Infocouncil – LG Hub Governance Professionals Forum

Ali’imalemanu Kenneth Aiolupotea is the General Manager of Democracy and Engagement/ Kaitaki Matawhānui, Kāwanatanga ā-iwi me te Tūhononga, at Auckland Council. His role involves inspiring a department of high performing professionals to support the Mayor as well as elected and appointed members to govern a vibrant democracy. It also involves leading councils’ commitment to providing equitable opportunities for Aucklanders to participate in council decisions that enhance the wellbeing of communities across Tamaki Makaurau.

Kenneth has worked in local government for more than eight years. His career to date has involved working in professional roles in the private and public sector, both in New Zealand and overseas.

Jim Palmer chaired the panel that undertook a two-year review into the Future for Local Government, which delivered its report in June 2023. In 2021, he retired as chief executive of Waimakariri District Council after 17 years. Currently, Mr Palmer is the independent chair of the Greater Christchurch Partnership. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, with experience as an audit director for Audit New Zealand and the Audit Office. Mr Palmer’s governance experience includes Chair of Riskpool, Chair of the Kaikōura Earthquake Recovery Steering Group and Chair of the Canterbury Chief Executives Forum.

Raymond re-joined Taituarā in June 2014 as Sector Improvement Manager, before commencing his current role as Chief Advisor at Taituarā. He has spent most of the last 20 years in local government related roles, most recently with the Department of Internal Affairs.

He describes his job as two-thirds providing assistance to the local government sector and one-third providing advice to central government on local government matters. His ambition is to help develop a Local Government Act that doesn’t require changes every 18 months. He asks that you wish him well with this task.

Naell is Governance & Stakeholder Services Manager at Queenstown Lakes District Council, with oversight of governance, official information, community engagement and communications, and customer services. He has worked in local government for six years, having previously held roles in tertiary education and Hato Hone St John. Naell is passionate about community engagement and participation and surprises himself regularly by how excited he gets by the intricacies of governance and relevant legislation. Helping others understand how local government works, whether that’s new elected members to the Council table, fellow staff or the public, is something Naell enjoys whenever the opportunity arises.

Kataraina is deeply embedded in Raukawa and in the Waikato region. She is chair of Raukawa Settlement Trust (RST) and Raukawa Charitable Trust (RCT) whose head office is based in Tokoroa, with satellite offices in Te Awamutu, Matamata, Putaruru and Hamilton. She is also chair to Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board (IMPB).

In addition to her Raukawa affiliation, Kataraina has whakapapa links to Ngāti Tahu/Ngāti Whaoa, Ngāti Kearoa/Ngāti Tūara, Ngāti Hauā and Ngāti Maniapoto.

Since 2016, Kataraina has been a Māori constituency councillor for Waikato Regional Council, and has previously been its Deputy Chair. She has also previously served as Deputy Chair of RST and RCT and was Whakamārama Marae rep from 2009.

In 2015, Kataraina received the Queen’s Service Medal for services to Māori.

Kei te riu o Waikato, ko Rahui Pookeka, ko Waahi Paa, Ko Ngati Mahuta e tau ana.

Tipa Mahuta is from Rahui Pookeka (Huntly) and grew up with the impacts of the Huntly Power Project and coal mining on local marae communities. She collected oral histories from kaumātua and supported the establishment of the tribal Tira Hoe, to return this history to descendants of the river.

Tipa has a background in facilitation, research, policy and community development, complemented by 20 years’ governance experience in iwi and local government.

She has been a Waikato regional councillor since 2013 when two Māori constituencies were introduced, and has previously held the position of Deputy Chair. Tipa is Co-Chair of the Waikato River Authority, and most recently was appointed as Co-Chair of the newly established Māori Health Authority. She brings an environmental and health focus to her role of Chair of Te Puna, the Māori Advisory Group for Taumata Arowai.

Rawinia Parata is part of the first ever Maori Ward cohort in Te Tairawhiti. She is of Ngati Porou and Ngai Tahu descent and is passionate about the wellbeing of whanau in her region. She is a communications professional by trade and a story teller/ writer at heart. Rawinia lives in Ruatoria with her children Te Ati Manuka, Te Ana Whakairo and her husband Neihana.

Mali has a 10 plus year career local government, governance. In her current role she leads two teams, Democracy Services and Tai-ranga-whenua with a focus on all processes related to democracy, supporting council’s co-management arrangements with local iwi and leading policy and strategy work aimed at growing capacity to engage with Māori. Co-governance at Waikato Regional Council has been in effect for almost 10 years now. The introduction of Waikato River treaty settlement legislation was the catalyst for forging long term partnerships with iwi in the Waikato. And with more treaty settlements on the horizon the drivers for change will continue to emerge from this space.

Judith is a senior associate in Simpson Grierson’s planning and environment group, based in Christchurch. She recently re-joined Simpson Grierson after several years as part of the in-house legal team at Christchurch City Council. Judith specialises in local government issues, advising on decision-making, consultation and conflict of interest matters, official information and privacy, rating issues, bylaws and policy development. She also has significant experience with local government regulatory issues, including Building Act, Dog Control, Sale and Supply of Alcohol and Health Act.

