Independent Panel

The Commissioner appointed an Independent Panel with founding Chair Tā Kim Workman KNZM QSO (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Wairarapa), and since July 2023 Chaired by Professor Khylee Quince (Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu). Tā Kim remains a valued member of the Panel as Pou Arahi – the one that guides the direction of the UPD kaupapa and the provenance of the programme’s thinking.

The Panel is working with Police to oversee and manage the UPD research and provide expert, independent, academic, cultural, and community advice to the programme, and to the Police on matters of systemic bias.

Its members bring together a diverse range of skills and experience, to ensure the research, analysis, and advice is informed by a holistic range of views and perspectives, particularly an understanding, and the application of a te ao Māori worldview.

Biographies of the Panel

Professor Khylee Quince - Panel Chair

 

Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu

Khylee is the Dean of the School of Law at Auckland University, she teaches and researches in criminal law, youth justice and Māori legal issues. Khylee is a member of the Parole Board, current chair of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, and a member of the Police’s Expert Panel on Emergent Technologies.

 

Tā Kim Workman KNZM QSO | Pou Ārahi

 

Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Rangitāne o Wairarapa

Tā Kim Workman KNZM QSO is a retired public servant, whose career spans roles in the Police, the Office of the Ombudsman, State Services Commission, Department of Māori Affairs, and Ministry of Health. He was Head of the Prison Service from 1989 to 1993. He is a graduate of Massey University, and has completed post-graduate study at the University of Southern California, and Stanford University.

In 2000, Kim was appointed National Director, Prison Fellowship New Zealand (PFNZ), and retired from that position in 2008. In 2005, Kim was the joint recipient (with Jackie Katounas) of the International Prize for Restorative Justice. He was made a Companion of the Queens Service Order (QSO) in 2007.

In 2006, Kim joined with the Salvation Army, to launch the “Rethinking Crime and Punishment” Project. In 2011 he formed JustSpeak, a movement that involves youth in criminal justice advocacy and reform. During 2008 and 2011, Kim served as a Families Commissioner.

Over the last five years, Kim has increasingly contributed to the academic literature, in the areas of criminal justice policy, Treaty and Māori development issues, racism and inequality, culture and identity. He is currently an adjunct research associate at the Institute of Criminology, Victoria University. He was awarded the R.D. Stout Fellowship at the Stout Centre for New Zealand Studies in 2015 and is currently completing a publication on ‘The Criminal Justice System, the State, and Māori from 1985 to the present’.

In 2016, Kim was awarded the degree of Doctor of Literature (DLitt Well) by the Council of Victoria University, and in 2017, the same degree by the Council of Massey University. In February 2018, Kim was awarded Senior New Zealander of the Year, under the New Zealander of the Year Awards Scheme. In 2019, Kim was appointed as a Knight Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM).

His memoir, ‘Kim Workman – Journey Towards Justice’ was published in November 2018 and is available at all good bookshops or online at https://www.bwb.co.nz/books/kim-workman.

Kim was recently appointed to the Human Rights Review Tribunal and the Parole Board. He is a member of the Police External Advisory Group on Iwi Community Panels, and the Police External Advisory Group on the Improving Frontline Safety Programme.

Kim has six children, 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. He enjoys listening and playing jazz.

 

Dr Katie Bruce

 

Dr Katie Bruce, formerly the Chief Advisor to the Independent Panel (August 2022 – March 2024). Katie is now the Chief Executive of Hui E and a Tangata Tiriti board member of Community Research Aotearoa. Katie has previous experience as Acting Director of Strategy, Rights and Advice at the Office of the Children’s Commission, Chief Executive of Volunteering New Zealand New Zealand and Director of Justspeak.

 

Dr Jonathan Godfrey ONZM

 

Dr Jonathan Godfrey has advocated for the needs of disabled people for practically his entire adult life. He is the National President of Blind Citizens NZ, the oldest disabled-person-led disability advocacy organisation in NZ. His work on the rights of disabled people extends to being leader of NZ’s Independent Monitoring Mechanism when NZ was examined by the United Nations’ Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2022. As a statistician, Jonathan has a keen interest in making sure there is data and evidence to support decision-makers; as an advocate, he promotes the need to listen to the aspirations and lived experience of the people affected by those decisions.

 

Dr Penny Hagen

 

Dr Penny Hagen assists organisations, teams and communities to apply strengths based, participatory and developmental approaches to the design, implementation, and iteration of strategy, programs, policies and services. Penny has supported cross sector teams and communities in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to respond to complex social issues including youth employment, youth mental health, chronic health conditions and family violence by connecting policy and evidence to the lived realities and aspirations of communities.

