Category: Auckland Council

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council’s six demographic advisory panels have outlined to the Mayor and Councillors what they think needs to be done in the next three years to support their communities in our region.

Sixty-three people make up the council’s strategic advisory panels, with each person chosen for their insight into what it’s like to be young, senior, Pasifika, ethnic, of rainbow identity or disabled in Auckland.

The panels offer strategic advice through the lens of their lived experience to the council’s Mayor, Governing Body and the wider council whanau on how to make the city more inclusive.

Recently elected co-chairs explained their panel’s priorities to the council’s Planning, Environment and Parks Committee last week, and many gave compelling reasons why they are important.

“We want to work on what makes Auckland a place that young people want to be,” says Youth Advisory Panel co-chair Vira Paky. “When young people feel connected and a sense of belonging, they’ll be invested in contributing and staying in this city for a long time.”

Several panels have identified housing, wellbeing, climate change and participation as areas to focus on for additional improvement. Other common themes are engagement, transport, and safety.

Edwina Pio, ONZM and co-chair of the Seniors Advisory Panel, said 12 per cent of Auckland’s population is over 65-years-old and few issues are more universal than ageing.

“On top of that, 35 per cent of New Zealanders over 65 years have a disability. We’d like to see universal design principals brought on board to ensure people can age comfortably and continue to enjoy living,” says Professor Pio. “Housing is crucial to safety and wellbeing for so many older people, especially to those in the rental market.”

Co-chairs of the Disability Advisory Panel, Martine Abel Williamson and Barry de Geest, agreed that universal design and disability thinking are important to embed into council decisions and planning – “so nobody gets left behind”.

“These things should not happen to accommodate disabled people but because it’s the right thing to do. We’d like to see disability viewed as a great example of inclusion being extended to everyone,” says Mr de Geest.”

Belonging and inclusion is one of the five important priorities for the Ethnic Communities Panel. Co-chairs Krish Naidu and Ireen Rahiman-Manuel say Auckland can grow to become more inclusive for migrant communities. 

“Bullying is often an ethnic issue and we’d like to see a future where our kids are not affected by this. Racism, crime and ethnic migrant worker abuse are some of the concerns for our community and we are keen to work with the council on ways we can improve.”

Co-chair of the Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel, Seumanu Simon Matāfai, wants to see Tāmaki Makaurau care for its Pacific people in the same way an older sibling provides kaitiaki and leadership.

Despite living in the “largest Pacific centre of the world”, Mr Matāfai says many younger Pacific people need more support to thrive.

“Money won’t fix it all. We need true and authentic partnerships between community and the council. It takes a village to reach the tower,” Mr Matāfai says. “Let’s make Tāmaki Makaurau the greatest Pacific centre in the world.”

Josh Martin, of the Rainbow Communities Advisory Panel, says his panel are keen to bring forward voices from their community that often don’t get heard.

“Make people feel valuable. I think it is less about what the council is doing but what are you doing? That’s going to have a definite impact,” Mr Martin says.  

Chief Liaison Councillor for the Advisory Panels Julie Fairey thanks each panel member for the humility and grace they have shown in sharing their wisdom and expertise with the council.

“We’re very lucky to have such a diverse bunch of people bringing an incredible depth of skill, knowledge and mana in their advice to Council this term. I’m really proud to support these panels as they make sure we have input from a wide range of Aucklanders for our decisions,” Cr Fairey says.

Each panel has identified several strategic topics to progress while appointed:

• Disability Advisory Panel:
  • Climate and extreme weather resilience and preparedness, response and recovery
  • Accessible and inclusive recruitment
  • Monitoring Council’s Disability Operational Action Plan
  • Housing accessibility and affordability for disabled people
• Ethnic Communities Advisory Panel:

• Belonging and Inclusion
• Wellbeing and Safety
• Economic Growth and Development
• Transport
• Climate Action and Sustainability

Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel:

• Climate justice: adaptation and community resilience
• Civic engagement, participation and democracy
• Mental health and wellbeing 

• Rainbow Communities Advisory Panel:

• Council kaimahi awareness and service provision
• Community engagement
• Cost of living

• Seniors Advisory Panel:

• Working to implement Age-friendly Auckland plan
• Housing
• Safety
• Access to services
• Transport

• Youth Advisory Panel:

• Connection and belonging
• A resilient Auckland
• Thriving Young People

Co-chairs elected for each panel are: 

• Disability Advisory Panel: Martine Abel Williamson, QSM and Barry de Geest
• Rainbow Communities Advisory Panel: Teresa Platt and Josh Martin
• Youth Advisory Panel: Vira Paky and Sanat Singh
• Seniors Advisory Panel: Claire Dale and Edwina Pio, ONZM
• Ethnic Communities Advisory Panel: Ireen Rahiman-Manuel and Krish Naidu
• Pacific People’s Advisory Panel: Litiana Karika and Seumanu Simon Matāfai

Source: Auckland Council

Progress on how well Auckland is supporting our older residents has been outlined in the Auckland Council’s Age Friendly Auckland annual report.

