Executive Committee

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Ben Johnstone

General Member

Tēnā Koutou Whānau

 

My name is Ben Taui Johnstone. In 2022, I was co-opted by the Rūnanga to support Kurutia Seymour in the secretary role. I was brought onto the Rūnanga for two reasons – firstly to support Kurutia as he recovered from an illness; and secondly to encourage my development and involvement in iwi governance as a Ngāti Hikairo rangatahi.

 

Being involved in the iwi governance has encouraged me to understand more about my hikairotanga, our iwi and te reo. This experience has resonated very deeply with me; where I now have the opportunity to achieve a more relevant participation in my academic studies as I complete a Bachelor in Maori and Management with Te Wānanga o Raukawa. In this work I have been able to explore opportunities for sustainability within Ngāti Hikairo where it is possible for us as a people to achieve.

 

I would welcome the opportunity to be further involved with the Rūnanga and support their work as well as that of the Secretary, where I can learn more and grow. I also consider it is important that as rangatahi we participate in our future and to then be able to have a say on what this means for us.

 

In my career I have primarily worked in Government in Ministerial Units, supporting Senior Managers as an Executive Assistant and business support. I am currently focused on completing my degree and undertake contract work. My whānau are the Seymours and I am a mokopuna of Dulcie Seymour; and Ted and Rato Seymour.

 

No reira
Ben Taui Johnstone

Thomas Tai

General Member

Ko Pirongia-te-aroaro-o-Kahu te maunga

Ko Kaawhia te moana

Ko Waipapa te marae

Ko Te Whaanau Pani te Hapuu

Ko Ngaati Hikairo te iwi

Ko Thomas Tai Ahau

Ko Lucy raaua ko Joseph Tai ooku kaumaatua

 

I grew up in between Porirua and Kaawhia, going home every second weekend or so with my father to do mahi here and there.  What I offer Te Ruunanganui o Ngaati Hikairo is my heart, my soul and a promise to be true to the Kaupapa of Ngaati Hikairo.  This is a role I seek not for myself but for whanau and our iwi.

Susan Turner

Chairperson

Tihei Mauri ora!
Ko Pirongia tōku maunga
Ko Kawhia Moana tōku moana
Ko Tainui tōku waka
Ko Waipapa tōku marae
Ko Ngāti Hikairo tōku iwi
Ko Susan Turner ahau
Tihei Mauri ora!

 

I was raised by my grandparents, Rato and Ted Seymour in Tokoroa. With them we always returned to Kawhia and Waipapa Marae. Throughout this upbringing, Ngāti Hikairo, Waipapa Marae and Kingitanga was instilled into me. I was always left with the impressions by my tūpuna the uniqueness of Ngāti Hikairo and that we as a people had a special calling. Despite having been brought up away from Kawhia and worked in many different places, these aspects of what my tūpuna have deposited into my wairua remain. I now feel this pull, as well as the opportunity in my life to do so, to give back in the way that my tūpuna did in their time to our iwi. As the Chair I hope to be able to contribute to the same extent as they did along with my mother, Aunties and Uncles.

 

Professionally, I have held Chief Executive roles within the Health and Social sectors, in Aotearoa and Australia for nearly 30 years. In these roles I have been responsible for managing complex services, large multi-million dollar budgets and responsibility for over 500 staff. I have worked with Boards to design and manage governance systems, as well as being on Boards as a Director. I completed the Australian Institute of Directors – Directors Training Programme. I have also completed the Executive Development Programme at the London Business School in London, England, and I am an alumnus of this school.

 

Ngāti Hikairo is at a crucial stage of our iwi development, and I encourage you as whanau to work with the Rūnanga to strengthen our hikairotanga, economic, social and educational development that future proofs us for generations to come.

Duncan Robin

Treasurer

Duncan joined the Executive Committee on 26 February 2022, when he was co-opted into the Treasurer role.

 

He has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in accounting from Victoria University, and he comes from a legal, regulatory and business analysis background.

