Waikato-Tainui
Business / Trading Name:
Waikato-Tainui – Represented by Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Incorporated (tribal governance body)
Tainui Group Holdings Limited (TGH) – Commercial arm of Waikato-Tainui
Company Number:
Waikato-Tainui: Data Not Found (Incorporated Society/Charitable Trust, not a registered company)
TGH: 899947
NZBN (New Zealand Business Number):
Waikato-Tainui: 9429042972006
TGH: 9429037887322
Entity Type:
Waikato-Tainui: Incorporated Society (Charitable iwi authority)
TGH: New Zealand Limited Company
Business Classification:
Waikato-Tainui: Iwi governance and tribal development (charitable purposes; provides advocacy and social support)
TGH: K624030 – Holding company operation (passive investment in subsidiaries)
Industry Category:
Waikato-Tainui: Non-profit Tribal Organisation (Māori iwi authority)
TGH: Investment & Property Development (major interests in real estate, tourism, fisheries, forestry)
Year Founded:
Waikato-Tainui: 1995 (modern organisational form established after 1995 Treaty of Waitangi settlement)
TGH: 1998 (incorporated 24 March 1998 as “Iraklis Thirty One Ltd”, renamed TGH in June 1998)
Addresses:
Waikato-Tainui: 451 Old Taupiri Road, Hopuhopu, Ngāruawāhia 3792 (Tribal HQ) ; PO Box 19295, Hamilton 3244 ;
2 Bryce Street, PO Box 648, Hamilton 3204
TGH: TGH House, 6 Bryce Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton 3204 ; PO Box 19295, Hamilton 3244
Website URL:
Waikato-Tainui: waikatotainui.com
TGH: tgh.co.nz
LinkedIn URL:
Waikato-Tainui: Company page: linkedin.com/company/waikato-tainui
TGH: Company page: linkedin.com/company/tainui-group-holdings-limited
Company Hub NZ URL:
Waikato-Tainui: Data Not Found (No listing on Company Hub; entity is a charity/incorporated society)
TGH: Company Hub profile: https://www.companyhub.nz/companyDetails.cfm?nzbn=9429037887322
NZ Companies Office URL:
Waikato-Tainui: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb17d5dd98969720fcfd&_timestamp=2388531747080984 (Incorporated Societies Register)
TGH: https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/899947?backurl=H4sIAAAAAAAAAEXLuw6CQBCF4bfZxgIEDVBMjI0WUpjIC0zYUTdhL84MGt5ejBi7%2F3zJyRLeSLI%2B%2BoTBzSWE3N93D2g2RZOXVV1XZVGsDAV1OnVTIoF92y77oqijHDmO6csu9JHTgaOHpbsIBq1lEvm%2FFzjR9IpswYgiK%2BRmcN4prLdGrjPaz%2FOJoSd7xkADKI9kfLQEP38DgNdPR8AAAAA%3D#
Social Media URLs:
Waikato-Tainui: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WaikatoTainu1/; Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/waikatotainui/?hl=en
TGH: Facebook – facebook.com/TainuiGroupHoldings
Ultimate Holding Company:
Waikato-Tainui: Not applicable
TGH: Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Incorporated – (Waikato-Tainui’s governing body holds 100% of TGH)
Key Shareholders:
Waikato-Tainui: Not applicable (Collective ownership by ~82,000 tribal members via the Waikato Raupatu Lands Trust)
TGH: 100% owned by Waikato-Tainui through Te Whakakitenga O Waikato Incorporated.
Leadership:
Waikato-Tainui: Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po – Māori Queen; Tukoroirangi Morgan (former MP) – chair of Te Arataura (Executive Board); Donna Flavell - CEO
TGH: Richard Jefferies – Acting CEO ; Hinerangi Raumati Tu'ua – Chair. Board members are Craig Barrett, Mark Petersen, Rukumoana Schaafhausen, Warwick Tauwhare-George, Rebecca Thomas.
Staff:
Waikato-Tainui: Approximately 117 staff in tribal administration (estimated; LinkedIn reports 51–200 range), including policy advisors, community officers, and corporate services.
TGH: Approximately 40–50 staff (LinkedIn: 11–50 employees) handling property development, asset management, and investments.
Staff That Have Held Previous Government Roles:
Waikato-Tainui: Tukoroirangi “Tuku” Morgan – former Member of Parliament (NZ First, 1996–1999) now key tribal leader. Lady Raiha Mahuta (now deceased) – former Māori Land Court Judge, key Crown negotiator for Waikato River settlement. Several tribal staff have backgrounds in government agencies (e.g. policy advisors from Te Puni Kōkiri and local councils – Rahui Papa, former Waikato-Tainui executive, also served on govt advisory groups).
