“Having a local company partner in construction with Te Puna Hapori is great news,” Te Puna Hapori governance group member Tracey Waitokia said.
“It demonstrates what this kaupapa is all about, empowering the wider community, including local businesses and employers, to work with hapū and iwi to create a space for whānau-centric services that will benefit all of us.”
Ministry of Justice acting deputy secretary of corporate and digital services Eve Padgett said awarding the contracts was a significant milestone.
“The benefit of a contractor who has local knowledge and is committed to building strong working relationships with the Te Puna Hapori partners will ensure that the Te Puna Hapori values are strongly entrenched in the construction of the physical site,” she said.
Because Te Puna Hapori is both an iwi-led and community-focused project as well as the name of the physical site, the procurement panel included representatives from Tupoho.
“Naylor Love and W&W demonstrated strong alignment with the goals and aspirations of Te Puna Hapori. They also outlined opportunities for broader outcomes including employment and training opportunities as well as strong engagement with the community throughout the construction phase of the project,” Te Puna Hapori governance group member Ken Mair said.
