Te Tahuna and Rotoiti 3v3 2025 AGM
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
On behalf of Te Tahuna Trust and our whānau hapū of Ngāti Tamateatutahi and Ngāti Kawiti, I extend heartfelt gratitude to all our beneficial owners and hapū members who joined us for the Te Tahuna Trust AGM / Rotoiti 3V3 AGM 2025.
We were honoured to host 141 attendees at our hui, a testament to the strength of our collective commitment to our whenua and to each other.
For those who were unable to attend or wish to revisit the proceedings, the full AGM can be viewed here:
Livestream of the Annual General Meeting
AGM Highlights
The hui showcased significant achievements and progress across multiple areas of our trust’s mahi:
Financial Strength and Growth
The trust demonstrated solid financial performance with total income of $479,502 and a surplus after tax of $284,459. Our total assets now stand at $13,679,907, with total equity of $13,645,266, reflecting the careful stewardship of our resources.
Distributions to Whānau
A particularly proud achievement was our distribution of $77303.50 in grants – This reflects our commitment to supporting our people directly.
Shared Services Initiative
The trust received endorsement to continue to lead a combined secretarial services initiative with Paritangi, Rotoiti 3V3, and Tautara Matawhaura Trusts. This reinforces our commitment to self-determination and ensures secretarial services are managed by our people, for our people.
Te Tahuna Trust
Our New Website and Brand
We are excited to announce the launch of our completely redesigned website at tetahuna.maori.nz. This new digital platform serves as a modern gateway for our beneficial owners and partners, enhancing accessibility, providing transparent financial reporting, and creating better pathways for our whānau to engage with grant opportunities and Trust initiatives.
Alongside this, we have undergone a transformative brand journey that better expresses the depth of our identity and the strength of our vision. Working with Rotorua-based design partners Redspot Creative Studio, we developed a logo system built around three carved pou beneath a unifying pare – each element steeped in the specific history of our rohe. Our three pou represent the succession of pā tūwatawata that tell our ancestral story: Pou Tahiwihiwi (The Past), Pou Tawhitinui (The Present), and Pou Te Waiwherowhero (The Future).
This brand evolution positions Te Tahuna Trust not just as a land administration entity, but as a forward-thinking organisation that can partner confidently with international bodies, technology innovators, and government agencies while never losing sight of our foundational responsibilities to our whenua and our people.
Strategic Vision
Discussions around eco-tourism opportunities highlighted the trust’s vision to develop opportunities that honour our whenua without damaging it, enhancing both its beauty and cultural value. The focus remains on creating opportunities run by the people, for the people, and of the people.
Environmental Stewardship
Updates on wetlands management and pest control demonstrated our ongoing commitment to caring for our taiao, working in partnership with organizations including TALT, DOC, and leaseholders.
Korokitewao bay
Election Results and New Leadership
Following a robust electoral process, we are pleased to announce the results of the trustee elections:
Voting Results:
- Te Raurangi Gardiner: 36 votes
- Pini Tahana: 32 votes
- Rau Engelen: 23 votes
- Cory O’Neill: 20 votes
We warmly welcome our newly elected trustees, Pini Tahana and Te Raurangi Gardiner, to the Trust. Your election reflects the confidence our beneficial owners have placed in your leadership, and we look forward to the knowledge, skills, and passion you will bring to our governance table.
We also acknowledge and farewell John Treanor, who has retired from the Trust after years of dedicated service. John’s contributions to our strategic direction, particularly his work with the RML Development Trust and his steady guidance through important decisions, have been invaluable. We wish him all the very best in his retirement.
We also acknowledge Rau Engelen, who stood for re-election but was not successful in this rotation. We thank Rau for his service and commitment to the Trust and our hapū.
Looking Ahead
Our current trustee body, as of 11 October 2025, now comprises:
- Ivor Jones (Chairperson)
- Pini Tahana
- Te Raurangi Gardiner
- Phyllis Tangitu
- Anahera Waru
Together, we will continue to advance the mana of our hapū Ngāti Tamateatutahi and Ngāti Kawiti, and nurture our relationship with the whenua of Rotoiti 13D.
We encourage all beneficial owners to visit our new website at tetahuna.maori.nz and ensure your contact details are up to date with our Manager, Bella Geary, at our office (PO Box 1145, Rotorua) to ensure you receive important communications and can access the grants and support available to you.
Ngā mihi nui.
Once again, ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa for your attendance, participation, and ongoing support of Te Tahuna Trust. Your engagement strengthens our collective ability to protect and develop our whenua for current and future generations.
Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au
I am the land and the land is me
He kākano ahau i ruia mai i Rangitea
I am a seed which was sown in the heavens of Rangitea
Our journey toward greater tino rangatiratanga continues, guided by the wisdom of our tūpuna and the aspirations of our mokopuna.
Nāku noa, nā
Ivor Jones
Chairperson
Te Tahuna Trust
Te Tahuna Trust | PO Box 1145, Rotorua | Operating from 92 White Street, Rotoma
Visit us at: tetahuna.maori.nz
