Kōrero at the Pakihi Māori small business workshops

Kōrero at the Pakihi Māori small business workshops

22 June 2018, 10.40 - 11.00 AM

Today we celebrate and continue a long tradition of Māori entrepreneurship and flair for business.

Business acumen, trade, commerce, opportunity and innovation are things our tīpuna have mastered since…mai rānō.

It was harakeke rope to  sealers then, it’s Mānuka honey to UK breakfast tables now.

So I acknowledge all of you this morning who are following in the footsteps of those business dealers who have gone before you, and commend you as you carve out your own bright business careers for the future.

The focus today, is on boosting your business capability so that you can really get on with making your mark in te ao pakihi.

And to those of you who are supporting and working with whānau to improve their business capability, I mihi to you as well.

This year I have been privileged to be involved in a range of exciting and promising pākihi related kaupapa around the motu. They demonstrate how our communities and regions are brimming with potential and energy when it comes to business, for example;

• • the launch of the Waikato Region Māori Economic Action Plan and Agenda (Waikato)
  • the Māori Business Forum (Te Tau Ihu)
  • the Māori Business Women Awards (Pōneke)
  • the World Indigenous Tourism Forum (Paihia)
  • Te Hono National Summit (Tāmaki Makaurau)
  • the Māori Business Awards (Tāmaki Makaurau)
  • the Māori Economic Development Summit (Tāmaki Makaurau)
  • And now, here I am today, talking with you about Māori business and the impact we can make on economic development in Aotearoa.
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  • I know there are many more pakihi initiatives that have recently occurred – the Kōkiri Accelerator pitches in Tāmaki Makaurau, and the Rangatahi Business challenges throughout the motu to name a few.
  • As Minister for Māori Development and Local Government my focus is on achieving positive whānau development outcomes throughout the country.
    These workshops are a way for you to learn more about operating a business and ask for specific support wherever you may be in your business development journey.
    We can work together to drive collective impact – we just need to be smart about how we incentivise it. For example,
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  • exploring open procurement policies to put money back into the community – so you can do what you do best and focus on the people within your community.
  • working with the tax working group to examine further improvements in the structure, fairness and balance of the tax system.
  • looking at sustainable options to transition into a low carbon economy.
  • advancing economic development - making sure that Māori benefit from our Government’s priorities such as the Provincial Growth Fund and Trade for All Agenda.
    There are opportunities for iwi, Māori Authorities, incorporations and trusts as well as Māori businesses to:
  • work together to address issues such as scale, skills and knowledge in an increasingly competitive global environment, and make the most of our ‘Māori edge’
  • innovate and think about new and knowledge intensive sectors such as information technology
  • use and manage resources in ways that are founded in kaupapa Māori and that contribute to Māori economic success
  • lift capability, across governance, management and the Māori workforce.
  • The national Māori economic development strategy – He kai kei aku ringa is a plan to help you on your journey. It is a proud sponsor of this kaupapa.
    It is also through other funds, such as the Māori Innovation Fund, the He ai kei aku ringa Fund and the Māori Development Fund that these kaupapa can happen. We know these funds are beneficial because we have seen an overwhelming demand from whānau to support their innovative ideas and projects. 
    He kai kei aku ringa sets some ambitious targets for Māori progress from 2017 to 2021. The overarching goal is to increase Māori median income by 20 per cent. For whānau this translates into increasing the amount of pūtea that goes into your hands.
    It also has a focus on E RERE, which represents the five goal areas of He kai kei aku ringa:
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  • Employment – Whai Mahi - growing the future Māori workforce
  • Rangatahi – supporting Māori youth to define and lead their economic aspirations
  • Enterprise – Whai Pakihi- growing Māori enterprises
  • Regions – Rohe Tū Pakari - increasing Māori participation in regional economies
  • Education – Whai Mātauranga - upskilling the Māori workforce
  • He kai kei aku ringa means to provide the food you need with your own hands, or in today's world, to be responsible for the resources and capability you need to grow and develop.
    Myself, Hon Shane Jones and Under Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau have taken the responsibility for leading He kai kei aku ringa. We are also working with our Ministerial colleagues to make sure this government continues to create opportunities for Māori economic development.
    Government is committed — but when we work together —Government, Māori business and whānau — all of our aspirations stand a greater, more powerful chance of truly being achieved.
    Opportunities are there. Rapua! Kimihia! Rukua te ruku.
    I encourage you to go to your local Te Puni Kōkiri office to find out more about the support that is available to help you grow your business.
    ENDS