Māori economy targets values-led growth

Growing the Māori economy is about upping well-being, directing investment where it's needed most and creating lasting benefits for Māori communities.

That's the message from Māori business leader June McCabe, who says Māori economic development must go hand in hand with values-driven investment that improves health, education and opportunities.

McCabe (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kaharau and Ngāti Kahu), executive director of Sustainable Prosperity NZ and lead adviser to Pou Tahua, the economic arm of the National Iwi Chairs Forum, was one of two keynote speakers at the Māori Economy Symposium at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, on 16 October. 

McCabe spoke about Rauawa, an iwi-led financial intermediary established to improve Māori access to capital and connect investment with economic and social priorities.

She said the gap between where the Māori economy is and where it could be remains large.

“Under an accelerated pathway to 2040, Māori GDP could reach $60 billion, but we’re constrained by system design.

“If we want to increase our life expectancy, we need billions, and we need to build a system that embraces collectivism. We need an all-of-iwi model.”

She wants to see a push beyond traditional industries towards investment in sectors that offer long-term opportunities while aligning with te ao Māori values.

“Tech is a no-brainer. The energy sector is also important, and we need to look at how we aggregate and scale together. Education is a critical element of this.”

Raised in Kaitaia by her kuia, McCabe grew up understanding the importance of education and hard work, and how both can drive change.

“We do not need to be locked into a colonised way of working. Success looks like being active in the economy and thriving in sectors that are climate appropriate.”

The symposium's second keynote speaker, Dr Rongo Wetere offered an example of what can be achieved.

In 1994, Wetere successfully secured government approval to establish New Zealand's first Māori University, Te Wananga o Aotearoa. He recalled the financial challenges of starting the institution, including limited government funding and a requirement to operate without losses.

Wetere went on to challenge inequities in government funding for wānanga through a successful Waitangi Tribunal claim, which eventually resulted in a $150 million settlement.

He believed tertiary education should be free and his approach attracted Māori and non-Māori learners, driving rapid enrolment and greater Māori participation in tertiary education.

Within a decade of opening, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa had become New Zealand's largest tertiary education institution by enrolments, with more than 63,000 students.

Wetere's work in Indigenous education also extended internationally. He was a founding leader of the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC), established in Canada in 2002. He later became Vice-Chancellor of the World Indigenous Nations University (WINU), which supports Indigenous higher education grounded in Indigenous knowledge and cultures.

Māori leader Trevor Moeke (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Kahungunu) introduced him, and Wetere acknowledged Moeke as one of two Māori education officials who supported his early efforts to improve tertiary education opportunities for Māori.

Following the introduction, he presented Moeke with a pōtae from the World Indigenous Nations University. 

The question of how Māori and Indigenous communities can exercise greater control over their economic futures ran throughout the symposium.

Professor Jason Mika, Associate Dean Māori at the University of Auckland Business School and director of the Dame Mira Szászy Centre, said the symposium provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships and support research.

“Grounded in kaupapa Māori, the symposium and the awards saw Māori and Indigenous business leaders, researchers, industry partners, and students come together to advance Indigenous trade, business research, and innovation.

“It was humbling to have the opportunity to continue the legacy of leaders like the late Dr Mānuka Hēnare who contributed to Māori economic philosophy through his idea of the ‘economy of mana’. Providing pathways for the next generation of Māori business students into academia, entrepreneurship and enterprise is an important aim of the symposium.”

Panel discussions explored Indigenous trade, business research and innovation, including opportunities in technology and energy, the importance of data sovereignty and the need to align economic development with Indigenous values.

For University of Canterbury student Ngaru Hepi, who studies industrial product design, commerce and management, the discussions also raised questions about the future of work.

“AI is making things easier in business, but one thing I’m worried about is when it becomes too fast and starts to separate from manaakitanga. It’s taking away entry-level jobs and opportunities to develop skills, so I’m concerned about the future of AI in business and our economy.”

Fellow Canterbury student Kararaina Cairns, who studies human resource management and Māori and Indigenous studies, welcomed the opportunity to learn directly from Māori business leaders.

“I haven’t had the opportunity before to whakawhanaungatanga with people from so many different industries and with such great expertise. As students you don’t really get to have proximity to these people.”

Dr Abigail McClutchie, who works at the University in student and scholarly services and who received a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Māori entrepreneurship from the Business School said: “At some Indigenous conferences, business and the economy is a small part of it. Today we're in a room full of industry experts, researchers and academics. It's an honour to be part of it and to see this deep focus on research, industry and the Māori economy.” 

A South Auckland organisation helping young Māori escape homelessness was among three winners recognised at the Māori Economy Awards dinner following the symposium.

Mā Te Huruhuru Charitable Trust, founded and led by Māhera Maihi, received the Mānuka Hēnare Award for its work tackling youth poverty and homelessness. Its kaupapa Māori transitional housing complex, the first of its kind, provides accommodation and intensive support for young people aged 17 to 21.

Jerome Te Paa received the Dame Mira Szászy Alumni Award. A 2016 Bachelor of Property graduate, he has gone on to hold senior leadership roles with Ngāti Whātua and Ngāti Manuhiri organisations while continuing to mentor Māori students at the Business School.

The Outstanding Māori Postgraduate Business Student Award went to Ngāroimata Reid, who began her PhD 15 years after completing her Master of Management. Her research focuses on the leadership resilience, identity and efficacy of wāhine Māori. An advocate for Māori and Indigenous leadership, she has represented the Māori Women’s Welfare League at international forums, including the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York.

Reflecting on the symposium and awards, lead organiser Professor Jason Mika emphasised the importance of turning the day's discussions into action.

“Like all good hui, what counts is what we do with what we have heard,” he said.

“The Dame Mira Szászy Centre will produce an insights paper on key ideas from the symposium to advance Māori and Indigenous economies and enterprise through trade, research and innovation.

“E kore e mutu ngā mihi mō te hunga i tautokongia te kaupapa nei. Thank you to our supporters of this occasion, namely Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, UniServices, Tauhokohoko and Te Kotahi Research Institute, the Office of Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori, and Tohu Wines. Without the support of Business School’s acting dean, Professor Carla Houkamau, the event would not have taken place.”

The Māori Economy Symposium and Awards will return in 2028.