Investing in whenua Māori will help whānau, hapū and iwi create income opportunities and drive economic security in Aotearoa, Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson said.

The Government is investing $10 million to boost Māori landowners to realise their aspirations for their whenua.

“This investment in whenua Māori delivers on a Labour commitment to better support whānau Māori enterprise, and is part of a wider Budget strategy to give economic security in good times and bad.

“There continue to be barriers and inequities preventing Māori from realising the potential of their whenua. “These barriers include difficulties resulting from complex ownership structures, landlocked land, and legislative restrictions,” Willie Jackson said.

The funding announced today further enables the pre-commercialisation o whenua so landowners can undertake whenua-based economic, cultural, social and environmental projects.

Among the projects the funding will provide further support for are community resilience; long-term planning to ensure climate resilience in vulnerable communities and infrastructure to unlock whenua Māori.

Willie Jackson said the further funding would help boost capability through access to resources, development of management skills and knowledge of governance structures, rules and regulations.

“This initiative supports Māori landowners to utilise their whenua, and this is when we see positive outcomes economically, culturally and in the wider community,” Minister Jackson said.

“Whenua Māori can become a source of income for whānau, hapū and iwi. This initiative will support whānau to identify opportunities for improving and growing existing operations and looking for ways to prepare for new ventures.”

“This funding will help whānau realise the potential of their whenua by encouraging Māori-led local solutions through a whānau-centred community development approach,” Willie Jackson said.

© Scoop Media