Nominations For The Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Board Elections Are Now Open

Tuesday, 4 February 2025, 10:35 am
Press Release: Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc

The Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated (NKII) Board Elections take place every three years. Nine (9) elections take place simultaneously for ten (10) positions on the Board as follows; The election of six (6) Taiwhenua/Rohe representatives, two (2) Taurahere representatives (from the new Northern and Southern Districts), one (1) Kaumātua representative and (1) Chairman position.

All members currently on the NKII Board were participants of the 2022 NKII Board election process except for Jenny Nelson-Smith, who was appointed after the passing of the late John Barry Heperi-Smith. All participants whether candidates, nominators or voters, must be registered to participate in this election. All registered participants must be Nga Uri a Kahungunu – descendants of Kahungunu, 18 years of age or over at the time of the election which is 24 April 2025.

Nominations for these Board positions opened today. Those eligible to stand for positions were informed by email today. Nominations close of the 28 February and on the 4th March a notice will be made public to announce the candidates. On the 24th March voting papers will be posted to all registered iwi members who are eligible to vote as noted above.

The Taiwhenua/Rohe Boards are made up of registered Marae representatives who have been appointed or elected by their respective marae and/or they have been elected in accordance to their own respective constitutions.

The Taurahere Boards are made up of registered Kahungunu representatives who reside outside the Kahungunu rohe.

Candidates for the Taiwhenua/Rohe/Taurahere representative positions on the Board will come from the current pool of active Taiwhenua/Rohe/Taurahere Board members as of 1 February 2025.

Kaumātua nominations come from an open pool. The criteria for the Kaumātua representative is as follows: You need to be a registered tangata whenua member of Kahungunu descent; Be 60 years or older; Be interested in the future of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi; Be registered to participate in the 2025 election; Be proficient in Kahungunu tikanga, kawa and reo; and, Reside in the Kahungunu rohe. If you are interested in standing for the Kaumātua position, please let me know and I will forward you the nomination information.

Nominations for the Iwi Chair position will come from the pool of Taiwhenua Board members who meet the criteria requirement at the time nominations open for the iwi election which is 3 February 2025. The incumbent Chair, becomes an eligible candidate to the position of Chairperson without going through a marae/Taiwhenua election process as stated in 9.2.1 of the Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Constitution.

The Independent Returning Officer for the NKII Board Election is, Dale Ofsoske of Election Services.

UPDATE YOUR DETAILS SO WE CAN ADD YOU TO THE MAIL OUT OF THE ELECTION PAPERS

It is important that our database is as accurate as possible for our voting papers to reach you in time.

If you are registered with the iwi and you aren’t sure if we have the right information for you, please call us on our 0800 524 864 number or visit our website https://www.kahungunu.iwi.nz/are-you-registered or email database@kahungunu.iwi.nz

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated is a Mandated Iwi Organisation/Authority. Ngāti Kahungunu is the third largest iwi.  Geographically the tribe has the second longest coastline in the country from Paritū in the North to Turakirae in the South. Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated maintains an independent position to provide research, advice and advocate for the interests, rights, values, beliefs and practices of Ngāti Kahungunu alongside our whānau and hapū. Our mission is to enhance the mana and well-being of Ngāti Kahungunu.

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