The council’s Planning, Environment and Parks Committee Deputy Chair, Councillor Angela Dalton, says the report provides an excellent update on how we are tracking since the Tāmaki Makaurau Tauawhi Kaumātua Age-friendly Auckland Action Plan was adopted in 2021.

“It outlines some key lessons and learnings from the experiences of older people in the city in what has been an incredible challenging year. The report also gives us valuable direction on what is important to older people in Tāmaki Makaurau to focus on for the year ahead.”

Auckland Council whānau staff, aged-sector organisations and iwi have worked together since 2021 to achieve actions across 10 key areas in the plan that focus on improving the overall quality of life for older Aucklanders.

More than 5000 Aucklanders, including members of the council’s Seniors Advisory Panel, contributed their views on what is important for the wellbeing of older people and this informed the plan’s 106 actions.

The Age Friendly Auckland annual report shows that 72 per cent of the 106 actions are now either underway or already completed, with the council delivering 60 of those actions.

Seniors Advisory Panel co-chair Dr Claire Dale says the overall achievement rate show a strong commitment from Auckland to address the needs of older people.

“We are seeing long-term initiatives completed, with a focus on improving the way our city is designed to support senior citizens – now and in the future. We’re really keen to keep the momentum going,” says Dr Dale.

“In March 2022, our efforts to become more age-friendly resulted in Auckland being accepted into the World Health Organisation Network of Age-Friendly cities and communities – but we can still do much more. This report identifies that housing and transport are key areas to improve on.”

Looking ahead

Te Rōpū Whakamana ki te Ao, the collective group responsible for providing leadership and oversight of the Age-Friendly plan has this year decided to focus on housing and transport, as well as social participation and kaumatua.

Te Rōpū chair Maxine Stiling says key areas of communication and information, plus respect and inclusion, have had the most progress made so far to support older people.

“Over the last two years we have learned the tremendous importance of building connections in and across the sector and the value that is created from these relationships,” says Mrs Stiling.  

One successful programme from Age Friendly Auckland is the Digital Seniors Pilot funded by Devonport-Takapuna and Upper Harbour Local Boards. Free one-on-one coaching helped seniors upskill to use the internet for connecting with friends and family, sending photos, paying bills, as well as to troubleshoot problems with their devices.

Key learnings

Connecting, sharing information and raising awareness of the action plan throughout the aged sector are noted as key learnings to continue exploring in the year ahead.

The value of using support networks to reach older people was seen as especially critical this year during the region’s extreme weather events. 

Recommendations from the Age Friendly Auckland annual report will be shared with the council’s emergency management team and investigations into how other cities manage flood preparedness for older people are planned.

Other priorities for the year ahead include looking at opportunities to work together with other sectors and central government on supporting age-related collaboration.

Te Rōpū is also planning the city’s second Age-Friendly Auckland symposium this year on 1 November, together with Auckland University of Technology’s Centre for Active Aging. The event will bring together a range of speakers for older people and their advocates. It follows the first successful symposium last year, attended by more than 130 people.

Participants at last year’s inaugural Age-Friendly Auckland symposium.

Source: Auckland Council

One Saturday, a family went to the market.

They bought hāngi meals, mussel fritters and rewena bread and sat down to

eat.

Aniwa put her mussel fritter on her lap to cool down.

This was one of those days when Tāwhirimātea liked to cause mischief.

He sent a strong wind that blew Aniwa’s mussel fritter onto the ground …..

And so begins one of the You Ready? series of children’s books launched yesterday by Auckland Council’s Auckland Emergency Management team, in collboration with Auckland Libraries.

The multi-lingual series (Māori, Samoan, Hindi and Chinese) follows a group of friends as they face dangerous weather events and natural disasters. From cyclones and tornadoes to flash floods and thunderstorms, the children use their quick thinking, knowledge, and resilience to prepare for and stay safe in emergencies.

