External Māori Advisory Rōpū

Georgina is the current Chair of the Māori Advisory Rōpū, with whakapapa affiliations to both Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Raukawa.

She represents a strong whānau perspective across several national health advisory bodies, including the Te Whatu Ora National Palliative Care Steering Group, the Pharmac Consumer Advisory Council, and He Hono Wāhine, a committee of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

In addition to her advisory roles, Georgina is an active community volunteer. She serves with Coastguard Tairāwhiti and carries out her duties as a Justice of the Peace within the Tairāwhiti region.

Her professional background includes extensive engagement with Māori communities, where she has played a significant role in fostering strategic relationships and developing collaborative frameworks, particularly in partnership with Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

Ko Te Atua o Taiehu te mauka  

Ko Takitimu te waka  

Ko Otākōu te awa moana  

Ko Otākōu te marae  

Ko Kai Te Ruahikihiki toku hapū  

Ko Taiaroa raua ko Karetai oku tupuna  

Ko Waitaha, Kati Mamoe raua ko Kai Tahu oku iwi  

Ko Michelle Taiaroa-McDonald toku ikoa  

Michelle currently a member of our Otago Local Advisory Committee. She is the Tumuaki of Te Huka Matauraka at the University of Otago and works across multiple committees as well as being an active hapū member of her rūnanga.  

Previously she was the Manager of Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and is director and owner of a fishing company. Michelle has served on many boards and committees and is known in the area for her support across the community, including her role in the Emergency Response Otago team. 

She is a dedicated loyal hapū member and the holder of the criminal justice portfolio on behalf of mana whenua.  

She has a strong belief that when humility, aroha and manaaki drive your model of practise. 

He uri ahau no nga Iwi katoa o Tauranga Moana, no Ngai Te Rangi, Ngati Ranginui, Ngati Pukenga me nga Potiki a Tamapahore, me te maha hoki o nga herenga ki Iwi ke atu. 

Peter recently retired from Fire and Emergency New Zealand as fire fighter with 40 years career servicing his communities in Auckland to spend more time with his whānau and hapouri Iwi.   

 Peter serves on many boards and committees with governance management roles, both commercial & residential.    

He is passionate joining this rōpū to work alongside our Executive Leadership team to assist with strengthening the engagement and partnerships with our communities.  

Lana Ngawhika MBA (Dist.), MinstD

E tū ana ki te taumata o Tarawera e tū takotako rā

Ka titiro whakararo iho ki te waka o Te Arawa

E rere nei i ngā wai karekare o Tarawera

Ka ū te waka ki uta ki te marae nukunuku-ātea o Te Pākira

Kia rongo i te reo pōhiri o Tūhourangi

E mihi nei e karanga nei

Lana has held strategic roles and driven kaupapa Māori initiatives for over 25 years. Through this experience, she has developed and nurtured invaluable networks throughout Waiariki, Tairāwhiti, and Waikato-Tainui regions.

Lana is an experienced governor and has served on a number of Te Arawa boards, including Te Arawa Lakes Trust and Te Pūmautanga o Te Arawa. She was a Ministerial appointment to the Lakes District Health Board and served on the board of the Institute of Directors NZ. Lana currently serves on the Tūhourangi Tribal Authority and Te Arawa River Iwi Trust.

Lana notes that by far her most important responsibilities are those of a wife and kaitohutohu of Herby, māmā and kaitautoko of her adult tamariki, and kui to her adored mokopuna.

Sharon’s iwi affiliations include Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Taranaki iwi and Ngāti Kahungungu ki Wairarapa.  Sharon serves on many boards and holds esteemed positions within her community.

Sharon has been involved in Te Tau Ihu Treaty Settlements since 1992 and this mahi involved working with nine iwi, including Kai Tahu.  She is also co-chair on Te Tau Ihu NZ Māori Council Committee and works closely with the Māori Wardens.  Sharon was actively involved in tertiary education working with many Marlborough whānau and as a trustee for Rata Foundation, she networks with many community organisations in Te Tau Ihu.

Sharon has served in leadership, advisory, academic, and governance positions in education, health, justice, iwi, and community.

She is a member of the NZ Parole Board, NZ Māori Council, and several Regulatory Professional Conduct Committees.  Sharon has a doctorate in Indigenous Studies, First-Class Honours Master of Māori studies and a Master of Education.

Ko Kārena he uri nō Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua, Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri, Ngāti Ruanui, me Kūki ‘Āirani. 

She is the Deputy Chair of the Northland Local Advisory Committee (LAC) and Senior Lead for the Strategic Engagements and Māori Partnerships Unit at Stats NZ. In this role, Kārena drives Māori community engagement and partnerships across Aotearoa.
Kārena has extensive governance experience, serving two terms as the first Māori elected to the Kaipara District Council and holding the position of Judicial Justice of the Peace. She is also the Mangai Hononga Māori Union representative for Stats NZ.

Her community service includes roles as Marriage Celebrant, Chairperson for Te Kura o Herewini Paka, Pou Whirinaki for Rangatahi Ora, and member/secretary for the Kaipara Hapū Advisory Komiti. Kārena also has 14 years of experience at the Department of Conservation, where she focused on treaty settlement portfolios, and now serves on the Te Tai Tokerau | Northland Conservation Board. 

In June 2024, the first meeting of ELT’s Māori Advisory Rōpū took place. The hui focused on whakawhanaungatanga, starting with a mihi whakatau to welcome members. The Chief Executive (Tumu Whakarae) then greeted the rōpū and shared his vision for their future collaboration. Each Deputy Chief Executive introduced themselves, explained their business areas, and discussed potential connections with the rōpū to enhance decision-making. The rōpū reviewed and approved the Terms of Reference, discussed their goals, and finalised a workplan for the 2024/25 year to help members integrate into the organisation. The next day, available rōpū members participated in Matariki celebrations, with the Chair speaking at the launch of the Rautaki Māori | Māori Strategy.

In September 2024, the hui focused on the Strategic Context, guiding the rōpū through the strategic landscape of Fire and Emergency. This included discussions on the National Strategy, Statement of Intent, Statement of Performance Expectations, and plans for their redesign in the 2024/25 year. The rōpū explored the origins of the organisation's commitment to Māori as tangata whenua and the Rautaki Māori | Māori Strategy.

They discussed the Rautaki Māori Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and the intervention logic model to ensure a cohesive performance story in the future. The Chair led a session on the members' roles and their significance, emphasising the importance of communication and engagement. Members offered to use their connections to share fire safety messages with at-risk communities.

In December 2024, the hui focused on Measuring Success. The rōpū reviewed Fire and Emergency’s formal agreements with Māori and discussed the value of both formal and informal relationships. They agreed that while formal partnerships are beneficial, informal relationships are also valuable and should be mana enhancing, with the level of formality determined by what works best for Māori.

The rōpū examined a draft Rautaki Māori Performance Framework and requested future examples on measuring these relationships. They were satisfied with the proposed measures but wanted to ensure they could tell a cohesive performance story. The Chair led a wānanga on how the rōpū would recognise and document their success, with further discussions planned for the next hui.