Tauranga last week hosted "Whakapiki Te Putea - Raising Maori investment capability," a two-day conference that drew 150 representatives of iwi and hapu from Nelson to Whangarei to hear nearly 30 investment and business experts discuss domestic and overseas investment options. The event was aimed at raising the knowledge base for Maori charged with investing Treaty Settlement funds.
"There has been a sea change in the New Zealand economy so far as Maori participation is concerned," said conference organiser Buddy Mikaere, who founded Tauranga's Maori Business Association when he returned from overseas in 2010.
"I have been trying to get more Maori involved in the local economy and then get things organised that will benefit the overall Maori community," he said. "If we can establish Tauranga as being a place where people can expect these kinds of activities to happen, that's got to be good for us here."
Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell told delegates the aspiration to raise Maori investment capability was in direct response to the fact a number of iwi were approaching rapid resolution of their treaty claims. "We [also] have a very large number of trusts and incorporations who are seeking to diversify their activities."
Broadcaster Derek Fox, who chaired the conference, said the event came at a critical time. "The next step for [iwi] is firstly to decide how best to safeguard those settlements, and secondly how to grow them through adopting sensible investment strategies".