The 1984 Hui Taumata was an important step in addressing the widening gap between Māori and Pakeha and the under-utilisation of Māori people and resources. Both the government and Māori were challenged to consult and to fnd ways to resolve the economic and social problems besetting Māori. The call from many at the Hui was for more autonomy: Māori solutions to Māori problems.

Twenty years on, another Hui was called in order to test the relevance of previous conclusions and to update the kaupapa of the Taskforce to
meet the needs of the economic and social environment of 2005.  As with the frst Hui Taumata, the 2005 Hui was attended by a broad spectrum of New Zealand’s eminent leaders, representatives of a wide range of organisations, and Members of Parliament.

The 2005 Hui Taumata confrmed the need to continue specifcally addressing Maori economic development moving forward. The conference celebrated Māori achievement since 1984 by sharing what we have done, who we are, what we want to do, and who we are going to be as Māori, New Zealanders, Polynesians and global citizens. As with the 1984 Hui, the 2005 Hui Taumata was neither a start nor an end but a time to refect, reset and recharge for the generations ahead.

Hui attendees provided the Taskforce with the mandate to instigate actions and initiatives that would accelerate Maori economic development.  They made it clear that the Taskforce was to be geared towards transformational thinking and sustainable solutions.

The government also supported the outcomes of the Hui and provided funding for the Hui Taumata Taskforce to carry forward and progress
the  key messages  from  the Hui. The Hui Taumata Taskforce was  constituted  as  a Charitable Trust  in  2006  in  order  to  formalise  its  legal accountability. 

The Hui Taumata Trust has an action-focused agenda, which includes the development of programmes focussing on Māori Entrepreneurship,
Māori Workforce Development, Regional Development, and Leadership and Governance, amongst others.