Trustees

Ko Rakiura te whenua
Ko Hananui te mauka
Ko Tutae-Kā-Wetoweto te awa
Ko James Spencer toku tupuna
Ka moe ia a Tina Rahou Rawaho
Ka puta mai a James Spencer
Ka moe ia a Meri Te Kauri
Ka puta mai a Sarah Spencer
Ka moe ia a Charles Goomes
Ka puta mai a Frederick Joseph Goomes
Ka moe ia a Daphne Evelyn Godward
Ka puta mai a Simon Charles Spencer Gomez
Ka moe ia a Jane Faulkner
Ka puta mai a Emmanuelle Johanna Gomez
Tihei Mauri Ora !

I was born in Rangiora, I am Ngai Tahu and my ancestors are from Rakiura. I was raised on the Island as my family moved there when I was four years old. I am part of the Island and the Island is part of me. I left Rakiura to gain an education when I was 13, although I returned for all my holidays, and did so for some time into my working life, until I was living and working overseas. I have worked at corporate and international levels and currently live in Cromwell where I work as sales director for an international outsourcing company. I travel to Rakiura at least four or five times a year and living in Cromwell makes it easy to have an active involvement with Rakiura and RMLT.
My goals since I have been on the Trust have been to improve communication between the beneficial Land owners and The Trust, to work within the established mission and values of RMLT, to ensure governance and business are carried out with honesty and integrity and to take care of our Taonga and assets for future generations.

It’s our land, it’s our Taonga, it’s our responsibility.

Antarctic Polar Medal (APM-2014) Queens Service Order (QSO-2021)
Lou Sanson’s 40-year career has had a very strong environmental focus with extensive leadership experience in the natural resources sector. Trained as an Environmental Forester he has achieved a distinguished career leading and transforming two of New Zealand’s most iconic organisations, Antarctica New Zealand, and the Department of Conservation.

Through extensive international diplomacy and strategic leadership, he led the New Zealand Antarctic Research programme to one of the top 5 programmes in the world from a strategic influence perspective. He led hugely complex international projects in some of the harshest places in the world (Predator Free Campbell Island, ANDRILL – Antarctica’s deepest ever climate change drilling project, construction of Antarctica’s biggest ever wind farm).

Lou led complete change of the Department of Conservation strategy and operating models to attain the Randstad Award for the most attractive employer to work in New Zealand for 5 years in a row and number 4 in New Zealand’s Public Sector Reputation Index.

He has a deep understanding of science and technology and the ability of utilising these together to achieve significant environmental outcomes. Highly skilled in organisational design, operating systems and an acknowledged leader in health and safety at the heart of culture. He has led a significant change in Department of Conservation’s commercial focus through the international tourism boom years of 2014-2020 with novel approaches to extracting commercial value from visitors to New Zealand’s outstanding natural assets (differential fees, compliance, international visitor levy, resource rentals).

Lou’s particular skills in working with philanthropy and commercial partners (Air NZ, Fonterra, Meridian, Genesis, Fulton Hogan) have attained win-win ESG Leadership outcomes for New Zealand and commercial entities where our natural resources sit at the heart of our economy. He has comprehensive experience in integration of environmental and social impacts into business requiring trade-offs. Lou brings exceptional collaboration and relationship skills to any organisation and an extensive track record in environmental and tourism sectoral leadership.

Lou has a Bachelor of Forestry Science (Hons) and was top graduate at University of Canterbury. He has completed a number of executive development programmes at Harvard University, Stanford University, Australia – New Zealand School of Government and New Zealand Institute of Strategic Leadership. In the 2015 New Years’ Honours list he was awarded the New Zealand Antarctic Polar Medal (APM) for services to Antarctic science and diplomacy.

