Whānau wellbeing and enterprise at the heart of Te Puni Kōkiri reset

Māori Development Minister, Nanaia Mahuta welcomed the new Ministry of Māori Development Chief Executive, David (Dave) Tokohau Samuels today in Wellington. 

The chief executive position is critical to improving wellbeing and enterprise for Māori and in turn lifting the wellbeing of all New Zealanders. 

“Our Government is committed to addressing the inequalities experienced by whānau Māori - we are committed to creating the right conditions for Māori to achieve their social and economic development aspirations - we are committed to Māori Development.  We rely upon a strong and focused Te Puni Kōkiri to get us there. 

“This leadership role comes with great expectations and anticipation for influencing whānau wellbeing - whānau taurikura - outcomes across government,” Minister Mahuta says.

“In leading the Ministry, Dave Samuels (Waikato-Tainui, Te Whakatōhea) will bring an international perspective from working on trade issues for the Ministry for Primary Industries in the Middle East and China for the past five years. He understands Māori aspirations, the public sector and te ao Māori.

"He will demonstrate that by leading and influencing among his peer group but he will also engage with iwi, with Māori and ensure that we reach out to whānau because that is where success lies.

“The task I have set Dave is to steer this course for Te Puni Kōkiri. It is good to have him on board our waka,” says Nanaia Mahuta.

Ko te huarahi hou a Te Puni Kōkiri ko te oranga whānau, ko te hihiri whānau

I puta te reo tāwhiri a te Minita Whanaketanga Māori a Nanaia Mahuta ki te Toihautū hou o Te Puni Kōkiri a David (Dave) Tokohau Samuels i Te Whanganui a Tara i te rangi nei.

He mea nui te tūnga o te toihautū ki te whakapikinga o te oranga, o te hihiri hoki mā te iwi Māori, waihoki, ki te whakapikinga o te oranga o ngai Aotearoa katoa.

“Kei te kaingākau tō tātou Kāwanatanga ki te whakatikatika i ngā whakarerekētanga katoa e pāngia ana ki te iwi Māori – e kaingākau ana mātou ki te whakarite i ngā āhuatanga e tika ana kia whakatutukitia e te iwi Māori ōna wawata whakawhanake ā-pāpori, ā-ōhanga hoki – kei te kaingākau mātou ki te Whanaketanga Māori.  Kia whakatutukitia tēnei me tū pakari, me tū hei whakahaere arotahi hoki a Te Puni Kōkiri.

“He nui te manakohanga, te tūmanakotanga hoki o tēnei tūranga arataki mō te ārahi i ngā putanga oranga whānau – taurikura whānau – puta noa i te kāwanatanga,” te kī a Minita Mahuta.

“I a ia e taki whakahaere ana i Te Puni Kōkiri, ka haria mai e Dave Samuels (Waikato-Tainui, Te Whakatōhea) he tirohanga ā-ao nō āna mahi i runga i ngā take hokohoko mō te Manatū Ahu Matua i te Waenga Rāwhiti, i Haina hoki mō te rima tau kua hipa ake nei. Kei te mārama ki a ia ngā tūmanako o te iwi Māori, o te rāngai kāwanatanga, ka mutu, o te ao Māori.

“Ka whakatauira ia i tēnei āhua mā te arataki me te ārahi i waenga i ōna aropā (te hunga kei tōna reanga), mā te honohono hoki ki ngā iwi, ki te hunga Māori anō e kuhu atu ai ki roto ki ngā whānau i te mea kei reira te oranga.

“Koirā te ara kua oti i a au te whakarite hei ara whai mā Dave mā Te Puni Kōkiri. He rawe kua eke mai a Dave ki runga i tō tātou waka,” te kōrero a Nanaia Mahuta.