Not One More Acre of Māori Land was the call of Dame Whina Cooper — a call to protect whenua, to stand firm, and to ensure that Māori authority was not further diminished. This project takes that call into the present and into the agri-sector: Not one more voice lost. It asks a simple but important question — kei hea taku reo? Where is the voice of wāhine within the spaces that shape this sector?
This report looks at how women engage with networks across Aotearoa’s agri-sector, and what those networks mean for participation, leadership, and visibility. It is grounded in a kaupapa Māori approach that values lived experience, relationships, and connection to whenua. It recognises that participation is not just about being present. It is shaped by who you know, how you are connected, where you come from, and whether your voice is heard and taken seriously.
Women are active across the agri-sector. They show up, they contribute, and they support others. Many are the ones holding relationships together, connecting people, and keeping things moving behind the scenes. But this research finds that being active in networks does not always lead to influence. Women are often present without being fully recognised in leadership and decision-making spaces. Their contributions are real, but not always visible in the places where decisions are made.
This creates a clear tension. Wāhine are not absent. They are there, doing the work. Yet their voices are not always reflected in outcomes, direction, or authority. The issue is not a lack of capability or commitment. It is that the way leadership is recognised does not always align with the ways wāhine contribute.
This research is also shaped by history and whakapapa. As a descendant of Te Teira, Paramount Chief of Te Ātiawa, this research sits within a legacy of land loss and ongoing struggle for voice and authority. That history is not separate from the present — it continues to shape how Māori participate in sectors like agriculture, and how voice and ownership are experienced. Dame Whina Cooper’s leadership remains a powerful reminder that voice must be protected and carried forward, often through collective effort and determination.
This qualitative study draws on semi-structured interviews with 16 women from across Aotearoa’s Agri sector, including wāhine Māori, to explore how networks shape participation, leadership, and resilience, their experiences show that networks matter. They provide connection, support, learning, and opportunities. For many wāhine, networks are not transactional spaces — they are relational. They are about building trust, supporting others, and creating a sense of belonging. At the same time, the research shows that these contributions are not always recognised as leadership. Much of the work wāhine do sits outside formal titles or positions. It is seen as support, coordination, or “helping,” rather than leadership in its own right. This makes it harder for that contribution to translate into influence or decision-making power.
The research also shows that participation is not the same for everyone. Time, whānau responsibilities, and work demands shape how and when wāhine can engage. For wāhine Māori, participation is also connected to identity, culture, and responsibility to whānau and hapū.
The recommendations in this report focus on making practical changes. Networks need clearer and more open ways for women to get involved. Participation needs to be flexible, so it works alongside real-life responsibilities. Leadership needs to be understood more broadly, so relational and behind-the-scenes work is recognised. There is also a need to ensure that wāhine Māori perspectives are part of how networks are designed and run, not added in later.
Not one more voice lost is both a reflection of what is happening now, and a call to do better.
Hinehou Timutimu
