The government has injected new funding into Tīkapa Moana/Hauraki Gulf to ensure its revitalisation and longevity.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka has announced $26 million in new public and private investment that will “create jobs and strengthen connections between the people and the moana.”
Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust CE, Nicola Rata-MacDonald, says it’s a good start to what should be ongoing support for the Gulf.
“Our first thing is good, kei te pai, you’ve put some money into the teapot, but keep going.”
Furthermore, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Trust Chair, Billy Brown, says that after government support of the Tīkapa Moana Protection Act, he is excited to get the work done with the new funding.
“When we look at what the government’s done to set these HPA’s into existence, it really is a platform to spring off there, with some pūtea and get the mahi done together.”
The worth of Tīkapa Moana
Every year, Tīkapa Moana and the surrounding islands bring in more than 150,000 visitors and tourists. This generates over five billion dollars of value for the country annually.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says working with tourists and helping them understand the significance of the Gulf is a goal the Department of Conservation will be supporting.
“Kei Te Papa Atawhai ētehi tohu, ētehi tāngata hei wānangatanga me ērā tūruhi.“
“Te wānanga tahi, te kōrero tahi ki ngā tikanga me ngā ture hou ka pā nei ki tō tātou moana ātaahua, me te mōhio hoki ehara i te mahi noa, poka noa, engari kua rāhuitia ētehi kaupapa.”
Rata-MacDonald says investing in the moana is the right move, as further degradation of the Gulf could lead to a huge loss in “natural assets.”
“Five billion is nothing to sneeze at. But, if we don’t look after this ocean, we’re going to lose that five billion, the natural asset will degrade even further.”
The government is investing $6 million from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) to upgrade infrastructure on Hauraki Gulf islands, alongside the NEXT Foundation — a philanthropic programme set to invest up to $20 million over the next five years in reef restoration — “the largest effort of its kind in the Gulf’s history.”
Rata-MacDonald says the investment is a good start toward reaching an international best practice of marine reserve protection.“This is good, this is a start. We want to see 30 percent marine reserve protection. To do that, we need more investment so that we can get on top of the mahi.”
Te anamata o Tīkapa Moana
Hei tā te Minita, tā Tama Potaka, he tīmatanga noa tēnei.
E rua miriona tāra kua tohaina e te NEXT Foundation, ka whakapaua ki ngā kaupapa ako ki Te Hauturu o Toi, me tētahi kaupapa rangahau ki Motutapu, he mea mahitahi nā te mana whenua me Waipapa Taumata Rau.
E 10.5 miriona ka tukuna e te tahua IVL hei whakapaunga mā Te Papa Atawahi i ngā tau e whā e kainamu mai ana, ki te whakatū rāhui, ki runga o Tīkapa Moana.
Hei tā Potaka, mā tēnei tahua pūtea hou e ea ai ngā mahi whakarauora i te moana.
“Ehara i te pūtea paku noa, hanga noa, engari he tīmatanga hoki ki te whakarauora i tō tātou moana, Te Moananui a Toi-te-Huatahi.”
Hei tā Billy Brown, he rā hou e kānapanapa mai ana ki runga o Tīkapa Moana o Hauraki.
“I think this is part of what will be a snowball effect. So, when people see pūtea being used for the right thing and the types of personalities that are getting in behind it, and they want to be a part of it, nau mai, haere mai.”
