E te rangatira, nau mau haere mai ki te Mana Rauhī Taiao.

Mavis Mullins has been appointed the new Tumuaki (Chair) of the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) statutory Māori Advisory Committee, Ngā Kaihautū Tikanga Taiao. Mavis will take up this role on 1 September 2021.

EPA Board Chairperson Julie Hardaker says, "The Board and Ngā Kaihautū Tikanga Taiao are pleased to welcome Mavis to the role of Tumuaki. Mavis’ strong values, wealth of governance experience and commitment to the natural environment will be invaluable assets to Ngā Kaihautū Tikanga Taiao and the guidance it gives to environmental decision makers."

Mavis brings more than two decades of governance experience in both the public and private sectors and has received widespread recognition for her services to the primary sector. This includes being made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the wool industry in 2002, and in 2017 being inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame and awarded Outstanding Māori Business Leader.

Mavis says at the heart of her purpose lies simple values such as every decision being a "mokopuna decision".

She says: "The whenua and moana are atua, whether we farm or simply enjoy them - people matter the most as we give honour to these natural and ancient atua."

The Board thanks Dr Daniel Hikuroa who has been Acting Tumuaki since June 2020. Ms Hardaker says Dr Hikuroa has done an exceptional job and will resume his role of Ngā Kaihāutū Tikanga Taiao Tumuaki Tuarua (Deputy Chair).

© Scoop Media