There's more than just money to being wealthy, says the chief executive of powerful iwi Ngāi Tahu.
In the 25 years since the tribe received $170 million as part of its historic Treaty settlement, the South Island iwi has grown their businesses and investments to almost $2 billion.
Arihia Bennett, the chief executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, told Q+A that while they keep a close eye on what they’re investing in, that’s not their sole focus.
"The way we’re measured in society is always about your economic wealth, it’s not about … your health is actually your wealth. If I don’t have health … if my family don’t have good health, if they don’t have that opportunity to have good food, a roof over their head, good education and health, then I’m not wealthy at all," she said.
"The most critical part to being wealthy is your health."
Bennett said despite the tribe’s bank balance, it is at its heart, a whānau business, which is focused on making sure its investments and activities keep future generations in mind.
“If things get out of sync, or out of kilter, we get our ears pulled and quickly back into perspective.”
Like many businesses in Aotearoa, the iwi has been hit hard by the pandemic. At the peak of the pandemic, over 300 staff in their various tourism businesses were laid off, and the tribe lost $25 million.
The chief executive said the key to riding out the hard times is not to work in isolation.
She said the iwi is engaged locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
“Ngāi Tahu spends a lot of time looking at research offshore. We are invested in relationships with a lot of learning institutions in America.”
That has seen the tribe begin to work in green energy, such as hydrogen.
“Although we are steeped in our traditions and where we are form, we’re also quite innovative.”
Q+A with Jack Tame is Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air
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