Mereana Beconcini, COO at Taituarā reflects on the progress we have made to progress our Te Ao Māori Strategy.
Over the past year, Taituarā has made steady and meaningful progress in advancing our Te Ao Māori Strategy and strengthening how we give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi across our organisation. This work reflects our commitment to Te Tiriti as a living covenant and a foundation for our role as a national sector body.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi Positioning Statement
A key milestone this year was the finalisation of our Te Tiriti o Waitangi Positioning Statement, now published on our Our Purpose webpage.
The Statement affirms our commitment to giving effect to Te Tiriti and recognises the strength, leadership, and mātauranga that Māori bring to local government. It sets a clear direction for our work, supporting a future where Māori voices, aspirations, and rangatiratanga are central to shaping the local government sector.
Establishing the Te Ao Māori Committee
We have also established a Te Ao Māori Committee to support Taituarā in giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and embedding te ao Māori and mātauranga Māori across the organisation. The Committee plays an important role in strengthening Māori leadership and voice, and in fostering enduring partnerships within the local government sector.
The Committee is made up of:
- Nedine Thatcher-Swan, Chief Executive of Gisborne District Council (Chair)
- Kataraina O’Brien, Director Strategic Engagement, Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council
- Marina Matthews, Manager Insights and Strategy and Executive Officer, Ngā Mātārae, Auckland Council
- Hara Adams Kaihautū Hononga ā Iwi | Group Manager Iwi Partnerships, Kāpiti Coast District Council
- Maehe Paki, General Manager Manu Taaiko, Waikato District Council
- Arne Burgess, Māori Strategy and Partnerships Manager, Queenstown Lakes District Council
- Jo Miller, Taituarā President and Chief Executive, Hutt City Council
- Mereana Beconcini, COO at Taituarā serves as Principal Advisor and Secretary for the group.
Embedding Te Tiriti in our Constitution
The Te Ao Māori Committee has been involved in the review of the Taituarā constitution. Proposed changes incorporate Te Tiriti o Waitangi, clarify how Māori representation will be ensured at Executive Committee level, and formally enshrine our commitment to giving effect to Te Tiriti. The revised constitution will be voted on at our SGM on 27 February 2026.
What’s coming next
I’m so proud of the progress we have made as an organisation over the past year. I’m excited to build on this momentum and put strategy into action next year.
In 2026, we will host a Kaimahi Māori hui, planned to take place in Ngāmotu New Plymouth the day before the Taituarā annual conference. Registration will open alongside conference registrations – watch this space!
We will also deliver a Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Local Government course in 2026, facilitated by Hononga Consulting’s Scott Summerfield and Lisa Hopa. This will be local government–specific Te Tiriti course that brings together tangata whenua and tangata tiriti perspectives in a practical, grounded way. It is designed to support local government professionals to apply Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practical, day-to-day ways. This course will be run on 20 & 21 May 2026 in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and will open for registrations soon.
