Tours to Moutohorā: Island Sanctuary

Status: For immediate release

Date: 16 January 2020

Subject: Tours to Moutohorā: Island Sanctuary

White Island Tours Limited has recommenced tours to Moutohorā Island for the first time since the Whakaari/White Island eruption on 9 December 2019.

CEO Tracey Hook says that whilst this is a positive step forward in terms of providing certainty and employment for staff, the recommencement of tours will be a sombre and emotional occasion.

White Island Tours has carried out tours to Moutohorā for a number of years.

‘Tourism is an important contributor for our local economy and our staff are eager to get back to work,’ says Tracey.

No prohibitions had been placed on Moutohorā following the eruption, but the tour had been temporarily ceased out of respect for the victims, staff and affected families. 

Moutohorā Island is jointly managed by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and Te Papa Atawhai through Te Tapatoru a Toi and is a designated Wildlife Management Reserve.

Moutohorā is a pest-free oasis that is home to a number of New Zealand’s rare and endangered plants, birds and reptiles.  The tour includes a journey through the regenerated native bush before stopping at the island’s secluded hot water beach. 

‘This is an important milestone for not just our staff but also the broader Whakatāne community,’ says Tracey.

‘We thank everyone locally, nationally and internationally for their support. Our hearts and prayers remain firmly with the families who were and continue to be affected by this tragedy.’

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Diane Berghan

dberghan@gmail.com

021 221 5332

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa AGM 2018/2019

NAU MAI KI TE HUI Ā TAU 2019 O TE RŪNANGA O NGĀTI AWA

The 2019 Annual General Meeting for Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa will be held on 7 March 2020 at Tuteao Marae, 597A Te Teko Road, Te Teko 3192

AGENDA

9.00am            Pōhiri

9:30am            Morning Tea

10.00am          AGM opens

  • Chairman’s Welcome
  • Confirmation of previous AGM Minutes – 16 December 2018
  • Presentation and Adoption of Annual Report for 2018/2019
  • Presentation of draft Annual Plan 2020/2021
  • Report – Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited
  • Report – Ngāti Awa Asset Holdings Limited
  • Appointment of Auditor for 2020/21
  • Approval of Representatives’ remuneration for 2020/21
  • General Business

1.15pm            AGM closes

Copies of the Annual Report and draft Annual Plan will be available before the AGM for inspection by members at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Awa House, 4-10 Louvain St Whakatane and online at www.ngatiawa.iwi.nz

Statement from Paul Quinn, Chair of White Island Tours Limited

Status: For immediate release

Date: 11 December 2019

Statement from Paul Quinn, Chair of White Island Tours Limited:

“First and foremost, we would like to express our sorrow and offer condolences to those who have lost their loved ones following the eruption on Whakaari / White Island on Monday.

At this stage, recovery of loved ones who are still on the island is of paramount concern and all of our resources including vessels, protection equipment and personnel have been made available to NZ Police and Civil Defence to support the recovery mission.

For Ngāti Awa (tangata whenua of Whakatāne) our responsibility to provide care for our people and visitors during this difficult time is foremost in our minds and actions. We are focussed on wrapping the necessary support around affected families and staff, all of whom are understandably distraught.

Karakia (prayer) services are being held daily to give staff and affected families an opportunity to come together in our grief.

Local liaisons are being appointed to support overseas families who are arriving in Whakatāne. Support packages are being put together today including practical and useful items for those families as they await news and updates on the recovery mission.

We are committed to facilitating family members’ travel and other arrangements while we all await the return of loved ones to their families.

We would like to acknowledge the numerous offers of support from our community and also wider Iwi from across the country.

Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou katoa.

There are many questions that are left to be answered but our priority at this time is on the welfare of those affected.”

Paul Quinn.

 

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Diane Berghan dberghan@gmail.com 021 221 5332

Ngāti Awa Research & Archives releases first online catalogue.

Ngāti Awa Research and Archives Trust was created to preserve, store and utilise the large amount of research and historical documents, which were compiled to support the WAI46 Ngati Awa Waitangi Tribunal Raupatu claim.

Research began more than 30 years ago in the 1980s, led by Sir Sidney Mead with the assistance of many other dedicated individuals. Over the years, the team of researchers collected a significant amount of supporting documentation that was uniquely linked to Ngāti Awa. Manuscripts, private collections, photographs and whakapapa provided a rich and colourful history of our past.

This collective knowledge is now available for the first time in its entirety. Whether you are an inquisitive Ngāti Awa uri, a dedicated researcher or just a history buff – you can search the online catalogue by text and literally find out anything you want to know about our story.