Waatea News: Māori Radio Station

A record number of Māori finance professionals have gathered in Tauranga Moana for Mana Motuhaketia Te Ao Māori 2026, with this year’s conference focusing on the future direction, strength and potential of the Māori economy.

Hosted by Te Puna Tahua Toa, the annual gathering has brought together accountants, financial advisers, investment specialists, governance leaders and economic experts from across Aotearoa. Discussions have centred on how Māori can continue to grow an increasingly influential economic footprint while remaining grounded in tikanga and intergenerational aspirations.

Te Puna Tahua Toa spokesperson Ken Munn says the organisation has deep roots within New Zealand’s accounting profession, having been established to support Māori working in finance while ensuring Māori perspectives are represented across the sector. Over time, it has evolved into an important network connecting professionals working in iwi organisations, private enterprise, public service and corporate New Zealand.

This year’s conference has attracted its largest attendance to date, reflecting both the growth of the Māori economy and the increasing number of Māori entering finance-related professions.

Around 40 percent of delegates work within iwi organisations, including post-settlement governance entities and trusts, highlighting the significant role these organisations now play in managing and growing Māori assets on behalf of current and future generations.

Much of the discussion has focused on unlocking the potential of the Māori asset base, which continues to expand across sectors including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, property, infrastructure, tourism, technology and investment. Delegates explored how those assets can continue to deliver economic returns while also strengthening whānau wellbeing, environmental sustainability and cultural outcomes.

A recurring theme throughout the conference has been the importance of ensuring Māori values sit at the beginning of decision-making rather than being added at the end. Speakers argued that kaupapa Māori should guide investment strategies, governance and financial planning from the outset, ensuring commercial success is balanced alongside social, cultural and environmental responsibilities.

Technology also featured prominently in discussions, with delegates examining how artificial intelligence, digital transformation and emerging technologies could reshape financial services, governance and investment over the coming decade. Participants considered how innovation can improve productivity while maintaining Māori ownership, data sovereignty and cultural integrity.

The role of storytelling was another major focus, with delegates recognising that financial performance alone does not fully capture the success of Māori organisations. Sharing the stories behind investments, communities and whakapapa was seen as essential in demonstrating the wider impact of Māori economic development and inspiring future generations of Māori leaders.

As the Māori economy continues to grow in both scale and influence, delegates agreed that strong governance, skilled financial leadership and a commitment to kaupapa Māori will be critical to ensuring economic success benefits whānau, hapū and iwi for generations to come.

#ManaMotuhaketia #TePunaTahuaToa #MāoriEconomy #Whakapapa #Governance #Finance #Investment #PostSettlementTrusts #Tikanga #Technology #EconomicDevelopment #TaurangaMoana #RadioWaatea #WaateaNews

The post #economy: Māori Finance Leaders Gather to Shape the Future of the Māori Economy appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader Rawiri Waititi is calling on Māori voters to enrol and participate in the 2026 General Election, saying the outcome will have significant implications for Māori rights, representation and the future direction of Aotearoa.

Speaking to Radio Waatea as election campaigning intensifies, Waititi said Te Pāti Māori is focused on mobilising Māori communities to have their voices heard at the ballot box, arguing that strong voter turnout will be critical in determining the next Parliament.

His comments come as enrolment deadlines approach and political parties ramp up campaigning across the country.

Waititi says Te Pāti Māori’s campaign is centred on protecting Te Tiriti o Waitangi, defending Māori rights and advancing policies that strengthen whānau, hapū and iwi.

Among the issues the party is highlighting is the Government’s decision to repeal Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements, legislation designed to strengthen relationships between iwi and local authorities in resource management processes.

Te Pāti Māori has strongly opposed the move, arguing it weakens opportunities for iwi to participate in environmental decision-making and undermines commitments to partnership under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The party has also continued its criticism of a number of Government policies affecting Māori, including reforms across health, education, housing and natural resource management, describing the election as a choice between continuing those changes or restoring greater recognition of Māori rights and aspirations.

Earlier this year, Te Pāti Māori outlined a strategy aimed at defeating the current coalition government by encouraging high Māori voter turnout and working to maximise support across the Māori electorates.

The party believes increasing participation on both the Māori roll and at polling booths will be essential if Māori are to influence the makeup of the next government.

