Federation of Māori Authorities
• Business / Trading Name: Federation of Māori Authorities Incorporated (commonly known as FoMA or FOMA)[^1].
• Company Number: 376903 (incorporation number as listed on incorporated societies register)
• NZBN: 9429042713043 (as listed on incorporated societies register)
• Entity Type: Incorporated Society (non-profit membership association under the Incorporated Societies Act)[^1].
• Business Classification: Operates as a membership organisation representing Māori economic authorities (land trusts, incorporations, enterprises). Not a registered company, so standard industry codes are not applicable (classified generally under membership or trade associations).
• Industry Category: Māori Economic Development and Advocacy – FOMA’s members span primary industries (agriculture, forestry, fisheries), property, investments, etc[^3]. The organisation is often grouped under “International Trade and Development” in business directories[^4].
• Year Founded: 1987 (established in the mid-1980s following calls for a dedicated Māori economic network)[^5]. Founding figures included Sir Hepi Te Heuheu, Sir Tipene O’Regan and Robert Whaitiri, who were pivotal in setting up FOMA in the 1980s[^6].
• Addresses:
• Registered/Postal Address: PO Box 4626, Mt Maunganui 3119, New Zealand (current mailing address)[^1].
• Former Physical Offices: Previously had offices in Wellington (e.g. Level 5, BERL House, 108 The Terrace, Wellington 6011 and earlier at 259 Wakefield Street, Wellington)[^7][^8].
• Website URL:
https://www.foma.org.nz
(official website of FOMA)[^1].
• LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/federation-of-m%C4%81ori-authorities-foma (LinkedIn company page)[^4].
• Company Hub NZ URL: Data Not Found (No dedicated CompanyHub profile; FOMA appears in CompanyHub data mainly as a shareholder in other companies, not as a stand-alone entry).
• NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb17d3640a8342f480b5&_timestamp=1091018486460220 (incorporated societies register)
• Social Media URLs:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FederationMaori/?locale=en_GB
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/foma.nz/
• Ultimate Holding Company: Not Applicable – FOMA is a member-based incorporated society with no holding company or parent entity.
• Key Shareholders: Not Applicable – As an incorporated society, it has no shareholders. (Its “members” are Māori authorities and trusts rather than equity shareholders.)
• Leadership: Traci Houpapa MNZM JP – Chairperson (since ~2011); Liz Mellish MNZM – Deputy Chair (as of 2025)[^1][^6]. FOMA’s governance is through an Executive Committee with 11 regional representatives (each representing a rohe/region of Aotearoa)[^1]. The Chair and Deputy Chair lead strategic direction. Past leadership included figures like Paul Morgan QSM (former Chief Executive 1996–2007)[^10] and founding chairman Sir Hepi Te Heuheu.
• Staff: FOMA maintains a small secretariat (estimated 2–10 staff)[^4]. Key staff roles include a Chief Advisor Innovation & Research, policy advisers, and support staff. The organisation’s LinkedIn lists only a handful of employees, reflecting a lean administrative team[^4].
• Staff with Previous Government Roles: Several FOMA staff and leaders have government experience or appointments. For example, Melissa Idiens (Policy/Strategy Advisor) had a 17-year career in the NZ public sector (including roles at the UN and in government policy) before joining FOMA[^12]. Traci Houpapa (Chair) serves on multiple government boards (e.g. Chair of NZ Qualifications Authority, board member of Landcorp (Pāmu) and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency) by ministerial appointment[^13]. This “revolving door” dynamic means FOMA’s leadership is well-connected in government circles.
• Past Employees: Paul Te Poa Karoro Morgan QSM – Chief Executive of FOMA from 1996 to 2007, who led many of FOMA’s early advocacy efforts in tax, land law and resource management reforms[^10]. Te Horipo Karaitiana – served as Chief Executive in the 2010s (resigned 2015) and later continued as an innovation advisor[^11]. Mere Takoko (former Communications Director) and Heni Unwin (former Researcher with FOMA Innovation, now at Cawthron Institute) are also notable past staff.
• Clients: Not Applicable in the traditional sense. FOMA is not a consultancy with private clients; its “clients” are effectively its member organisations. (However, FOMA does partner with government agencies on contracts – see below – meaning in some cases agencies could be seen as clients for FOMA’s services.)
• Industries/Sectors Represented: Primary industries and Māori asset-owning sectors. FOMA’s membership spans forestry, dairy and mixed livestock farming, horticulture (e.g. kiwifruit), fisheries/aquaculture, red meat, energy, tourism, agriculture, agribusiness services, property development, and investments[^4][^3]. Members also include Māori trusts involved in commercial property and even retirement villages[^3]. In essence, FOMA represents the broad Māori economic sector, with a focus on land-based industries and related investments.
• Publicly Disclosed Engagements: FOMA frequently engages with government in formal and informal ways, including: Select Committee submissions on legislation (e.g. on Māori land law reforms and environmental law changes), memoranda of understanding (MOU) with ministries, and membership in government working groups. For instance, FOMA has an MOU with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT) to collaborate on trade policy and Māori interests in free trade agreements[^6]. It is a core partner in the He Waka Eke Noa Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership (a government-industry-Māori initiative on agricultural emissions)[^14]. FOMA also teamed up with the Ministry for the Environment and Māori Council in “Te Tai Kaha”, a collective advising on freshwater and resource management law reforms[^15]. Its leaders have been appointed to ministerial advisory groups (e.g. the Te Ture Whenua Māori land law reform panel in 2015 included FOMA’s Chair)[^16]. These engagements, while often collaborative, also serve as lobbying channels (allowing FOMA to influence policy from within advisory bodies).