Penny has a PhD in participatory design and her work integrates approaches from health, design, youth development, systems and evaluation disciplines. Penny is a strong advocate of participatory design and evaluative practices that are of Aotearoa, co-leading events and forums to develop and strengthen local practice and networks.

Penny is the Director of The Auckland Co-design Lab (The Lab) based within The Southern Initiative in South Auckland. Penny sits on the MSD Ethics Committee and co-leads the Labs work on design for equity and intergenerational wellbeing. This includes the development of practice-based evidence around what works and matters to communities, building public sector capability for more complexity-informed approaches, and working alongside rangatahi and whānau to understand and demonstrate what it looks like to enhance and activate the conditions for wellbeing in place.

 

Helen Leahy

 

Helen is the Pou Arahi/Chief Executive for Nga Waihua o Paerangi Trust (Ngati Rangi). Ngati Rangi is a central North Island iwi based at the western and southern foot of Mount Ruapehu, with approximately 3000 registered members.

Prior to this role, Helen was the Pouārahi/CE of the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency for the South Island, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu. She has worked in a range of sectors including education, Māori development and sexual and reproductive health. She is a trustee on Te Hauora o Ngati Rarua (health services) and a trustee for Digital Wings (which facilitates redistribution of electronic equipment from corporate entities to community organisations, to enhance educational and employment opportunities). From 1999 to 2014, Helen was based at Parliament, where she held several roles, including Chief of Staff and Senior Ministerial Advisor for the former Minister of Whānau Ora. In 2015 she was a member of the Expert Advisory Panel for the modernisation of Child, Youth and Family, and until 2022 a member of the Māori Design Team for Oranga Tamariki; and a member of the Disability Support System Transformation steering group. More recently she has been a member of a number of health sector committees related to public health and COVID-19. She is also a member of the Energy Hardship Expert Panel and the Governance Group - family and sexual violence - for the Department of Corrections.

 

Jo McLean

 

Ngāi Tahu, Te Atiawa

Jo McLean has had involvement in Māori rights and interest for many years.

Jo moved from the North Island to Christchurch in 1999 and connected with her iwi and hapū. She has contributed to the development of her Papatipu Rūnanga, Te Rūnanga o Waihao as an active member. She was a member of the Rūnanga Holdings Board and was instrumental in reviewing the strategic investment approach to build further on the investment strategy. She was then subsequently elected on to the Board of the Waihao Incorporated Society, where she assisted in the development of process and policy.

She was later appointed to the Board of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, where she has been a board member for some 9 years. Over this time Jo has further developed her governance experience, knowledge and skill, and was subsequently appointed as Chair of one of the internal Executive Committees tasked with reviewing, developing and monitoring all internal projects that the iwi are currently involved with, including the recent multimillion-dollar partnership between Ngāi Tahu and Oranga Tamariki.

Jo is currently the Ngāi Tahu representative on the unique coalition comprising the nine South Island Iwi Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency. This has provided insight into both opportunities for whānau but also where there are significant gaps and has been involved in developing the strategic approach to commissioning in the South Island.

As Chair of the Board of a local health centre, Jo created a stable and sustainable business operating in a low socio-economic, high Māori population area. She is also involved in a number of local community activities. Jo has had a long career in the Union movement and has worked with a diversity of both local, national and international businesses to ensure that the rights of workers has been well advocated and supported many workers to ensure that their rights are upheld.

Having been on a benefit and raising four children as a single parent Jo turned to education as a way to move into employment. She has subsequently gained a BA, majoring in Sociology, a Masters of Māori and Indigenous Leadership and completes an LLB in June 2022. Her background has provided a real and lived insight to the many social difficulties and hardships faced by whānau.

 

Lady Tureiti Moxon

 

Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu

Tureiti Moxon is the definition of a transformational servant leader.

As the Managing Director of Te Kōhao Health, she has been an inspirational visionary in the Māori health, education, social, justice and Whānau Ora space locally, regionally and nationally. Te Kōhao currently leads 12 partner service providers throughout the Hauraki Waikato, Maniapoto and Raukawa regions and has oversight of a medical centre and three satellite clinic’s in Hamilton and Raglan.

She previously established many Kōhanga Reo in the Waikato, Hauraki and Maniapoto regions and served as a barrister and solicitor with McCaw Lewis Chapman in Hamilton in Māori land law, civil and Treaty jurisprudence. She currently serves on numerous community trusts including her own iwi of Ngāti Pāhauwera as a trustee and previously on their treaty negotiating team who successfully settled their claim in 2012. She is now a member of the Waitangi Tribunal and chairs the National Māori Urban Authority. Tureiti co-founded the Toiora Māori Primary Health Organisation Coalition in 2003 until it merged with the National Coalition in 2012.