TGH: Former board member Tania Simpson – served on the Reserve Bank board and government commissions. Former CEO Mike Pohio later became CEO of Ngāti Apa Developments and a director on Crown entity boards. Former chair Dean Bracewell served on NZ Trade & Enterprise’s board. (Overall, a notable “revolving door” exists between iwi leadership and public sector roles.)
Past Employees:
Sir Robert Mahuta – Founding negotiator (led 1995 settlement) and first TGH chairman (deceased 2001). Tom Roa – past senior manager, later Waikato University councillor. Rukumoana Schaafhausen – former Chair of Te Arataura (2015–2018), later appointed to government boards (e.g. Housing NZ), currently a board member at Tainui Group Holdings. (Comprehensive past employee records are not publicly available; information above is from news and iwi publications.)
Clients:
Waikato-Tainui: Not applicable – Acts on behalf of iwi members, not external clients.
TGH: Not applicable – Manages iwi assets and projects; does not serve external clients in a consultancy capacity.
Industries/Sectors Represented:
Waikato-Tainui: Māori iwi interests across social, cultural, environmental, and economic sectors (education, health, heritage, resource management, Treaty rights). Advocates for iwi in central/local government policy affecting land, water, and Māori well-being.
TGH: Property development (commercial and residential), Tourism & Hospitality (hotels), Transportation & Logistics (inland port, formerly bus services), Agriculture & Agribusiness (joint ventures in farming technology), Forestry and Fisheries (through iwi collective investments). These sectors intersect with regulatory areas like urban planning, infrastructure, and natural resources.
Publicly Disclosed Engagements:
Formal lobbying disclosures are minimal due to the lack of a NZ lobbyist register. However, Waikato-Tainui engages with officials via: submissions to Parliament (e.g. on water reforms), membership on government working groups, and treaty settlement monitoring meetings. Ministers’ diaries note meetings with Waikato-Tainui leaders (e.g. iwi chairs forums with the Prime Minister, and quarterly hui with Cabinet ministers). Many engagements occur through the National Iwi Chairs Forum (a high-level Māori leadership forum where Waikato-Tainui reps regularly discuss policy with Government). (No comprehensive public list of lobbying meetings; much activity is via informal channels.)
Affiliations:
National Iwi Chairs Forum – Founding member; Waikato-Tainui’s chair regularly attends and at times hosts the forum.
Strategic partnership with Ngāi Tahu - on joint investments (e.g. co-ownership of Go Bus transport 2014–2020).
Waikato River Authority – Co-chairing this statutory co-governance body with Crown and regional council (resulting from river settlement).
Collaborations with other Tainui waka iwi (iwi of the Tainui confederation) on regional issues. Member of pan-Māori bodies like the Māori Economic Development Advisory Board and Federation of Māori Authorities (through tribal enterprises). Close affiliation with the Kiingitanga (Māori King movement), which provides a unifying political network for Waikato-Tainui and other iwi.
Sponsorships / Collaborations:
Partnership with Hamilton City Council – Joint Management Agreement and Co-Governance Forum for managing local resources and planning.
Collaboration with Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) – to improve outcomes for Māori children in care (formal partnership arrangement).
Mercury Energy & Waikato-Tainui Committee – a partnership committee (sponsor of tribal events and consultation on Waikato River hydro operations).
Hosts the Waikato-Tainui Games (biennial iwi sports event) and sponsors community initiatives (grants to marae, education scholarships). Also works with University of Waikato (e.g. co-founding the Waikato-Tainui College for Research and Development). (No evidence of direct corporate sponsorships of Waikato-Tainui beyond these collaborations.)
Events (Organised by the Organisation):
Koroneihana (marks the beginning of the Kīngitanga) – Hosted at Tūrangawaewae Marae, Ngāruawāhia. A week-long event drawing government leaders, where tribal priorities are often conveyed in King’s speeches. Politicians of all major parties attend, highlighting the iwi’s political importance.
Waikato-Tainui Annual General Meeting and Iwi Parliament (Te Whakakitenga) Meetings – Forums where iwi policies are set, sometimes featuring addresses by Ministers on iwi-related issues (not open to general public, but outcomes often influence local government dealings).
Iwi Chairs Forum hui – Waikato-Tainui has hosted national hui (e.g. at Hopuhopu), bringing together iwi leaders and Cabinet ministers to discuss policy (water, climate, etc.) behind closed doors.
