At the end of October, alongside engagement events with our whānau living in Australia, several of our Trustees and our Kaiwhakahaere
Matua represented Rangitāne o Wairau at the World Indigenous Business Forum (WIBF 2025) in Naarm (Melbourne). Hosted by the Kinaway Chamber of Commerce, this year’s forum brought together Indigenous leaders, entrepreneurs, and community builders from more than a dozen nations. It was a space rich in kōrero, culture, and challenge, exploring how we can grow strong economies that remain grounded in who we are as Indigenous peoples.

The forum opened with a powerful Welcome to Country led by the Traditional Owners of Naarm, setting the tone for the days ahead. Across the three days, our delegation participated in sessions on Indigenous procurement and supplier diversity, climate and environmental resilience, economic sovereignty and social enterprise, and intergenerational wealth, wellbeing, and legacy. A clear theme emerged throughout the forum that true prosperity lies not only in profit, but in people, whakapapa, whenua, and collective wellbeing.

While in Naarm, our delegation was hosted by Yarra Valley Water to share insights and experiences on Indigenous approaches to water management. This kōrero was especially valuable given our focus on the Blenheim Sewage Treatment Plant and our ongoing efforts to ensure local infrastructure projects reflect kaitiakitanga and iwi values. We exchanged perspectives on how Indigenous knowledge can inform water
planning and management in both Aotearoa and Australia, exploring parallels between our contexts.

The connection with Yarra Valley Water arose following our Kaiwhakahaere Matua, Corey Hebberd, sharing a panel session with Yarra Valley Water’s Aboriginal Partnerships Manager, Nina Braid, at the Water New Zealand Conference in Ōtautahi. Nina reflected on the visit: “It was a great opportunity to learn from our Māori brothers and sisters and connect through our shared stories and through water. We are all stronger
when we walk this journey together.” In reciprocity, we were pleased to present two prints of the Wairau River to Yarra Valley Water.