welcome to our september pānui
E koekoe te tuī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū
By the sound of the voices of all the manu (birds), we know the wao (forest) is thriving.
Spring is here, the birds are singing, things are sprouting and budding up. There is so much potential and hope present across Aotearoa. As we move towards our general election hope is present in that space too.
It is a privilege to be in a country where we are free to vote without coercion. It is our right, privilege and our responsibility as members of our wider community to participate in voting, even when we don’t know who to vote for. This is how our different voices are heard and contribute.
There is plenty of research that tells us that when people feel disempowered, they are less likely to vote, and that withdrawal from the democratic process means those who end up in office are less likely to represent the wider population’s thoughts, values and views. So voting and encouraging others to vote is a great way to ensure all our voices are heard and enable Aotearoa to thrive.
This month’s whakatauki speaks of the different voices of the manu (birds) present in the wao (great forest of Tane). I imagine you have been in places where the bird song is so loud, full and rich, showing the diversity of life and health in our wildplaces. Each species plays their role and ensures the wellbeing of the wao. That great diversity of views and perspectives across our people is rich too, and shows how we are in this together.
resources to help encourage your whānau to vote and what it is all about.
As people committed to making food accessible to our communities, there are many opportunities over the next month to give those we serve access to information and opportunities that empower them and enable them to use their right to vote. You can play a vital role in that.
partner with the Electoral Commission: Several community food organisations have invited the electoral commission to have information for signing up to vote available for when whānau come to volunteer or pick up their kai. This is a brilliant way to encourage participation in a non-coercive manner that keeps people’s mana at the centre of their decision making.
how to vote - Alongside encouraging people to vote, people often feel whakamā because they don’t know how to go about voting or who to vote for. The Electoral commission has some great resources that answer many of the questions people have about the how including a YouTube video. Show people rather than tell people. You could show this link to people while they are volunteering or engaging in your service.
I don’t know who to vote for - Many of us aren’t closely connected to a political party, feel confused, or feel they have disappointed us. We may feel that it’s not worth asking others what they think as they might attempt to convince us of their view. Offering a place to listen, and encouraging people to explore their options is great support. A group of year 13 Rangatahi held a session at their high school for other new voters. They encouraged everyone to use vote compass to see how their life views aligned with the various political parties. They did it all in a fun and joyful way. They finished with a kahoot quiz around policies that were important to their peer group. Getting creative and encouraging discussion is really great way to empower people. Involving young people always shakes things up too.
overwhelmed by policy annoucements - It can be pretty overwhelming at the moment with all the information around. The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) have put together a fabulous, accessible election policy guide. NZCCSS are regularly updating it as we move toward the election. They also have more indepth analyses if you want them.
encouraging others - Action Station are also running an action to 'triple the vote'. It is focused on each of us encouraging people we know and who trust us to participate in voting. The ask is - think of three people who are not enrolled to vote or who don’t intend to vote, and have a conversation with them to encourage them to consider voting. “Behavioural science shows that it works because people listen to people they trust.” You can sign up with 'triple the vote' today where they will encourage you, offer support and send reminders. From there it’s simple: have a conversation with three friends and ask them to vote. Follow up with them once ballot boxes open - and see if they need help getting to the ballot box. Then watch as we use our diverse voices in the election. This is Authorised by K. Hartendorp, 39 Webb St, WGTN.
food policies - Spira have put together a resource looking specifically at the different policital parties and their food policies. Thanks Emily King for your expertise and wisdom.
Kore Hiakai recently created three papers on food security related kaupapa to help you reflect on how the policies of the parties hold mana at their centre of the food frame. These three papers can be used to invite questions of election candidates or to encourage people into discussion about how we might meet the need of those going hungry in our communities as well as move towards food security in Aotearoa. Please use these in ways that are helpful. Feel free to offer or distribute them to others.
We hope these papers, along with all these other resources and your awhi of those around you, will help the voices of many to be heard so that our collective decisions may enable all in Aotearoa to thrive.
food systems champions around aoteroa
linda coulston Kore Hiakai wishes to champion Linda as she steps down from her role as General Manager of Supergrans Tai Rāwhiti. Linda has been and absolute pillar of strength and compassion throughout the chaos of the pandemic and then in the midst of Cyclone Gabrille and the response phase.
