When it was first announced on June 1 2021 by Megan Woods, who then was Minister of Research, Science and Innovation, Project Tāwhaki was lauded as an “exemplar Māori-Crown partnership”.
Woods said the name Project Tāwhaki, chosen by the partners, drew on the Ngāi Tahu ancestral connection to Tāwhaki, a demi-god from Ngāi Tahu stories who sought celestial knowledge from his gods.
Tāwhaki was able to navigate his journey by seeking and building strong relationships, by being adaptive and innovative and using his sheer tenacity to keep going until he reached his goal
Te Taumutu and Wairewa Rūnanga were mana whenua and rangatira of Kaitōrete, Woods said.
“ No one has more responsibility to manage, protect and restore the area for future generations, than them. This makes the Rūnanga the ideal partners for the Crown to work with and I’m excited for the future that Project Tāwhaki will bring,” Megan Woods said.
There was no mention of “partnership” or demi-gods today, when Space Minister Judith Collins today announced that Canterbury’s Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre had been allocated permanent test flight airspace, giving advanced aviation companies the freedom to safely trial next-generation technologies.
Nor did she mention government funding or the millions injected by the previous government to propel the project.
Collins did say the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) permanent special use airspace designation for Tāwhaki “anchors Canterbury’s growing reputation as a national hub for space and advanced aviation innovation.”
She announced the designation at the launch of the Waitaha Canterbury Aerospace Strategy, which aims to position Canterbury as a global leader in aerospace innovation by 2035.
Collins made just a few mentions of money:
“We know New Zealand’s space and advanced aviation sectors are growing rapidly. The space sector has grown 53 percent in the five years to 2023-24 to contribute more than $2.47 billion to the economy. The advanced aviation sector contributed $480 million in the same period, with some overlaps with the space sector.”
But she did not mention the taxpayers’ contribution, as Megan Woods had done when proclaiming:
An exciting multi-pronged aerospace project is coming to Kaitōrete Spit – a 25km stretch of land on the Canterbury coast.
It’s thanks to a special commercial joint venture between Kaitōrete Limited (Te Taumutu Rūnanga and Wairewa Rūnanga) and the Crown, which will unlock jobs – including aerospace, develop a space launch and R&D facilities, protect cultural interests and the unique bio-diversity of the area.
Woods said Project Tāwhaki was
“… a special partnership with both Rūnanga that will rejuvenate a nationally unique environment, honour deep cultural relationships, and provide amazing opportunities to tap into the multi-billion dollar aerospace economy. This is a very exciting day,”
Kaitōrete Limited and the Crown had entered into a Joint Venture partnership to purchase critical parcels of land (1,000 hectares) near Banks Peninsula. The Crown contributed $16 million to secure the land. The Crown and the Rūnanga would each own 50 percent shares in the land and project.
The runanga’s contribution?
She didn’t say.
Kaitōrete Limited spokesperson David Perenara-O’Connell enthused:
“This area is steeped in whakapapa and is hugely significant to the whānau of Te Taumutu and Wairewa. As mana whenua, it’s our role to make sure that we honour the past; those who have lived, travelled and fallen in this area by protecting and restoring its values and reaffirming our relationship to this whenua for our future generations.”
The next ministerial statement on the Beehive website was posted on October 3 2023.
This time the news was that the government will chip in $5.4 million to fund a sealed runway and hangar.
Until today, no more mentions of the project had been made on the Beehive website until Judith Collins, speaking to the 2024 Aerospace Summit, said she was looking forward to visiting the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre.
But news media reports have recorded these developments –
9 February 2024:
RNZ
The Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete Spit has officially opened, bolstered by a $5.4 million cash injection from the government.
14 February 2024
Newsroom
The Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre and runway at Kaitōrete weaves mātauranga Māori together with cutting-edge innovation to mark a new era in sustainable land use.
17 June 2024
Newsroom
An article explained how Tāwhaki Aerospace got $5.4 million it wasn’t eligible from a regional fund under the previous government despite officials advising against it.
3 July 2024
RNZ
International commercial and military demand is growing for launch sites and Kaitorete Spit is a leading candidate.
6 July 2024
RNZ
The National Space Agency said it was not aware of any interest from the United States Space Force in conducting rocket launches from Kaitorete…
11 July 2024
Otago Daily Times
Residents of a tiny Banks Peninsula settlement said they had been blindsided over news of the possibility that rockets might be launched from a new aerospace centre.
23 August 2024
RNZ
An American company, Space Scout, announced a deal to fly out of Kaitorete Spit in Canterbury.
26 November 2024
The Press
The Government is backing off plans to build rocket launchpads south of Christchurch.
27 November 2024
RNZ
The national aerospace centre Tāwhaki says it is in talks with potential partners for launching rockets from its base south of Christchurch.
10 January 2025
National Business Review
The National Aerospace Centre on Kaitorete Spit is changing direction under the guidance of Kiwi Landing Pad founder John Holt.
12 February 2025
Otago Daily Times
A Christchurch aerospace company has successfully launched its solar-powered aircraft from Banks Peninsula into the stratosphere for the first time.
28 March 2025
The Press
Access to natural resources, opportunities for public-private partnerships, and even flying cars à la The Jetsons were pitched to NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones.
4 April 2025
RNZ
The National Aerospace Centre that has struggled to get customers has sent its new business case to officials.
