Latest news with #PitaTipene
RNZ News
11-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
'It is an interesting time' - Tania Simpson takes over as chair of Waitangi Trust
Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson, new Chair of the Waitangi National Trust Board. Photo: Supplied/Waitangi National Trust Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson, new chair of the Waitangi National Trust Board. The new chairperson of the Waitangi National Trust Board says she intends to hit the ground running in what will ultimately be a short term. Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson ONZM becomes the first wāhine to hold the role of chair since the trust's establishment in 1932, replacing Pita Tipene who stepped down last month after serving for the maximum length of nine years. Simpson has served as a trustee of the Waitangi National Trust since 2017 and as deputy chair since 2021, representing the descendants of the chief Pomare. Like Tipene, she too is approaching the nine-year term limit, but she said there is still time for her to help strengthen the governance and assist the continued development of Waitangi. "So that just means I need to not waste any time but to use the time wisely. It also means thinking about succession and thinking about what will happen at the end of that term and supporting the board through its processes to prepare for that. "So the time may be short but I think we can achieve a lot during that time." The Waitangi National Trust is the guardian of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and facilitates the annual Waitangi Day celebrations. Simpson (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tahu, Tainui) currently serves on the boards of Auckland International Airport, Meridian Energy and Waste Management New Zealand. Her previous roles include board positions with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, AgResearch and Tainui Group Holdings. Simpson said she is looking forward to taking on what may come in the new role, saying there is important work to do. "[I'm] pleased that we have a woman chair so that it demonstrates to other women and to younger women that these positions are open to them to pursue." Simpson said she prefers a collaborative style of leadership, something she plans to extend to the government despite heightened tensions during the last two Waitangi commemorations. "While there may be heightened discussions around aspects of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and how that is given effect to in our current world in particular in government processes, Waitangi itself continues to be the place for that kind of dialogue to occur and the place for all New Zealanders and in particular the parties to the treaty to come together and talk." The trust has enjoyed a good working relationship with government over the years, with the government continuing to support Waitangi through projects and development funding, she said. The trust is much more focused on maintaining Waitangi as a special, tapu place where the treaty was signed and were the spirit of partnership was agreed, she said. "We look after that place and space and the wairua of that place in order that the parties can come together and experience it and reflect and talk about what it means to us today." Simpson said ultimately the dialogue between Māori and government is a good thing and Waitangi is an appropriate place for it to happen. "It is an interesting time, an interesting juncture in the development of our nationhood in that we are having conversations nationally around the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, around what the treaty promised, about what it means and how we will reflect that within our national systems and structures." Orginisations like the Waitangi National Trust and the Waitangi Tribunal which are close to the treaty and its history have a role to play in working through those discussions and getting to a good conclusion, she said. Lisa Tumahai, the former chair of Ngāi Tahu and representative on the board of the people, Pākeha and Māori, living in the South Island, will step into the roll of deputy chair. The chief executive of Waitangi Ltd Ben Dalton said Simpson's appointment is not only a landmark for the trust but a testament to her unwavering dedication to the kaupapa of the treaty. "Her leadership will help deepen the understanding and relevance of Waitangi for generations to come," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Sovereignty 'red line' in any future Ngāpuhi settlement message at Whangārei hapū hui
Te Kotahitanga o Ngā Hapū Ngāpuhi co-chairs Lee Harris and Pita Tipene at Ngāraratunua Marae, near Whangārei. Photo: RNZ / Peter de Graaf A hapū hui in Whangārei has sent a clear message that sovereignty is a "red line" in any future Ngāpuhi settlement. The vexed issue of sovereignty hit the headlines again recently when Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith said settlement talks with Bay of Plenty iwi Te Whānau-ā-Apanui had been put on hold over a controversial "agree to disagree" clause. The clause, added during the previous government in 2023, spells out the iwi's claim it is a sovereign nation - while at the same time allowing the Crown to maintain it has sovereignty over New Zealand. A landmark Waitangi Tribunal report in 2014 sided with iwi by ruling that Ngāpuhi chiefs did not cede sovereignty when they signed Te Tiriti in 1840. Wednesday's hui at Ngāraratunua Marae was to have been a routine gathering of Te Kotahitanga o Ngā Hapū Ngāpuhi. Instead, much of the agenda was consumed by discussions of sovereignty and NZ First Minister Shane Jones' member's bill which aims to impose a single settlement on Ngāpuhi, instead of the multiple smaller settlements sought by some hapū. Te Kotahitanga co-chair Pita Tipene said he would not enter any discussions with the Crown if there was no acknowledgement of hapū sovereignty. "It's a red line for me, a bottom line … it would mean everything that we've been fighting for, prosecuting through the Waitangi Tribunal that we have never ceded our sovereignty, will be signed away by a couple of signatures on a piece of paper," he said. Anyone willing to sign such a settlement was "giving up their soul for pieces of silver and gold". However, Tipene said he was still willing to meet Goldsmith if he travelled to Northland in coming weeks, as indicated by the minister in an interview last week. "We're always willing to meet with the minister. He's responsible for the government in terms of our Tiriti o Waitangi claims so it's only right that we sit down and talk with him instead of talking with him through the media." Tipene was also dismissive of Jones' member's bill, which he described as a distraction. "We will not be corralled into a single settlement. If hapū want to come together, they will do it because they want to, not because they have to." Tipene said East Coast iwi Ngāti Kahungunu had proven it was possible to split the settlement for a large and complex iwi into smaller agreements based on taiwhenua, or regional hapū groupings. With Ngāpuhi, however, Tipene said successive governments seemed to consider settlement as a kind of trophy, with politicians like big game hunters hoping to be photographed with a gun in hand and a foot on the head of the biggest lion. While he didn't agree with Jones on Treaty matters, Tipene said he respected him and valued his role in stirring up debate. "One must admire him for agitating. By agitating, it gets people thinking and moving and having conversations that they may not ordinarily have." Tipene said the message from Wednesday's hui was clear. "We do not want a single commercial settlement. We will be adhering strongly to our own rangatiratanga or sovereignty, and we won't be signing anything that may undermine that." Earlier, Jones said multiple smaller settlements risked turning Ngāpuhi - which had some of the worst socio-economic statistics in the country - into "economic confetti". He told RNZ his bill would bring clarity as to how the claim could be settled. "Then people can consult on the member's bill, and I accept it will take some time, but they will have a clear target, because at the moment, it's like a flock of ducks quacking loudly, flying in all different directions, and sadly, that's what the Ngāpuhi claim has turned into," Jones said. Te Kotahitanga co-chair Lee Harris, who also co-chairs the Hokianga Taiwhenua, said a meeting in Rāwene a day earlier came to the same conclusions as the Whangārei hui. "The position of the hapū that attended was complete opposition to Shane Jones' proposal. We do not accept one settlement for Ngāpuhi. In regard to Minister Goldsmith's kōrero about the removal of any possible clause acknowledging sovereignty, well, we don't agree with that either, especially in light of the stage one Te Paparahi o Te Raki report [that found Ngāpuhi did not cede sovereignty]," she said. Harris also rejected the argument that a single settlement was needed so work could begin quickly on turning around Northland's dire poverty statistics. "In Hokianga, we're pretty sick and tired of people using our existing very poor standards of living against us as a weapon by trying to push a settlement over the top of us. Paparahi o Te Raki [The Waitangi Tribunal's Northland inquiry] addressed historical grievances. Therefore, any settlement is to pay for the wrongs of yesterday that happened to our tūpuna. It's not to be used to tidy up the contemporary mess of the poor living conditions in which we live in today. That is a separate issue, and that is solely on the Crown." Not all at the hui, however, considered sovereignty a sticking point. Kaumatua Waihoroi "Wassie" Shortland said Crown sovereignty was the only way the nation could operate collectively, even if history was littered with examples of governments exercising that sovereignty badly. However, if the Crown maintained Ngāpuhi had lost its sovereignty, that came at a cost that needed to be factored into any future settlement. Like Tipene, Shortland said he was ready to talk to Goldsmith, because he did not have to agree with people to engage with them. Shortland believed settlement would come when Ngāpuhi, which made up one in five Māori and one in 25 New Zealanders, learnt to use the strength of its numbers. About 120 people attended Wednesday's hui. Te Kotahitanga o Ngā Hapū Ngāpuhi is an informal group initially set up by Tipene and the late Rudy Taylor to oppose Tuhoronuku, an earlier attempt to set up a mandated iwi authority to negotiate a single Ngāpuhi settlement. Tuhoronuku was recognised by the government in 2014 but abandoned in late 2018. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Iwi leader Pita Tipene to stand for Northland council
