New Trustees Appointed for Te Aute Trust Board

MEDIA RELEASE
5 December 2013

New Trustees Appointed for Te Aute Trust Board

Te Aute College and Hukarere Girls’ College have a stronger foundation on which to produce leaders for the future after collaboration across the Anglican Church.

Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa, the Maori Bishopric of Aotearoa, has announced that trustees of the St John’s College Trust Board (SJCTB), have accepted appointments as trustees of the Te Aute Trust Board, which has oversight of Te Aute College and Hukarere Girls’ College in Hawke’s Bay.

Archbishop Brown Turei, Te Pihopa o Aotearoa, describes the appointments as an exciting day for the schools and for the church.

“Te Aute and Hukarere have a fine heritage and tradition in forming the leaders of Maoridom. Recent years have been difficult as finances have not been secure. Now we can look ahead in greater confidence”.

“I want to thank the outgoing trustees, ably led by Robin Hapi for the work they have done to continue to operate the schools in a challenging environment. Now is the time for the whole church to come in aid of the schools and to maximize their contribution to Maori Anglican education, says Archbishop Brown.”

The new trustees are Archbishop Brown Turei, Archbishop Philip Richardson, Bishop John Gray, Stephen Jacobi, Mele Tailai, Maui Tangohau, and Kevin Wearne. All also serve as members of SJCTB, an endowment which provides funding for education in the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.

Outgoing Te Aute Trust Board Chair Robin Hapi says the trustees, who were ending their terms, are pleased to support this development.

“This is the culmination of a process of collaboration between the two trust boards and the Anglican Church to ensure the continued viability of the two iconic Colleges,” says Robin Hapi.

“We are thankful that the Anglican Church in this country has endorsed its support for this proposal and we look forward to the progress in the growth and development of our two colleges that this initiative will enable. The intention is clearly that after a time the governance will be handed back to a newly constituted Te Aute Trust Board. We tautoko this decision wholeheartedly,” says Robin Hapi.

Incoming Te Aute Trust Board Chair, Stephen Jacobi, says the involvement of the St John’s Trustees reflects the desire of the three tikanga of the Anglican Church to ensure the schools continue to play a strong role into the future.

“My fellow Trustees and I are deeply conscious that these schools are taonga tuku iho. We respect their heritage and commit to ensuring that tikanga, whakapono and te reo will be upheld at all times. We undertake to consult closely with the local community and we look for their support as we build a new future for these schools.”

ENDS

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