 

Duncan is a descendant of Pumipi Moke. He hopes to better connect with his Ngāti Hikairo whakapapa, particularly for his four children (David 4, Maia 2, Ethan and Levi 4 months). He also hopes to grow Te Rūnanganui’s financial management capacity and capability, and support Ngāti Hikairo’s broader aspirations.

Gareth Seymour

General Member

Gareth was born in Tāmaki Makaurau grew up in Tokoroa and has lived in Te Whanganui-a-Tara for 16 years where he has worked in non-government and government agencies. His mother is from Wollongong in NSW and his father grew up in Mōkai on the boundaries of Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa.   

Tiriata Carkeek

General Member

Tēnā koutou, my name is Tiriata Carkeek and I am in my second term with Te Runanganui o Ngāti Hikairo. I currently administer our website and social media accounts.

 

 

My home is in Ōtaki – where I grew up –  but Te Papa o Karewa is my wā kainga. I am the daughter of Apakura Kaora-Lee and grand-daughter of Maringirangi Lee. I whakapapa to the Kaora, Edwards and Wetere whānau.

 

 

My interest is in the areas of community, art and cultural heritage.

 

 

I am a claimant for our WAI 1112 and WAI1113 claims.

Pipi Barton

General Member

Ko Ngāti Horotakere me Ngāti Puhiawe ngōku hapū

Ko Rangiahua toku whanau papakainga

Ko Ngāti Hikairo toku iwi

Tēnā koutou


My name is Pipi Barton. My father is Wally Barton, and my grandmother is Kaaho Ponui. I am a Registered Nurse, with extensive experience in health. I bring to my role on the Runanga many years of working for my iwi going back to the year 2003. I took some time off, then recently returned to the Runanga Exec in 2019. Over the years I have been involved in iwi development through mahi on the Resource Management Committee, where I was actively involved in kaitiakitanga within our rohe, some of this work involved developing long term management of many of our land based taonga within our rohe. Over the years I have also been involved in the Waitangi Tribunal Claims process. 

Marae Cunningham

General Member

Ko Pirongia Te Maunga 

Ko Tainui Te Waka

Ko Kāwhia Moana, Kāwhia Tangata, Kāwhia Kai 

Ko Ngāti Hikairo Te Iwi 

Ko Jack Te Papi Te Onehahau rāua Ko Rangitutaki ōku Matua

Ko Marae Cunningham tōku ingoa 

Tēnā koutou, Tēnā  koutou, Tēnā  tātou katoa.

 

I live and work in Hamilton. 

I have been a member of Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Hikairo since 2020 and was recently nominated on to the executive committee at the AGM.

I have been a n.d.u union delegate 20 years plus.

Amiria Ratu

Rangatahi Rep

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Lees Seymour

General Member

Lees Seymour joined the Rūnanganui effective from the Hui-a-tau 5 June 2021. He is a moko of Ted and Rato Seymour who come from the Wetere, Edwards and Pikia whānau of Ngati Hikairo.

 

Lees is currently the Project Manager for the Marine and Coastal area high court process (MACA) as well as our treaty claims. Previously he worked in the forest and wood products industry starting planting trees as a 15 year old and finishing his career 40 years later as the CEO of Nelson Forests. In terms of joining the rūnanga and taking on the Project Manager role Lees has a passion for Ngāti Hikairo and wants to see us continue to grow and develop ourselves so that we can exercise our mana motuhake over our rohe and achieve tino rangatiratanga for all things Hikairo

Kurutia Seymour

Secretary

Kurutia joined the Executive Committee after the AGM on 5 June 2021.  In the absence of a person standing for Secretary, Kurutia agreed to be co-opted into this role.

 

He is semi-retired and comes from a governance background within the government sector.  He has been board and corporate secretary for a number of companies and agencies and also held senior executive positions responsible for Policy, Legal Services, Research and Governance.  He worked in the government sector for thirty years and In his last role was responsible for the relationship between ACC and the Ministries of Health, Business Innovation and Employment and Justice.  He was also responsible for managing the relationship between ACC and the offices of the Ministers for ACC, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Justice and the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 

 

Kurutia hopes that he will be able to assist the Runanga build best practice processes and good governance models to assist with decision making and planning.