Council and committees
Local elections were held by postal vote from 9 September until 11 October.
Membership of the following committees and working parties will be updated following the inaugural meeting of the newly elected council and subsequent appointment of members.
At the start of the 2022-2025 Triennium, council established the following governance structure to give effect to its purpose and to deliver its vision for the people of Northland.
Northland Regional Council (NRC)
The full council is the ultimate decision-making body for all council operations and is comprised of all nine councillors.
Chair
Cr Pita Tipene
Deputy Chair
Cr Jack Craw
Members
Cr John Blackwell
Cr Joe Carr
Cr Geoff Crawford
Cr John Hunt
Cr Colin Kitchen
Cr Amy MacDonald
Cr Arama Morunga
Find out more about your councillors
Council committees and advisors 2025-2028
Council reviewed its governance structure and the membership of the majority of council’s subordinate decision making bodies and councillor appointments at its meeting on 25 November 2025.
The Council Chair is ex-Officio on all subcommittees and working parties and carries full voting rights.
Governance structure
Click/tap image to enlarge
Joint Committees
Regional Transport Committee
| Chair | Cr Joe Carr |
| Deputy Chair | Cr John Blackwell |
| Members | TBA (Far North District Council), TBA (Whangarei District Council), TBA (Kaipara District Council), Waka Kotahi Representative: Steve Mutton |
| Alternates | NRC Chair Pita Tipene, WDC - (TBA), FNDC - (TBA), KDC - (TBA), Waka Kotahi - (TBA) |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | Regional Transport Committee - Terms of Reference (PDF 225 KB) |
Civil Defence Emergency Management Committee
While this group is administered by the NRC, legally it is a joint committee of all four councils in Northland.
You can see the group membership and download the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan in our Resource Library
| Member | Cr Colin Kitchen |
| Alternate | Cr Arama Morunga |
| Purpose |
|
Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē Board
A joint committee with Far North District Council, Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa, Te Manawa o Ngāti Kuri Trust, Te Rūnanga Nui o Te Aupouri Trust, Te Rūnanga o NgāiTakoto
| Members | Crs Colin Kitchen and Arama Morunga |
| Alternate | |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē Board - Terms of Reference (PDF, 254KB) |
Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee
The Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee is a standing committee made up of elected members from all the Northland councils and representatives from Northland hapū and iwi.
| Member | TBA |
| Alternate | TBA |
| District council members | TBA (WDC), (Alternate (TBA)) TBA (FNDC) (Alternate (TBA)) TBA (KDC) |
| Iwi/hapu representatives | TBA |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee - Terms of Reference (PDF, 114KB) |
Kaipara Moana Remediation Joint Committee
The Kaipara Moana Remediation Joint Committee consists of 6 appointed Kaipara Uri entities, three elected members appointed by Auckland Council and three elected members appointed by NRC.
| NRC Members | NRC Chair Pita Tipene, NRC Deputy Chair Jack Craw, and Cr John Blackwell |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | Kaipara Moana Remediation Joint Committee - Terms of Reference (146KB) |
Joint Regional Economic Development Committee
| Chair | Chair (TBA), Deputy Chairperson (TBA) |
| NRC members | NRC Chair Pita Tipene and Cr G Crawford |
| NRC Alternate | Cr John Hunt |
| District council members | KDC (TBA) WDC (TBA) |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | Joint Regional Economic Development Committee - Terms of Reference (PDF, 71KB) |
Committees
Infrastructure Committee
| Chair | Cr John Blackwell |
| Deputy Chair | Cr Joe Carr |
| Members | NRC Deputy Chair Jack Craw, Crs Geoff Crawford, Colin Kitchen |
| Ex-officio | Chair Pita Tipene |
| Māori Representation | Two (2) Independent Tangata Whenua Members: George Riley and Dee-Ann Wolferstan |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference |
Audit and Risk Committee
| Independent Chair | George Riley (Independent Tangata Whenua Member) |
| Members | Crs John Blackwell, Joe Carr, John Hunt, Colin Kitchen |
| Ex-officio | Chair Pita Tipene |
| Independents | S Watene (independent Risk Advisor) |
| Māori Representation | Two (2) Independent Tangata Whenua Members: George Riley and Dee-Ann Wolferstan |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference |
Investment Committee
| Independent Chair | Daniel Mussett (Independent Investment Advisor) |
| Members | NRC Deputy Chair Jack Craw, Crs John Blackwell, Geoff Crawford, John Hunt |
| Ex-officio | Chair Pita Tipene |
| Māori Representation | One (1) Independent Tangata Whenua Advisor: George Riley |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference |
Working parties
WDC/NRC Whangārei Public Transport Working Party
| Chair | Cr Amy Macdonald |
| Members | Crs Joe Carr and Jack Craw |
| WDC Members | Three Whangārei District councillors (WDC): TBA |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | WDC/NRC Whangārei Public Transport Working Party - Terms of Reference (PDF 285 KB) |
Natural Resources Working Party
| Chair | TBA |
| Members | TBA |
| Ex-officio | Chair Pita Tipene |
