What an amazing celebration we had on Monday morning, as the Tāmaki Makaurau office we share with the six other Workforce Development Councils was officially blessed and opened.

Our heartfelt thanks to Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei for their support in this Tohu Tangaengae and helping us to settle in our new whare. Gratitude also to the team across Ohu Mahi and WDCs who worked hard to ensure this special occasion could still proceed COVID-19 safely, albeit a bit differently from how they had planned when they logged off on Friday night before Aotearoa moved to the red traffic light setting.

Poumatua Darrell Lambert speaks at the Tohu Tangaengae.

Our speakers at the event talked of the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in all our mahi and our engagement with Māori. That was certainly on display on Monday and how we will continue in everything we do, no matter where in Aotearoa we are working from.

The opening of the Newmarket office reflects another key milestone reached for all of the Workforce Development Councils, which were established on 04 October 2021.

As part of the Tohu Tangaengae to bless and open the Tāmaki Makaurau office, our friends at the Toi Mai WDC created a beautiful artwork as a taonga for Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei.