Whanganui River governance group has four new trustees

The four retiring from the Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui Trust have set a strong foundation for the next seven trustees, Gerrard Albert says. Photo / Stuart Munro

The Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui Trust has four new trustees to help implement the Whanganui River settlement for the next three years.

Che Wilson, Nancy Tuaine, Hannah Rainforth and Alaina Teki-Clark join returning trustees Gerrard Albert, Rawiri Tinirau and Joe Allan. They officially took up their role at the Ngā Tāngata Tiaki (NTT) annual general meeting at Te Ao Hou Marae on September 23.

The seven trustees for the next three years were chosen in a mixture of ways. Tinirau, Teki-Clark and Allan were chosen earlier this year, in a five-month nomination process by Te Rūnanga o Te Awa Tupua, which is the council of hapū of Whanganui Iwi.

The other four trustees were the highest polling of 11 who stood for election. One of them is previous trust chairman Gerrard Albert.

The four take the places of Miriama Cribb and Ned Tapa, who didn't stand for re-election, and Keria Ponga and Chris Kumeroa who did but were unsuccessful.

The new seven will have their first meeting together on October 1, also at Te Ao Hou Marae. It starts with a pōwhiri at 9am, and after that they will be inducted.

Towards the end of the meeting the trustees will go into committee and select a chair and deputy chair.

A five-year strategic plan for iwi and hapū development has been set by previous trustees, and is ready to implement. They will also work with local and national groups to entrench the Te Awa Tupua (whole River) way of thinking and acting.

This is an exciting time for the new trustees to start, former trust deputy chairman Tinirau said.

"Te Awa Tupua is enshrined in legislation and the trust is now in receipt of all financial redress and transitioned assets. The injection of fresh perspectives is timely."

Albert said each of the new trustees will be an exceptional contributor, and the hard work of the four who are retiring has set a sound governance platform to work from.

"They are outstanding governors but even better people. They have shown integrity as well as compassion for the Iwi and the river - and that has made the unglamorous task of governance in an establishment phase a better experience."