Auckland Council’s Head of Resilience Melanie Hutton says they chose to work with children on this project as research has shown the long-term psychological harm disasters can have on children and their development.

“Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder among children more than doubled after the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.

“Not only are disasters stressful and frightening, but children can suffer psychological harm from the damage they see to their homes and possessions, the effects of stress on parents and from the breakdowns in social networks in neighbourhoods.

“We saw this opportunity to build our young people’s resilience to disasters here in Auckland through participation in appropriate readiness, response and recovery activities.”

The series was developed in collaboration with tamariki from across Auckland’s communities who enjoyed the creative writing and illustration processes. Their involvement in the project helped them to build on their previously limited knowledge of emergency preparedness.

“Children aged between seven and 12-year-olds are at the right age for children to start learning about how to get ready for emergencies and how to keep themselves, and their families safe when storms or floods occur,” adds Melanie.

The National Emergency Management Agency funded $85,500 to develop and produce the books with a further $20,850 contributed by Auckland Emergency Management.

Chair of the council’s Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee Cr Sharon Stewart is delighted to see an innovative approach taken to engaging with children on emergency preparedness. 

“Talking about readiness for a disaster and increasing resilience amongst our youngest Aucklanders isn’t easy – we want to make sure they feel well-informed about natural threats in our region, not frightened.

“These books offer an innovative way to start important conversations about disasters and emergency preparedness at home, and in a way that children can understand. Storytelling is a great medium!” she says.

The books are available on request from Auckland Emergency Management aeminfo@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz and will be available in libraries across Tāmaki Makaurau. The series will also be shared with all Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) groups around the country for their use with tamariki in their communities.

Source: Auckland Council

A concept design for the Chambers Laneway in Old Papatoetoe has been approved by Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board

Chambers Laneway forms part of the Eke Panuku led Unlock Old Papatoetoe regeneration programme, designed to deliver upgrades to the civic plaza in front of the Chambers Building on St George Street and the laneway between St George and Stadium Reserve.

Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia says the project aims to discourage antisocial behaviour and improve safety in the plaza and laneway.

“The design we have approved will achieve that by providing clear sightlines from the main street and increasing lighting throughout the project area.

“The upgraded laneway will strengthen the connection between the main street and Stadium Reserve, something that should encourage more public use and establish the precinct as Old Papatoetoe’s recreational heart.”

The board approved the Papatoetoe Stadium Reserve Concept Design in June, with the reserve to undergo an upgrade to make it more suitable for recreation.

Autagavaia says several lanes link St George Street to Stadium Reserve, and Chambers Laneway potentially offers the most significant connection being adjacent to the key civic space by the Papatoetoe Town Hall.

“Residents have been concerned that Chambers Laneway currently attracts antisocial behaviour because of its layout, which includes hidden seating areas with poor sightlines from the main street, and inadequate lighting.

“The design offers good solutions for those issues.”

Better safety outcomes will be achieved by removing an existing overhead canopy and utility boxes that now obscure clear sightlines into the civic plaza and through the lane towards the reserve.

Two existing bus shelters will be consolidated into one, with a more transparent structure to aid visibility.

New lighting for the plaza and the laneway, along with existing CCTV, will help with public perceptions of safety and discourage bad behaviour.

The design strategy focuses on the removing clutter to provide a more open, safe and attractive space for use by the community, with residents offered a safer place to gather in full view of the street.

New paving will draw on the existing main street paving design, and in-ground planters in the civic plaza and down the western side of the lane will provide a green link between the street and the reserve.

Mana whenua input is being sought to assist with an opportunity to install a mural on the New World wall to establish a strong cultural identity and sense of place.

Find out more about the St George’s Lane project here.

Meanwhile, construction is about to start on Tavern Lane, which will be closed throughout the duration of the work.

Source: Auckland Council

Franklin residents can give their ideas on what makes parks perfect.

Consultation to shape a draft Franklin Local Parks Management Plan to set a framework for the use, protection, and development of the area’s parks, is open until 12 November.

The board has decision-making authority over roughly 190 parks, 29 with management plans that will be superseded.

Franklin Local Board chair and Wairoa subdivision member Angela Fulljames says it’s important people get involved.

“There’s going to be consultation specific to local areas, so while Waiuku on one side of Franklin and Maraetai on the other might have lots in common, we want to be able to identify if there are specific needs.

“Local parks are exactly that, local. That makes it critical the people who call them their own have a say in what happens in and to them.

“We want engagement by subdivision because of the size of our area, and because there are extensive esplanade reserves around the Manukau Harbour and Wairoa River,” she says.

Any plan is a long way off being finalised, with consultation critical to the process. After feedback is analysed, a draft can be prepared.

The board is responsible for parks it has decision-making authority over, while in others it has only an advocacy role – where it can put forward suggestions, notably regional parks and drainage reserves.

“A completed plan will outline the reserves where there’s local decision-making, and where advocacy-only roles apply,” Fulljames says. “But it’s important to know we remain committed to partnerships and co-management.”

Open space not owned or managed by Auckland Council is excluded, as are regional parks.

Fulljames says management plans are an important tool to protect the values of parks while providing for appropriate activities. 

“They provide a framework for consistent, transparent decision-making for managing and developing parks.”

It is anticipated a draft plan will be available for public consultation in early or mid-2025. 

Have Your Say here.

Source: Auckland Council

The Tūpuna Maunga Authority will once again be closing the Maunga leading up to Guy Fawkes due to devastating fires in 2019 and 2020. This will be the fourth consecutive year the Tūpuna Maunga have been protected from fire damage during Guy Fawkes season.

All 14 ancestral Tūpuna Maunga will be closed for public access from Thursday 2 November to Sunday 5 November 2023.

The Maunga were closed to public after large scale fires broke out due to fireworks, causing extensive damage to several Maunga in Tāmaki Makaurau in 2019 and 2020. Maungarei / Mt Wellington being affected multiple times as well as Maungawhau / Mt Eden and Te Pane o Mataoho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain. It has taken the Authority years to repair the damage caused by the fire.

“The Maunga are a significant taonga to Mana Whenua and the people of Tāmaki Makaurau. These closures help protect the Maunga by eliminating fire damage. By reducing the risk of fires, we uphold the paramount historical, spiritual, ancestral, and cultural identity of the Tūpuna Maunga”, says Chairperson, Paul Majurey.

The Authority will have security staff patrol the Maunga throughout the closures and signage will be in place to remind the public of the upcoming event.

All the Tūpuna Maunga will be closed from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 November 2023, from 7.30 pm through to usual gate opening times the following day:

• Matukutūruru / Wiri Mountain

• Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill

• Maungarei / Mount Wellington

• Maungawhau / Mount Eden

• Maungauika / North Head

• Ōwairaka / Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura / Mount Albert

• Ōhinerau / Mount Hobson

• Ōhuiarangi / Pigeon Mountain

• Ōtāhuhu / Mount Richmond

• Pukewīwī / Puketāpapa / Mount Roskill

• Te Kōpuke / Tītīkōpuke / Mount St John

• Takarunga / Mount Victoria

• Te Pane o Mataaho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain

• Te Tātua a Riukiuta / Big King

The Tūpuna Maunga Authority continues its call for the government to end sales of fireworks to the public.

Paul Majurey says, “As long as fireworks are publicly available, we are left with no choice but to restrict access to avoid more massive fires and the enormous damage they cause. The Authority along with Auckland Council, the SPCA and many other groups around the country will continue to put pressure on the government to further restrict public sales of fireworks. It remains vital that the government puts measures in place that take fireworks out of the hands of those who aren’t capable of using them sensibly, while still allowing the public to enjoy controlled public fireworks displays.”

Source: Auckland Council

When dealing with excessive amounts of water due to flooding or other extreme weather events, water ingress can be a big problem. Moisture can seep into the many layers of a building and if the issue is not fixed promptly, it can often lead to irreparable damage. Basically, the longer water is left unchecked, the greater the level of damage and more health and safety issues can arise.  

The process of drying out a home can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. It is imperative that the home be thoroughly dried out before any repairs or remedial work begins. If walls, floors, or other spaces are closed in before being completely dried out, it can encourage mould and mildew growth, and can eventually lead to more serious forms of decay.  

Any remedial work that is classed as Restricted Building Work (RBW) must be carried out by a Licenced Building Practitioner (LBP). Restricted Building Work is any work needed to make a home structurally sound and weathertight. It is also known as ‘external moisture management systems’ and is work that requires a building consent or alters the primary structure of your home. This type of work generally involves larger, more complex jobs, such as alterations to foundations, floors, supporting walls and roofs, or remediation of wet area bathrooms.  

Has any remedial work been done on your property? 

It may be that repairs have already been done to your home and things are largely back to normal. That’s great! However, you might have noticed mould growing in areas that have been repaired, or perhaps these areas have started to become smelly. If this is the case, it is recommended that you seek expert advice. It could simply be a case of poor ventilation through the winter months, or it could potentially be a much bigger dampness problem that is hidden behind the walls.  

You may want to visit the following websites for more information and advice on what to do in this instance: 

The above links are good starting points to help answer your questions on what might be happening in your home and what could be done about it, however, to get an accurate diagnosis, you’ll need to get a professional to take a look. It’s always best to seek professional advice rather than try to diagnose it yourself.   

Are you planning to commence remedial work?  

Before any Restricted Building Work (or any remedial building work) is done on your property, it should be thoroughly dried out and adequately ventilated. This will mitigate the risk of any timber framing, lining, insulation, or other internal components to decay over time due to trapped moisture.

Watertightness can be compromised from many external areas. These include floors, roof/wall cladding, windows and doors, fixings and more. 

To sum up 

Following the catastrophic weather events experienced in Tāmaki Makaurau in 2023, hundreds of properties will be in various stages of repair. Many properties will have already been successfully repaired and require no further inspection. For those that have yet to have remedial work done, we stress the importance of thoroughly drying out the affected areas to ensure the best possible result and watertightness is maintained.  

As always, if you are in doubt about any issue or potential issue, check the resources provided here, seek help from a qualified professional, or contact our building helpdesk via acebuildhelpdesk@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or phone 09 353 9358. 

Source: Auckland Council

Dedicated Māori seats on Auckland Council have been unanimously backed by Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board.

Acting Board chair Harry Fatu Toleafoa says the board’s feedback on the proposal to have the seats was based on past engagement with the community and mana whenua on issues relating to delivering on Māori outcomes, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations.

“We did not have the benefit of the results of the public consultation before we formalised our response, but we believe Auckland should take a strong stand on this issue as the city with the largest Māori population in Aotearoa.

“Our request has been that mana whenua views be given significant weighting as treaty partners.

“That reflects very strong mana whenua view support that they be accorded special status on governance entities as they have a special and enduring relationship to the rohe but are numerically smaller within the wider Māori and non-Māori populations.”

However, the board noted that neither the Parliamentary nor Royal Commission model would guarantee mana whenua as the main Māori voice on the Governing Body.

“The Parliamentary model doesn’t guarantee any mana whenua representation, and the Royal Commission model sets only one seat for all Tamaki Makaurau mana whenua,” Toleafoa says.

The board supported the Commission’s three seat model but called for it to be made up of two mana whenua appointed seats and one for mataawaka – those without iwi ties but still resident in the city – elected at large by Māori roll voters.

Toleafoa says that would require a law change that might delay seats until 2025, but members agreed with local mana whenua that the issue was too important to get wrong. “The right approach shouldn’t be sacrificed for expedience.”

Members reiterated previous advocacy for Māori – especially mana whenua – representation on boards and asked the Governing Body to urgently seek the necessary law change to enable that.

“We’re concerned future governments might not prioritise legislation to provide better Māori local government representation and we’ve asked the Governing Body to advocate for the protection of such measures.”

Source: Auckland Council

Papakura residents are invited to give their ideas on the future management of local parks. 

Consultation to help shape a draft Papakura Local Parks Management Plan is open now and runs until 11 November.  

Papakura Local Board has approved public notification of the intent to prepare a plan for all local parks and reserves, including inviting written suggestions.  

The plan will set a framework for the use, protection, and development of local parks.  

Papakura Local Board chair Brent Catchpole says it’s important people get involved because local parks are critical to neighbourhoods. 

“This consultation is all about what people want from their parks. Various age groups might have different needs, we expect accessibility issues to be raised, and it might be that our ethnic communities would like things that reflect their needs or are drawn from their cultures in a way we have seen with Māori play elements.” 

The plan is still some way from being finalised, with consultation critical to the process. After feedback is analysed, a draft plan can be prepared. 

The board is responsible for parks within Papakura it has decision-making authority over, while in others it has only an advocacy role – where it can put forward suggestions, notably legal roads and drainage reserves with open space function. 

Land in scope includes park land for which the board has decision-making under both the Reserves Act and Local Government Act, but excludes open space not owned or managed by Auckland Council, and regional parks. 

The board has decision-making over about 140 parks and reserves, 11 with existing management plans, all of them 10 years old or more, and to be superseded by the new plan. 

It is anticipated a draft plan will be available for public consultation in early or mid-2025. 

Have Your Say here.

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council has released its Te Pūrongo a Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau Ngā Huanga Māori / Auckland Council Group Māori Outcomes Report for 2022-2023, now in its fifth edition.

The purpose of the report is to measure how successfully we are contributing to the 10 mana outcomes of Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau and the priorities laid out in the 10-year Budget.

“In recent years, Tāmaki Makaurau has faced many challenges as well as heartening successes. This report provides valuable insights into Auckland Council’s delivery of Māori outcomes, for and with Māori. As we move forward, know that we are committed to keeping Māori wellbeing at the heart of all we do,” says Councillor Angela Dalton, Deputy Chair of the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee.

“I am proud of the successes highlighted in the report including the provision of this year’s Manaaki Fund to support flood and cyclone relief services, the Māori Outcomes Fund, Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata festival and some incredible success stories in our efforts to enhance te taiao (the environment) to restore the mana of the area.”

Councillor Kerrin Leoni, as the Portfolio Lead for Māori Outcomes and Auckland Council’s first wahine Māori councillor, endorsed the report.

“This report reaffirms Auckland Council’s commitment to fulfilling our legal and core policy objectives, while also identifying areas where we can improve, to ensure that Auckland Council’s commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi are truly realised,” says Cr Kerrin Leoni.

“While we celebrate the achievements in the report, it is essential to acknowledge that there is still work to be done. We must look beyond the confines of colonisation and engage with the diversity of Māori communities, acknowledging the unique needs of aspirations each iwi, hapū and mataawaka group. By doing so, we can forge a true partnership that fosters an environment where all can succeed. 

“This future is one where Māori are active participants in decision-making, where cultural heritage is celebrated and protected, and where the well-being of Māori communities and the environment are prioritised.”

Highlights for the 2022-2023 year include:

The commissioned review of Auckland Council’s engagement with Māori and the resulting ‘Beyond Obligations’ report

As a direct result of this report, Auckland Council has increased the capacity funding for mana whenua, and up to six mataawaka, commencing in the upcoming financial year 2023/2024, to resource their engagement in core Auckland Council processes, including the 10-year and annual budget, and bi-lateral engagements with Auckland Council.

Use of the Manaaki Fund to support the Flood and Cyclone Response

“The provision of this year’s Manaaki Fund, which enabled support for flood and cyclone relief services, exemplified our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of whānau Māori during challenging times,” says Cr Leoni.

Fifteen Māori-led active responders representing mana whenua entities, marae and Māori community providers in Tāmaki Makaurau received grants to support whānau Māori with flood and cyclone relief services during both the Auckland Anniversary Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle to a total of $266,444.

Working in partnership for te taiao / the environment

Māori and the Auckland Council group have worked together on many large-scale projects that aim to enhance the mauri (life force) of te taiao (the environment).

Auckland Council and mana whenua can be proud of the partnerships that have been formed during these projects. Some, such as Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek) and Awakeri wetlands have developed over many years, and they proved invaluable during the January floods, in addition to their many other benefits.

Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata

Auckland Council invested $1.3m of the Māori Outcomes Fund in the festival, with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited taking the lead to coordinate council support and involvement.

The festival is estimated to have made a direct economic contribution of almost $22 million to Tāmaki Makaurau and provided an incredible boost in cultural pride and wellbeing for Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau and across Aotearoa.

“Te Matatini, a beautiful showcase of Māori performing arts, has helped to weave Māori performing arts into the fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau,” says Lou-Ann Ballantyne, Auckland Council Tumuaki Huanga Māori, Acting Director of Ngā Mātārāe Māori Outcomes.

“Organisations across the council group engaged with the festival, from Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s ‘Haka is Here’ promotional campaign to Auckland Transport providing integrated ticketing services and its own bus campaign featuring haka stars.  The festival not only welcomed over 70,000 spectators at Ngā Ana Wai Eden Park, but also reached its biggest ever broadcast audience of 2.5 million, taking Māori language and talent to a national and global audience.”

Māori Outcomes Fund

Projects and longer-term programmes funded using the Māori Outcomes Fund progressed, although significant underspend was incurred in the Marae Infrastructure Programme due to staffing and supply issues. Delays to the development and roll out of the Capacity Uplift project was also a contributor. Of the 24 initiatives funded during the year, nine are complete; one, the Western Kiosk – will be completed early in 2023, one is on hold and 13 are scheduled to continue. 

Read the full Te Pūrongo a Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau Ngā Huanga Māori 2022-2023 / Auckland Council Group Māori Outcomes Report 2022-2023.