Ngāti Toa Rangatira Strengthening Investments for Future Generations
Ngāti Toa has reached a significant milestone by completing the second phase of their three-part Deferred Selection Properties agreement. This property arrangement stems from their Treaty settlement with the New Zealand government, which was formalised in the Ngāti Toa Rangatira Claims Settlement Act of 2014.
Over 80 hectares of whenua has been secured by Ngāti Toa in the Hutt Valley, with the purchase of various Crown land currently being occupied by schools. Each kura will continue to operate without any interruption, and all that will change is the land will now be leased by the Crown from Ngāti Toa.
This purchase demonstrates Ngāti Toa's dedication to using innovative means to regain their ancestral whenua and create a lasting foundation for future generations to benefit from.
This acquisition builds on the success of the first Deferred Selection Properties transaction in May 2022 when Ngāti Toa secured 40 Crown properties. This brings the total number of school sites purchased through the DSP arrangement to 67.
The Deferred Selection Properties arrangement is a strategic investment tool for both cultural and economic reclamation, reflecting the vision of Ngāti Toa to secure intergenerational wellbeing and prosperity.
Callum Katene, Chair of Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, emphasised the significance of this milestone, “This purchase is more than a business transaction; it is a reclamation of our whenua and reaffirmation of our role as kaitiaki. These lands will serve as a foundation for Ngāti Toa Rangatira to thrive for generations to come, while ensuring the continuation of essential education services for our tamariki and mokopuna. It is a powerful example of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in action—Tangata Whenua and the Crown working in partnership to enable everyone in the community to prosper”.
The iwi secured the deal through creative best in class funding arrangements and lending partners to assist with financing the transaction.
The long-term value in this tranche of their Deferred Selection Properties investment transaction lies in creating a perpetual income stream through Crown leases and securing land that holds significant cultural and historical importance for Ngāti Toa in the Hutt Valley.
Helmut Modlik, CEO of Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, highlighted the broader implications of the DSP deal, “This is about tino rangatiratanga in action—leveraging every opportunity to reclaim our whenua and secure a prosperous future for our mokopuna.”
The newly acquired properties across the Hutt Valley, plus the earlier land purchases, supports the position of Ngāti Toa as a significant partner to the Ministry of Education, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship.
This partnership will also ensure the whenua continues to serve its current purpose, which is schools to educate our tamariki, while eventually providing long-term benefits and options to Ngāti Toa Rangatira.
Hutt Valley whenua secured in the deal;
· Avalon Intermediate
· Avalon School
· Belmont School
· Birchville School
· Dyer Street School
· Fergusson Intermediate
· Fraser Crescent School
· Maidstone Intermediate
· Hutt Intermediate
· Kelson School
· Koraunui School
· Mangaroa School
· Naenae School
· Pinehaven School
· Plateau School
· Pomare School
· Rata Street School
· Silverstream School
· Taita Central School
· Taita College
· Tawhai School
· Te Kura o Hau Karetu
· Totara Park School
· Trentham School
· Tui Glen School
· Upper Hutt College
· Upper Hutt School
· Waterloo School