Pita Tipene

Pita Tipene
Tipene in 2025
Chair of the Northland Regional Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 November 2025
DeputyJack Craw
Preceded byGeoff Crawford
Northland regional councillor for the
Te Raki Māori constituency
Incumbent
Assumed office
18 October 2025
Serving with Arama Morunga
Personal details
Born1960 or 1961 (age 65–66)
PartyIndependent

Pita Tipene KSO (born 1960 or 1961) is a New Zealand politician and Māori leader. He has served as the chair of the Northland Regional Council since 5 November 2025. Prior to this he had served for seven years as the chair of the Waitangi National Trust. He was made a Companion of the King's Service Order in June 2025 for his 30 years of service to Māori.

Early life

Tipene grew up in Motatau, Northland, as the ninth of eleven children.

Northland Regional Council chairmanship

Following his election to the Northland Regional Council, Tipene was elected as the new chair at the inaugural council meeting. He defeated incumbent chair Geoff Crawford 5-to-3.

In February 2026, Tipene called on Cabinet Ministers to stop making "derogatory" comments about local councils.

Electoral history

Northland Regional Council

2025 Te Raki Māori constituency election

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2025 New Zealand regional council elections § Te Raki Māori constituency.[edit]
2025 Te Raki Māori constituency election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Pita Tipene 6,515 55.55 (new)
Te Pāti Māori Arama Morunga 5,297 45.16 (new)
Independent Peter-Lucas Jones† 3,882 33.10 −16.78
Independent Tui Shortland† 3,655 31.16 −37.10
Informal votes 582 4.96 +3.20
Blank votes 315 2.69 −1.32
Turnout 11,729 43.22 +14.58
Registered electors 27,140
Independent gain from Independent Green
Te Pāti Māori gain from Independent
† incumbent

References

  1. ↑ Jacobs, Maxine (6 February 2022). "How the good intentions of 'New Zealand Day' diminished the mana of the Treaty". Stuff.
  2. 1 2 3 Botting, Susan (7 November 2025). "Northland Regional Council selects Pita Tipene as new chair". Te Ao Māori News.
  3. 1 2 3 Botting, Susan (9 July 2025). "National Māori leader Pita Tipene stands for Northland Regional Council". The Northern Advocate.
  4. ↑ Smith, Anneke (26 February 2026). "Call for Ministers to stop 'derogatory' rhetoric against councils". Radio New Zealand.
  5. ↑ Ofsoske, Dale (17 October 2025). "Declaration of Results of Election and Poll" (PDF). Northland Regional Council.
  6. ↑ "Local Authority Election Statistics 2025". Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 8 July 2026.