Te Tumu Paeroa, the Office of the Māori Trustee, has entered into a landmark agreement as the latest anchor tenant of the upcoming Microsoft New Zealand cloud region. The innovative move promises to empower Te Tumu Paeroa's mission to deepen landowners' connection with their whenua (land), enable faster recovery from significant weather events, and spearhead innovation on core issues like climate change.

The signing of this agreement marks a significant shift, linked crucially with Te Tumu Paeroa's trailblazing Māori data sovereignty framework. This framework governs how taonga (treasure) data related to the land and its stakeholders should be safeguarded in the cloud.

Presently, the Māori Trustee oversees about 1,800 Māori land trusts and other Māori organisations throughout Aotearoa, approximately one-third of all Māori Land Trusts. The convoluted administration and governance of Māori land involves working on behalf of over 100,000 owners with multiple land interests. Many of these owners do not reside near their lands. As part of their responsibilities, Te Tumu Paeroa handles statutory matters, which include health and safety, sustainability requirements, financial management for trusts, lease and contract administration, and information sharing about the land with owners and trustees.

"We're both a kaitiaki (guardian) for the land, and for all the data relating to it. In Te Ao Māori, data carries the mana (identity), tapu (sacredness) and mauri (spirit) of the person and land it represents and once you acknowledge that, it changes the way you handle and manage the data," stated Ruth Russell, Kaitautari Prongo Matua | Chief Information Officer for Te Tumu Paeroa.

Until now, the majority of data has been housed in on-site data centres. However, the local Azure cloud region will enable Te Tumu Paeroa to benefit the landowners by using Microsoft’s security, carbon neutrality, and advanced AI technologies.

Ruth's reference to a whakatauki (proverb) underlines a more collaborative and innovative approach: "A kite with a short string is easier to control, a kite with a long string is more difficult to control—but it benefits from the high wind." Ruth envisions this agreement as a means to "enjoy the comfort and peace of having the data close, while being able to engage more easily with owners and support partners."

The cloud migration, aided by migration partner DDS IT, will facilitate Te Tumu Paeroa's cooperation with other organisations using secure Microsoft tools, granting more resilience for critical platforms. Enhancing collaboration and tools for better innovation will speed up recovery and support ecologically sound redevelopment in the wake of major disasters.

The agreement also includes plans to use Microsoft Copilot and other AI tools to identify sustainable and innovative uses of land. This includes condensing vast amounts of data, anticipating challenges, and generating solutions. Interactive maps and reporting tools will assist landowners in engaging more with their land. They will make this information more accessible via digital platforms.

Guidance for the project stems from a two-year effort by a working group at Te Tumu Paeroa to develop a comprehensive Māori data sovereignty framework. Dan Te Whenua Walker, Partner Development Manager – Australia and NZ at Microsoft, expresses his excitement for the potential of this framework to help not only Māori landowners but also Indigenous organisations worldwide.

Finally, Simon Browne, DDS IT Chief Executive, sees the core of this development as a guardianship story. He states, " It's clear that Te Tumu Paeroa sees themselves as the custodians of this data not only for the current owners but for generations to come."