Launch of the Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapu Strategy
te-pati-maori
Thu Jul 22 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Launch of the Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapu Strategy
Thursday, 22 July 2010, 2:54 pm
Speech: The Maori Party
Hon Tariana Turia
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Thursday 22 July 2010; 9.30am
Speech-notes
Launch of the Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapu Strategy Department of Internal Affairs National office; Wellington
By a wonderful synergy of fate, today while we gather to launch this very significant strategy, some of our most outstanding young people are gathering at parliament for the Aspiring Leaders Forum.
The Aspiring Leaders' Forum is run largely by a community of volunteers. The forum brings together our shining stars of tomorrow – those who will take our nation forward be it in the arts, sports, creative or academic arena.
And it puts to them the challenge to think proactively about leadership. It is, in many ways, very much the same goal that we aim to achieve here today.
I am delighted to be here with you, to launch Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapū strategy 2010-2013.
This strategy is a proactive investment by the Department, in how to inspire and motivate all parts of this organisation, to develop a better understanding of Māori communities and their development needs.
And just as the forum at Parliament is asking our leaders of tomorrow, to consider how they can each make a difference - the Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapū strategy is essentially about making a positive difference for whanau, hapu and iwi Maori - and also for Local Government and Community staff.
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I want to say that I have been very encouraged by the findings of the recent outcomes evaluation which tells us that:
- Māori access to our community services has improved over the last three years;
- Māori groups have confidence in our community advisory services;
- Local Government and Community staff are more confident putting Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapū strategy into practice; and
- That awareness and implementation of the strategy continues to grow amongst staff.
That is a fantastic result and part of my purpose in being here today, was just to have a moment to encourage us all to reflect on the progress this Department has achieved – since I first talked with Bob Penetito about such a strategy, back in 2003.
I have to say that it is very reassuring to know that even if there have been numerous changes and political events that have occurred in the seven years between when I was first Minister of the Community and Voluntary Sector - and now – that despite the up-heaval - this Department has continued to place priority on Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapū strategy, and I mihi to you all today for that.
I am really proud of the work that has been achieved, through this strategy, and in particular through your focus on building strong relationships with tangata whenua.
From our earliest recorded writings, we have evidence that tangata whenua place great faith in our capacity to walk the talk. We know of the phrase, ‘Ina te mahi – he rangatira’, reminding us that the true chiefs lead in labour and in industry.
So we are very fortunate to have good leadership for this strategy. First from Bob (Penetito) and now from Mike Nathan.
There is a literal avalanche of literature around leadership styles : providing models of leaders as advocates, as social architects; as catalysts, as servants; as prophets.
We can read and analyse how to encourage empowerment; how to inspire belief; how to build coalitions of support or to communicate a vision.
But by far the most effective leadership known in Maori communities is that evidenced by how we actually ensure our moemoea, our dreams and aspirations, become our realities.
It’s all about the doing.
And so that is why I want to congratulate the Local Government and Community Branch for the way in which you’ve worked to improve your service delivery to Maori, and have actively sought to develop policy through the lens of a Maori worldview.
The challenge, now of course, is where to from here on in?
Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapū has a number of key priority areas to focus on in the future.
- Developing trusting and enduring relationships with whānau, hapū, and iwi Māori is critical
- Developing community and voluntary sector policy based on a kaupapa and tikanga framework is really important
- Growing leadership and ownership of the strategy across the Branch, particularly at management and team leader levels;
- Continuing with the noho marae as a means of developing staff understanding of te ao Māori is important
- Encouraging all business units of the Department to establish relationships with Te Atamira Taiwhenua, the Department’s Kaumātua/Kuia advisory group. I remember with these Kaumātua and Kuia came together in the first instance, saying how lucky the Department is – you have the cream of the Māori communities and wisdom. Sometimes we don’t appreciate the work they do. I hope that as a Department you understand the role they play in working with you and giving you the opportunity to inspire, and by inspired by our communities.
These are all practical, tangible ideas to ensure that at both an individual and a collective level, you have the knowledge, skill, desire, and opportunity to allow the engagement to occur in a way which supports Māori aspirations.
And yes – I know it’s not easy.
I think all of us struggle on a daily basis with trying to reconcile the way in which we go about our business with the principles and values we uphold.
Living in a way which demonstrates our commitment to kaupapa is, at the very least, challenging.
But it can be done – and you are showing us that.
It is no easy task bringing different world views together in a policy and operations environment, but you are, both individually and as a branch, on the right track and you need to know that.
I know many of you have taken the first step in meeting the challenges that come with upholding kaupapa and tikanga Maori by attending the overnight marae stays, or noho marae, that the Pou Ārahi unit organised last year and this year. Many of you have commented positively on this experience and I now encourage you to continue on that journey. It is also good for our marae to have you there amongst them.
The Department has placed considerable emphasis on spelling out what those next steps could look like – and I want to really pay tribute to the visionaries within this branch – who are focused on outcomes, rather than activities and milestones on a check-list mentality.
The broad outcomes for Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapu are that: - Māori communities have high levels of trust and confidence in the operational services of Local Government and Community Branch
- And similarly –Local Government and Community Branch managers have high levels of confidence leading Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapū;
- National and regional office staff work seamlessly together in delivering services to Māori and in developing policy that has a positive impact on Māori communities
- Māori communities will consider that working with this branch has helped them to achieve their own outcomes
- And that Māori communities will see the Department as a leader in working effectively with whānau, hapū, and iwi Māori.
The challenge in achieving these outcomes relates to taking individual ownership and responsibility for the application of Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapū in your day-to-day work whether you are a community advisor, a policy analyst, a senior manager, a communications advisor, or a support officer. The strategy has relevance to you all and I challenge you to discover what that is.
Finally, I want to share my enthusiasm with you for the leadership that is required of all of us, in promoting, living and nurturing Whanau Ora – another approach to Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapu.
The Whanau Ora approach reflects the aspirations of whanau to be self-managing and take responsibility for their own social, economic, and cultural development. The approach focuses on whanau strengthening themselves as measured in both individual and collective outcomes.
Our vision for whanau will be met when whanau are: • self-managing; • living healthy lifestyles; • participating fully in society; • confidently participating in te Ao Maori; • economically secure and successfully involved in wealth creation; • cohesive, resilient and nurturing.
I am really excited by the momentum I have seen through the massive turnout around the motu, in the hui we held over the last few months.
For those who like the numbers - over 4000 have attended twelve hui; we held a Pacific fono in Auckland; and we are now in the first stages of gearing up for implementation.
Last night I met with the ten Regional Leadership Groups that have been established across the motu – and I have to tell you, there was a real buzz throughout the room. And what isn’t there to be excited about! The goal is all about building whanau capability, nurturing resilience and strengthening whanau connections.
We are united by an emphasis on enhancing best outcomes for whanau. And we are propelled by the momentum of self-belief : we get this – and we know we can do this. And we know also, that we will not only surprise ourselves, but we will astound the nation with our ingenuity, our innovation and our initiative.
It is the most amazing privilege to be part of the transformation – the transformation of our potential.
But perhaps that’s the biggest challenge for us all –Whether it is Whanau Ora – or whether it is Te Whakamotuhaketanga Hapū how do we ensure the wonders of life are within all our reach?
I wish us all great courage and commitment in this journey ahead.
Nō rēira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā anō tātou katoa.
ENDS
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