He is currently an Environmental Consultant and Director with roles as:

• Gen Manager Rakiura Maori Land Incorporation
• Vice Chair IUCN-World Commission on Protected Areas Oceania (Aust/NZ/Pacific)
• CEO World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-NZ)
• Director NZ Arts Foundation
• Director The Nature Conservancy
• Director NZ Nature Fund
• Advisor Natural History NZ (NHNZ)
• Director Les Hutchins Conservation Foundation

I am a former Trustee and was instrumental in the Lord River Settlement. I have spent a considerable amount of time on Stewart Island especially around the Neck, Port Adventure, Lords River and Pegasus. My father Robin Campbell was born on Stewart Island and our family have been regular mutton birders.

I have spent the last 16 years in Wellington in a number of senior roles in Government. I also own a PR company CQR Communications Ltd – a successful PR and business consulting company with a good reputation.

For three years, post the Christchurch Earthquake I was seconded to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA where I held various roles. The most notable being chief of staff for 30 communications staff across 11 projects with a combined value of over a billion dollars. I was also part of the stand alone Christchurch Central Development Units (CCDU) Senior Management team.

I have had a varied career, as a journalist, talk back host, adult educator, prison social worker, injury prevention consultant, communications manager and contractor on many large and varied projects.

Specialties are communications, risk and reputation management. Sector experience includes, poultry and egg industries, biosecurity , forestry, fisheries and IT.

I am also currently involved at a governance level in two major regional projects aimed at increasing prosperity including broadband and new residents attraction programme.

I have one son Matthew who is a helicopter pilot.

I have been a trustee since 1997; are passionate in pursuit of the vision which the current and past trustees share for our whenua, our whānau and our history. As Kaitiaki, we have a collective responsibility to those that follow us of ensuring the mana and taonga are preserved.

My whakapapa to Rakiura descend from sisters, Te Mahana and Kukuwhero (Kin to Haereroa), and Rawiri Te Mamaru.

In life, we are all blessed with individual qualities; the challenge to success is harnessing those qualities and moulding a cohesive team that aspires to a shared vision. The Trust has achieved significant milestones towards establishing a futuristic pathway for their advancement and manakitanga. I am proud of being part of this and serving the Trust by providing diligence and judgment through my worldly business knowledge.

Richard Manning is a Company Director and advisor within the seafood industry. He travels extensively internationally and has commercial interests in seafood manufacturing locally and internationally.

Tena koe

Ko James Stewart Iraia Manning (Nee Waaka) tōku Matua
Ko Joan Beatrice Manning (Nee Cain) tōku Whaea
Ko James Hikoata Te Rangi Haruru Manning tōku Koroua
Ko Myra Riria Renata tōku Kuia

I have the pleasure of living on Rakiura, where my three sons, wives and four mokopuna also live. Surrounded by the beautiful bush and sea. I have been on the board for 4 years. Being the only board member living on the island I look after the general enquiries we get about the land and people wanting to visit the land. I represent the Board on the Predator Free Rakiura group. I am committed to caring for RMLT owners interests and believe in honesty and transparency. I enjoy being on the Board and if re-elected look forward to the new challenges that are always ahead of us.

Tēnā koutou, Tēnā koutou, Tēnā koutou katoa

Ko Hananui tōku maunga.
Ko te ara a kiwa tōku awa.
Ko takitimu tōku waka.
Ko Ngai Tahu tōku iwi.
Ko Skerrett tōku whānau.
Ko Edmund Burke Skerrett tōku tane.
Ko Noeline Merle Shaw tōku māmā.
Tokotoru aku tamariki Ko Rod ratou ko Tyron, ko Sam.
Tōku wha ika mokopuna ko Ellie, ratou ko Esjay ko Indi ko Jethro.
I whānau mai ahau I Waihopai, engari I tipu ake I Ōtautahi, Kei te kāinga ahau i te Rakiura e noho ana.

