Kaiwhakahaere

Justin TIpa

Kaiwhakahaere (Chair) Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu

Justin Tipa (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe) is the elected Kaiwhakahaere of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

Justin’s early years were spent in Te Kohurau in the Waitaki valley before moving to Ōtautahi. He was appointed representative for Moeraki in 2021.

He comes to Te Rūnanga with a strong background in language and culture revitalisation and is a passionate practitioner of traditional karakia supporting many Kāi Tahu marae to grow capacity on the paepae.

A father to four boys, Justin and his partner Ana reside on the pā at Moeraki. He has been the chair of Te Rūnanga o Moeraki since 2019 and is an executive member of Kāi Tahu ki Tuawhenua, which represents the seven Papatipu Rūnaka of the Queenstown Lakes area.

With a background in manufacturing, education and most recently as Chief Advisor Māori for Fonterra, he brings a wealth of experience in navigating complex issues with multiple stakeholders.