Wellington Chamber of Commerce is welcoming a suggestion from the director of Ngai Tahu's commercial arm, that iwi invest more in public-private partnerships.
Mark Solomon raised the idea in a speech to the chamber. Ngai Tahu's asset base is worth almost $607 million.
Chamber chief executive Charles Finny says iwi have a large and growing stake in the New Zealand economy and they could be an important source of capital.
He says State Owned Enterprises and ventures like Auckland International Airport Ltd could benefit from their investment.
Mr Finny says iwi are major players in some sectors like fisheries and are developing important skills through managing those interests.
