Waikato River Authority
Hon John Luxton
QSO
Co-Chair, Crown appointee.
John was a Member of
Parliament from the
Waikato Region for 1986
-2002. He has farming and
business interests in the
Waikato and now serves
as a professional Company
Director.
As a Cabinet Minister
for nine years he held
a number of portfolios
including Lands, Forestry,
Agriculture and Maori
Affairs. He is a graduate of
Massey University – B.Agr.
Sc., M.Mangt.. His career
prior to becoming an MP
involved farming and
International Consulting.
He is a Director of
Landcare Crown Research
Institute and Chairman of
DairyNZ Incorporated.
Peter Buckley
Crown appointee.
Peter is the Chair of
Waikato Regional Council
which has broad-ranging
responsibilities for the
economic, environmental,
social and cultural well-
being of the Waikato
region.
Peter was first elected to
the council to represent
North Waikato-Hauraki in
2007. In 2010 Peter was
returned unopposed and
was re-elected chairman.
Prior to his election to
the Regional Council,
Peter had 25 years
involvement with Waikato
Federated Farmers. His
leadership positions
at branch and regional
level culminated in him
holding the presidency
before becoming council
chairman.
Peter has also been
heavily involved in his
local community working
with schools, sports
clubs, support trusts and
veterinary clubs.
Jenni Vernon
M.N.Z.M
Crown appointee.
Jenni farms in partnership
with her husband on a
drystock farm at Waingaro.
Jenni is currently working
as the strategic planning
and resource management
team leader for the
Waikato District Council.
She has a MMS Hons (1st
Class)
Jenni sits on the New
Zealand Geographic Board
and is a Trustee for the
Nuffield farming Trust.
Previously she held the
position of past chairman
of the Waikato Regional
Council, National president
of the Young Farmers
Clubs (NZ). In 1985 she
was awarded a Kellogg
Leadership Scholarship
and in 1993 a Nuffield
Scholarship.
Tukoroirangi Morgan
Co-Chair, Iwi appointee
Tukoroirangi Morgan
is from Waikato-Tainui
and his hapuu are Ngati
Makirangi and Ngati
Mahuta.
Tukoroirangi is a member
of the executive board
of Waikato-Tainui Te
Kauhanganui. He currently
sits on all the tribal entities
as the King’s appointee.
Tukoroirangi Morgan is
also the Chair of Tainui
Development Authority.
His professional career
includes secondary school
teaching, television
journalism and in 1996
he was elected Member
of Parliament for Te
Taihauauru electorate.
Together with Lady Raiha
Mahuta, Tukoroirangi
Morgan was responsible
for settling the outstanding
Waikato-Tainui claim over
the Waikato River that gave
rise to the establishment
of the Waikato River
Authority.
Roger Pikia
Iwi appointee.
Roger is in his second
term as a Waikato River
Authority member, having
previously served on the
Guardians Establishment
Committee. Roger was
the lead negotiator
of the Te Arawa River
Iwi treaty settlement
negotiations. He was a co-
negotiator of the revised
Te Pumautanga o Te
Arawa treaty settlement
of 2008 and the CNI
Forest Lands treaty
settlement also of 2008.
He has been a principal
advisor to government
officials in the United
Nations Climate Change
negotiations with a
particular focus on Land
Use, Land Use Change and
Forestry (LULUCF).
Roger is of Ngati Hikairo
(Kawhia) and Ngati Tahu
(Central North Island)
descent.
He is the Chairman and
trustee of three Ngati
Tahu land trusts which
collectively milk 1,500
cows, farm 12,000 dry
stock units and grow 200
hectares of lucerne all
adjacent to the Waikato
River in the upper
catchment.
He has served as the
Chairman of Waipapa
Marae (Ngati Hikairo,
Kawhia) for the past 10
years and has previously
served as Chairman of the
Ohaaki Marae (Ngati Tahu,
Waikato River). Roger has
been recently appointed
to King Tuheitia’s Privy
Council.
our Board
Restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River
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