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Regional | Business

Let's shop Māori, Let's spend Māori - Tautoko!

Rotorua is facing tough times so Te Arawa community figure Rawiri Bhana has found a way to encourage people to shop, support and spend with Māori-owned local businesses and individuals in the city.

It is a struggle many families in NZ are going through with small business paying the price.

When the Prime Minister announced NZ will downgrade to Level 3 next week Rawiri Bhana wanted to help the Māori businesses in Rotorua. So he set up 'Tautoko'.

Although many businesses may be unable to operate under Level 3, the main focus is on the future when they are able to operate.

"Let's shop Māori, let's spend Māori, let's keep as much of that Māori dollar of our spend within the Māori community as possible because every dollar we spend with ourselves puts food on their tables and it's that whole trickle-down effect," says Bhana.

Since setting up this group specifically for Rotorua, Bhana says others have set up pages for their own towns.