Settlement Trust Elections 2026

The Hei o Wharekaho Settlement Trust (Settlement Trust) seeks seven (7) Trustees to guide us into a Post-Settlement era. The settlement  is a taonga from our tūpuna, to be held, nurtured and grown for our mokopuna and theirs. Our new Trustees must balance their efforts between short to medium term operational needs, while putting in place the vision and plan for longer-term iwi aspirations, intergenerational wealth, and revitalisation of Ngāti Hei and Ngāti-Hei-tanga.

Trustee candidates

There are eleven candidates for the seven (7) Trustee positions. Voting will commence on the 15th of June.

View the candidates

About the trust

The Settlement Trust is Ngāti Hei’s Post Settlement Governance Entity (PSGE). A PSGE is the formal organisation established by an iwi to receive, hold, and manage assets and redress from a Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement claim with the Crown. Furthermore, the Settlement Trust, being accountable to all iwi members (as beneficiaries) becomes a legally consistent entity representing the iwi to the Crown – in the form of central and local government and government agencies.

For Ngāti Hei, the Settlement Trust protects settlement assets, grows wealth for the long-term, and makes decisions for the collective benefit of the iwi. Working through subsidiaries and with other governance boards (whenua trusts and charitable trust), the Settlement Trust leads the social, cultural and economic revitalisation of Ngāti Hei.

The Trustee role

The duties of Trustees are varied and complex. They extend beyond attending fortnightly or monthly hui. Hui are conducted kanohi ki te kanohi and online and are usually about four hours in duration. Beyond hui, the work of a Trustee involves:

  • Ongoing consultation and communication with iwi members (comms and hui);
  • Strategic planning, including long-term intergenerational planning;
  • Research and analysis for policy positions, investment decisions and commercial opportunities;
  • Setting culture for Ngāti Hei Group (Settlement Trust & subsidiaries); and supporting other governance entities with best practice.
  • Leading or contributing to business as usual workstreams, or projects that contribute to organisational objectives.

 

This work is varied and conducted between meetings, through sub-committees and working groups, which then report back to the board of Trustees. In short, being a Settlement Trust Trustee is an active governance role. There is a lot more to it than showing up to meetings. You are building the future for Ngāti Hei.

trustee role description (PDF)

How voting works

Election Services is acting as the independent Returning Officer, managing the election for us, i.e. both the nomination and voting processes.

Each Adult (18+) Member of Ngāti Hei is eligible to vote provided that at the date voting closes they are either:

  • already recorded on the Ngāti Hei Tribal Register as an Adult Registered Member; or
  • have submitted a completed iwi member registration application on this website, and a Special Voting form available from Election Services. 


Each voter gets one vote, on which they list their preferred candidates up to the number of Trustee positions being filled. Voting will be all electronic and primarily delivered by email. If we do not have an email address for you, Election Services will endeavour to send you voting instructions by physical mail, to the last known address we have on our Tribal Registry. 

The Returning Officer will also be available on site at Te Rito, for the Wāhi Pōoti day and can assist you on that day (see the Timeline). 

Votes cast by members who have applied for iwi member registration but have not yet had whakapapa validated are treated as provisional until their registration is accepted. If the application is declined, the vote is invalidated.

The candidates with the highest number of valid votes for the available vacancies are elected. If there is a tie for the last position, the winner is determined by drawing of lots.

Note that if the number of nominations is less than or equal to the number of vacancies (7) then no voting will be required and all nominees are deemed appointed.

Documents

Timeline*

Sunday 17th May

Online info hui

Google Meet

Sunday 17th May
Monday 18th May

Nominations Open

Monday 18th May
Monday 8th June 5pm

Nominations Close

21 days later

Monday 8th June 5pm
Sunday 14 June

Meet the candidates hui

Google Meet

Sunday 14 June
Monday 15th June

Voting Opens

Monday 15th June
Monday 6th July

Wāhi Pōti

Returning officer at Te Rito 10:00am to 2:00pm for in-person electronic voting. 

Monday 6th July
Monday 13th July 5pm

Voting Closes

28 days later

Monday 13th July 5pm
Friday 17 July

Results Announced

Preliminary election results. Special votes still processed. 

Friday 17 July
Saturday 12 September

HoWST AGM 2026

Final election results announced.

Saturday 12 September

* Subject to minor changes but consistent with obligations under the Deed of Trust

FAQs

Why is HoWST seeking seven (7) trustees?

