Treaty settlement trust Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa on Monday celebrated the first return of whenua to iwi and hapū as part of a settlement which became law six years ago.
The transfer of the old Turiroa School, which closed in a rationalisation of schools in the Wairoa district in 2004, is the first of 29 properties purchased by the trust from the Crown, following the enactment of the Iwi and Hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa Claims Settlement in 2018.
The former country school, south of Wairoa, will be transferred to the three kāhui of Ngā Tokorima ā Hinemanuhiri, Te Hononga o ngā Awa, and Te Wairoa Tapokorau Whānui.
Last year the trust received a grant from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to help with recovery from the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. The funding contributed to the conversion of the former school site into short-term accommodation needed for the rebuild.
The facility will serve as accommodation for up to 19 tradespeople regarded as crucial to the rebuilding process, and later transition into a residence for horticulture cadets as part of the organisation’s horticulture strategy.
Chief executive Lewis Ratapu emphasised the multifaceted benefits of the project for the Wairoa rebuild and recovery efforts.
“This initiative will play a pivotal role in addressing our community’s recovery and long-term resilience,” he said.
“It means we will now have accommodation for the extra workforce we need for the rebuild, as well as for our future workforce as a part of our long-term economic vision.”
Ratapu stressed the urgent need for solutions, with some whānau still displaced since Cyclone Gabrielle, and others back in damaged homes.
“Bringing life back to the whenua at Turiroa after being closed as a school for many years is monumental and another part of building Wairoa’s resilience.
“Many whānau are unable to stay in their homes, lack the means to repair, are in overcrowded conditions or have returned to damp and damaged residences despite the health risks,” he said.
“This is our second winter since the cyclone so this project along with others provides a glimmer of hope for whānau.”
Working with the Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa councils to move the community from category 2A to 2C recently means it can begin the rebuild in earnest, and Ratapu said: “Working with government and our businesses means we can develop solutions that produce better social and economic outcomes for our community. A win for all parties involved.”
He expressed gratitude to the ministry for its support with a housing and employment initiative tailored specifically for the community by Māori, for Māori, addressing the unique challenges encountered within the region.
In March, Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust’s commercial entity announced the purchase of the Mahia Beach Motel and Holiday Park, securing an asset that is pivotal to the Wairoa and Mahia community and local economy, and last year committed funds to the cyclone recovery rebuild.
The settlement with representatives of seven iwi and hapū clusters from Lake Waikaremoana in the west to Mahia Peninsula in the east provided commercial and financial redress totalling $100 million, including interests in the Wharerata Forest and Patunamu Crown Forest licensed land as well as a two-year right to purchase properties which had been land-banked for potential use in a settlement.
Five sites of cultural significance would be vested in the iwi and hapū which, according to the agreement, would gift them back to the Crown for the people of New Zealand.
The settlement also established a reserves board - Matangirau - to manage five reserves in the Wairoa area. Membership of this board will comprise an equal number of representatives from Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust and the Wairoa District Council.