Arihia Bennett to chair Royal Commission Ministerial Advisory Group

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu chief executive Arihia Bennett MNZM has been appointed chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group on the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques.

“Twenty-eight people from diverse backgrounds across Aotearoa have been selected for the Ministerial Advisory Group,” Lead Coordination Minister for the Government Response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry Andrew Little announced on 12 June.

The group is being established in response to Recommendation 44 of the Royal Commission of Inquiry report: Establish an Implementation Oversight Advisory Group.

“I’m pleased with the broad range of skills and experience members will bring to the group, encompassing leadership, collaboration and advocacy,” said Minister Little. “The membership includes affected whānau, survivors and witnesses, representative communities, civil society, local government and the private sector.

“We want to ensure we have representation from all our diverse communities, and will be talking to Pacific, rainbow, disability and rural communities for potential candidates to join the group,” Andrew Little said.

Recommendation 44 of the Royal Commission of Inquiry report called for government to establish an Implementation Oversight Advisory Group that:

• includes representatives of communities, civil society, local government, the private sector, affected whānau, survivors and witnesses and the Muslim Community Reference Group;

• provides advice to the responsible minister on the design of the government’s implementation plan and its roll-out; and

• publishes its advice to enhance transparency.

The Ministerial Advisory Group will play a key role in providing independent advice to the Government on the way it implements the commission’s recommendations.

“I’m looking forward to working with Arihia and the group as we respond to the recommendations of the Royal Commission and make New Zealand a safer, more inclusive country for everyone,” Andrew Little said.

Arihia Bennett MNZM (Ngāi Tahu – Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Ngāti Waewae, Ngāti Porou) has been the CEO of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu since 2012.

She has held advisory positions to government, including Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Commissioner (CERC) following the September 2010 earthquake. She has also held governance roles within Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, including as a director for Ngāi Tahu Development Corporation from 1999-2002, and chair from 2002 – 2005.

Other former Board roles held by Bennett include Barnardos NZ and the Christchurch Women’s Refuge (now known as Aviva). She is a member of the Global Women’s Network and the Tuahiwi Māori Women’s Welfare League.

In 2008, she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and the community.

Arihia Bennett MNZM is Chief Executive, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.