Papaki kau ana nga ngaru ki te moana o Te Ara a Kiwa (Foveaux Strait)
I arahi nei a Tahu Potiki i te waka Takitimu
Ka titiro au Te Punga o Te Waka o Māui o Rakiura
Piki ake au i te maunga o Rakiura a Hananui (Mount Anglem)
Ka titiro au whakararo ki te awa waiora o Tutae-kā-wetoweto (Lords River) e rere ana
Huri atu au ngā kamo ki te ūkaipō e takato ana te ahuru mowai o te whenua o Whaka a Te
Wera (Paterson Inlet)
E manaaki nei i te whanau o Rakiura
Ko Eliza Snelgar ahau
Tēnā koutou katoa

I am a Company Director, and hold Māori Governance roles as Trustee/Secretary RMLT, Chair Alexander Wakefield Trust, Chair Te Whanau a Neke Trust & Trustee/Secretary Pehiāweri Māori Church and Marae. My tribal affiliations are Ngai Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Ngāpuhi, Te Whakatohea, Ngati Whakaue and Te Arawa. In my mahi with RMLT, I am inspired by the fearlessness, strength and courage of our tupuna o Rakiura. My ancestress Mary Neke and her spouse Daniel (Cranky) Smith a Whaler and Scotsman, lived and navigated between Ruapuke and Whenua Hou Islands. They were married at Murrays River Rakiura Sept 1850 by Bishop Selwyn. Their Daughter Jane Smith McKenzie (widow), married Alexander Fraser a Sealer and Scotsman, in the School House Ruapuke Island June 1870 also by Bishop Selwyn. They were entrepreneurs, ship navigators, sealers, whalers and cultivators. They lived, loved and thrived around Bluff, the Titi Islands, Aparima, Ruapuke, Whenua Hou and Rakiura. They navigated the seas surrounding these islands to get to their various destinations, gathering and harvesting kai moana and titi, taking care of their whanau and holding wananga on and around Rakiura. We will continue to tell their stories, the whenua o Rakiura will continue to feed and nourish us all for generations to come, and we as their descendants will continue to thrive.

“Rakiura anchors more than Maui’s canoe. It anchors in its rocks, rivers, and rugged shores and in its garnishment of plants and animals, the hope of generations unborn that places like this will always exist.”
– Neville Peat, 1992

I was born and raised in Otautahi, had four years in London and for the last 24 years have lived in Tamaki Makaurau. My wife is from Alexandra and we have three adult children.  For the last 12 years I have been a full time professional director and prior to that worked initially in the apparel manufacturing sector and then the finance sector.  Through my board roles I have extensive experience in tourism and conservation, both areas of importance for RMLT.

While having no direct family ties to Rakiura I had visited twice prior to becoming a trustee and thought the island a magical place, so I am delighted to be able to contribute to the work of RMLT.  The aspiration of restoring the whenua to as it once was while at the same time developing world class, environmentally sustainable tourism offerings that contribute to the wellbeing of the RMLT beneficiaries and their families is very appealing and I believe very achievable.

Ko Te Heru o Kahukura toku maunga
Ko te Wairarapa toku awa
No Otautahi ahau
Kei Tamaki Makaurau toku kainga inaianei
Ko Leggat toku whanau
Ko Barbara McEwan toku mama
Ko Ian Leggat toku papa
Tokotoru aku tamariki ko Gabrielle, ratou ko Jack, ko Thomas.

Ngai Tuhaitara, Ngai Tuahuriri, Ngati Rakiamo, Ngati Kuri, Ngai Te Ruahikihiki, Kai Te Pahi, Waitaha, Rapuwai & Hawea.

Ka moe taku tipuna a Kuikui ki a John Kelly, ka whanau a Hoani Korako.

I am an active member of my Papatipu Runanga at Rapaki, Tuahuriri, Ihutai MR 900 and Lake Hawea Manuhaea.

I have governance and commercial experience on Parliamentary, Corporate, Community and Iwi / Runanga Boards, a former Member of Parliament, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu Representative for Rapaki and Tuahiwi, a Director of Ngai Tahu Holdings and a current member (since 2010) of The New Zealand Institute of Directors.

I am honored to be a trustee on the Rakiura Maori Lands Trust and a Director of Rakiura Experiences Ltd, in our collective quest to protect and grow the financial resources and land holdings for our present and future generations of owners.