Always a champion for her people, calling for funding when there was none, challenging rules when they prevented resources from getting to people, seeking out collaborations that made things happen, being creative with responses so they addressed the need of her people not the assumptions of donor or funders. One of the creative responses from Supergrans Tairawhiti is their You Tube clips of cooking from Supergrans!!
Linda has always been willing to contribute insights for the wider kōrero to champion food security for all. Thank you Linda, for being such a champion of your people and the community food space! We wish you well on the next chapter of your journey & hope you get a good rest! Much aroha - from the Kore Hiakai team and the wider community food network of Aotearoa. What a legend!
pātaka kai eketahuna - He rongoa te kai, he kai he rongoa. Health, wellbeing and food is so strongly linked together. This month we feature a Pātaka kai in one of our legendary rural communities, Eketahuna. Their Pātaka is part of their health centre but is contributed to by all sorts across the community including the local schools, police and businesses. Alongside their foodbank the local self service Pataka Kai enables whanau to connect, share and uplift each other as times remain hard for many. “Give what you can, take what you need!”
mana motuhake o te kai - healthy families waitakere- In 2020, the West Auckland Māori Thought Leadership collective identified kai sovereignty as a vital instrument to get more healthy kai on the table for Māori in West Auckland. “Kai sovereignty is about communities regaining control over their local food systems to ensure everyone can access enough locally sourced, nourishing kai.” explains Mike Tipene, Māori Strategic Lead for Healthy Families Waitākere.
While being in and out of lockdowns across the last few years this beautiful Kai Plan was developed and is now being implemented. Check out their story and their Kai plan, including how they are implementing it. Using Mana Motuhake o te Kai to achieve kai sovereignty in West Auckland (healthyfamilieswaitakere.org.nz)
western bay of plenty regional kai hui It was a privilege for Kore Hiakai to be a part of this hui put on by Mana Kai Mana Ora - Western Bay of Plenty Kai Resilience - that brought together community kai organisations from across their region, hosted at the Good Neighbour Trust. This is another example of drawing our many diverse voices together, to learn together and to speak together. Much thanks to Amy Board, Western Bay of Plenty Kai Resilience Coordinator, for creating the space for this magic to happen. Love your vision statement: “Mana Kai, Mana Ora – Kai Secure and Well Connected by 2030.”
toha kai: Beautiful affordable local fruit and veggie boxes! Lots of exciting things are happening with Toha Kai in Ōtautahi at the moment, including the laying of the kai beds for their farm as part of their dream to build access to affordable organic kai in their rohe. With a goal to be carbon zero – no emissions – even the delivery of some of the kai boxes happens on three wheels with super charged leg power (electric assisted)! Check out Toha Kai and be inspired about collaborating to grow healthy, affordable kai that is good for Papatūānuku and for our people. Or you can follow their journey on facebook. They are championing local good food. “We need to stop calling local food expensive and start calling it valuable!”
eat new zealand kaitaki 2023/4: Eat New Zealand has just announced its 2023/4 Kaitaki - next generation food leaders in Aotearoa. This exciting group of 42 are from across the food system, each of them are the embodiment of what comes next in food in Aotearoa. Check out your region and see if there is anyone you could collaborate with to champion your local food system.
Kaitaki (not Kaitiaki) is the title gifted to those who lead a group of people with a particular task or skillset, usually used for Kapa Haka. This group of Kaitaki give us hope for leadership in our food frame across Aotearoa - Congratulations all of you!
aotearoa food rescue alliance (AFRA) - held their annual hui in partnership with the Countdown Summit on Food Waste on 12 & 13 Sept 2023. The keynote speaker, Mike Curtin, of DC Central Kitchen, set the tone for the day and inspired many. The story of DC Central Kitchen has inspired many of us across the last few decades but it was exciting to hear Mike live, beamed across the internet from DC, and hear their flipped approach which doesn’t put food at the central of the solution, but sees food as a tool. Their approach on relentless incrementalism has led them to innovate and use procurement as a catalyst for change, invested their resource in local producers and finding solutions in local schools. Thank you AFRA for the gift of Mike. Mike also spoke with Radio New Zealand in the lead up to the hui. catch it here- - DC Central Kitchen
A huge mihi to all you you getting food to those expereincing food related poverty in our communities. You continue to uphold the mana of our people and offer manaaki. The number of people seeking food assitance in Aotearoa has continued at a similar level for the last 12 months. This is sad, as we have not increased access to affordable food for our whanau. Thank you to all you continue to offer manaaki to others during difficult times.
