Tribal members elect three members from their Marae to represent them for three years in Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Incorporated – the tribe's parliament, commonly referred to as 'Te Kauhanganui'.
Tribal members elect three members from their Marae to represent them for three years in Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Incorporated – the tribe's parliament, commonly referred to as 'Te Kauhanganui'.
After the triennial elections, Te Kauhanganui members then elect ten of their number to an executive body called Te Arataura. One additional member (the Kaahui Ariki representative) is appointed to Te Arataura by the Head of the Kaahui Ariki,
Kiingi Tuheitia.
Each of the 65 Marae represented in Te Kauhanganui have one vote. Proceedings are managed by a Chair, Deputy Chair and Secretary, elected in to their positions by members.
All terms are for three years (except for the Kaahui Ariki representative, who serves at the King’s discretion).
Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Incorporated is the Trustee of the tribe’s assets and is the successor entity to the Waikato Raupatu Lands Trust and the Waikato Raupatu River Trust.
Separation of social and commercial activities
Following a restructuring, Tainui Group Holdings was established to manage the tribe's commercial activities.
Te Arataura appoints shareholder representatives to the board of
Tainui Group Holdings Limited, the commercial arm of Waikato-Tainui tasked with growing the tribe’s asset base.
Tainui Group Holdings Limited pays a dividend to Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui Incorporated, which assists Te Kauhanganui to run the tribal administrative arm, political and regulatory functions, and also to fund a range of charitable distributions (e.g.
grants and scholarships) available to tribal members, tribal kaupapa, and Marae.
Approximately $5 million is paid out annually by way of various grants and scholarships.
Below is a diagram of the tribe's current structure showing the relationships between the various entities.
