November 22, 2020
Tumahai stays at helm as iwi sails into choppy waters
Lisa Tumahai has been re-elected as kaiwhakahaere of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu for a further three-year term.
Matapura Ellison was re-elected as deputy chair.
Ms Tumahai says her focus will be recovery, ensuring whānau and papatipu rūnanga are in the best position to thrive as the South Island tribe adapts to the impacts of Covid-19.
The rūnanga reported a $103.5 million group deficit for the year to June 30, as it wrote down the value of its tourism assets in light of the suspension of international tourism.
The rūnanga’s office budget has also been reduced by just under $7 million to $60.4 million, meaning reductions in some programmes and staff lay-offs.
Ms Tumahai says a limited budget does not mean it needs to limit its vision for strong and self-sufficient papatipu runanga and marae, and she promises bold and disruptive thinking.
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