Candidate selections are also continuing ahead of the election.

Co-Leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has been reselected to contest the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate, where she will again campaign on issues including housing, health, education, environmental protection and constitutional transformation.

Waititi says Te Pāti Māori remains focused on policies that promote tino rangatiratanga, improve economic opportunities for Māori and address persistent inequities experienced by whānau across Aotearoa.

He says every eligible Māori voter has an opportunity to influence the country’s future by enrolling, casting their vote and encouraging others to do the same.

With political parties continuing to release policies and candidates across the country, Te Pāti Māori says the coming weeks will be critical as voters consider competing visions for the future of Māori representation, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the direction of the nation.

#Election2026 #TePātiMāori #RawiriWaititi #MāoriVote #Vote2026 #TeTiriti #TinoRangatiratanga #TeTaiHauāuru #MāoriPolitics #Whānau #Democracy #RadioWaatea #WaateaNews

The post #election2026: Rawiri Waititi Urges Māori to Enrol as Te Pāti Māori Targets Coalition Government appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Forest & Bird is warning that the Government’s proposed replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA) risks significantly weakening environmental protections, despite recommendations from Parliament’s Environment Committee aimed at improving the legislation.

Speaking to Radio Waatea, Forest & Bird Acting General Counsel May Downing said the organisation remains deeply concerned that the proposed reforms place economic development ahead of environmental stewardship and could have lasting consequences for New Zealand’s natural environment.

The Government’s Resource Management reforms are intended to replace the current RMA with a new planning framework designed to simplify consenting processes, reduce compliance costs and accelerate infrastructure, housing and economic development.

However, Forest & Bird argues the Environment Committee’s recommendations do not go far enough to address what it describes as fundamental flaws within the proposed legislation.

One of the organisation’s principal concerns is that the new framework shifts the emphasis away from protecting the natural environment by removing the clear legal obligation to safeguard ecosystems, freshwater, indigenous biodiversity and other environmental values.

Forest & Bird says the reforms would reduce the importance of environmental “bottom lines” that have guided decision-making under the existing Resource Management Act for more than three decades.

The conservation organisation is also concerned the legislation gives greater weight to development outcomes while reducing the ability of decision-makers to decline projects that could result in significant environmental harm.

According to Forest & Bird, this could lead to increased pressure on native forests, wetlands, rivers, estuaries and coastal environments already facing ongoing degradation.

The reforms also have implications for Māori.

Forest & Bird says weakening environmental protections may undermine the ability of iwi and hapū to exercise kaitiakitanga over their whenua and waterways. The organisation argues that healthy ecosystems are fundamental not only to biodiversity but also to cultural identity, customary practices and the protection of wāhi tapu and taonga species.

While the Environment Committee recommended several amendments to improve aspects of the Bill, Forest & Bird says many of its key concerns remain unresolved, including the balance between environmental protection and economic development.

The organisation believes New Zealand needs planning laws that support housing and infrastructure while maintaining strong protections for the country’s unique natural heritage and meeting obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Forest & Bird is now urging Parliament to strengthen the legislation before it becomes law, warning that once environmental protections are removed, restoring damaged ecosystems becomes significantly more difficult and costly.

The Resource Management reforms remain one of the Government’s most significant legislative programmes and are expected to continue generating debate as Parliament works through the next stages of the law-making process.

#ResourceManagement #RMA #Environment #ForestAndBird #Conservation #Kaitiakitanga #Biodiversity #Freshwater #Climate #TeTiriti #Parliament #Aotearoa #RadioWaatea #WaateaNews

The post #RMA: Forest & Bird Warns Resource Management Reforms Will Weaken Environmental Protections appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

With the 2026 General Election drawing closer, the Green Party is rolling out a series of policy announcements aimed at tackling the cost of living, housing affordability, food insecurity and climate change, while encouraging more New Zealanders to enrol and cast their vote.

Speaking to Radio Waatea, Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono said the election presents an opportunity for voters to shape the country’s future, with the party focused on delivering practical solutions that reduce inequality while protecting the environment and strengthening communities.

One of the party’s latest proposals would require major supermarkets to donate edible surplus food to charities and community organisations instead of sending it to landfill. The Greens say thousands of tonnes of perfectly good food are discarded each year while many whānau continue to struggle with rising grocery bills and food insecurity.

