Our History

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi was first incorporated under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 on 19 December 1988, under the name Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Kahungunu Incorporated. Despite being financially stable, the organisation faced political challenges that its governing body could not resolve alone.

Following a brief hiatus, the iwi re-established itself on 9 December 1996 as Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated. A newly elected Board officially resumed leadership of iwi affairs in May 1997.

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In 1998, the Board initiated a constitutional review to strengthen the organisation’s governance. A team led by Moana Jackson, Mereana Pitman, and Mere Ruru, with support from Taanga Lawrence, was commissioned to undertake this important work. Their report, titled "Mā Te Rango Te Waka Ka Rere", remains a valuable resource and is available in most libraries across Aotearoa or by request from Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated.

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Here and Now

New Zealand’s Incorporated Societies Act 2022 has introduced significant changes to how incorporated societies must operate. To remain legally registered and compliant, all societies previously registered under the 1908 Act must re-register under the 2022 Act by 5 April 2026.

As part of this process, we’ve updated our constitution to meet the new legal requirements. The updated constitution ensures our society continues to operate transparently, responsibly, and in line with modern governance standards.

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Key Reasons for Re-registration and Constitution Update:

• Legal Requirement: Re-registration is mandatory. Societies that do not re-register by the deadline will be removed from the register and cease to exist.

• Modern Governance: The new Act introduces clearer rules around officer duties, conflict of interest policies, and financial management. 

• Mandatory Constitution Content: Our constitution now includes required provisions such as:

  • Society’s purpose and objectives

  • Membership rules and written consent

  • Governance structure and officer responsibilities

  • Dispute resolution procedures

  • Financial reporting and asset distribution on winding up. 

• Reduced Membership Requirement: The minimum number of members has been lowered from 15 to 10, but all must now give written consent to join.

• Officer Duties: Officers now have statutory duties similar to company directors, including acting in good faith and avoiding conflicts of interest. 

We’ve taken this opportunity not only to comply with the law but also to strengthen our society’s governance and ensure we’re well-prepared for the future.

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Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated engaged Kahui Legal to make the changes. Click here to view the CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES. There are quite a few changes. Open the PDF document and go through it carefully. 

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These changes and the decision to reregister need to be approved at the Annual General Meeting before we reregister online at the Incorporated Societies website. Click here for more info about reregistering.