TINAOPAI BOYS

We were a bit sceptical if the Maori hui yesterday would help chart a course through the choppy economic seas we are sailing on. But it seems that the big boys thought big. They are, as a result of Treaty settlements sitting on some big piles of dosh. They have, after a few years in the fishing game, working out that consolidation of assets leads to better returns.
So they are saying that instead of being the bum boys driving the dozers - they want to be financing the roads in partnership with the government. Infrastructure is a good choice - but we would also like to see some thinking from some of the younger ones about investing some of that money in JV's in broadband and other IT projects. There are more and more Maori who are in the IT industry and we are surprised that that has not emerged from the summit as a key way for Maori to work in partnership to oil the wheels of the economy.