2016 distribution $108 to all members

We’re delighted to advise that those whānau who were Whai Rawa members in 2016 will receive a distribution of $108* before 31 March 2017, and if applicable, any matched savings and Newborn Distribution*. If your newborn pēpi was registered as a Whai Rawa member during 2016, and before their first birthday, this distribution will be paid at the same time; $100* – an even bigger incentive to join them up early.

*Te Rūnanga matched savings and distributions are available to all members under 65 years of age and are subject to RSCT (Retirement Scheme Contribution Tax) deducted at members personal RSCT rate. See the Whai Rawa Product Disclosure Statement for more details at www.whairawa.com [Read more…]

If you didn’t save into Whai Rawa during the 2016 calendar year, you will not receive a Matched Saving into your Whai Rawa account at the end of March. It’s not too late to make a New Year’s Resolution. [Read more…]

Get your $200 Matched Savings* now!

If you haven’t saved into Whai Rawa during 2016, now is the time to save some pūtea to qualify for the 2016 Matched Savings*. All full members who save before 31st December will be eligible to have up to $200* matched by Te Rūnanga, with those aged 15 and under getting $4 to every $1 saved and those aged 16-64 matched at $1 to $1. Online banking is the quickest and easiest way to save; you just need to reference your Whai Rawa account number. There is an automatic payment form included with this Te Pānui Rünaka Magazine that has our bank account details on, so don’t delay. [Read more…]

https://tepanui.co.nz/2016/12/20994/

In the last decade Whai Rawa funds under management have risen to $52 million with nearly 2000 whānau helped into new homes, tertiary education or retirement.

David Tikao, Whai Rawa Programme Leader, says much of the success has come from member buy-in.
“We have nearly 22,000 members and to date we have helped 312 whānau into their first homes, assisted 257 whānau to access tertiary education and helped 1381 whānau towards a more comfortable retirement. That is a great success,” he says.
“In 2015, Whai Rawa gave out $3.5 million in direct distributions. That is a great return for our Ngāi Tahu whānau members.” [Read more…]

10-year anniversary

Along with Ngāi Tahu Fund and Aoraki Bound, our 10-year anniversary is fast approaching. It is a real celebration for Te Rūnanga and Whai Rawa Fund Limited having an investment scheme running successfully for 10 years. There will be a promotion celebrating our anniversary running from July to September. For the chance to win prizes and trips away make sure you like our Facebook page, visit our website, or check the Whai Rawa pages of future Te Pānui Rūnaka so you can stay up-to-date. Watch this space. [Read more…]

Whakawhanaungatanga hīkoi

Tēnā rawa atu koutou who came to visit us in Whakatū. This was a great event where we were honored to be accompanied by Whakapapa Director, Dr Terry Ryan.
Uncle Terry’s attendance complimented our whānau enrolment experience for both Whai Rawa and new tribal registrations. The newly registered members were lucky enough to hear stories about their whakapapa and genealogy from Uncle Terry. As a result of the hui, we have 18 new whānau in our iwi and over 40 new members in Whai Rawa.

We would also like to say a big thank you to Holly Weir-Tikao, Solomon Rahui and NMIT for hosting us and making our team feel so welcome.

Photo from the Whai Rawa roadshow hui in Nelson, (L-R) Ariana Tikao, Holly-Weir-Tikao, Uncle Terry and Solomon Rahui.

Photo from the Whai Rawa roadshow hui in Nelson, (L-R) Ariana Tikao, Holly-Weir-Tikao, Uncle Terry and Solomon Rahui.

10th year anniversary documentaries

As you may be aware Whai Rawa, Aoraki Bound and Ngāi Tahu Fund will be celebrating 10th birthdays this year. To celebrate our success, we are putting together a mini-series of videos that showcase the exceptional work Whai Rawa has achieved for whānau.

These videos will highlight how Whai Rawa has helped whānau to undertake tertiary education, purchase their first home and prepare for their retirement. Keep an eye on the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Whai Rawa website and Facebook pages for more information.

Camera crew filming the a clip for the upcoming documentary mini-series.

Camera crew filming the a clip for the upcoming documentary mini-series.

Whai Rawa electronic statements – password protected

In June all members will receive electronic or paper statements again. If you or your tamariki have an email address associated with your Whai Rawa account, the electronic statement will be emailed there. Many businesses in New Zealand already use this method for billing or statements and we think it will allow us to provide a better service to members.

