Tama Potaka: Māori Development Minister on iwi-owned commercial entities outperforming large companies

Iwi-owned commercial entities have outperformed some of New Zealand’s largest listed companies. 

ANZ’s annual Te Tirohanga Whanui report shows the entities emerged from the economic downturn in good shape, faring better on a return on assets basis. 

Waikato-Tainui’s Te Arataurare among the strong performers, having a balance sheet of $1.9 billion. 

Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka told Heather Du Plessis-Allan there are some reasons behind the uplift. 

He says many iwi and Māori businesses are land and people based, they have low debt levels, and are often generational players. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk zed B.
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
So we've got new data out from A and Z
showing that the Mati economy is outperforming some of the
country's largest listed companies. Research suggests that EWE and Hapoo
owned entities have emerged from the economic downturn in pretty
good shape actually, and they perform better on a returns basis.
Tama Putaka is the Marti Development Minister with us.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Good morning, Tama, Thank you to Heather. How are you
going very well?

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Thank you? What are they doing right?

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Oh? Look, you know many of the EWE and Marti
businesses are landing people base, they have low debt levels
and often it's the generational players. So getting the opportunities
to build out things like they do. It could a
logistics upham Hamilton. That's what many of the we are
all about.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
We're often using the Wycuttle case rights as an example
of how you know we are doing well? But is
this I mean obviously apart from them and Naitahu, what
are the others up to? Are they doing as well well?

Speaker 3 (01:07):
You might have noticed a report recently about ninety five
toward Ka partnering to rebuild Eastcliff up at East Akland
centralking just across the water from where you are, Heather,
and there's a number of EWE who are working together
have gone from about zero dollars to about a half
a billion dollars worth of property together. It's about thirty
EWE and mini groups working together in a business known

(01:27):
as cart Pi.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
What toma? What have we we got? These three examples
that are the ones that are often used. It's Nati fatawa,
naitahu tai nui are they sort of like leaps and
bounds ahead of all the other EWI?

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Well, I think there are some e WE groups, but
there are also some land based organizations like trust people
or groups that own GFM or power stations in the
middle of the North Iron groups that own massive dairy
farm whole ins throughout the country, particularly places like Tatanaki
and mckin country. So p kaw And Corporation is a
great example in Tutenaki at the largest owner of Fonterra shares.
Down that way, what happens to the profits, well, profits

(02:03):
as they are to be made and a lot of
the reports around balance sheet growth. Heather rather than often
and lost growth are often reinvested into the business and
sometimes help out with charitable purposes or pharmo purposes, for
example helping co mart to get access to healthcare. Audo Ka,
I've got something fantastic which is helping pay for health
insurance so many of their ewing members have better access

(02:24):
to health nib Tom, do you ever.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Show this to Napoo up North and say you need
to sign? This is what happens if you sign?

Speaker 3 (02:33):
Oh? Well, I think the challenges are North a little
bit different, but they've got their own pathway. But what
I'm really focused on is making sure I support and
work with people like Paul Goldsmith who leading the Tree
client process and that can lead to mass and a
massive not just tribal growth, but regional economic growth. And
it's really energizing for me to know that marya strong

(02:54):
contributors to the national economy.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Good Souff Thoma. Thank you very much for your time.
It's always time of Paul Taka Marti Development Minister.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
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