On Trust - Te Aupouri Ponder The Future

To the uninitiated - and that means nearly everyone outside tribal membership and even some within - the fact that Te Aupouri now have at least some of the $21.4 million from their treaty settlement in the bank means the tribe is free to simply flash the cash around.

As with most things, however, it's not quite that simple as Mike Stevens, CEO of Te Aupouri Runanga, makes clear by using words like a prudential approach, a multi-generational responsibility and a duty to provide for growth when he discusses fiscal management. Yet at the same time he's fully aware of a pervading expectation that surely the Runanga will now be able to alleviate some of the poverty of the Far North.

"Some people think we will be generous and take direct action on deprivation in the north. But the position we tend to adopt is that these things are the responsibility of the Crown and the responsibility of the Runanga is to help make conditions better to promote economic development in the area," he says in his quietly-spoken way.

In addition to the cash settlement Te Aupouri have an asset holding company that looks after their Far North fishing interests, a 40% interest in 6,800ha of Aupouri Forest (held in common with other iwi) and two farms which, along with the forest interest will transfer once legislation is enacted.

It's big business by any standard and as Mr Stevens looks out over the bush-clad hills that surround his home and talks of running what is essentially a commercial enterprise, you'd be forgiven for thinking he's an accountant. In fact he has a degree in social anthropology from Otago University which arguably makes him better qualified to proffer a learned opinion on where the tribe and Te Aupouri might be headed. Yet he is no cloistered intellectual. He brings considerable commercial cred to his CEO role.

From university he taught in Australia and Abu Dhabi before coming back to work for what was then the Maori Affairs Department. After that he helped set up the Maori Development Corporation before moving on to Moana Pacific Fisheries to negotiate the establishment of the company and was a member of the senior management team for 11 years.

In November 2012 he was appointed as CEO of Te Aupouri Runanga, nearly a year after the deed of settlement was signed, and it took another year before the money actually made it into the bank. Currently that's $15 million as part payment towards the final settlement but even before that happened, along came the doorknockers.

"The banks were first and then real estate agents followed by farming people like stock buyers and a few beggars who expected us to just give the money away," he says wryly.

It's not surprising that one of the first things Mike Stevens wants to do is develop funding criteria. They've already appointed Bryan Gaynor's Milford Asset Management to guide them and have invested some funds in off-shore securities. But being soberly realistic, interest on $15 million isn't a lot to live on when all the deductibles are taken into consideration.

Moreover, there are 6,000 iwi members and most are scattered around the world. Around 300 live in the centre of Te Aupouri territory of Te Kao and Mike Stevens acknowledges there have been some tensions within the tribe around where, how and to whom the benefits of settlement should be applied. But required under the treaty settlement is that government departments and Far North iwi will work together under a social accord and there's a trust deed requirement to deliver only to Te Aupouri members.

"The treaty settlement is partial recompense for Te Aupouri losses and needs to be used within and for the benefit of the tribe and it's obvious that settlement funds can and will promote economic activity," says Mr Stevens.

He stresses that while he wants to employ people to administer what the tribe needs, he is 'unconcerned' and not bound by a requirement to utilize employees solely from within the tribe. His major premise is to involve those who are qualified, available and committed.

As a palpable example of that, Mike Stevens' own tribal affiliation is not Te Aupouri but Ngati Raukawa from Otaki but after nine years here, the Far North can be called home. Besides which, he is one of many who are charged with a collective responsibility to manage Te Aupouri now and for the future.