Expressions of Interest - Steering Groups
Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai ki Aotea Trust is seeking Expressions of Interest from beneficiaries near and far and members of the Aotea community who are passionate about contributing to our iwi Trust Board kaupapa.
Joining a Steering Group is an opportunity to support and inform the Trust’s decision-making, help guide our mahi, and ensure our whānau and community voices are reflected in our work.
If you are interested in supporting the future direction of our Trust and Aotea, please apply. See details below.
Treaty Claim Steering Group
You will be part of progressing our historic Treaty Settlement and our Marine and Coastal Area (MACA) claims. You will be passionate about restoring the mana of Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai ki Aotea and bringing prosperity, healing and justice to our people.
Trustee Pou Rangatiratanga Lead: Fletcher Beazley.
Email Pou Rangatiratanga enquiries to:
Pou Taiao
Support the regeneration of our taiao - Pou Taiao reflects our deep commitment as kaitiaki to protect and restore the mauri of Aotea’s whenua and moana. Together, these kaupapa affirm our belief that our mokopuna deserve to inherit a thriving, living, taiao - protected, restored and led by us.
There are three Steering Groups that sit within Pou Taiao - Pou Whenua, Pou Moana and Tai Tū Moana.
Pou Whenua
The Pou whenua Steering Group lead two significant kaupapa:
Taonga Species - Supports monitoring and surveys of taonga species across the motu including frogs, lizards and birds. We are also part of the DOC programme to return 5 taonga species in five years to Aotea. This year we celebrated the return of the tīeke to Rakitū. Other mahi includes the re-cloaking of Papatuanuku through a new Ngahere Native Plant Nursery, and Kaui Ora surveys.
Eradication of Predators and Pests - Through our Tū Mai Taonga project, which is out largest kaupapa, focused on restoring Aotea through the eradication of feral cats, rats and other species. This vital mahi also contracts 27 kaimahi, across trapping, monitoring, tech and leadership roles all to protect our taiao.
Trustee Pou Whenua Lead: Te Kauri Wihongi.
Email general Pou Whenua enquiries to:
Email Taonga Species enquiries to:
Email Tū Mai Taonga enquiries to:
Pou Moana
The Pou Moana Steering Group oversees multiple projects. Among those are fisheries management, customary harvesting for kai moana and the Māori research project, Pou Rāhui, which is focused on the revitalisation of the mauri of Tīkapa Moana and Te Moananui-ā-Toi through a Mātauranga lens.
Tai Tū Moana
The Tai Tū Moana Steering Group is working hard to advance marine protection of taonga species through the training of local divers, and supporting the response to exotic caulerpa. This mahi also extends to support for the research project Ahu Moana which monitors moana health, has deepened our understanding of exotic caulerpa, and taken action on declining kōura numbers.
Trustee Pou Moana Lead: Judyth Hilton.
Email Pou Moana or Tai Tū Moana enquiries to:
Pou Tangata
The Pou Tangata Steering Group is working towards building a strong suture for our people through iwi-led kaupapa in health, education, rangatahi development and the establishment of a maara kai. Our vision is serviced by our people, for our people on Aotea and for our whānau beyond - from hauora and wellbeing, to education and pathways that support our rangatahi to thrive.
Trustee Pou Tangata Lead: Hinearihi (Astrid) Ormond.
Email Pou Tangata enquiries to:
Pou Whakapapa
This Steering Group is breathing life back into our mātauranga (traditional knowledge) and our ways of being through wānanga and ongoing programmes that are revitalising te reo, karanga, whaikōrero, whakapapa, tikanga and protecting and restoring the wahi tapu sites. Through regular online and kanohi ki te kanohi classes, wānanga, artworks and strategy development we’re making our whakapapa visible and alive, ensuring our mokopuna know exactly who they are and where they stand.
Trustee Pou Whakapapa Lead: Miraka Davies.
Email Pou Whakapapa enquiries to:
Pou Whairawa
Pou Whairawa works alongside our iwi and the wider community to support sustainable development and opportunities for future generations. Relevant kaupapa include housing, infrastructure, tourism, climate change resilience, strengthening key partnerships and the economic long-term vision of Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai ki Aotea.
Trustee Pou Whairawa Lead: Briar Plamer
Email Pou Whairawa enquiries to:
Community Led Development
The purpose of the Community Led Development project is to reconnect and energise the North of Aotea through regular engagement hui and delivering on the Community Path Plan - a five-year vision shaped by whānau and community input. Successful collaborations have included pizza ovens, a gym, 2026 Waitangi Day celebrations and the renovation of the Port Fitzroy Boat Club, all of which promote wellbeing, social connection and community renewal.
Email Pou CLD enquiries to:
ALL EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST ARE OPEN UNTIL 20 JANUARY 2026.
To apply for and of the Steering Groups above, please email mahi@ngatirehua.iwi.nz and note which Steering Group you are interested in joining and why. A personal statement and/or CV is optional but recommended.