Instep Young Leaders had the opportunity to be part of the Tauranga Moana Investment Summit, a major regional event focused on investment, growth, infrastructure, impact and the future of the Western Bay of Plenty.

Held on 14 May, the summit brought together investors, iwi, government, developers, business leaders and regional decision-makers to explore the significant investment opportunities emerging across Tauranga Moana and the wider Western Bay of Plenty.

The event opened with Hon. Chris Bishop, Attorney-General, Minister of Housing, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Minister of Transport and Associate Minister of Finance, alongside Hon. Simon Watts, Minister of Climate Change, Minister of Local Government, Minister of Revenue and Minister for Auckland. The programme also included panel discussions on growth infrastructure, key growth sectors and investing for impact.

For the Instep Young Leaders in attendance, the summit was a chance to hear directly from people shaping the region’s future and to bring a youth perspective into conversations about long-term growth.

For Year 13 Bethlehem College student Tobias Werahiko, the summit offered a rare chance to sit inside a high-level regional conversation and ask questions about the future he may one day be part of shaping.

“The investment summit was a very informative session and the first time I’ve experienced something like that,” Tobias said.

With senior regional and national leaders in the room, Tobias saw the summit as a chance to ask questions that felt directly connected to his own future.

“Hearing they would be there made me want to ask important questions about the future of Tauranga,” Tobias said, “as this could be the place I end up.”

During the summit, Tobias asked Hon. Chris Bishop where he believed Tauranga should grow first, and why. He said the response helped him better understand the thinking behind future growth priorities for the city.

Tobias also raised the issue of electric vehicles and future energy demand, asking how the region plans to ensure people can power their vehicles and appliances as more households move towards electric options. While he felt the response did not fully answer the question, the moment highlighted the value of having people in the room who are thinking seriously about the long-term consequences of today’s decisions.

His reflection points to the importance of including rangatahi in regional conversations. Young people are not only interested in what is being planned now. They are also thinking about what those decisions will mean for the future they will inherit, work in and help shape.

The summit also featured a panel on investing for impact, which included Finn Mundy, a Year 13 student from ACG Tauranga, alongside leaders from BayTrust, Hobec, Te Awanui Huka Pak, Purpose Capital and Quayside Holdings.

Beyond the formal sessions, Tobias valued the chance to meet people working across different parts of the region’s growth story and to better understand the roles they play.

“Overall, I think it was a very good day where I got to meet a lot of new people and hear about what they do,” he said. “I enjoyed it and thought it was a meaningful event to go to.”

The involvement of Instep Young Leaders at the Tauranga Moana Investment Summit reflects the value of creating space for young people to be present in conversations about regional growth, investment and impact.

When rangatahi are invited into these rooms, they bring curiosity, challenge and a future-focused lens. They ask the questions that matter to them, and in doing so, help remind decision-makers that the future of the region is not an abstract concept. It is already sitting in the room and want to be actively involved.