| Māori Representation | Four (4) members of Te Taitokerau Māori and Council (TTMAC) Working Party): Mira Norris (Te Parawhau representative), Geraldine Baker (Kahukuraariki Trust Board representative), Lynette Wharerau (Te Whakaminenga O Te Hikutu Hapu-Whanau) and one other member from TTMAC. |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | Natural Resources Working Party - Terms of Reference (PDF 393 KB) |
Biosecurity and Biodiversity Working Party
| Chair | Cr Jack Craw |
| Members | Crs Geoff Crawford, John Hunt, Amy Macdonald |
| Ex-officio | Chair Pita Tipene |
| Māori Representation | Four members of Te Ruarangi Working Party (TBA). |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | Biosecurity and Biodiversity Working Party - Terms of Reference (PDF 188 KB) |
Te Ruarangi
| Heamana Tokorua (Co-Chairs) | Cr Arama Morunga and 1 x member of TTMAC |
| NRC Alternative Co-Chair | TBA |
| Members | All of Northland Regional Council councillors |
| Māori Representation | Geraldine Baker (Kahukuraariki Trust Board), Mike Kake (Ngāti Hau), Michelle Elboz (Ngāti Kuta), Mahue Greaves (Ngāti Tara), Aperahama Edwards (Ngātiwai Trust Board), Juliane Chetham (Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board), Mira Norris (Te Parawhau Hapū Authority Charitable Trust), Thomas Hohaia (Te Roroa), Mariameno Kapa Kingi (Te Rūnanga Nui o Te Aupōuri), Nora Rameka (Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Rehia), Alan Riwaka (Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Whātua), George Riley (Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa), Bree Davis (Te Rūnanga O Whāingaroa), Janelle Beazley (Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi), Georgina Curtis-Connelly (Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust), Ripeka Read (Te Waiāriki, Ngāti Korora, Ngāti Takapara Hapū Iwi Trust), Lynette Wharerau (Te Whakaminenga O Te Hikutu Hapu-Whanau), Rowan Tautari (Te Whakapiko Hapū) |
| Purpose |
|
| Terms of Reference | Te Ruarangi - Terms of Reference (PDF 1.16 MB) |
All subcommittees, working parties and joint committees are required to regularly report progress on their functions to the council.
Collaborative Community Working Groups
|
Memberships / Delegation |
Councillor |
|
Kāeo-Whangaroa River Working Group |
Cr Colin Kitchen as Chair (Alternate Cr Joe Carr) |
|
Kaihū River Working Group |
Cr John Blackwell as Chair (Alternate Cr Joe Carr) |
|
Kerikeri River Working Group |
Cr Joe Carr as Chair (Alternate Cr Colin Kitchen) |
|
Taumārere River Liaison Working Group |
Cr Pita Tipene and Community Member as Co-Chairs (Alternate Cr Joe Carr) |
|
Urban Whangārei Working Group |
Cr Jack Craw as Chair and Cr Arama Morunga (Alternate Cr Amy Macdonald) |
|
Awanui River Working Group |
Cr Joe Carr as Chair (Alternate Cr Colin Kitchen) |
Councillor portfolios
|
Memberships/Delegation |
Councillor |
|
Kaipara Moana Working Party |
TBA |
|
Northland Īnanga Spawning Habitat Restoration Project |
TBA |
|
Northland Conservation Board |
TBA |
|
Shareholder representative for Northland Marsden Maritime Holdings Limited (Delegating all necessary authority to represent the council’s interest including but not limited to exercising the council’s vote at Annual General Meetings and giving effect to council’s shareholder resolutions). |
Chair of council |
|
Shareholder representative for Northland Inc. Limited (Delegating all necessary authority to represent the council’s interest including but not limited to exercising the council’s vote at Annual General Meetings and giving effect to council’s shareholder resolutions) |
Chair of council |
|
Shareholder representative on Regional Software Holdings Limited (Delegating all necessary authority to represent the council’s interest including but not limited to exercising the council’s vote at Annual General Meetings and giving effect to council’s shareholder resolutions) |
Chair of council |
|
Upper North Island Strategic Alliance (UNISA) |
Chair of council |
|
Zone One (LGNZ) |
Chair of council |
Agendas and meetings information
Agendas
Agendas and minutes for council and committee agendas are available from our Agendas and Minutes portal. Access agendas and minutes online
If you are unable to find an agenda on our portal, please email your request to: webteam@nrc.govt.nz
If you require a printed copy of a council or committee agenda, please contact us.
Council meetings
Everyone is welcome to attend the council meetings which are held each month.
Standing Orders
Councils are required by the Local Government Act 2002 to adopt Standing Orders - a set of rules that provide a formal framework for the conduct of local authority meetings. They also outline the council's agreed principles of behaviour within meetings.
Code of Conduct
Clause 15 of Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act) requires each local authority to adopt a code of conduct. Once adopted, all elected members are required to comply with the code.
This code of conduct provides guidance on the standards of behaviour that are expected from the Chairperson and elected members of the Northland Regional Council.
Councillor Remuneration
The Remuneration Authority sets remuneration for elected positions in local government. It also sets the rules for reimbursement of costs met by members in undertaking their duties. Both are unique to each local authority.
The Authority does not set remuneration for Chief Executives of local or regional authorities. That is the responsibility of the local/regional authorities.
