Working together towards prosperity in the Far North

Katie Murray and Lisa McNabb from Te Hiku Iwi Development Trust at a hui.

Working together towards prosperity in the Far North

Four Te Hiku iwi and the Crown are working together to revitalise the Te Hiku o te Ika Iwi – Crown Social Development and Wellbeing Accord (the Accord), which was originally signed in 2013 to provide a framework for government and iwi to work together towards cultural, social and economic prosperity for the whānau, hapū, iwi and the communities of Te Hiku in the Far North – our most socially and economically deprived region.

After a positive start the governance activity set out in the Accord was not maintained, and momentum waned. However, hui at Parliament in June and October 2018 breathed new life into the Accord, and a joint work programme was co-designed by Te Hiku and government officials to begin in July 2019. MSD is one of nine government agencies that have signed up to the Accord, with two more having signed letters of intention to join.

The work programme will drive economic development and is underpinned by social wellbeing. Locally led and centrally supported, the model has one kaupapa, with both iwi and Crown meeting the needs and aspirations of Te Hiku whānau.