Tēnā tātou katoa ki ngā whānau o Wakatū,
In this pānui, we let you know that nominations for the Wakatū board are open, and how you can nominate a member of the whānau to the board. We have information about our annual general and special general meetings through to the end of 2022.
Nominations for the Wakatū board open
Our Board of Directors sets the strategic direction for Wakatū. The Wakatū board is made up ofseven directors plus one associate director, all drawn from the Owners of the Incorporation.
Appointment on the board is for a term of three years and is made via an election process by the Owners. Terms are staggered so that some directors’ terms expire each year, although directors may stand for re-election. This rotation allows for continuity and stability at board level while providing for the election of new directors. Nominations for new directors are welcome.
This year the terms of three directors, Miriana Stephens, Johnny McGregor and Jeremy Banks expire at the 2021 annual general meeting, held in Whakatū on Saturday 4 December.
From left to right: Johnny McGregor, Miriana Stephens, Jeremy Banks
Miriana, Johnny and Jeremy are all eligible for re-election for a further term of office. They have advised they will be standing for re-election.
All nominations for new directors must be made by an Owner in writing. You can request a nomination form by emailing moana.oh@wakatu.org or phoning +64 3 546 8648
On the nomination form, please include brief details about the nominee. The form must also include the signed approval of the nominee to her/his nomination.
Completed nomination forms must be lodged by 5pm, Friday 17 September 2021 by sending to Kerensa Johnston, Chief Executive, Wakatū Incorporation, PO Box 440, Nelson 7040 or by email to moana.oh@wakatu.org with Wakatū Board nomination in the subject line.
Information about the election will be circulated to Owners with the notice of meeting for the 2021 annual general meeting.
You can read more about the Wakatū board on our website www.wakatu.org/our-people
Annual general meeting 2021
This year’s annual general meeting (AGM), will be held at the Trafalgar Centre, Nelson on Saturday 4 December, Covid-19 alert levels permitting. Registrations start at 8am at the Trafalgar Centre, with the meeting starting at 9am.
As we did last year, we plan on live streaming the hui. Details of how to register for the live stream will be provided when we circulate the annual report and AGM materials later in the year.
The AGM is one of the highlights of our year as it’s an opportunity to give our Owners updates on what we have achieved, as well as let them know about our plans for the future. It is also a time for us to get together, spend time with each other and reinforce connections between whānau.
Wakatū Owners bus tour 2021 - fully booked
Thank you for your interest in the Owners’ bus tour, which takes place on the day before our AGM.
The 2021 bus tour is now fully booked. Please email
moana.oh@wakatu.org or
phone +64 3 546 8648 and your name will go onto the waiting list in case there are cancellations.
We acknowledge that the ability to provide the bus tour will depend on the Covid-19 alert level at the time.
Please note, we will be visiting working operational sites as part of the bus tour. For this reason, and in order to comply with our health and safety policies, only adults and children over 16 years old can join the bus tour.
Tertiary education scholarship and associate directorship
Applications close on 31 August
Our tertiary scholarships are designed to build our leadership, connecting talented people to our tikanga and legacy. Through our scholarships we support a range of disciplines, with preference for studies related to our organisation and our businesses.
Each scholarship provides the successful applicant with financial support for fees and study resources, up to a maximum of three years. There are also incentives for studying te reo Māori, and achieving academic merit.
Applicants must be Wakatū Owners or descendants of Wakatū Owners, with successful applicants becoming part of our network, Te Hunga Pānuku.
Part of our Te Amonuku programme, the Associate Directorship provides our Owners with the opportunity to gain experience in governance at Wakatū.
As Wakatū grows and our organisation becomes more complex, it is vital that future directors are equipped with the commercial and cultural skills and experience required to govern and manage our taonga.
We are looking for Associate Directors with business acumen and at least ten years of sound commercial or professional experience in the areas that are relevant to Wakatū (for example, Whenua, AuOra, Kono and Manaaki).
As part of our commitment to ensure diversity and gender equality at all levels of our organisation, including management and governance roles, we strongly encourage women to apply.
Applicants must be Owners (shareholders, descendants of shareholders, or a member of a whānau trust holding Wakatū shares).
Apply online https://www.wakatu.org/te-amonuku-associate-programme
Applications close on 31 August
COVID-19
As our Chair Paul Morgan has already expressed, we know that the resurgence of Covid-19 in the community is a difficult and challenging time for many of our whānau.
In response to Covid-19, Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu was formed by all eight iwi of Te Tauihu. They are available to assist Te Tauihu-based whānau with questions or needs around kai, housing, wellbeing, employment and training.
You can contact them by phone on 0800 514 358, by email awhi@kotahitehoe.org.nz or on Facebook www.facebook.com/TeKotahioTeTauihu
You can also get information about government financial support available here.
Staying at Haumona and camping at Mārahau
To keep everyone safe, we only open our camping facilities at Mārahau and the Haumoma bach at Covid-19 alert level 1.
Covid-19 levels permitting, we are planning to reopen Haumona and Mārahau for overnight stays from Labour Weekend (Saturday 23 – Monday 25 October).
Everyone camping at Mārahau needs to apply for and receive a permit. This helps us manage the number of people camping on-site. The permit also contains important information about staying at Mārahau, including guidelines for parking for vehicles and boats, and how to dispose of your rubbish.
Camping at Mārahau is primarily for Wakatū Owners and their whānau, and priority is given to Wakatū whānau groups, particularly during the peak summer season. For camping over the Christmas/New Year period, please make sure you apply for your permit by 10 December. This means that we can issue the permits by 20 December – just in time for Christmas! At other times of the year please allow five working days for your permit to be processed.
All the information and application forms for camping at Mārahau are on www.wakatu.org/marahau-whenua
You can also email marahau@wakatu.org or phone 03 546 8648.
To book Haumoana go to www.holidaynelson.co.nz and search under Mārahau.
Save the dates - SGM and AGM 2022
We know that not everyone can make it to Nelson for the AGM, which is why we also hold a special general meeting (SGM) in Wellington.
The 2022 SGM will be held at Te Papa in Wellington on Saturday 26 March 2022.
The 2022 AGM will be held in Nelson on Saturday 3 December 2022.
We announce these dates well in advance to help you with your planning, but as we have found out this year, circumstances can change, so please keep an eye on the Wakatū website and Facebook page for any updates.
Koekoeā – the Wakatū magazine
The third issue of Koekoeā has been published, and includes an interview with four Wakatū wāhine, background on Karoi, our indigenous crops project, a recipe for creamed pāua and more.
Whānau survey
Throughout this year we have been rolling out the second module in our whānau surveys. The second survey is focused on various aspects of kaitiakitanga and the environment, with some questions about social media and employment.
The whānau surveys help us get a snapshot of the Wakatū whānau and guide our planning as we work towards Te Pae Tawhiti, the distant horizon.
If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to complete the survey, you can fill it out online here
Keeping everyone connected
Keeping everyone in our whānau whānui up to date with our news and opportunities is important. If you are the main contact for your whānau trust, please make sure that you share this pānui with all the members of your trust, and your wider whānau.
Please also let us know if your contact address has changed.
Anyone with a whakapapa connection to Wakatū can sign up to receive our e-pānui by email by filling out this form http://eepurl.com/cCeywz, by emailing info@wakatu.org or by phoning +64 3 546 8648
You can also keep up to date by following the Wakatū Facebook page www.facebook.com/Wakatu or our website www.wakatu.org.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Kerensa
Kerensa Johnston
Tumu Whakarae (Chief Executive Officer)
Wakatū Incorporation