Mike is a partner in Simpson Grierson’s environment and planning group, based in Wellington. He specialises in local government and environmental law, with a particular focus on the regulatory functions and processes of local government (including under the RMA), and decision-making and governance obligations and requirements. He regularly represents local authorities in relation to RMA matters (including before the higher courts) and has appeared before many other specialist tribunals and council hearings on specific strategic and regulatory matters.

Originally from Gisborne, Peter attended Victoria University of Wellington. After a period of practice, he was appointed as a District Court Judge with a specialist Family Court warrant in 1988.

In 2004, Peter was appointed Principal Family Court Judge and held that position until December 2012, before becoming a Law Commissioner, and in December 2015, Chief Ombudsman.

He has a long association with Pacific judicial issues, and undertook judicial training there in 2002 and 2003. He has held the Samoan Matai title of Misa since 2000.

Peter is Patron of the Dwell Community Housing Trust in Wellington and the White Ribbon Domestic Violence Trust.

Carol is an award-winning engagement professional with a passion to identify ways to ensure diverse voices are heard during decision-making processes.

She has experience facilitating deliberative democracy processes in both the UK and New Zealand such as “What next for Waste?” - a citizens jury to understand how to progress with new waste and recycling initiatives in Bristol and a civic forum to understand community perspectives on how to manage Auckland’s growth. She is currently planning a youth deliberative democracy which is intended to be piloted in the early part of 2023.

In 2022, she was appointed an inaugural Fellow of the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Australasia in recognition of her service to the organisation and to the developing profession of community engagement within Australasia.

Dr Mike Reid, Principal Policy Advisor, LGNZ. After starting his local government career at Christchurch City council Mike has been with LGNZ since 1996, during which time he has worked in a diverse range of policy areas ranging from local governance and social policy to legislative change and local democracy. He currently leads LGNZ’s localism programme. Mike completed his PhD on the topic of strengthening local governance and local government in in 2011 and is currently on the board of the Institute of Governance and Policy Studies. He speaks regularly on local government matters and has published widely.

As Democracy and Governance Manager at Palmerston North City Council and a member of Taituarā’s Democratic Participation Reference Group, Hannah is passionate about ensuring Elected Members receive evidence-based advice which contributes to robust decision-making for our communities. She enjoys training council staff to write well for their audience (elected members and the public) and to tell a well-crafted story. Hannah is a fan of local government and loves seeing people actively contributing to their communities.

Susan is a Senior Advisor with nine years’ experience in local government. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University of Wellington, and her expertise lies in democracy, governance, and regulation which she has honed through working at Taituarā and Hutt City Council.

Susan is known for being open to new ideas which she uses to provide high quality analysis and advice on issues affecting local communities and local authorities. Currently, she is working in Sector Performance, where she is dedicated to improving elections, democracy, and regulatory matters by providing best practice advice and advocacy to support local government staff.

Susan worked as a Registered Nurse in her previous career which shaped her professional journey for collaborative problem-solving and the ability to draw on a range of expertise to achieve shared goals.

In her free time, Susan enjoys biking and playing her guitar which she finds fun, plus they have the added bonuses of keeping her fitness up and being creative.

Janice is Group Manager People and Partnerships at the Kāpiti Coast District Council , with oversight of the governance and legal services, Iwi partnerships; community development; communications and customer engagement functions. With more than 15 years’ experience in communications and engagement before stepping into senior leadership roles, Janice has a passion for increasing public participation in local democracy and making the provision of public services more citizen-centric.

Aleisha has spent the past 9 years in local government, retiring in October 2022 as the Deputy Mayor of Palmerston North. First elected when she was 24 years old, Aleisha was a founding member of the LGNZ Young Elected Members network.

During her time as an elected member Aleisha championed the introduction of Maori Wards, promoted investment in staff and their wellbeing and attempted to remove barriers for people to participate in local government across all levels.

Aleisha lives in the Manawatu with her husband Liam and their two young children: Max and Millie.

Francis Ryan is Kaiwhakahaere Mana Urungi, Manapori | Head of Governance and Democracy at Greater Wellington Regional Council. Prior to joining Greater Wellington Francis worked in four central government ministries, which including a secondment as Private Secretary to the Minister of Regional Development. Francis has previously been a member of the Taituarā Democracy and Participation Reference Group.

Ko Makeao, Kaiaio, Whetumatarau, Hikurangi, Titirangi, Waipuna, Rangitawhio, Puketapu, Manawaru me Nga Pari e mamae ra nga maunga.

Ko Mataatua, Horouta me Takitimu nga waka.

He uri tenei o Te Tairawhiti whanui.

I am Aubrey Ria, I am Pou Taiao for Te Aitanga a Mahaki Iwi, Project co-ordinator of Mahaki Mahinga Kai Environment Restoration Team and a first term Maori Ward Councillor. My husband and I have four children, 15 chickens, eight sheep, three pigs and a fur baby called Awa.

My personal values are, honesty, respect, inclusion and above all manaakitanga (support)

My personal aspiration is “Oranga Wai, Oranga Whenua, Oranga Tangata” all my jobs position me to assist in the regeneration, revitalization and reimagination of water, land and people and to see all three thrive.

My Goal is simple “Mokopuna decisions!” where I will leave any space that I have been apart of in a better state then when I found it, for the benefit of future generations.