Zealand. The proposed plant combines energy development, advanced manufacturing and mineral processing.
Jones has also been pushing aquaculture as an economic opportunity.
The recently fast-tracked Hananui open-ocean salmon farm off Rakiura is projected to produce 14,400 tonnes of salmon annually when fully operational, generate more than $310 million in sales and create between 415 and 480 jobs. The project is being developed by Ngāi Tahu Seafood Resources.
In the Bay of Plenty, the Regional Infrastructure Fund is putting $12.5 million towards the Ōpōtiki Marina, infrastructure designed to support the expansion of the region’s aquaculture industry and complement previous investment involving central government, iwi and local government.
That intersection between Māori aspirations and economic development is becoming increasingly important.
Government investment announced this year has included Māori horticulture projects, infrastructure supporting Māori land productivity and funding intended to help Māori-owned businesses grow, create jobs and develop export opportunities.
For Jones, the emphasis is increasingly on turning natural resources, whenua, infrastructure and regional industries into long-term economic opportunities.
It reflects a longstanding argument that cultural advancement must be accompanied by a strong economic base if communities are to create sustainable futures for rangatahi.
The challenge is ensuring development creates durable Māori employment, strengthens regional communities and enables iwi and Māori businesses to participate as investors and owners rather than simply providing labour.
That makes the passing of Te Kepa Stirling particularly poignant.
His generation fought to strengthen the cultural and educational foundations upon which Māori could stand.
The challenge facing today’s political leadership is how to build economic strength on top of those foundations — creating the jobs, businesses, infrastructure and opportunities that allow the next generation to prosper while remaining connected to their whenua, reo and identity.
For Shane Jones, that increasingly means putting regional economic development at the centre of the political agenda.
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