Hon David Seymour
Associate Minister of Education

Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced appointments to the new statutory Charter Schools Authorisation Board.

Leading Kiwi educator Justine Mahon has been appointed as Chair of the Board. She is joined by Board members Catherine Isaac, Neil Paviour-Smith, Professor Elizabeth Rata, Rōpata Taylor, Dee-Ann Wolferstan and Doran Wyatt.

“The Board is an integral part of the new charter school model. It is responsible for approving new charter schools, overseeing performance, and intervening where charter schools are not meeting their contracted performance outcomes,” says Mr Seymour.

“The Board is a mix of recognised leaders and innovators across relevant areas including education, governance, leadership, performance management and financial management. Their collective depth of knowledge and experience will be crucial in ensuring the new charter school model is a success.

“I would like to welcome the new Board. They will begin approving new charter schools to open in Term 1 2025.

“It’s great that some Board members bring a deep working knowledge of the charter school model and have been closely involved in its development.

“Five of the members were on the Charter Schools | Kura Hourua Establishment Board, appointed in April this year. I’d like to thank Justine, Neil, Elizabeth, Rōpata and Doran for the sound advice they have provided to me on many aspects of the model’s design and implementation.

“I look forward to working with all the Board members as they begin their terms, and we start to see charter schools opening and lifting learning outcomes for children.”

Note: Bios for those appointed.

• On [ 25 September 2024] the Education and Training Amendment Bill was enacted which establishes the framework for how charter schools will be set up, operate, and be monitored. This includes the establishment of the Authorisation Board.

• Justine Mahon (Chair) is a leading New Zealand educator with considerable experience as a teacher and principal in the tertiary, secondary, and primary education sectors, along with experience in teacher training and development. She possesses expert knowledge and experience in the strategic development of curriculum and pastoral programmes, in the primary and secondary sectors, across all socio-demographic profiles. In recent years, Justine has played a leading role in the Knowledge Rich School research project which she implemented at St. Cuthbert's College, where she was the principal from 2018 to 2024. She has also, along with three other Auckland principals established a robust, alternative, In -School Initial Teacher Education model, in conjunction with the University of Waikato. Justine is a former recipient of the Goethe Institute Teaching Fellowship and was previously on the Board of Trustees of Bayfield Primary School and a member of the executive of the New Zealand Association of Language Teachers. She was recently the Chair of the Charter Schools/ Kura Hourua Establishment Board.

• Catherine Isaac (member) is a public affairs and communications professional with deep experience in governance and management in large corporate, public sector, and not-for-profit roles. Catherine was appointed in 2012 as Chair of the New Zealand Model of Charter Schools Working Group, and subsequently was appointed Chair of the Partnership Schools | Kura Hourua Authorisation Board by Hon Hekia Parata, the then Minister of Education. Catherine’s previous public sector roles include serving as a communications adviser to the Minister of Finance, NZ Treasury, and NZ Debt Management Office, and was GM Communications& Public Affairs for the National Provident Fund from 1989 - 1992. She was a Director of St Lukes Group (now Westfield)1993 - 1996, Trustee of Clifton Terrace Model School 1990 - 1993, Trustee of Wellington College 1995 - 2001, Trustee of the Royal New Zealand Ballet 1990 - 1994, Trustee of Wellington Community Trust 1999 - 2003 (appointed by Hon Sir Bill English), Trustee of Karori Sanctuary Trust 2005 - 2010 and Chair 2010- 2012 (appointed by Wellington City Council). She was a Member of the Welfare Working Group 2010 - 2011 (appointed by Hon Paula Bennett). Catherine is Chair and was previously Trustee of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Advocates NZ and is currently Managing Director of public affairs consultancy Awaroa Partners and Vice President of the ACT Party. She is an honorary member of the NZ Initiative thinktank organisation.