• Affiliations: FOMA is formally recognized in certain statutes as a Māori representative body. For example, it is named as a “Representative Māori Organisation” under the Māori Fisheries Act 2004. It often works alongside the National Iwi Chairs Forum, the New Zealand Māori Council, and sector groups like Te Ohu Kaimoana (Māori Fisheries Commission) on overlapping issues. FOMA is a member of international indigenous business networks (it has appeared in World Economic Forum indigenous trade initiatives). Notably, in 2013 FOMA and the NZ Māori Council moved to patch a long-standing rift, agreeing to coordinate efforts – a move seen as shifting the balance of Māori political influence[^17].
• Sponsorships / Collaborations: FOMA receives sponsorships and forms partnerships to support its events and projects. Government agencies sponsor FOMA initiatives (e.g. Ministry for the Environment, MFAT and Ministry for Women have appeared as sponsors of FOMA conferences)[^18]. Industry bodies and companies also sponsor or partner with FOMA – for example, Beef + Lamb NZ (meat industry), Zespri (kiwifruit marketing board), Ballance Agri-Nutrients (fertiliser cooperative), and the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge, among others, have been listed as FOMA partners/sponsors in recent years[^18]. FOMA collaborates with Māori trusts such as Ngāi Tukairangi Trust (major kiwifruit entity) and Te Awanui Huka Pak on initiatives (reflecting overlap between those organisations’ leadership and FOMA’s executive). These sponsorships indicate both the government’s and industries’ vested interest in FOMA’s reach into the Māori economy.
• Events (Organised by FOMA): Annual FOMA Conference / Business Summit – a large hui and economic conference held each year (often in October) where members and government officials gather to discuss Māori economic development[^19]. This event often doubles as FOMA’s AGM. Huihuinga Wahine – Māori Women’s Leadership Summit – FOMA in recent years hosts a Māori women’s leadership summit (e.g. in 2024 at Auckland Airport), emphasizing FOMA’s role in promoting Māori women in governance[^9]. FOMA also runs webinars and regional workshops for its members (for example, online briefings on upcoming law changes through the Te Tai Kaha forum[^15]). These events serve as networking and lobbying platforms – government ministers and policymakers are regularly invited to speak or attend, providing face-to-face access for FOMA to influence decision-makers.
• Political Donations: None disclosed. There is no public record of the Federation of Māori Authorities Inc itself making donations to political parties or candidates. As a not-for-profit industry association, FOMA’s influence is exercised through advocacy rather than political donations. (Individual executives may donate in a personal capacity, but no notable instances were found. FOMA generally pursues influence via policy engagement rather than party funding.)
• Controversies: Financial management issues (2015): FOMA suffered a significant financial loss of approximately $300,000 in FY2014/15, prompting a major review of its structure and strategy[^20]. In mid-2015, FOMA’s Chair Traci Houpapa informed members of the deficit and initiated an organisational overhaul (“new people, a new way of doing things”) to stabilise finances[^20]. The then-Chief Executive, Te Horipo Karaitiana, resigned in 2015 amid this restructuring[^21]. The financial strain was partly attributed to unbudgeted costs in consulting members on a government policy (the proposed Māori land reforms), illustrating how extensive advocacy efforts strained FOMA’s resources[^21]. Rift with Māori Council: Historically, FOMA had a strained relationship with the NZ Māori Council – both vying as voices for Māori, with FOMA focusing on economic development and the Council on social/community issues. This led to a period of rivalry in the 2000s, described as a “rift” between the bodies[^17]. By 2013, they moved to resolve differences, signing an agreement to collaborate on shared goals[^17]. Transparency and “shadow lobbying”: Critics have occasionally pointed out that FOMA’s extensive behind-the-scenes influence (e.g. in shaping the Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill, or agricultural emissions policy) happens without the transparency that formal lobbyists are subject to. This lack of a public lobbying register in NZ means FOMA’s interactions with ministers often only come to light indirectly (through Official Information Act releases or ministerial diary disclosures). Such criticisms, while not scandals per se, highlight an accountability gap in which FOMA operates.
• Other Information of Note: Membership Size & Asset Base: FOMA represents roughly 150 Māori authorities (land trusts, incorporations and other entities) which collectively own assets estimated around $9–11 billion NZD (as of mid-2010s)[^5][^4]. It is regarded as the largest Māori economic network in New Zealand. Statutory recognition: FOMA’s inclusion in statutes like the Māori Fisheries Act and its seat at various policy tables (trade, environment, education) give it quasi-official status in some processes. Mission: FOMA’s kaupapa (mission) is “to progressively foster and promote the development, sound management and economic advancement of Māori authorities and, in turn, the wider Māori communities they benefit”[^1]. This dual economic and social purpose often sees FOMA framing its lobbying as not just for commercial gain, but for Māori community well-being. COVID-19 support: FOMA did not feature in published COVID wage-subsidy recipient lists (its small staff may not have required subsidies). However, it did work with government on Māori business recovery strategy during the pandemic (leveraging its network to disseminate support to Māori enterprises).
• Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: No. There is no record of FOMA Inc itself receiving the 2020 COVID-19 wage subsidy from the Ministry of Social Development. (Many member businesses did, but FOMA’s own staff count was small; any claim would have been modest and none is publicly documented.)
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