'All we need is each other'

Business expansion during an economic downturn is definitely bold, which is exactly what’s needed for Māori and Pacific businesses to thrive, says the founder of Ngahere Communities.

It’s been less than two weeks since Aotearoa crawled out of 18 months of economic downturn and a recession, with forecasts for NZ’s economic recovery predicted to be at a snail's pace.

Ngahere Communities has been running for six years canvassing a variety of work, from ONE NZ’s 5G roll-out campaign featuring internet sensation Torrell Tafa, to their popular e-commerce store KONEI NZ, which is also a retail store in Manukau and Australia’s Gold Coast.

Speaking to William Terite on Pacific Mornings, founder Manawa Udy said they made plans to expand from their Manukau-based location because their lease was up. She believed using the momentum of them “bulging at the seams” in need of a bigger space, was a good move.

“The more we talk to our Māori and Pacific business owners the more we could see that support and environments like this are very much needed.”

Udy said it was those conversations and identifying the demand for organisations like theirs that inspired the move to expand, adding that “you have to make bold moves”.

“I think we're here trying to activate and stimulate a whole lot of Pacific business owners and you do have to lead by example.

“My plan is that if we do things right now, we're still establishing ourselves [and] still moving into this new space. We're still raising funds once this economy turns back around.

“The idea for us is Māori and Polynesian people - all we really need to thrive is that we work together. All we really need is each other.”

Watch the full interview via 531pi’s Facebook below:

In March, 251 companies went into liquidation, the highest since 2015, with 26 going into receivership and 20 in voluntary administration. Additionally, the Official Cash Rate has remained at 5.5 per cent since May last year.

Udy admitted they have not avoided the impact of NZ’s economic downturn as “no one can get away from it”.

“Everyone else seems to be struggling so we're all in that together. Even though we're in a space of expansion there's a lot of ways that we're tightening up.

“It’s harder to get work now because of the type of work that we do in creative services. There's so many more people vying for contracts.

“The government contracts are drying up so it's tough for sure. Cash flow is tight and we have to monitor it closely.”

Udy said what adds to the complexity is the current government’s lack of support and understanding for creative spaces.

Pacific creatives have spoken up about the government’s funding cuts in the art sector, aggravated by funding cuts to organisations like the Ministry of Pacific Peoples, galleries, museums and events like Matariki, which received a 45 per cent funding cut.

“This new government doesn't know what they're doing in this space and I think the Minister of Culture and Heritage has had a slow start,” Udy said.

“He's finally acknowledged the need to have a strategy for the creative sector. I think the vision for the gold that sits within our creativity and culture here is completely lost on this government.

“We have been delivering a project for the last three years with the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and Ministry of Social Development that got fully completely pulled.”

Udy acknowledged Workforce Development Council Toi Mai’s work to uplift the creative sector, she admitted not holding breath, and claimed the government is failing to see that Aotearoa has “the most amazing creativity and culture”.

“I just wish the government would see and invest in that and push that further.”

"Especially in this digital world with what's coming with AI and the way it's changing whole sectors and whole Industries.

“But creativity will remain so much more valuable and so much more sought after now.”