The statement will be password protected. Instructions will be included in the statement email on how to access your unique password for each statement.

We’re delighted to advise that those whānau who were Whai Rawa members in 2015 will receive a distribution of $80* before the 31 March 2016, and if applicable, any matched savings and newborn distribution.* If your newborn pēpi was registered as a Whai Rawa member during 2015, and before their first birthday, this distribution will be paid at $100* – an even bigger incentive to join them up early. [Read more…]

The Whai Rawa team are hitting the road and coming to a town near you. Have you been meaning to sign-up* but haven’t got round to it? Then this is an excellent opportunity to do so.

We will be visiting:

  • Kaikōura (March)
  • Auckland (April)
  • Gisborne (May)
  • Nelson/Blenheim (June)
  • Hamilton (July)
  • Palmerston North (September)

[Read more…]

Kia ora koutou, thank you to all the whānau who visited us at our Hui-ā-Iwi stall in Ōtepoti from Friday 20 – Sunday 22 November. To all the new members who joined Whai Rawa – ka pai. We’re excited to see you create a better future through greater wealth and wellbeing.

If you weren’t able to visit us and still want to join, see our advertisement on the inside back cover of this magazine or go to: www.whairawa.com/join [Read more…]

2015 matched savings*

If you haven’t saved using Whai Rawa during 2015, now is the time to save some pūtea to qualify for the 2015 matched savings*. All full members who save before 31 December will be eligible to have up to $200* matched by Te Rūnanga, with those aged 15 and under getting $4 to every $1 saved, and those aged 16-64 matched at $1 to $1.

Online banking is the quickest and easiest way to save, you just need to reference your Whai Rawa account number. There is an AP form included in this issue of Te Pānui Rūnaka that has our bank account details, so don’t delay. [Read more…]

All those Christchurch-based whānau who have been meaning to join Whai Rawa should come along to our roadshow on the weekend of Saturday 7-Sunday 8 November from 10am- 3pm at Te Whare o Te Waipounamu, 15 Show Place, Addington, Christchurch.

Adults, bring your ID and proof of address (more details on our website at www.whairawa.com) and if you’re registering a new whānau member with the whakapapa unit at the same time, bring a full birth certificate for them too.

We’ll be at Hui-a-Iwi later in November too for those whānau who are based locally in Dunedin.

Whai Rawa Logo (2)

Annual report

Members were recently sent the Whai Rawa 2015 Annual Report. Highlights for this year include an increase in members’ savings, now at almost $44 million. Reports from the Kaiwhakahaere, Tā Mark Solomon, the outgoing chair, Diana Crossan and the incoming chair, Kristen Kohere-Soutar are worth reading. There are also more whānau stories shared by members.

The 2015 annual report is now available to download on the Whai Rawa website at www.whairawa.com

It has been emailed to all households we have an email address for and posted to those for whom we don’t have an email address. We encourage you to discuss the report with whānau, especially tamariki and to review the highlights.

ANZ deposit card withdrawal

As you may recall, the ANZ deposit cards are being withdrawn at the end of this year.
We’ve found this to be a less popular Whai Rawa deposit method than an AP form or online banking. If you have no other way to save into Whai Rawa than ‘over the counter’ at ANZ, please call us on 0800 942 472 and we can arrange a personalised deposit book, encoded with your Whai Rawa account number. Those who already use the ANZ card regularly have already been issued the deposit book, while those who don’t are encouraged to use alternative saving methods.

Christchurch Roadshow

A series of roadshows were held over the past few months in Te Ika-a-Māui. Many thanks for those whānau who came to see us and joined Whai Rawa at Auckland, Wellington, Lower Hutt, Tauranga and Rotorua.

We’ll be at Hui-ā-Iwi (20-22 November) in Dunedin later this year and in October we’ll be having a weekend roadshow in Christchurch to help those who haven’t joined Whai Rawa complete the paperwork. We’ll email out to all non-members based in the Canterbury area to let you know times and dates. Alternatively, if you live in New Zealand and would prefer to join up online, have your NZ Drivers Licence handy and head to www.whairawa.com/join for a copy of the Whai Rawa Investment Statement and to complete the electronic online application form.

