Informing land use planning with Māori whakaaro and learnings
Māori have emerged as a prominent group of property developers that are helping shape the future of land use planning in Aotearoa.
To better support future of land use planning, we need to understand how property developers of all types make decisions.
That’s what Professor Iain White at the University of Waikato is researching as part of his NHC-funded University Research Programme (URP).
His team is developing a new land-use planning model that will consider how different ‘agents’ (including Māori and non-Māori property developers) make decisions – ultimately helping planners better understand how different policy changes will play out.
Marcus Fletcher (Waikato and Ngāti Maniapoto), a master’s student in Prof White’s team, is looking at urban development through a Māori lens. As part of his project, he interviewed whānau and kaimahi within te rohe o Waikato (the Waikato Region) to understand the behaviours and incentives of this emerging and powerful class of property developers.
Fresh from finishing his master’s, and about to embark on a PhD, Marcus chatted to us as part of our Researcher profile series, where we showcase the people behind the research we fund.
Marcus’ passion for giving back to the papakāinga (village) that raised him through his career is clear in his commitment to incorporating Māori perspectives in his research.
What is your NHC-funded project, in a nutshell, and why is it important to New Zealand?
Our NHC project aims to model future urban growth and natural hazard risk to inform better housing development in Aotearoa. The pressure of climate change will increase the frequency and severity of natural hazards.
Therefore, Aotearoa needs to plan where to build housing viably while anticipating and not increasing human risk to natural hazards. However, we need to understand housing developers, including whānau, hapū and iwi who are emerging property developers in Aotearoa.
What do you like most about your work?
Marcus with some of his whānau in front of Cardrona tavern.
What I like most about my work is bringing Māori/Indigenous whakaaro (thoughts) and learnings into the research space. Due to the scholarship from previous and current Māori and Indigenous researchers, the opportunity to contribute and continue their legacy, the legacy of my tūpuna (ancestors) and making my whānau (family) proud is what I enjoy most.
What are your ambitions for your research or career?
My ambitions for my research and my career are to bring my whānau, hapū and iwi along every step of the way. This can manifest in many ways, whether I directly involve them within my research or offer my skills to help.
But they always say, it takes a village to raise a person, and I believe it is the duty of that person to elevate and support the papakāinga (village).
Do you have a favourite anecdote or memory related to your research?
One thing that sticks with me throughout my research journey is a quote from one of my participants – “the house comes first.” This struck me the most throughout the development of my thesis, as a whare (house) was a significant stepping stone to access a job or education.
Considering the risk of natural hazard frequency from climate change, important planning changes need to be considered regarding where we build housing. From this quote alone, if we are compromised by consistent flooding, the impacts of our whare cascades into many other aspects of our lives and, therefore, need to impose changes and develop mindfulness of where we develop.