Iwi & Māori

Driving the Māori economy

He kai kei aku ringa – to be self-sufficient and responsible for the resources and capability you need to grow and develop.

This whakataukī speaks to the Māori tradition of self-sufficiency and responsibility for their own development. In their rich history across Polynesia, Māori have always been traders and entrepreneurs.

Tapping into this long-established entrepreneurial spirit is key to Māori economic development and elevating inter-generational well-being.

The Māori economy is thriving and contributes significantly to the New Zealand economy each year.

Developing and nurturing the Māori economy creates opportunities to increase employment, improve Māori well-being, and achieve equity across Aotearoa New Zealand.

We are passionate about supporting this growth through the provision of keen insights, policy recommendations, and strategy formulation.

Sapere is well-connected to a range of Māori experts throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, that strategically complements our internal capability.

What we do

We provide reports both in-house and in partnership with expert Māori partners.

We conduct our mahi across a range of sectors of the Māori economy, including:

Food and beverage
Health
Construction
Infrastructure
Retail and hospitality.

We have also provided advice on a range of issues facing Māori, such as the impacts of Resource Management Act reform for Māori, Māori access to capital markets, and the impacts of COVID-19 on Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Examples of our work in the Māori economy

Strategies for elevating Māori economic outcomes in the following sectors:

Health
Infrastructure
Construction
Retail
Hospitality.

We have also completed work to understand the challenges and opportunities facing Māori food and beverage firms, providing advice on potential impacts on Māori from allocation decisions contained within RMA reform, and conducting research into Māori enterprises and issues related to access to capital.

Our highly regarded sector experts work alongside iwi and Māori leaders to provide trusted economic insights to inform investments while cultivating and nurturing new opportunities for growth.

Key contacts

David Moore

Managing Director
WELLINGTON
dmoore@thinkSapere.com

Toby Stevenson

Director
WELLINGTON
tstevenson@thinkSapere.com

Some of our recent articles of interest

Staff spotlight – Sue Friend

This month we spotlight Sue Friend, a Managing Director in our Forensics team. Sue shares her love of the outdoors and hiking and finds this brings balance to her work at Sapere.

Thinking about utility customer engagement

In this article Dr Richard Tooth examines developments in how regulated utilities engage with their customers, the problem of uninformed respondent bias and other issues.

Sunset review of the regulations for Victorian private health service establishments

Client: Victorian Department of Health

This report analyses proposed changes to Victoria's Health Service Establishment Regulations, focusing on improving clinical governance, safety, and quality. The RIS reviewed the impact of these changes and provided recommendations.

Staff spotlight – Dr Jamie O’Hare

This month, we spotlight Dr Jamie O'Hare, Managing Economist and proud new dad to baby Stirling, as he shares his professional insights and personal joys.

Distilling success for Victorian spirit exports

Client: Agriculture Victoria

The Australian craft distillery sector has grown significantly, with Victoria now having 188 distilleries. Sapere, commissioned by Agriculture Victoria, identified priority markets and developed market entry strategies for Victorian spirit exporters.

Staff spotlight – Jeremy Thorpe

Sapere welcomes Jeremy Thorpe, our new Director, recently featured in the Australian Financial Review. Kicking off our staff spotlight series, Jeremy generously shared fascinating insights into his career and background.

Unveiling the intrinsic value of nature

Explore the value of nature beyond its aesthetic appeal. Environmental valuation frameworks and techniques allow us to understand the economic value of nature and make informed decisions in environmental policy and management.

How can governments effectively assess and manage climate risk to ensure a sustainable future?

Client: Department of Treasury (Western Australia)

Sapere provided expert advice on the design of a Climate Risk Framework for the WA government, exploring options for a staged approach, and aligning with international standards for climate risk disclosure, to support Western Australia's climate resilience efforts.