Māori Heritage Council members appointed

  • Christopher Finlayson
Arts, Culture and Heritage

Eight members have been appointed to the Māori Heritage Council, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The Council assists Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga in developing and reflecting a bicultural view in the exercise of its powers and functions. It also advocates for the interests of Pouhere Taonga and Council relating to Māori heritage at any public or Māori forum.

It also considers recommendations in relation to archaeological sites, and makes decisions about the registration/entries on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero of wāhi tapu, wāhi tapu areas, and wāhi tupuna.

“I am pleased to announce the new Māori Heritage Council appointees,” Mr Finlayson said. “Their skills and experience will ensure that Pouhere Taonga’s work continues to reflect the needs of Māori in the preservation and management of heritage resources.”

The members of the Māori Heritage Council are:

Richard Bradley has a wide knowledge of Māori heritage issues. He is the development manager of Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne O Wairau and chairperson of the Rūnanga Executive Komiti. He was involved with the repatriation to Wairau Bar of around 60 Rangitāne tūpuna from Canterbury Museum in 2009.

Antoine Coffin has experience in Māori resource management, cultural heritage planning, community engagement and facilitation. He is a member of the Waikato River Technical Leaders Group, Western Bay of Plenty Economic Development Agency (Priority One), Mauao Joint Management Board, Making Good Decisions Advisory Board, a Tū Pakari advisor to SmartGrowth, an Environment Court expert witness, and a principal and national cultural discipline co-ordinator for Boffa Miskell.

Patrick McGarvey is a member of the Tūhoe Trust as well as the chair of the Te Komiti o Runga Tribal Authority. He advises on Māori issues, tikanga, Te Reo Māori and post settlement governance. He was the project lead in the development of the Tūhoe representation framework for the Tūhoe Trust, and is also the chair of Te Whānau Pani Hapū and board member of the Tāwera Bi-lingual School.

Kim Ngarimu has a considerable knowledge of the Crown environment and was chair of the officials committee that supported the Cabinet committee on Treaty of Waitangi negotiations. She is the director of consulting company Taua Ltd, which specialises in public policy and management advice. She was deputy secretary at Te Puni Kōkiri for seven years and the acting chief executive of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs for six months in 2012.

The eight person Council also includes four members of the inaugural Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board, announced last month, who were jointly appointed to the Council. They are:

John Clarke CNZM is the former Chief Executive of Ministry of Māori Affairs, Race Relations Conciliator and Human Rights Commissioner and Member of the Waitangi Tribunal. Currently consultant/contractor mediator working with a number of agencies in the public sector including the Office of Treaty Negotiations, Te Puni Kōkiri and Crown Law. He is also a former principal of Wellington High School and Community Institute.

Erima Henare is chair of the Māori Language Commission, deputy chair of the Northland Polytechnic, a member of the Waitangi National Trust Board and is advisor to the Māori King and the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. He has also been a member of Creative New Zealand, The New Zealand Arts Council, the Northland District Health Board and many other regional and national boards and committees.

Naida Glavish has had an extensive career in Māori health services, and as a senior Te Reo Māori teacher. She contributes to several iwi, government and community organisations as a patron, chairperson, or member. She represents the Auckland and Waitematā District Health Boards on the Tāmaki Makaurau Regional Leadership Group for Whānau Ora.

Ian Athfield founded Athfield Architects in 1968. He has won international architectural competitions and been a teaching fellow at Victoria University Wellington. His main areas of interest are in protecting and enhancing the urban fabric of New Zealand, and the preservation and reuse of historic buildings.

The term of the appointments runs until 30 April 2017.