Sam Tamarapa

Ngāti Maru

Sam has a strong background in the fisheries sector having worked with the Ministry of Fisheries for several years.

He is the Ngāti Maru representative on the Taranaki Māori Trust Board and a Marae trustee for Meremere Marae in South Taranaki.

Sam currently works for the Taranaki Regional Council as the iwi communications officer, liasing and facilitating engagement with iwi and hapu on resource management and the work of the Council.

Since the last AGM and alongside the other iwi representatives he has worked on the disestablishment of the Taranaki Māori Trust Board in readiness for the new regional Māori entity that will be established following the Taranaki Maunga negotiations with the Crown.

A process to distribute the cash and assets of the board has begun and it is hoped that a date for the last AGM for the Trust Board will be confirmed for later this year.

Sam has continued to work with Anaru Marshall on a number of resource consent matters which has included working alongside our whanaunga Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine and Te Atiawa. Of particular mention is the design work for the new swimming pool for Stratford which is likely to be opened to the public in early October, Contact energy site in Stratford and the reconsenting for the Motukawa Power scheme with Manawa Energy.

Sam’s aspirations for Ngāti Maru is concise-to know who we are and aim for the stars.