The proposal would place legal obligations on large supermarket chains to divert safe, unsold food into food rescue networks, reducing waste while helping community organisations meet increasing demand for emergency food support.

The party has also announced new candidates ahead of the election, including community advocate Te Whatanui Skipwith, who will contest the Ōtāhuhu electorate. The Greens say the selection reflects their commitment to candidates with strong grassroots connections and experience working alongside local communities on issues including housing, youth development and social wellbeing.

Housing remains another cornerstone of the Green campaign.

The party continues to argue that New Zealand’s housing crisis cannot be solved through tougher enforcement measures alone, maintaining that increasing the supply of affordable homes, strengthening renters’ rights and investing in public housing are essential to addressing long-standing inequities.

The Greens have also unveiled plans for a state-owned energy company, arguing increased public involvement in electricity generation and retailing would improve competition, place downward pressure on power prices and accelerate investment in renewable energy.

Under the proposal, the publicly owned company would operate alongside existing electricity providers while focusing on affordable pricing and long-term energy security. The party says the policy would help households facing rising electricity costs while supporting New Zealand’s transition to a low-emissions economy.

Climate action remains central to the Green Party’s wider platform, with continued commitments to renewable energy, public transport, environmental protection and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring workers and communities are supported through the transition.

Alongside its policy platform, the party is also encouraging greater democratic participation.

Teanau Tuiono is urging all eligible voters—particularly rangatahi and Māori—to ensure they are enrolled ahead of the election and to have their voices heard at the ballot box.

He says Māori participation has always been a powerful force in New Zealand elections and believes strong voter turnout will be critical as the country considers competing visions on issues including the economy, housing, climate, health and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

With parties continuing to unveil candidates and policy commitments, the race towards the 2026 General Election is expected to intensify over the coming weeks as political leaders seek to convince voters they have the best plan for Aotearoa’s future.

#Election2026 #GreenParty #TeanauTuiono #CostOfLiving #Housing #FoodSecurity #ClimateAction #RenewableEnergy #Vote2026 #MāoriVote #Democracy #RadioWaatea #WaateaNews

The post #election2026: Greens Pitch Cost of Living, Housing and Climate Action as Election Campaign Gathers Pace appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

A free dental care initiative in Tairāwhiti has more than tripled the number of people it is helping, highlighting what health leaders say is a significant unmet need for affordable oral healthcare across the region.

Iwi health provider Tūranga Health partnered with the mobile dental service Trinity Koha to deliver free dental clinics for whānau across Gisborne. New results show the programme expanded dramatically between 2024 and 2025, reflecting overwhelming community demand for accessible dental care.

In its first year, the initiative delivered 207 treatments to 40 patients over five days. By 2025, that had grown to 605 treatments for 178 patients across 10 clinic days—an increase of more than 346 percent in the programme’s reach. Volunteer dentists regularly worked between eight and 12 hours a day to meet demand.

Tūranga Health Chief Executive Reweti Ropiha says the demand has been exponential and reflects the reality that many whānau simply cannot afford routine dental care. Community engagement consistently identified dental care, alongside eye care and access to flu vaccinations, as some of the biggest unmet health needs in Tairāwhiti.

The clinics formed part of Tūranga Health’s wider winter readiness programme, taking services directly into communities through a mobile dental caravan. Rather than operating solely from traditional health facilities, clinics were established in community locations such as Te Karaka Hall and Manutuke Domain, helping reduce barriers and making dental visits feel less intimidating for whānau.

The programme specifically targeted some of the region’s most vulnerable residents, including young mothers, people experiencing mental health or addiction challenges, and those living with chronic health conditions. Staff proactively contacted eligible whānau and provided wraparound support, including transport, dental hygiene education, flu vaccinations and other practical assistance to ensure people could attend appointments.

During the 2025 clinics, dentists completed 135 scale and polish treatments, 109 tooth extractions and 99 restorative procedures, alongside routine dental examinations and other essential care. Māori made up 81 percent of those accessing the service, reflecting longstanding inequities in oral health outcomes.

The programme’s findings reinforce national data showing Māori are less likely than non-Māori to rate their oral health as good or excellent. Cost remains the biggest barrier to accessing dental care, with childcare responsibilities, transport, travel and taking time away from work also preventing many people from seeking treatment until problems become severe.

