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3 February 2021Ngāpuhi is making a raft of constitutional changes including a complete revision of its Trust Deed and a redesign of its governance representation and electoral model, after the trustees of Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi O Ngāpuhi accepted all 13 recommendations of their recent independent governance review.
Wane Wharerau – Board Chair
The review commenced in April 2020 following a decision by the TRAION Board of Trustees to conduct a governance review. It was done in two phases: the first by PwC New Zealand conducted an online survey of around 650 Ngāpuhi members, and the second phase and final report by governance expert David Gray concentrated on stakeholder perceptions and experiences including a close examination of the constitution.
“Mr Gray is a respected expert in the area of governance. After analysing the data, David presented the recommendations to the Board. We are unanimous in our decision to accept and implement the entire set of recommendations immediately,” said TRAION Chair, Wane Wharerau.
Mr Wharerau says the Board has tasked the CEO of TRAION to produce a work plan as soon as practicable to make the changes to the Rūnanga as recommended.
The review looked at five domains of governance: Foundation and Form, Governance Culture and Performance, Purpose and Direction, Organisational Performance, and Risk and Assurance.
“From the outset our aim was to conduct a completely independent review to identify and rectify problems from a governing perspective so that we may restore trust and confidence in the Rūnanga. The Board is committed to tackling the issues by improving the constitution and governance practices in order to perform to a standard of excellence,” said Mr Wharerau.
“We acknowledge every person who participated in this governance review by sharing their thoughts, perceptions, experiences and aspirations. Ngāpuhi has spoken – we are listening and responding, and considering the valuable feedback from our beneficiaries as we work to implement the recommendations.”
Number | Recommendation |
| 1 | That the trust deed of the Rūnanga be completely revised and rewritten. |
| 2 | That the Rūnanga’s representation model and electoral processes be redesigned to ensure the best possible candidates are eligible for election. |
| 3 | That the redesign of the Rūnanga’s representation model incorporates hapū rangatiratanga as the primary organising principle. |
| 4 | That the Rūnanga reviews the role and functions of Te Rōpū Kaumātua Kuia o te Whare Tapu o Ngāpuhi, including its status vis-à-vis the Rūnanga. |
| 5 | That the revised trust deed of the Rūnanga includes robust requirements for member engagement. |
| 6 | That the trustees take steps to incorporate the use of appropriate governance tools, including an annual work plan, a standard-form agenda, a revised governance manual and a set of meeting rules, into their governance practice. |
| 7 | That the trustees review the need for each of the Rūnanga’s standing committees and revise the terms of reference for those committees which are retained. |
| 8 | That the trustees adopt terms of reference for every external appointment made by the Rūnanga. |
| 9 | That the trustees prepare and adopt a set of strategic outcomes for the Group which spell out the purpose of the organisation. |
| 10 | That the trustees design and implement a strategic framework for the Group. |
| 11 | That the trustees prepare and adopt a set of board practice policies. |
| 12 | That the trustees prepare and adopt a schedule to monitor their performance against their board practice policies. |
| 13 | That the trustees design and implement appropriate mechanisms for Group governance encompassing all of the major subsidiaries. |