Waikato River Annual Summit – Co-convened with the Waikato River Authority to review co-governance progress.
(These events serve as advocacy platforms, though not officially classified as lobbying.)
Political Donations:
Data Not Found. No public record of direct political donations by Waikato-Tainui or TGH to political parties or candidates. The iwi operates as a charity, which limits partisan donations. (Individual tribal members may donate personally, and the Māori King has given endorsements instead of funds.) Political influence is exerted through dialogue and partnerships rather than monetary donations.
Controversies:
Financial Mismanagement (Late 1990s): After the 1995 settlement, Waikato-Tainui nearly went bankrupt by 2000 – a $40 million loss in one year due to ill-fated investments and poor controls. Governance had to be overhauled with external advisors stepping in, a humbling episode for the iwi’s commercial arm.
Governance Power Struggles (2010): Iwi Parliament chair Tania Martin was sacked by King Tūheitia after alleging extravagant spending by the executive board; a court later reinstated her, citing due process breaches. This public feud exposed internal tensions and questions about transparency of the King’s office spending.
Conflicts of Interest & Nepotism Claims: In 2022, a government probe found several public contracts were awarded to firms run by relatives of senior Waikato-Tainui figure Hon. Nanaia Mahuta (then a Cabinet Minister), with “substandard processes” for managing conflicts (though no evidence of direct ministerial favoritism). The incident, while chiefly a critique of government agencies, cast scrutiny on the interwoven familial networks between Waikato-Tainui leadership and public service.
Political Backlash to Co-Governance: Waikato-Tainui’s push for co-governance in water and local government has met resistance. ACT Party leader David Seymour accused the iwi of seeking undemocratic influence after he was criticized for not attending Koroneihana in 2024. Such debates – often tinged with racial overtones – have put Waikato-Tainui in the controversial spotlight over the balance of Treaty rights versus general electoral representation.
Historic Grievances: The iwi remains in litigation for outstanding claims and to enforce settlement rights – e.g. suing the Crown in 2023 for policies perceived to breach Treaty commitments. While positioned as upholding rights, these legal challenges draw public attention and sometimes criticism about Māori-Crown relations.
(Overall, controversies have centred on financial accountability and the extent of the iwi’s political power.)
Other Information of Note:
Membership & Beneficiaries: Waikato-Tainui is one of NZ’s largest iwi, with over 85,000 registered members across 68 marae. The scale of its constituency gives it significant political weight as it purports to speak for a large Māori population in the Waikato region.
Treaty Settlements Value: The tribe’s 1995 Raupatu (land confiscation) settlement was $170 million. Thanks to a relativity clause, Waikato-Tainui has since received about $190 million in additional top-up payments (by 2017) when the Crown’s total settlements exceeded agreed thresholds. These infusions have bolstered its economic clout (total iwi assets now well over $1 billion).
Economic Initiatives: Major projects include “The Base” shopping centre (one of NZ’s largest malls, built on returned land), the Ruakura Superhub (inland port and industrial park recognized as nationally significant), and co-investment in hotels (e.g. Auckland Airport Novotel and Pullman hotels). Waikato-Tainui often frames these as partnerships that create jobs for both Māori and the wider community.
Kiingi Tūheitia’s passing: In August 2024, Māori King Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII passed away at 69 after heart surgery, ending an 18-year reign. Shortly after his funeral, his 27-year-old daughter, Kuīni Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō, was crowned at Tūrangawaewae Marae, becoming the eighth Māori monarch and only the second woman to lead the Kiingitanga. Her coronation marked a symbolic transition, uniting the iwi and renewing focus on Māori rights.
Kiingitanga Influence: The Māori King’s role is largely symbolic but has political implications. The Kiingitanga’s occasional endorsements of political candidates (e.g. Māori Party) and convening of leaders at Turangawaewae Marae position Waikato-Tainui at the nexus of Māori politics. This royal dimension is unique to Waikato-Tainui and amplifies its voice on national issues (the Kuini’s speeches often carry veiled political messages on water, land, and language rights).
Audit and Transparency: Waikato-Tainui’s structures include independent auditors and an ethics committee after past troubles, but the organisation is still sometimes criticized for opaque decision-making (e.g. closed tribal meetings, limited public reporting beyond annual reports). It is not subject to the Official Information Act, unlike government entities, which can shield its dealings with officials from public view.
Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme:
Yes – Both Waikato-Tainui and TGH entities received COVID-19 wage subsidies in 2020. TGH itself took approximately $306,000 and the tribe’s trust about $1.19 million to retain staff. Additionally, a Waikato-Tainui-owned hotel (Novotel Hamilton) got ~$1.86m support during lockdowns. These claims were publicly reported and the tribe stated the subsidies were used to safeguard Māori jobs and businesses. (No known controversy arose from these claims, unlike some private companies, as the assistance was seen as justified given genuine revenue loss in tribal enterprises.)
Sources:
“Tainui Group Holdings Limited was registered as New Zealand Limited Company on 24 Mar 1998… status of this company is Registered now.” NZ Business Directory (nzw**ao.com)
“Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Incorporated… Registration number: CC43094 (Charities Register). Legal Structure: Incorporated Society.” Charities Services, NZ
“Company number: 899947; NZBN: 9429037887322; Entity type: NZ Limited Company; Ultimate Holding: Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Inc.” Company Hub NZ
“Waikato-Tainui has renamed its representative body… ‘Te Whakakitenga o Waikato Incorporated’, which replaces Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Inc.” RNZ News, 9 Feb 2016
“Waikato-Tainui received a $170 million land and cash settlement from the Crown in 1995… the first historical Treaty grievance settled.” Te Ara – Encyclopaedia of NZ
“With main interests in tourism, fisheries, property and forestry it is among the wealthiest iwi in NZ, annually contributes around $20 million to the Waikato regional economy.” Wikipedia (TGH page)
“Tainui Group Holdings’ total assets NZ$1,163 million (2015); total equity NZ$861.56 million (2015). Owner: The Waikato Raupatu Trust. Members: 67,000 (2015).” Wikipedia
“The net operating loss for the 12 months to March last year was more than $40.3 million – the bottom-line loss $42.7 million… Tainui’s future is bleak unless big changes are made.” NZ Herald, Glossy reports hid Tainui troubles, 2001
“Tania Martin was dismissed by King Tuheitia after she wrote a report criticising spending by the executive… (High Court) executive backs down, recognises Ms Martin as duly elected chair.” RNZ News, 15 Dec 2010
“Tukoroirangi Morgan is a former politician and broadcaster. He is the chairman of Waikato-Tainui iwi and helped spearhead the Waikato River settlement claim with both Labour and National governments.” NZ Herald, 10 Jan 2024
“Notably, Ngāi Tahu Holdings and Tainui Group Holdings jointly owned Go Bus (NZ’s largest bus company) from 2014 until its sale in 2020.” Bryce Edwards, The Democracy Project – Integrity Institute
“Political leaders are descending on Tūrangawaewae Marae… Kīngi Tūheitia extended an invitation to this year’s Koroneihana to politicians from across the divide… ACT said they had not been welcomed.” RNZ News, 19 Aug 2024
“Both Waikato-Tainui and Ngāi Tahu received additional cash payments under their relativity clauses in December… In total, $370 million was paid out, with Waikato-Tainui receiving $190 million and Ngāi Tahu $180 million.” The Spinoff, 23 Jan 2018
“Te Arataura chairperson Tukoroirangi Morgan with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the announcement of a joint venture between TGH and Brookfield at Ruakura… Morgan said his iwi had come a long way since its treaty settlement almost 30 years ago.” RNZ News, 11 Apr 2025
“Tukoroirangi Morgan helped establish Māori Television, has been the spokesman for the Māori King, and was once described as the most reviled politician in New Zealand… currently chair of Waikato-Tainui.” RNZ – Guyon Espiner interview, 5 Jun 2024
“David Seymour… faced intense scrutiny from iwi leaders in recent months over a raft of government policies being repealed… boot camps, repeal of Section 7AA of the Children’s Act, the Treaty Principles Bill… all generated pushback.” RNZ News, 19 Aug 2024
“Nanaia Mahuta contracts: Probe finds poor handling of perceived conflicts of interest, but no favouritism… PSC found no evidence of favouritism by any minister, but agencies had substandard processes in awarding contracts to Mahuta’s family.” RNZ News, 21 Dec 2022
“The Government will review how agencies managed conflicts when awarding contracts to the family of senior minister Nanaia Mahuta.” NZ Herald, 26 May 2022
“We will not allow government to roll Māori back to the dark ages… Waikato-Tainui filed proceedings in the High Court seeking declarations to affirm the rights and interests of Waikato-Tainui and corresponding obligations of the Crown.” NZ Herald – Kahu, 10 Jan 2024
“Kīngi Tūheitia has taken a significant step in this year’s election by endorsing Māori Party candidate Rahui Papa in Hauraki-Waikato… now held by Nanaia Mahuta.” NZ Herald, 13 Aug 2020.
Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz