Murihiku Regeneration Structure

Murihiku Regeneration was established through Hokonui Rūnanga, with the support of Murihiku Upoko.

Governance, oversight, and leadership are provided to Murihiku Regeneration through the Murihiku Regeneration Office.

Murihiku Upoko are Tā Tipene O’Regan, Michael Skerrett, and Terry Nicholas.

The Murihiku Regeneration Office keeps the four rūnaka informed through communication and updates.

Portfolio management, multiple programmes and projects, and the day-to-day running of Murihiku Regeneration is the domain of the Portfolio Director and support team (Portfolio Office).

Ngāi Tahu Context

Ngāi Tahu is a large and complex tribe - the following gives context to where Murihiku Regeneration sits within the Ngāi Tahu structure.

Papatipu Rūnanga

There are 18 Papatipu Rūnanga (see map), each with their own geographic location, governance structure, challenges, opportunities, and aspirations for their whānau.

Within this structure, each of the Papatipu Rūnanga sets their aspirations, priorities, and goals for their geographical area and their whānau. Decision making, including determining policy positions, is generally decentralized to Papatipu Rūnanga, particularly concerning regionally specific proposals.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu was established to manage and protect the collective interests of Ngāi Tahu and to support Papatipu Rūnanga.

• Te Rūnanga is governed by a tribal council, consisting of one representative from each of the Papatipu Rūnanga.
• Te Rūnanga generally forms policy positions on issues that cover the entire takiwā (tribal boundary) or affect the Treaty Settlements, as mandated by Papatipu Rūnanga.
• Where an act requires consultation with iwi or an iwi authority, that consultation must be with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, as per section 15 of the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Act 1998.

Relevant key principles of engagement (from Te Rūnanga):

• Upholding Rangatiratanga.
• Fulfilling Tiriti Partnership.
• Providing Manaakitanga.

These include seeking joint decision-making roles at all levels of decision-making.

Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation

Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation is an investment company, owned solely by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu (via the Ngāi Tahu Charitable Trust).

• It is operationally separate from Te Rūnanga and Papatipu Rūnanga.
• Its role is to create wealth for its shareholders (ultimately Ngāi Tahu whānui) and to respect and contribute to the mana of Ngāi Tahu.

Murihiku Regeneration

Murihiku Regeneration was established by Hokonui Rūnanga, with the support of Murihiku Upoko, to support regenerative and intergenerational outcomes.

Murihiku Regeneration wants to be able to work closely and collaboratively with the Crown, to give voice to the Treaty partnership, and to ensure a clear, coherent plan for a prosperous Murihiku-Southland.

Murihik Regeneration Aspirations:

• Cover environmental, social, economic, and cultural goals.
• Within the environmental space, aspirations include transitioning to a green economy, enhancing the mana of tangata whenua, environmental sustainability, and enabling kotahitanga, rangatiratanga, and kaitiakitanga.
• Within the marine space, Murihiku ki te Tonga (MKTT) is a research, science, and innovation programme focused on supporting Ngāi Tahu and New Zealand interests in Te Moana tāpokopoko a Tāwhaki (the Southern Ocean and Ross Sea Sector) that includes the Ngāi Tahu marine takiwa and the NZ Subantarctic Islands.

Murihiku Regeneration Office Arrangements for Communication Purposes

Terms of Reference

These Terms of Reference set out the role of the Murihiku Regeneration office arrangements that are in place to support it. This includes its purpose, responsibilities, objectives, and tenure.

Context

Murihiku Regeneration is a long-term regenerative and intergenerational portfolio of work that was initiated in response to the issues that emerged through the signalled closure of the Tiwai Aluminium Smelter in 2019, to identify and implement opportunities to support successive generations.

Murihiku Regeneration was established by Hokonui Rūnanga, with the support of Murihiku Upoko, in 2020 to lead this regional development response.

It is underpinned by the Crown-Iwi partnership acknowledged in Te Tiriti and operates at a mana-to-mana level to work on regional-level issues, in the national interest.

The voice and aspirations of whānau are central to the work of Murihiku Regeneration. Through engagement, events, and project feedback alongside active engagement with Ngāi Tahu hapū ki Murihiku, we work to integrate agreed and shared Hapū and Rūnanga priorities.

Purpose of Murihiku Regeneration

Murihiku Regeneration operates based on sound and effective practice and is focused on delivering outcomes for successive generations and to the benefit of all Ngai Tahu ki Murihiku, Iwi-Māori, and the wider community.

Multiple workstreams are aligned in the national interest, while ensuring that Iwi and Hapū voice, along with the wider community, is built into an effective partnership for regeneration across our four pou: social, cultural, economic, and the environment.

Vision

Developed at Te Rau Aroha Marae in September 2020 and confirmed by the Upoko establishment group in October 2020, the overarching vision for Murihiku Regeneration is:

Tū tahi ki te Kei

Let’s all stand together in the stern of our waka

Murihiku Tītī a Kai, Tītī a Manawa

Murihiku, a land of resources, a people steadfast

Tauarutia ka aho ratarata

Follow our Southern Lights

Roles and Responsibilities

In our Ngāi Tahu histories, when Hapū faces disarray, then effective advice and leadership are guided by the Upoko, who are mandated heads of the Hapū. Murihiku Regeneration is founded on that practice. It includes:

• An Upoko Group, which engages in the national interest, works at a regional level and supports the community on major issues and opportunities.
• Ensuring the crown-iwi partnership is reinvigorated and operates at a mana-to-mana level.
• A feedback approach which reports back and informs respective and interested Rūnanga on issues, opportunities, actions, and identifies projects and people that should be connected to the kaupapa.
• Connection to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu through respective Upoko and Representatives.
• A portfolio-based delivery group, which enables Hapū, Rūnanga to engage and participate in strategic dialogue to progress priorities, initiatives, and projects.
• Ensuring a collaborative and inclusive community-facing approach is used around regeneration opportunities and providing Panui and progress to all interested Murihiku Hapū.
• Disciplined and transparent, ensuring funders and partners can have confidence in benefits, outcomes, and delivery.

Objectives

Murihiku Regeneration has the following objectives:

• To drive an inclusive, locally led, and system-level approach to regeneration and transition planning.
• To work together to unblock barriers and constraints.
• To be action-oriented and represent the interests of future generations now.
• To be the point for strategic dialogue and debate on barriers and implications for transition planning.
• To take projects and priorities identified by interested Hapū and Rūnanga and actively champion them.
• To work for Iwi-Māori, the community, and individual Hapū members.
• To listen to the voice of Hapū and ensure that their rights and interests are being supported.

Priority Workstreams

Seven Priority Areas have been developed:

1. Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities- focused on collective Rūnanga cohesion, strengthening internal and external partnerships and governance/ building leadership / and developing youth & rangatahi participation.
2. Tiwai Future – includes Tiwai Smelter clean-up, remediation, environmental impact, and cultural projects led by Awarua Rūnaka. Renewable energy and future development projects are led by Hokonui Rūnanga.
3. Te Ara Aukati Kore - creating sustainable future pathways for our successive generations through learning, work, and growth. This is based on the Kia Tū pathway planning framework developed within Muirihku Regeneration to support whānau through this journey.
4. Murihiku ki Te Tonga - supporting research, science and innovation priorities in Te Moana tāpokopoko a Tāwhaki (the Southern Ocean) to protect Ngāi Tahu rights and interests.
5. Initiating and supporting sustainable regional regeneration action planning across the four pou that deliver to the Murihiku vision and support a long-term strategy.
6. Focusing on key initial projects and Pou to build trust and confidence and create momentum. This includes Te Ao Turoa, which is led by Rewi Davis from Ōraka Aparima Rūnanga.
7. Supporting the energy transition- Ngai Tahu ki Murihiku at the centre of large-scale clean energy capability that protects te taiao and supports growth and well-being for our region and country. This is led by Hokonui Rūnanga.

Memberships

Murihiku Regeneration has the following memberships:

• Upoko Group;

• Murihiku Chairs and Representatives Group -made up of Chairs, representatives, and alternates;
• Portfolio Delivery Office;
• Government Just Transitions Enduring Oversight Group- complete 2024;
• Government Just Transitions Workstream Delivery -complete 2024;
• Wellington-Murihiku CEs Group; and
• Tiwai Ministers Group- complete 2024

Murihiku Leadership

Ngā Upoko o Murihiku – Ta Tipene O’Regan, Terry Nicholas, and Michael Skerrett.

Ta Tipene O’Regan is currently the lead for Murihiku Regeneration. Upoko are supported by Professor Michael Stevens.

The Portfolio Director, who is a member of the Office of Upoko – Terry Nicholas, is appointed by the Murihiku Upoko.

The tenure of this work is tied to the reset of Murihiku- Southland out to 2030.

Reporting

The following reporting arrangements are undertaken:

• Upoko meetings – as required (not less than six weekly).
• Monthly governance update (in writing).
• Six-monthly status update – for distribution to Murihiku Rūnaka and key stakeholders.
• Quarterly performance reporting – funders and government.
• Yearly review of performance.

Confidentiality

The parties will, subject to statutory and commercial obligations (where applicable), keep all confidential information confidential. Information will be identified as being confidential within agendas, meeting papers, and/or at nominated meetings.

Tenure

Murihiku Regeneration is operating to support regional development opportunities out to 2030. It currently has seven key priorities and a focus on ensuring there is a cohesive transition.