Government‑backed infrastructure upgrades at Parihaka have been completed, with Regional Development Minister Shane Jones marking the milestone at an event today.

The $28.3m programme combined $19.8m in government funding with $8.5m in community co‑investment. Works covered roads; water, wastewater and stormwater systems; lighting and power; fire safety; public amenities; and walking tracks. Officials say the upgrades will reduce environmental risk and long‑term maintenance costs, improve flood resilience, and enable future papakāinga housing.

Parihaka’s papakāinga sits on the Taranaki coast and includes three marae and about 30 dwellings. The site is a focal point in Aotearoa’s history of non‑violent resistance led by Tohu Kākahi and Te Whiti o Rongomai following 19th‑century land confiscations. The Crown issued a formal apology for the 1881 invasion in 2019, and today’s announcement is linked to commitments in the Parihaka Deed of Reconciliation, Te Kawenata o Rongo.

The Government previously provided the Parihaka Papakāinga Trust with a $9m reconciliation payment in 2018 to support community development. Today’s works are positioned as the backbone for the next phase at the village. Details on the scale and timing of any new housing were not provided.

Jones said the completed infrastructure will help Parihaka “safeguard its legacy” and plan with confidence for future generations, framing the investment as part of an ongoing relationship between the Crown and the Parihaka community.