Te Pūwaha wins big at Economic Development New Zealand Awards

Project director Hayden Turoa accepts the Best Practice Collaboration award on behalf of Te Pūwaha. Photo/ Supplied

Te Pūwaha, Whanganui's port revitalisation project, won a top prize at a recent awards night.

The project was awarded the top place in the Best Practice Collaboration category at the Economic Development NZ Awards (EDNZ).

Te Pūwaha is a collaborative partnership between Whanganui iwi (Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui Trust, Whanganui Land Settlement Negotiations Trust and Tupoho) and four other groups (Whanganui District Council, Horizons Regional Council, Q-West Boat Builders and the Whanganui District Employment Training Trust) invested in the development.

Kānoa - Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit (under the original Provincial Growth Fund) is also a key funding partner.

The EDNZ application was submitted by the economic development agency Whanganui and Partners on behalf of the Te Pūwaha partners.

Hannah Middleton, chief executive of Whanganui and Partners, says although she believed Te Pūwaha was an exceptional and deserving winner, applying for the award was unknown as Te Pūwaha is unique in ways fundamentally different to other economic development projects.

"Te Pūwaha demonstrates 'best practice' for working in partnership with iwi, hapū and the community – and it is hugely gratifying to see this affirmed by the EDNZ committee."

Tupua Te Kawa, the set of innate values of Te Awa Tupua, guides all decision-making related to the Whanganui River, and Te Pūwaha.

The principles of Te Awa Tupua recognise the metaphysical and indivisible nature of the river; the intrinsic and inalienable place of hapū and iwi as the River; and community empowerment through a collective obligation to work collaboratively for the River's benefit.

Working under the guiding values of Tupua Te Kawa requires an innovative, collaborative approach by all project partners. This way of working is not something that has been previously undertaken by an infrastructure project of this scale.

Te Pūwaha project director Hayden Turoa says the answer to EDNZ's question about "achieved outcomes and innovation" looked different to traditional thinking around targets versus performance, KPIs and cost-effective metrics.

"The innovation at the centre of this project is working in a way that upholds kawa and our indigenous values, that recognises the intimate and inextricable connection between people and the natural environment while developing an economic asset for Whanganui."