The evaluation accompanying the initiative calls for dentistry to become a much higher priority within New Zealand’s public health system, arguing that investment in preventative and community-based oral healthcare could reduce future hospital admissions and improve long-term health outcomes.

With demand continuing to grow, Tūranga Health says the free dental clinics will return next year, providing another opportunity for whānau who might otherwise go without treatment.

#OralHealth #DentalCare #Tairāwhiti #Gisborne #MāoriHealth #TurangaHealth #WhānauOra #CommunityHealth #HealthEquity #DentalClinics #Hauora #RadioWaatea #WaateaNews

The post #regional: Free Dental Clinics Expose Growing Oral Health Crisis in Tairāwhiti appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

I a mātou e whakarongo ana ki ngā whakaaro rerekē e pā ana ki ngā panonitanga ki ngā whakaateanga Mana Whakahono ā Rohe, e ai ki a Hūhana Lyndon kāore te Kāwanatanga i whai i te tohutohu a te Komiti Taiao kia mau tonu aua whakaritenga.

E ai ki a ia, ko ngā māharahara a ngā rōpū pēnei i a Federated Farmers mō te whai wāhi o ngā iwi tētahi o ngā take i puta ai tēnei whakatau.

Kei te kaha ake rānei te aweawe o ngā reo o waho i ngā whakatau a te Kāwanatanga?

E whai ake nei ko te whānuitanga o ngā kōrero nā Huhana Lyndon.

The post Huhana Lyndon | Kei te kaha ake rānei te aweawe o ngā reo o waho i ngā whakatau a te Kāwanatanga? appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Kua whakakorea ngā whakaaetanga Mana Whakahono ā Rohe, arā, ngā whakaritenga i waenga i ngā kaunihera me ngā iwi mō te whakahaere i ngā rawa me te taiao.

E ai ki te Minita a Shane Jones, kāore te Kāwanatanga e whakapono ana ko ēnei whakaaetanga te huarahi tika. Heoi anō, e mea ana ia ka tukuna mai anō he panonitanga kia whai wāhi tonu ai ngā iwi ki aua kaupapa.

The post Shane Jones | He ara anō ka puare hei wāhi mō ngā iwi i ngā whanaketanga ā-rohe. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Kei te tipu haere te rāngai kohuke o Aotearoa, ā, kua piki ake ngā hokonga ki tāwāhi mai i te $1.46 piriona i te tau 2023 ki te $2.5 piriona i tērā tau 2025.

E ai ki te Minita mō ngā Rawa, e ai ki a Shane Jones, kua nui ake te rāngai kaimahi mā te 200, ā, kei te takiwā o te 5,500 ngā kaimahi ināianei.

Hai tāna anō, ko te aronga o te Rautaki Kohuke a te Kāwanatanga ko te whakaratarata i ngā kamupene kohuke kia whakapakari i te rāngai me te tautoko i te tipu haeretanga o te ōhanga i ngā rohe huhua o te motu.

The post Shane Jones | Ngā whanaketanga kohuke o te wā. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Inā wehe atu ā tātau rāngatahi i ngā hapori moroiti o te motu, ka ora tonu, ka tāmate rānei aua hapori?

E ai ki a Tama Potaka, he wero nui tēnei e pāngia nei ngā hapori iti, arā, ko te whatitanga atu o ngā rangatahi ki te whai mātauranga, ki te whai mahi ki te whai whare noho hoki.

Hai tāna anō mēnā ka haere tonu tēnei āhuatanga, ka mimiti haere ngā pae i ngā marae ka mimiti hoki te taupori o ngā hapori.

E ai ki a ia, kua whakapaua e te Kāwanatanga te $125 miriona hai pūtea whāngai i ngā marae hai whakatū tūnga mahi mā ngā whānau o aua takiwā.

The post Tama Potaka | Te anamata o ngā hapori moroiti. appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.

Latest Kōreo from the rohe and motu. Ngā kaupapa nui, ngā reo o te hapori. Listen Live or Online on Waatea Digital

The post 23 o Hurae 2026 Ngā Kawepūrongo a Waatea | 12pm appeared first on Waatea News: Māori Radio Station.