Business NZ Ready to Learn from Maori

 

July 2005

 

Phil O’Reilly is dead keen to start the groundwork on how Business New Zealand can better represent Māori business. Newly appointed to the Hui Taumata Taskforce, Mr O’Reilly, Business NZ’s CEO, is “looking forward to visiting a heck of a lot of Māori businesses…understanding them, talking to them, getting deeper into the issues so I can express support for them in a way that they will find helpful.”

Business NZ does not record whether its affiliated members are Māori, but this new partnership with Hui Taumata “will mean Business NZ is ultimately better informed on Māori business. I don’t think you’ll see massive alterations in Business NZ’s view on the issues of the day, but in the subtlety of our position it will mean some better expression and nuance in support of Māori business.”

O’Reilly admits attending the Hui Taumata increased and expanded his knowledge of the Māori business sector. “It was an inspiring conference. It showed me Māori leadership is forward looking, is positive with entrepreneurship and risk-taking celebrated. I saw very little of any conflict-thinking, any kind of grievance-thinking.”

The Hui Taumata Taskforce is looking at a range of initiatives, including:

• Developing leadership and governance
• a study of Māori land tenure
• a project to help entrepreneurs and SMEs
• skill development to fill the trades shortage
• a study of strategic Māori investment, moving outside of Māori simply forming their own companies, to establishing strategic presence in other corporate activities.