Not being prepared to stand on the sideline she stood as a candidate for the Hamilton City Council local body elections and in the general elections. Tureiti has spearheaded several multimillion dollar building projects for the advancement of Māori health, education and Te Reo Māori including the Te Kōhao Health Whānau Ora centre, a bilingual kōhungahunga and a puna reo.

Under her leadership, Te Kōhao is now a thriving multimillion business and has grown from 1,500 enrolled individual whānau members to 8,400 and employs a staff of 234.

Strengthening whānau tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake is at the centre of everything that drives her. Tureiti’s foresight, belief, courage, tenacity, integrity and strategic connections from a lifetime of service continues to transform generations.

 

Grant O’Fee MNZM

 

Grant had a 44-year career with New Zealand Police, before retiring at the rank of Superintendent in 2012. With a varied policing background, he has served in a variety of roles within tactical and senior leadership positions, including undercover agent, response, Detective, Armed Offenders Squad, Special Tactics Group, Area and District Commander.

At the Royal New Zealand Police College, he instructed on leadership and tactical response before relocating to the Tasman District as Commander in 2000. In 2006, he commanded the first New Zealand Police contingent to East Timor before returning to New Zealand and planning and delivering Operation Rugby World Cup 2011. Work on drug education in Porirua earned a bronze merit award along with a silver for the Rugby World Cup operation. Grant was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007.

After retiring from New Zealand Police, he went on to serve for three years as Commissioner of the Tonga Police.

Grant is currently a member of the Tasman District Commander’s Iwi Advisory Committee and sits on Te Pae Oranga community panel for Te Tau Ihu. He is also a mentor for the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring scheme.

He enjoys swimming, road cycle racing, target shooting, history and family.

 

Rahui Papa

 

Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Waikato-Tainui

Rahui Papa is an orator, spokesperson, and recognised authority on Waikato reo and tikanga. Rahui has a background in broadcasting and education and has served on the Waikato-Tainui Governance Group since its inception. Rahui is the negotiator for Waikato-Tainui’s outstanding Treaty claims, having previously chaired the Waikato Tainui Executive, Te Arataura, and served as a director and member of various holdings companies, ministerial committees, and national and local boards. Rahui plays an integral role in the Iwi Leaders’ Forum, providing advice to Ministers and Crown officials on matters of national significance.

 

Ranjna Patel ONZM QSM JP

 

Ranjna Patel is the founder of Gandhi Nivas family violence prevention programme in New Zealand. She was the co-founder and director of Tamaki Health, a primary healthcare group and she sits on a number of advisory boards, including New Zealand Police’s National Ethnic Forum, the Mental Health Foundation and Diversity Works, New Zealand’s national body for workplace diversity and inclusion.

 

Distinguished Professor Paul Spoonley FRSNZ

 

A Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Paul is a Distinguished Professor whose specialist area is on social change and demography and how this impacts policy decisions at the political level. He has led numerous externally funded research programmes, written or edited 27 books and is a regular commentator in the news media. He has a PhD, DipEd, MSc, MA, PGDipArts, and a BA.

Paul is the new Co-Director for He Whenua Taurikura – National Centre of Research Excellence for Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism. He is also involved with Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures and is Chair of Metropolis International.

Paul joined the Massey staff in 1979 and was, until becoming Pro Vice-Chancellor in October 2013, the College's Research Director and Auckland Regional Director. He has led numerous externally funded research programmes, including the Ministry of Science and Innovation's $3.2 million Integration of Immigrants and the $800,000 Ngā Tangata Oho Mairangi.

 

Anne Waapu

 

Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Hinemanu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Atihaunui-ā-Pāpārangi

A kaupapa Māori researcher and activist, Anne is focused on the transformation of New Zealand’s colonial justice system with an interest in constitutional transformation, prison abolition and healing historical and intergenerational trauma. A kaitautoko of related kaupapa, Anne is also a tauira of Ahunga Tikanga at Te Wānanga o Raukawa.

 

Glenn Wilcox

 

With a keen interest in the health and youth development sector, Glenn Co-Chairs the Affinity Charitable Services Trust, and is a Board Member of Healthwest and the Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC). He is a qualified Hearings Commissioner and has been a member of the Independent Māori Statutory Board in Tāmaki Makaurau since its inception in 2010.

Glenn previously chaired the Committee of Management of a hapū-owned farm on the South Kaipara Peninsula, and was a member of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua. He now chairs the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua Fisheries and Commercial Group of Companies.

Glenn was a negotiator on both the South Kaipara Waitangi and Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Claims and has worked in an advisory capacity with the Police in Waitematā for over a decade.