Both of the current trustees will be standing down. Seven trustees is the full complement allowed under the Deed of Trust.

A larger board allows for broader representation of the diversity within Ngāti Hei — whānau groups, ahi kaa vs. living away, age groups, and skill sets. This strengthens the legitimacy of the Trust in the eyes of beneficiaries.

With seven trustees, the board can better absorb absences, conflicts of interest requiring recusal, or unexpected vacancies without falling below the minimum of three required to function. 

A larger board makes it easier to collectively hold the range of skills and experience typically needed without over-relying on any one trustee. 

More trustees means more perspectives in decision-making, reducing the risk of any individual having disproportionate influence over board decisions.

Lastly, given that this is an early stage of the Trust’s life following settlement, establishing the full complement from the outset signals stability and good governance to the Crown, to beneficiaries, and to third parties the Trust will deal with commercially.

Are Trustees remunerated? How much are they paid?

Trustee remuneration must be authorised by a resolution at the AGM. Before recommending a remuneration level to members, the Trustees are obliged to seek professional advice on appropriate remuneration. The current trustees have not been remunerated. 

How is the Settlement Trust structured?

The Settlement Trust is structured as a Private Trust – standard practice for small iwi – providing an entity which is legally robust, asset-protective, flexible, and durable across generations, while giving the Crown the certainty it needs and providing Ngāti Hei with the autonomy to govern itself according to its own values and priorities.

What are my legal duties as a Trustee, and what personal liability could I face if things go wrong?

The deed’s liability framework is relatively trustee-friendly — honest mistakes made in good faith are protected. The key behaviours that will keep you safe are: always act in the interests of beneficiaries, disclose conflicts promptly, seek professional advice on matters outside your expertise, participate actively and attend meetings, and document your decision-making carefully. The greatest personal risk comes from dishonesty or wilful misconduct — not from making difficult judgment calls in good faith.

How long would I serve if elected, and what are the rules around re-election?

The standard term is three (3) years, running until the conclusion of the AGM in the third Income Year following your appointment. However, the Deed of Trust suggests an initial rotational arrangement to prevent all Trustees retiring at the same time. The new trustees will need to determine how best to implement such a rotation. 

There is no limit on the number of terms a Trustee may serve. You can stand for re-election as many times as you wish, subject to continuing to meet the eligibility criteria each time.

I am not currently on the Tribal Register but believe I am Ngāti Hei. Can I be nominated?

If you are registering for the first time with us, please let us know on the Nomination Form. The Deed of Trust requires that you be accepted on to the Tribal Registry before nominations close, and we will work with you to validate your whakapapa. To whakapapa to Ngāti Hei ki Wharekaho you must be a descendent of Hei o Wharekaho, Waitaha O Wharekaho, or Ngāi Tuhukea. Practically speaking, this means you must be able to show your whakapapa to one of our known Most Recent Common Ancestors (MRCAs), or via new whakapapa to one of the three eponymous ancestors. 

The MRCAs are: Rahera Te Aoreiata, Peneamene Tanui, Erana te Onerere, Arama Whakatau, Ani Urukotia and Hori Kerei Tuokioki. You can start this process now by registering on this website.

What happens if there are fewer than seven nominees?

If the number of nominations is equal to or fewer than the number of vacancies, no election is held — the nominee(s) are simply deemed appointed.

Can you work for a Ngāti Hei entity and be a trustee?

Based on the Deed of Trust, it depends on the nature of your role. Rule 2.2 disqualifies a person from being a Trustee if they are:

  • The Chief Executive of any entity in the Ngāti Hei Group; or
  • An employee of any entity in the Ngāti Hei Group; or
  • a contractor to any entity in the Ngāti Hei Group.

Disqualification is about employment and contracting relationships, not about connection to or involvement with Ngāti Hei more broadly. The rule is designed to maintain separation between governance (Trustees) and management (staff), which is standard good practice for entities of this kind.

So in practical terms:

  • A paid staff member of the Trust or any Ngāti Hei Group entity — cannot be a Trustee
  • A contractor engaged by the Trust or any Ngāti Hei Group entity — cannot be a Trustee
  • A volunteer or someone in an unpaid governance role on a subsidiary entity — the deed does not explicitly disqualify this, though it would be worth checking whether that role creates a conflict of interest

Someone who previously worked for a Ngāti Hei Group entity but no longer does — can be a Trustee, as the disqualification only applies to current roles