Porirua’s harbour restoration, Māori business development and greater use of te reo Māori in council services are among the initiatives highlighted in a new progress report on the city’s Maungaroa 2050 Māori Strategy.
The report, presented to Porirua City Council’s Te Puna Kōrero committee on 9 October, examines the first three years of work under the strategy, which was launched in late 2023.
Developed following engagement with mana whenua and taurahere Māori, Maungaroa 2050 sets out the council’s long-term approach to supporting Māori aspirations and strengthening its relationships with Māori communities.
The council says progress has been made across all five of the strategy’s priorities, including environmental restoration, business development, cultural recognition and greater Māori participation in council activities.
One of the most significant developments was the signing of Te Wai Ora o Parirua, the Porirua Harbour Accord, on Waitangi Day in February 2025.
The accord brings together Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Porirua City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council and Tiaki Wai.
Its purpose is to establish a shared commitment to restoring the environmental, ecological and cultural health of Porirua Harbour.
The progress report also identifies planting and restoration work, along with emergency preparedness initiatives involving Ngāti Toa Rangatira, local marae and community organisations.
Economic development is another focus. The council has supported Māori enterprise through programmes including BizHub, BizFest and Biz Ezi.
Within the council itself, work has included expanding bilingual signage, increasing staff knowledge of te reo Māori and tikanga, and adopting a new naming policy.
These changes are intended to strengthen recognition of Māori identity in public places and in the council’s everyday operations.
The report also follows the renewal of the council’s formal relationship with Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira.
In August 2026, the two organisations signed Whakaaetanga Patuitanga 2026, a refreshed strategic partnership agreement.
The agreement provides further opportunities for Te Rūnanga to contribute to council decisions and exercise leadership alongside the local authority on matters affecting Porirua.
At the October committee meeting, Ngāti Toa kaumātua Dr Taku Parai spoke of the significance of Maungaroa being based on Te Maungaroa, the anchor stone associated with Kupe.
“It’s a very unique baseline to base strategy and reporting on. It belongs to us here, in Porirua,” he said.
Council Manager Māori Strategy Jade Williams said the report demonstrated progress across the strategy’s priorities and provided a foundation for further work.
Mayor Anita Baker welcomed the developments, pointing to stronger relationships with Ngāti Toa and Māori communities, greater cultural visibility and improvements in council capability.
Although the council considers the strategy to be progressing, the report also identifies gaps and opportunities that will need attention during the next phase.
The council intends to publish a designed version of the three-year progress report in the coming weeks.