Positive outlook from TRONPnui AGM

Strong revenues, robust asset growth and quality people investment were the key messages delivered at the Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou's annual general meeting this weekend.

TRONPnui chairman Selwyn Parata says the TRONPnui Group had a very good financial year with its holding company earning $18.3 million before tax and the Group’s assets increasing by nine percent to $224m.

Mr Parata says TRONPnui was committed to balancing its commercial performance with the need to deliver real support for Ngati Porou's social, environmental and cultural aspirations.

Mr Parata says the Whanau Oranga team of dedicated managers and staff have worked tirelessly to provide a coherent range of restorative justice, housing, health promotion, youth focused and whanau centred services that respond to the multiple and complex social issues and conditions people contend with on a daily basis.

In the past year more than 3300 Ngati Porou whanau members and 941 other whanau living within the Ngati Porou rohe (area) accessed one or more of the 18 Whanau Oranga services that TRONPnui provides.

TRONPnui this financial year has invested $4m in the set-up of Te Tini o Porou - its “one-stop shop” for whanau and community services work for Kaiti and East Coast whanau in need.

TRONPnui has also committed funding support worth $3m to help retain good health services in Kaiti and on the East Coast.

“Ideally, the East Coast community would receive enough health funding to sustain  full health service for local families but that is not happening at the moment,” says Mr Parata.

“TRONPnui has stepped up with support funding in the meantime but we will be raising the funding support issues with the DHB and the Government as a matter of priority,” he says.

Mr Parata said however that a more concerted approach by the social services and health arms of the organisation, in collaboration with Ngati Porou communities was needed to address three major anti-social issues affecting the East Coast region:  family violence, drug and alcohol abuse and the increasing prevalence and insidious influence of “P”.

A number of cultural initiatives for Ngati Porou being developed through TRONPnui's Charitable Trust, Toitu Ngati Porou include a $1.26m worth of development grants for marae which were made in the last year and the creation of a $500,000 fund to help lift the everyday use and retention of te reo ake o Ngati Porou.

Mr Parata says overall, the more than 200 Ngati Porou people attending the AGM on Saturday at Waiomatatini (Porourangi) Marae were pleased to see that Ngati Porou's settlement assets were helping to take the people forward.

“We want to be proficient guardians of the assets and ensure also that the benefits of the settlement have real value for our whanau,” says Mr Parata.

“It is about getting the balance right and being open with the people about the trade- offs.”

Tributes were made during the hui to former chairman Apirana Mahuika and other Ngati Porou kaumatua and leaders who have passed away this year.

The newly elected TRONPnui board holds its first meeting next month.