Whai Rawa Logo (2)

20,000 members

Congratulations to all of our past and present members of Whai Rawa. Our 20,000th member, Jacob Brook (Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura), aged eight-years-old was recently signed into Whai Rawa by his Nana, Carol Gray. This is a massive milestone for members, staff and Te Rūnanga. Whai Rawa continues to move from strength to strength not just in membership size but also the size of members’ savings, which are now in excess of $42 million.

Easy-join online application

It’s now even easier to join Whai Rawa with the introduction of the easy-join online application form. Until recently, those looking to join have been required to provide a verified copy of both address and identification but with the new online form, those with a driver’s license can opt to have their identification and address verified using an electronic method.

If you haven’t joined yet, a copy of the investment statement and easy-join online application form are on the Whai Rawa website at: www.whairawa.com/join

AP form

If you are one to leave your savings until the last minute, why not try a new approach to qualifying for Matched Savings* this year?

On the front page of the Whai Rawa website you’ll find two AP forms at either $3.85 or $0.97 per week. These amounts represent the amount required to save over a year to qualify for the maximum $200* Matched Savings during the calendar year for adults ($3.85 per week) or child ($0.97 per week) members. Alternatively give us a call on 0800 942 472 and we’ll send one out to you.

* Te Rūnanga matched savings and distributions are available to all members under 65 years of age (see pages 11-12 of the investment statement) and are subject to RSCT (retirement scheme contribution tax) deducted at your personal RSCT rate (see page 18 of the investment statement.

Kia ora e te whānau who came to visit us in Tāmaki Makaurau. It is always a pleasure meeting new whānau who are registering with Te Rūnanga or Whai Rawa and our planned roadshow’s are the ideal platform to meet kanohi-ki-te-kanohi with whānau who are not based in the rohe. See our website for more detail on these. In the meantime the next Whai Rawa hui will be held on: [Read more…]

New members

The Whai Rawa team was part of the Te Rūnanga contingent that attended Te Matatini 2015. It was a real pleasure to meet so many of our members at our stall and to help another 120 plus whānau join Whai Rawa.

We had a mobile phone to give away, as well as a load of Whai Rawa t-shirts, wristbands and mobile phone stands. For more information on the mobile phone competition, go to www.whairawa.com. [Read more…]

Jasmine George (Ngāti Kurī) who has been a member of Whai Rawa since 2006, would like to share her story with whānau.

My journey began in 2012 after the birth my son. I suffered postnatal depression and had major body issues. It wasn’t just the appearance side, it was also how tired I felt. My body ached and I felt weak. I did not feel the way a person of my age should feel. [Read more…]

Whai Rawa matched savings*

There is still time to qualify for matched savings. Any deposits made before 31 December, will help towards eligibility.

For every $1 that adult members (aged 16-64) save in 2014, Te Rūnanga will contribute another $1 (up to a maximum of $200* per year). For child members (under 16-years-old, as at 31 December), Te Rūnanga will contribute $4 for every $1 saved (up to a maximum of $200* per year). Matched savings for your 2014 savings are paid at the end of March 2015. For ways to save visit our website www.whairawa.com/save. [Read more…]

Kaumātua grants

Have you received your Kaumātua grant? If you are 65 or older at the end of the year you should receive either a cheque or direct credit in late November for $215. If you have not received anything by 12 December, please contact us by emailing [email protected]; or phone us on 0800 942 472. [Read more…]

Kaumātua grants

Letters were sent at the beginning of October. If you turn 65 during 2015 or are already 65 and haven’t received your letter about the Kaumātua Grant by the end of October, please call us on 0800 942 472.
Whai Rawa Kamātua Grant-01

Kā Pūtea grant

How many of your whānau are studying at university or polytech? Anybody studying an NZQA equivalent course could qualify for the Kā Pūtea grant of $250 (or $500 for 2nd year students and above). Applications close on 5 December, so get in quick. For more information go to ‘Grants/Scholarships’ at www.whairawa.com [Read more…]

Members will have recently received our annual report. Highlights for this year include an increase in membership by 1,200;plus members’ savings are now in excess of $35 million. Since inception members have withdrawn over $3 million towards tertiary education, first home ownership and for aged 55+ retirement.

The 2014 annual report is now available to download on the Whai Rawa website at www.whairawa.com. It has been emailed to all households we have an email address for and posted to those who we don’t have an email addresses for. [Read more…]