Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency for the South Island, has today announced two new appointments to its General Partnership Ltd Board.

Dr Lorraine Eade, of Blenheim, and Elijah Pue, of Raetihi, will take the place of departing directors, Rebecca Mason and Simon Heath, whose terms expired on June 30, 2023.

Dr Lorraine Eade

Elijah Pue

Gena Moses-Te Kani, Co-Chair of Te Taumata, the governing body of Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, paid tribute to the outgoing directors, saying their steady hand and guidance had been integral to the Commissioning Agency’s response to COVID-19.

“It has been a tough few years for whānau, for all of us, and Te Taumata has really valued the contribution of Rebecca and Simon, who together brought a wealth of experience in business, governance, and education to the table. It is not an easy task navigating unknown waters. The humility Rebecca and Simon have shown in their leadership through the pandemic and through the unrelentless economic pressure we have seen since they were appointed in 2020 will not be forgotten.”

The General Partner Ltd Board (GPL) provides operational governance to Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, which is anchored on the philosophy that whānau are at the centre of service design.

Moses-Te Kani said as the organisation was a collaboration of iwi for the betterment of all Māori, it was important directors demonstrated a strong affinity with the values and aspirations of ngā iwi o Te Waipounamu, as well as a commitment to the principles of Whānau Ora.

“We are thrilled to have Lorraine and Elijah on board. As the only Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency in the South Island, it is important to us that those tasked with guiding our vision have proven experience activating Whānau Ora in their daily world.

“We feel honoured to have had such a high calibre of candidates apply for these roles, and we are really looking forward to seeing what kind of fresh ideas and thinking Lorraine and Elijah will bring.”

Eade and Pue join existing GPL Directors, Tā Mark Solomon (Chair), Renata Davis and Jymal Morgan.

ENDS