Mrs Arihia Bennett, of Kaiapoi, CNZM for services to Māori, governance and the community
Arihia Bennett (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi) was the first woman and the longest serving Chief Executive Officer of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. She was CEO of He Oranga Pounamu, the iwi-mandated organisation for health and social services in the South Island. She is a member of the Pūhara Mana Tangata Māori advisory panel to the Ombudsman’s Office and has been a member of the New Zealand-China Council. She is a member of the Global Women’s Network and the Tuahiwi Māori Women’s Welfare League. She was appointed as Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack. Mrs Bennett has served on the Boards of Barnardos New Zealand and the Christchurch Women’s Refuge (now Aviva).