• Neil Paviour-Smith (member) has over 30 years’ experience in various roles in New Zealand capital markets. He has been Managing Director of Forsyth Barr

since 2001. Neil has had an active involvement in education through school and university governance, reflecting a strong personal interest. He was on the Board of Trustees of Wadestown School for 14 years, including 10 years as the Board Chair. He was a Council member of Victoria University of Wellington for 9 years and held the posts of Pro-Chancellor for 2 years and Chancellor for 4 years. He is a Director of Wellington Free Ambulance, NZX, and the NZ Initiative. He is a former Director of NZX and Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (CAANZ) and former Chair of the NZ Regulatory Board of CAANZ. He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant, Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Directors, and a Fellow of the Institute of Finance Professionals NZ, having chaired its predecessor the NZ Society of Investment Analysts. Neil was an inaugural recipient of a Sir Peter Blake Trust Leadership Award in 2005. Neil was a member of the Charter Schools | Kura Hourua Establishment Board.

• Elizabeth Rata (member) is a professor of education at the University of Auckland. She was a founding member of the group which established kura kaupapa Māori and as secretary of Te Komiti o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tamaki Makaurau played a significant role in the successful campaign for legislative recognition, and policy and operational development of kura kaupapa Māori. A leading international curriculum expert, Professor Rata led the Knowledge Rich School Research Project which implemented the Curriculum Design Coherence Model (CDC Model). Her leadership in knowledge rich curriculum development is recognised in Europe where a shift to such a curriculum is underway and to which she contributes. She has recently edited the Research Handbook on Curriculum and Education containing 40 chapters from curriculum experts around the world. In 2024 she was a member of the Ministerial Curriculum Advisory Group, Lead Writer of the Year 7-17 English Curriculum, and member of the Charter Schools/Kura Hourua Establishment Board.

• Rōpata Taylor (member) has governance and executive management skills with over 20 years of private and public sector commercial and business development experience. He has held an Executive Leadership role at Wakatū (an Incorporation managing the family assets of the Nelson Tenths) since 2002. He is a graduate of the University of Otago and has previously worked in the education sector in senior roles at secondary and tertiary levels. He has held Trustee and Director roles and is currently Chair of Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust. He provides expert evidence on customary matters in judicial proceedings. He is a specialist adviser to community groups, local and central government, and NGOs. Rōpata was the Māori advisor on new applications for the Partnership Schools I Kura Hourua pilot in 2013. He sat on the Māori advisory panel alongside Sir Toby Curtis and Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi. Rōpata was a member of the Charter Schools | Kura Hourua Establishment Board.

• Dee-Ann Wolferstan (member) has over 20 years of leadership experience and currently operates as the Kaihautū – Chief Executive for three Iwi/Māori organisations: Te Iwi o Ngati Kahu (Social Services for Ngati Kahu Runanga), Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri Trust (Te Pihopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau Social Service), and Te Kahui Mana Ririki Trust. She has extensive governance experience, having served as the Chairperson of Social Services Providers Aotearoa, a national body representing around 200 community organisations working with at-risk children and young people and with families, whānau, and communities. She is the current chairperson of Te Whanau Rangimarie Trust Board and an independent board member for Cure Kids New Zealand. Dee-Ann also has experience in financial auditing. She is currently an independent advisor to the Audit Risk and Finance Committee of the Northland Regional Council and the Chairperson of the Risk and Audit Committee of Tātau Tātau o te Wairoa.

• Doran Wyatt (member) is a partner at Russell McVeagh and leads their Real Estate and Construction practice in Wellington. He specialises in commercial and Crown property matters, including acquisitions and disposals, developments, construction and leasing, seismic building issues, corporate real estate, and social infrastructure. He works with a diverse range of government, domestic and international private sector clients. Before joining Russell McVeagh, Doran was at another New Zealand law firm for 13 years, five of these as a partner, and has previously practised in the UK with leading City and US firms, where he specialised in property development, joint ventures, and real estate funds. He has previously advised the Ministry of Education (MoE) on private investment projects for education infrastructure on Crown (MoE) land and school site acquisition. Doran was a member of the Charter Schools | Kura Hourua Establishment Board.

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