On the Up: Long-term view, needs of people, drive Māori business leader Pita Tipene

Northland’s top Māori business leader, Pita Tipene, is motivated not by money but by the needs of his people in the Mid North. He shares his story with the Northern Advocate reporter Denise Piper as part of NZME’s On The Up campaign, which showcases stories of success, inspiration and possibilities.

Pita Tipene is motivated by the words of his ancestor Te Ruki Kawati, whose prophecy is translated as, “look to the horizons of the sea, for there you will find wellbeing”.

The words encourage him to be strategic and proactive, to keep looking beyond what can be seen and think globally.

Tai Tokerau Māori Business Leader Award winner Pita Tipene says he is a servant for his people of the Mid North. Photo / Denise Piper

It is sage advice for Tipene, whose long list of leadership roles include chairing Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust, Waitangi National Trust, housing provider Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau, the international Indigenous Peoples Economic Co-operative Trade Agreement, Radio Ngāti Hine and Ruapekapeka Trust.

It is for these roles he was awarded the Māori Business Leader Award at the biennial Te Taitokerau Māori Business Excellence Awards last month.

While Tipene is clearly successful, he is not driven by the capitalistic business model of ‘profit at all costs’, which he says does not work for Māori.

“We want more of a circular economy - our values need to be very, very clear, and that’s what I adhere to.”

The best example of this is the collective Māori housing provider Te Pouahi o Te Taitokerau, which Tipene set up in 2020 after seeing the dire need of people whose only shelter was cardboard.

“In Kawakawa, there are people living on the street. They live in cars, they live in sheds. So there was a clear call that we needed to address it.”

The collective was funded $55 million from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to enable sites and 100 homes to be built, with building work happening now, Tipene said.

But the aim is to not just rely on Government funding but to push for Northland to be self-sufficient, by recycling the funding and working with the private sector, he said.

Another example of looking to the horizons has been Tipene’s role helping lead the world’s first trade agreement between indigenous people, the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Co-operation Arrangement (Ipetca).

Aotearoa New Zealand is the first host of the arrangement, with Tipene co-chairing since 2021 alongside Federation of Māori Authorities leader Traci Houpapa and Tāne Waetford from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Canada, Australia and Taiwan have joined as founding members, with the US having observer status, and interest shown by Chile, Peru and Mexico.

As well as trade between indigenous businesses, the agreement is about sharing information and knowledge about fighting cultural oppression, Tipene said.

One of Pita Tipene's more high-profile roles, chair of Waitangi National Trust, ends in June. Photo / NZME

A global outlook is also important for Tipene’s work leading Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust, which manages about 5500ha of forestry land on behalf of the Ngāti Hine people.

The trust has moved from having contractors do all the forestry work, to bringing the work inhouse so local people can get jobs.

Long term, the aim is to replant natives instead of pines and make an income from nutraceuticals, he said.

While one of Tipene’s most high-profile roles, Waitangi National Trust chair, is about to end, there is plenty of other mahi to continue with, he said.

Top of mind is an “imminent” Treaty of Waitangi settlement for Ngāti Hine, which will enable the iwi to further enrich its culture, Tipene said.

Being a strong Māori business leader is all about consistency, integrity and looking ahead to find opportunities for your people, he said.

“Ultimately, you’re seen as a servant of the people,” he said.

“I’m certainly not a rich guy, not in terms of money. But I’m very wealthy in other ways - I’ve got lovely mokopuna.”

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.