Tēnā koutou e te whānau,
This week has been an exciting one for MEA. Kaye-Maree joined the Amotai Delegation at Connect25 in Sydney, celebrating Indigenous business and forging new international connections.
At the same time, we’re proud to share the final case study from Mapping the Incorporation of Te Ao Māori in the Freshwater Biosecurity System report, highlighting Shade Smith’s powerful vision for restoring estuaries through kaitiakitanga.
Keep reading to explore these inspiring stories!
Kaye-Maree Joins Amotai Delegation at Connect25 in Sydney
Our very own Kaye-Maree represented MEA as part of the Amotai Delegation at Connect25 in Sydney, held 18–22 August 2025. The event brought together Indigenous suppliers, global procurement leaders, and corporate buyers to celebrate Indigenous business excellence and unlock new opportunities.
Kaye-Maree shared on her Facebook:
“Supply Nation Expo 2025 has been epic — a brilliant day celebrating Black business, commerce and trade. Thank you Amotai for allowing me to be part of this delegation, new friends and the business opportunities that have come about for our team Making Everything Achievable.”
Aroha mai tātou, our team used an incorrect headline for this story. Please find our updated version below:
Shade Smith – Protecting Our Wai from Ngā Mea Kino
Meet Shade Smith, Senior Environmental Analyst at Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, a leader blending science with tikanga to restore our freshwater ecosystems.
With over 15 years of experience in marine and freshwater science, Shade is at the forefront of pest management and ecosystem restoration. One of his key missions is making our estuaries inhospitable to invasive species like Lagarosiphon major and bringing mahinga kai back to life.
But it's not just about the science. For Shade, restoration is personal.
“We want to be able to set our mullet nets and not be worried that when we smoke the mullet, contaminants will infect our kai.”
He calls it “anxiety-free mahinga kai”, where kaitiakitanga ensures safe, thriving food sources for future generations.
Shade’s vision includes:
- Restoring degraded waterways
- Balancing economic and ecological goals
- Long-term pest control, not short-term fixes
- Real government commitment (not just surveys!)
- Unified communities, working together
“Don’t give up. If you do, you’re sending yourself right back to the start.”
Explore the Kaupapa
Learn more about Shade Smith’s leadership and the kaupapa of restoring estuaries through kaitiakitanga —\ making our waterways inhospitable to invasive species, protecting mahinga kai, and bringing balance back to our ecosystems.
Visit the MEA website or download the report from the DOC website here:
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