About the trust
Long before European settlement, Māori recognised and treasured the Pukekohe region. For over a thousand years, Māori cultivated its fertile hills, sustaining thriving hapū through innovative food systems grounded in balance with te taiao. Over generations, the Pukekohe catchment has supported the vegetable growing enterprises of a diverse collective of cultures, feeding people with fresh and healthy kai. As such, today’s area is strategically important for growing fresh vegetables and maintaining food security for New Zealanders. Over time, long-term trends in water quality degradation have been recorded in freshwater flowing within and from Pukekohe.
In November 2021, Sustainable Land Use Ministers approved a multi-million dollar investment in the Pukekohe SVGA and the catchments of all wai flowing from the area (the Project Focus Area) from the Essential Freshwater Fund (EFF) to fund the development of Mahia te Maheretanga - Te Ora o Te Wai: Pukekohe action plan.
Believing in the critical importance of clean water, tāngata whenua, the Crown, vegetable growers, and local councils wish to work collaboratively, building on shared knowledge, practice and understanding, to improve the quality of freshwater of Pukekohe and its receiving environments. This aspiration is the foundation for Te Ora o Te Wai Pukekohe Action Plan. The vision of the Action Plan is:
“A healthy freshwater environment flowing within and from Pukekohe where its wellbeing is protected and enhanced while supplying fresh vegetables for the health and wellbeing of the people of Aotearoa New Zealand”
In June 2024, The Ministry for Environment approved a total investment of $5.6 million in the Pukekohe SVGA and the catchments of all wai flowing from the area from the Essential Freshwater Fund (EFF) to fund the implementation of priority projects identified through the Action plan. Te Tautara o Pukekohe is managing and distributing the funding to priority projects on the Ministry’s behalf.
Te Tautara o Pukekohe is governed by representatives from Ngāti Te Ata, Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngāti Tīpa, Horticulture NZ, and Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association.
Ko wai mātou?
Who are we?
Te Tautara o Pukekohe Trust is a dynamic working group governed by five partners: Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngāti Tīpa, and Ngāti Te Ata as mana whenua of the Pukekohe catchment, alongside Horticulture New Zealand and the Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association representing the vegetable industry. Together they hold responsibility for the Trust's direction, accountability, and the integrity of the programme.
The Trust's first programme (2024-2026) was funded by the Ministry for the Environment through the Essential Freshwater Fund, which enabled the Trust to move from planning into delivery across eleven priority projects.
A wider group of delivery partners brings those projects to life on the ground — including Wilcox, Perrin Ag, HESL, and Scarlatti . The Trust's is demonstrating that healthy freshwater and productive food growing are not in tension, and that when mana whenua, industry, and the Crown work from a shared plan, the catchment can recover while the region continues to feed the country.
Roimata Minhinnick
Ngāti Te Ata
Roimata is a Chairman for the Kaihau Whanau Trust, and Māori Leadership Group, and Co-Chair of the South Auckland Social Investment Board. He spent seven years as a Chairman for the New Zealand Māori council, where he worked to advance Māori social policy issues.
He has experience in mediation, governance and collective collaboration and supports dynamic partnerships between government agencies and Mana Whenua to raise the wellbeing and life satisfaction of our peoples and communities.
Kirit Makan
Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association
Kirit is the former president of the PVGA and a commercial grower, owning and operating a multigenerational commercial vegetable production business in Pukekohe, NML Produce. The main crops grown are potatoes, onions, butternut squash and leeks.
Kirit was one of three PVGA representatives that participated in the multi-year Pukekohe ICMP process. Through this he has developed close relationships with other representatives.
Kirit is currently the grower representative on the New Zealand GAP Board and active member of the PVGA.
Trustees
Edith Tūhimata
Ngāti Tamaoho
Edith is an Environmental Manager.
Leanne Roberts
Horticulture New Zealand
Leanne is a Senior Environmental Policy Advisor with Horticulture NZ. Leanne has regional oversight of a number of regions, including Auckland and Waikato.
Leanne has a blended background. She was Managing Director for 10 years of Thymebank, a commercial hydroponic salad and herb operation in Marlborough. Through this time she was a Director on Vegetables NZ Inc. Prior to this she has held roles in policy and development in primary health and local government.
Leanne is based in the Manawatū where she lives with her fiance and 2 children.
Rangipipi Bennet
Ngāti Tīpa
Rangipipi is part of the Senior Management team at the Huakina Development Trust, which offers services to help improve the outcomes of whanau who live in Te Puuaha ki Maanuka tribal region. She previously worked for Te Wananga O Raukawa.
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