Planet-proof Papakura

“This is Tamaoho whenua, so we’ve always had a role to play,” says Ben Leonard, kaimahi at Ngāti Tamaoho Trust. “Our marae has flooded, our urupā have been impacted. This isn’t new to us, we’ve been watching the water rise for a long time.”

One of the first shared activities was a climate haerenga, led by Ngāti Tamaoho, which took council staff and community partners around key sites in Papakura.

“We showed where our pā used to be, how the land and water used to work together, and how those changes affect us now,” says Edith Tuhimata, Kaitohu Taiao at Ngāti Tamaoho “Understanding that context matters.”

She continues, “Back in the day we purposely moved our kāinga back and up on the hills so that we wouldn’t be affected by flooding. We left the wetlands to deal with the waterways. This is knowledge we’ve held for generations.”

This perspective has brought a long-term view to the pilot and helped shift the conversation from short-term fixes to intergenerational resilience.

Community leadership in action: The Papakura Community Resilience Network

One of the strongest examples of local leadership has come from the Papakura Community Resilience Network (CRN), chaired by Brian Collins. What began as a community disaster preparedness group brought together by the Papakura Local Board, has evolved into a wide-reaching network focused on practical climate action and social connection.

“Our job is to raise awareness, build connection, and help people get prepared,” says Brian. “We’re not just pushing out safety messages, we’re trying to rebuild the kind of community that knows how to take care of itself.”

 The CRN has led a suite of engagement efforts: a growing website, social media campaigns, a podcast series called Tū Tika Tips, and face-to-face events. “There’s a lot of loneliness out there,” Brian says. “These projects, whether it’s a street meet or a workshop, are helping people feel connected again.”

A different kind of process

At the heart of the pilot has been a shift in how decisions are made. Rather than applying for funding through formal council channels, local groups pitched their ideas to each other and decided collectively how to allocate seed funding. 

Five projects were selected: 

• A solar energy sharing initiative from Papakura Marae 
• A home flood-preparedness project with Kootuitui ki Papakura 
• A local repair café led by Sustainable Papakura 
• A communications campaign and podcast by the Community Resilience Network 
• The expansion of Street Meets, including a mega street meet in Drury to help locals in this new and growing suburb get to know each other.

A community garden led by the Takaanini Gurdwara wasn’t funded, but council is working with the Gurdwara to find other ways to progress. And in fact ground has now been broken! Check out this awesome video about it!

Strengthening what’s already here 

Rather than starting from scratch, the pilot has built on existing relationships and work already happening in Papakura. Ngāti Tamaoho – and groups like Kootuitui, the Gurdwara, Papakura Marae and the CRN – had already been responding to community needs, from emergency food parcels to home insulation and disaster education.   

“We didn’t need to create something new,” says Marisa. “We just needed to call on mana whenua guidance, join forces with what’s already working, and make sure more people could be part of it.” 

For Maree Beaven, Chair of Papakura Neighbourhood Support, the focus has been on connection. “Knowing your neighbours matters,” she says. “The Street Meets have helped people start talking again, sometimes for the first time in years.” 

“It’s not big things, it’s not waiting for the disaster to build the relationships,” says Maree. “It’s about doing stuff together. Let’s cook together, let’s walk our dogs together. The more often we can bring people together, the better off we’ll be.” 

These simple, everyday actions have been key to building trust and a sense of shared responsibility, the kind of social infrastructure that can support Papakura through both ordinary times and times of disruption. 

Equity in practice 

From the beginning, the pilot aimed to include those who are often left out. Workshops were hosted at Papakura Marae, the Sikh temple in Takanini, and with groups like Kootuitui, to reflect the diversity of the area. Materials were translated, flood risk maps shared, and community voices brought to the forefront. 

Ngāti Tamaoho have also been clear that for resilience to be real, council and government need to follow through. 

“We stood up during the floods, opened our marae, delivered kai, assessed the damage,” says Edith. “We ran an emergency centre, checked on kaumātua, did the environmental assessments, and supported whānau who were hit hardest. That’s just who we are, we look after our people.” 

Ben agrees. “There’s no hesitation from us to offer manaaki, that’s embedded in who we are,” he says. “But it hasn’t always been recognised or supported in the way it should be. If we’re serious about building climate resilience, we need the structures and funding to match.” 

Early signs of change 

Across the board, those involved say the biggest shift has been in relationships. People are working together who hadn’t connected before. Trust has grown, and a shared commitment to this place and its future is emerging. 

“What this kind of work has proven to me is that there is so much goodwill, passion and aroha for us to work together, and we need that now more than ever,” says Ben. “The genuine care of people wanting to work with their neighbours on the safety of our community is really inspiring.” 

“This process has revealed the strengths in the community and lifted them up,” adds Marisa. “Growing trust will serve us well for sailing any choppy water ahead of us.” 

While much of the pilot’s early focus has been on flood risk, the work is also laying a foundation for other climate disruptions, including extreme heat, drought, changes to food systems, and pressure on native ecosystems. The intention is to see Papakura adapt and thrive together despite these challenges.