Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust team is made up of 5 full-time and part-time staff who are committed to achieving the vision of establishing the two working water schemes planned for Northland. These roles vary across all aspects of project management, to landholder and stakeholder relations, as well as Maori engagement, communications, finance and administration. You can see a full list of staff and contact details below.
The board is made up of three trustees, all of whom are from, and live in Northland. Hon. Murray McCully (chair) and Hon. Dover Samuels were appointed by the Crown when the Trust was established in mid-2020 and they have since been joined by Kathryn de Bruin.
Right: Hon. Dover Samuels, Middle: Hon: Murray Mc Cully Left: Hon. Shane Jones (Former Minister of Forestry of New Zealand)
CNZM CF
I was raised in Dargaville, attending Arapohue Primary School and Dargaville High School. I served as a Member of Parliament for 30 years, retiring in 2017 after serving as New Zealand’s Foreign Minister for eight and a half years. I served a total of sixteen and a half years as a Minister of the Crown, including the Housing, Sport, Tourism, Customs, Rugby World Cup and America’s Cup portfolios.
I was born in Matauri Bay and whakapapa to Ngati Kura. I have given more than 50 years of public service at both a local and national level, where I served as a Member of Parliament for 12 years, three of which as Minister for Māori Affairs.
I am a Chartered Accountant and serve clients who primarily operate in the horticultural and agricultural sector. I am an elected member of the board of Horticulture NZ and also run a horticultural operation along with my husband outside of Dargaville. This gives me an instinctive understanding of rural-based businesses, and the financial acumen associated with governing them. I have a passion for, and belief in, the potential for rural New Zealand.
I have held a number of senior leadership and management roles in both the private and public sector in New Zealand and overseas. While at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade I worked on security and political issues and ran a significant number of international-development projects, in multiple countries. I also attended key climate change and environmental meetings and participated and led in international trade and climate change negotiations. I held senior leadership roles as Ambassador, High Commissioner and Consul General in a number of countries. My role at the Trust as GM and Otawere Project Director is to manage all aspects of the project to ensure a successful delivery of the Trust’s goals. Post completing a Bachelor of Commerce in 2005 Ben has worked in the Irrigation and the Banking sector. Getting involved with the Trust projects in 2021 has provided an opportunity to use these past fields of work and support the project with the task of developing water storage and distribution that enables a shift to higher-value land use. While across many different elements of the projects Bens primary role is to Manage the Finance and Commercial Affairs for the Trust and maintain relationships with the Trust’s primary funder, and other key stakeholders. Born in Auckland, my family moved to a lifestyle block in Whangarei when I was five. Northland is home. I have enjoyed a varied career over the years, holding a range of senior commercial and financial roles, including business ownership, within the building, automotive and dairy industries. I joined the Trust in 2021 and am proud to be working with the team that is delivering the construction and commercialisation of these vital water storage projects in Northland. I have predominantly worked within the Health sector, where I developed strong experience in administration, coordination, and stakeholder engagement. I have since transitioned to Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust as a Senior Project and Office Administrator, where I support the delivery of projects and organisational operations. This role has strengthened my passion for the value of water and its vital importance to community wellbeing and sustainability. I hold a Diploma in Business Administration and Technology and bring a practical, organised, and people-focused approach to my work, with a strong commitment to continuous improvement and positive outcomes for the communities we serve. I have an extensive policy career spanning across a broad spectrum of portfolios, from local government, gambling policy to ACC. Prior to Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust, I worked in the United Kingdom in strategic policy role at the Pension Protection Fund. After more than a decade away (Wellington and London), I have returned to my hometown of Whangārei. Working at the Trust allows me to utilise the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career, both in New Zealand and the UK and step into a more fast-paced environment, that achieves great things for the Northland region. It’s a privilege to be able to be a small part of the machine that will help to boost Northland’s presence domestically and internationally.
Robert Kaiwai
CEO - Chief Executive Officer
Ben Craw
Manager Finance & Commercial Affairs
Vicki Robson
Financial Controller
Terisa Turua
Senior Project and Office Administrator
Kate McMiles