11 April 2025
RNZ
The Tāwhaki aerospace centre aims to boost Canterbury economy – Tawhaki Board member David Perenara-O’Connell spoke to the media about project plans.
And today – Judith Collins has added one more bit of news to the project’s development.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
Tāwhaki was able to navigate his journey by seeking and building strong relationships, by being adaptive and innovative and using his sheer tenacity to keep going until he reached his goal
Te Taumutu and Wairewa Rūnanga were mana whenua and rangatira of Kaitōrete, Woods said.
“ No one has more responsibility to manage, protect and restore the area for future generations, than them. This makes the Rūnanga the ideal partners for the Crown to work with and I’m excited for the future that Project Tāwhaki will bring,” Megan Woods said.
There was no mention of “partnership” or demi-gods today, when Space Minister Judith Collins today announced that Canterbury’s Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre had been allocated permanent test flight airspace, giving advanced aviation companies the freedom to safely trial next-generation technologies.
Nor did she mention government funding or the millions injected by the previous government to propel the project.
Collins did say the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) permanent special use airspace designation for Tāwhaki “anchors Canterbury’s growing reputation as a national hub for space and advanced aviation innovation.”
She announced the designation at the launch of the Waitaha Canterbury Aerospace Strategy, which aims to position Canterbury as a global leader in aerospace innovation by 2035.
Collins made just a few mentions of money:
“We know New Zealand’s space and advanced aviation sectors are growing rapidly. The space sector has grown 53 percent in the five years to 2023-24 to contribute more than $2.47 billion to the economy. The advanced aviation sector contributed $480 million in the same period, with some overlaps with the space sector.”
But she did not mention the taxpayers’ contribution, as Megan Woods had done when proclaiming:
An exciting multi-pronged aerospace project is coming to Kaitōrete Spit – a 25km stretch of land on the Canterbury coast.
It’s thanks to a special commercial joint venture between Kaitōrete Limited (Te Taumutu Rūnanga and Wairewa Rūnanga) and the Crown, which will unlock jobs – including aerospace, develop a space launch and R&D facilities, protect cultural interests and the unique bio-diversity of the area.
Woods said Project Tāwhaki was
“… a special partnership with both Rūnanga that will rejuvenate a nationally unique environment, honour deep cultural relationships, and provide amazing opportunities to tap into the multi-billion dollar aerospace economy. This is a very exciting day,”
Kaitōrete Limited and the Crown had entered into a Joint Venture partnership to purchase critical parcels of land (1,000 hectares) near Banks Peninsula. The Crown contributed $16 million to secure the land. The Crown and the Rūnanga would each own 50 percent shares in the land and project.
The runanga’s contribution?
She didn’t say.
Kaitōrete Limited spokesperson David Perenara-O’Connell enthused:
“This area is steeped in whakapapa and is hugely significant to the whānau of Te Taumutu and Wairewa. As mana whenua, it’s our role to make sure that we honour the past; those who have lived, travelled and fallen in this area by protecting and restoring its values and reaffirming our relationship to this whenua for our future generations.”
The next ministerial statement on the Beehive website was posted on October 3 2023.
This time the news was that the government will chip in $5.4 million to fund a sealed runway and hangar.
Until today, no more mentions of the project had been made on the Beehive website until Judith Collins, speaking to the 2024 Aerospace Summit, said she was looking forward to visiting the Tāwhaki Aerospace Centre.
But news media reports have recorded these developments –
9 February 2024:
RNZ
The Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete Spit has officially opened, bolstered by a $5.4 million cash injection from the government.
14 February 2024
Newsroom
The Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre and runway at Kaitōrete weaves mātauranga Māori together with cutting-edge innovation to mark a new era in sustainable land use.
17 June 2024
Newsroom
An article explained how Tāwhaki Aerospace got $5.4 million it wasn’t eligible from a regional fund under the previous government despite officials advising against it.
3 July 2024
RNZ
International commercial and military demand is growing for launch sites and Kaitorete Spit is a leading candidate.
6 July 2024
RNZ
The National Space Agency said it was not aware of any interest from the United States Space Force in conducting rocket launches from Kaitorete…
11 July 2024
Otago Daily Times
Residents of a tiny Banks Peninsula settlement said they had been blindsided over news of the possibility that rockets might be launched from a new aerospace centre.
23 August 2024
RNZ
An American company, Space Scout, announced a deal to fly out of Kaitorete Spit in Canterbury.
26 November 2024
The Press
The Government is backing off plans to build rocket launchpads south of Christchurch.
27 November 2024
RNZ
The national aerospace centre Tāwhaki says it is in talks with potential partners for launching rockets from its base south of Christchurch.
10 January 2025
National Business Review
The National Aerospace Centre on Kaitorete Spit is changing direction under the guidance of Kiwi Landing Pad founder John Holt.
12 February 2025
Otago Daily Times
A Christchurch aerospace company has successfully launched its solar-powered aircraft from Banks Peninsula into the stratosphere for the first time.
28 March 2025
The Press
Access to natural resources, opportunities for public-private partnerships, and even flying cars à la The Jetsons were pitched to NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones.
4 April 2025
RNZ
The National Aerospace Centre that has struggled to get customers has sent its new business case to officials.
11 April 2025
RNZ
The Tāwhaki aerospace centre aims to boost Canterbury economy – Tawhaki Board member David Perenara-O’Connell spoke to the media about project plans.
And today – Judith Collins has added one more bit of news to the project’s development.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
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