The data is not in yet for August, but in the month of July 2023, 9 organisations across 74 sites across the motu have offered around 54, 406 people food assistance, which is the equivalent of 13, 602 food parcels distributed, contributing to 163, 218 meals.
Check out the Aotearoa Food Parcel Measure dashboard.
If your organisation would like to contribute contact admin@korehiakai.org.nz
Full of all the latest news from Ministry for Social Develop Food Secure Communities including amazing and inspiring community food initiatives funded by the Puta Ora fund from around the motu. There is lots to inspire you! Plus everything you need to know about MSD funding including the next phase.
digging into systems change
The new ‘debt To Government’ framework: On 31 July 2023 Cabinet adopted a new Debt to Government Framework that states “If the overpayment is due to administrative error and received by an individual in good faith, including agency failure to act on information provided by the individual, writeoff should be the default response. There should be a robust process to identify when a debt is the result of administrative error, including the ability for an individual to instigate this process.” We are hopeful that implementation of this policy framework within MSD will bring relief to whānau as well as savings to us as a country in reducing the administrative and downstream costs of perpetuating this debt. See also our paper on Government Overpayment Debt.
fix our food system petition presented to parliament
It was fantastic to see the petition calling for a National Food Strategy being presented to Parliament on 30 August 2023. Thank you to Angela Clifford of Eat NZ, Helen Beattie and Hilary Pearson for championing this. After the election, may we continue the movement and keep asking for this crucial framework to help us have a food system that upholds the mana of us all.
CPAG election food event Child Poverty Action Group are planning an pre election event in early Oct around Food Security in Tāmaki Makaurau. Keep an eye out in the social media for the details closer to the event. If you are in Tāmaki Makaurau you could organise a group of people to come with you to the event.
spira food foundations course: Want to understand the food system better and see how you can contribute to making it work for all? Spira Food Systems Academy (Emily King of Re-Food fame) are offering their Food Foundations six week online course starting on World Food Day, Monday October 16th. It's designed for professionals that want to know more about food systems, and to apply this to help a project, work, or challenge they're facing in their job. Participants get weekly course content, one to one coaching with Emily King (food systems expert, and author of Re-food), and take part in calls with their cohort of other professionals from across the food system. Contact Spira to book a free 15 minute call to find out more.
pacific pay equity - income adequacy article RNZ - Food Related Poverty is driven by systems, it is not about whether there is enough good food in the Aotearoa New Zealand, it is about access, especially economic access. Adequate Incomes is part of this. It is great to see Radio New Zealand release this article about the role this will play in our upcoming general election. This is an issue for all New Zealanders, as we champion each other, not only those experiencing limited resources.
funding
In our last pānui you asked for more information about funding. This is a complex kaupapa and varies across the motu. Outside of central and local government funding, some of the best places to start are Philanthropy NZ, or Generosity New Zealand. Hui E! have a grant writing support programme for Not for Profits. Strategic Grants are also an Australian organisation who assists organisations of all sizes with their grant seeking strategies. You might find something for your local area with DIA community funding.
We are mindful that in the last two years the number of organisations in the community space has increased at the same time as the amount of funding has been reduced. There might be an opportunity to reach out to others in your geography, or around your kaupapa, to see how you can collaborate, complement and champion each other to funders. Let’s use all our voices!
coming up for kore hiakai …
We are hoping that October is a quiet month while we eagerly await the outcome of the election and continue to finalise some of our long term research we are hoping to release in November, which includes:
The first in a series of three around Māori Kai Sovereignty
The 2023 Ka Mākona report - on income adequacy and cost of living. 2023 has a special focus on Pasifika communities.
The possibilities of a follow up Webinar on our Realising Food Secure Communities in Aotearoa.
In the meantime please let us know of about any of the amazing things happening in your rōpū that could inspire others.
. . . there are so many incredible things happening across the motu to enable whānau to have full bellies and access to good healthy affordable kai gets. There are so many amazing collaborations, including kai security plans, iwi led initiatives as well as farmers, growers and fishers championing the kai they produce.
All our many efforts, all our many voices make this a wonderful, diverse, eclectic place to live.
As we move through spring may you feel the joy of the new potential seen in the budding around you. And may the many birdsongs across our motu bring you hope as we use our many voices and many votes to encourage our country’s leadership to be committed to making sure we all thrive.
Mauri ora, from the Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective whānau.
E koekoe te tuī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū
By the sound of the voices of all the manu (birds), we know the wao (forest) is thriving.