Pita Tipene speaking at Waitangi. Photo: RNZ Northland iwi leader Pita Tipene has thrown his hat into the ring to stand for the Northland Regional Council (NRC) at the upcoming local elections. Tipene confirmed his intention to stand as a candidate for the Te Raki Māori Ward to be one of nine NRC politicians. The decision to stand reflected a continued desire to bring strategic, Māori-led solutions for environmental, economic and regional issues, he said. "It's time for bold, committed and unapologetic Māori leadership at the Council table - to protect and enhance our environment, support our Tai Tokerau communities, and hold our institutions accountable. "Standing for the Te Raki Māori Constituency is a continuation of the work I've dedicated my life to - empowering and building resilient communities, protecting our environment, and ensuring Māori voices are heard where strategic decisions are made." "Te Raki Māori Ward offers an opportunity to bring our values and ways of working into the council chamber. It's about partnership, kaitiakitanga, and working together to solve the challenges facing our rohe, from water quality and climate change to public transport and economic opportunity." Tipene has worked within the Northland Regional Council as part of Te Ruarangi - Māori and Council Working party for the past twelve years, most of that as co-chair. This year he received the King's Service Order for services to Māori, as well as being awarded the Tai Tokerau Māori Business Leader Award in recognition of his work across multiple sectors and serving the people and indigenous communities globally. He is the chair of Motatau Marae and is a familiar face to locals and politicians at Waitangi, often speaking at the dawn ceremony as Waitangi National Trust chair, a role he stepped down from in June . He is also a member of the National Iwi Chairs Forum and has presented to the Waitangi Tribunal on behalf of Ngāti Hine and Ngāpuhi since 2010. Voting packs will be delivered from Tuesday 9th September, with votes closing Saturday 11th October at midday. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
09-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Tai Tokerau Leader Pita Tipene Announces Bid For Northland Regional Council - Te Raki Māori Constituency
A Tai Tokerau leader, Pita Tipene, has today confirmed his intention to stand as a candidate for the Te Raki Māori Ward in the upcoming Northland Regional Council elections. Known for his longstanding commitment to whānau, hapū and iwi development across Tai Tokerau, Pita Tipene says the decision to stand reflects a continued desire to bring strategic, Māori-led solutions for environmental, economic and regional issues. Pita has worked within the Northland Regional Council as part of Te Ruarangi - Māori and Council Working party for the past twelve years, most of that as co-chair, so is well acquainted with the workings of Council. 'It's time for bold, committed and unapologetic Māori leadership at the Council table — to protect and enhance our environment, support our Tai Tokerau communities, and hold our institutions accountable,' says Pita. 'Standing for the Te Raki Māori Constituency is a continuation of the work I've dedicated my life to — empowering and building resilient communities, protecting our environment, and ensuring Māori voices are heard where strategic decisions are made.' 'Te Raki Māori Ward offers an opportunity to bring our values and ways of working into the council chamber. It's about partnership, kaitiakitanga, and working together to solve the challenges facing our rohe, from water quality and climate change to public transport and economic opportunity.' This year has already been momentous for Pita having recently received the King's Service Order for services to Māori, as well as being awarded the Tai Tokerau Māori Business Leader Award in recognition of his work across multiple sectors and serving the people and indigenous communities globally. Pita's candidacy is expected to resonate across Tai Tokerau, where he has served in key governance and leadership roles including Chair of the Waitangi National Trust, Chair of Te Pouahi o te Tai Tokerau (Māori Housing), Chair of the Motatau Marae and co-Chair of the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Co-operation Arrangement, amongst other key governance roles while serving his people at local, regional, national and global levels. Nominations for the Northland Regional Council elections are open and close on 1st August 2025. Voting packs will be delivered from Tuesday 9th September, with votes closing Saturday 11th October, 12pm. Official results will be announced on Friday 17th October 2025.
NZ Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
National Māori leader Pita Tipene stands for Northland Regional Council
Prominent New Zealand leader Pita Tipene is throwing his hat into the ring to stand as a councillor for Northland Regional Council at the coming local elections. Tipene (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Te Tarawa) is standing in the council's Te Raki Māori constituency, which he said Northlanders should poll to keep
