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Archives & Records

Association of New Zealand

Te Huinga Mahara

Chief Archivist Announcement

Anahera Morehu has been appointed to the permanent role of Chief Archivist. Anahera is currently the Acting Chief Archivist, seconded into the role in November 2022. Her substantive position was Kaihautū for Archives NZ.

The Chief Archivist ensures compliance with the Public Records Act, and is the steward of the public record. The role also oversees guardianship of our most important national documents, taonga that include He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine. Together with the National Librarian, Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision’s Tumu Whakarae and other sector leaders, the Chief Archivist plays a shared role in the realisation of the Te Ara Tahi programme, associated transformational change and workforce planning.  

The Chief Archivist role is pivotal as we look to build stronger partnerships with communities across the country to care for and provide access to the nation’s memory. This includes work supporting iwi, hapū and whānau to preserve their taonga on the ground, including on marae. Over the next three to five years, the role of the Chief Archivist will be crucial to driving uplift across the regulated sector, shifting the regulatory approach away from reporting to also include communication, education, and training.

Because of the importance of the role, we followed a formal recruitment process, supported by Amy Tea Consulting, an executive search firm experienced in the recruitment of executive leadership roles. This is in line with the Public Service Act 2020, which states there must be an open, transparent, and contestable process. Applications were open to internal and external candidates.

Applications were received from across New Zealand and overseas. I was joined on the panel by Honiana Love from Ngā Taonga, Courtney Johnston from Te Papa and Elaine McCaw an Executive Recruited and HR Specialist. To help inform our search, Archives kaimahi contributed their thoughts on qualities they were looking for in a Chief Archivist. Their feedback helped informed our thinking when considering each applicant.

Anahera is an established leader across the libraries and information management sectors and across iwi Māori. A former President of LIANZA Council, Anahera has had leadership roles with IFLA – the International Federation of Library Associations and is a member of the trust board of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua.  

Anahera impressed the panel with her deliberate approach to leadership, balancing immediate issues management with the need to set the foundations for longer-term organisational stabilisation and preparedness for change, including the move into the new Archives building scheduled for 2025/26. Anahera also spoke to her leadership experience in both the western institutional and external iwi Māori settings.

Anahera is the country’s first Māori and wāhine Māori to hold this important statutory role in a permanent capacity. He uri a Anahera no Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri me Ngāti Kahu hoki. He wahine toa, he wahine ātaahua, he wahine whai koha, he wahine aroha nui, he wahine whakakatakata, he wahine humarie, he rangatira!

I thanked Anahera for her excellent leadership of Archives over the past nine months, overseeing some significant pieces of work, while on secondment and look forward to continuing to work closely with her in the permanent role.

There will be an opportunity to recognise her and to officially welcome her to the permanent position with a mihi whakatau in early July.

Given the scope of anticipated change, the workload associated with the realisation of the Te Ara Tahi programme and the move of Archives to the new building, we are also looking to appoint a General Manager for Archives for up to four years. The GM role has proven valuable in providing the Chief Archivist with additional senior leadership and operational management support. This appointment, of course, has flow on effects for the Kaihautū role at Archives. The intention is to run a contestable appointment process for this role in due course.

Hoani Lambert (ia/he/him)

He uri taniwha nō Te Reinga, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tūhoe

Hautū | Deputy Chief Executive

Te Haumi | Enterprise Partnerships

Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs

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About ARANZ

ARANZ is an incorporated society, established in 1976, with the aim of promoting the understanding and importance of records and archives in New Zealand. ARANZ is administered nationally by a Council of elected members. Branches are established in Auckland, Canterbury, Central Districts, Otago/Southland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, and Wellington.

Archivists; record managers; librarians; and other information managers; genealogists; historians; teachers; museum and art gallery curators; religious groups; professional associations; historical societies; businesses; local and central government agencies; and many other interested in the preservation and use of archives and records.

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Become an ARANZ Member

There are many advantages to membership and it is a key way of engaging with the information management profession and the issues before us.

Help to preserve New Zealand’s archives and records.
Keep you informed about current archives and recordkeeping concerns and initiatives.
Give your concerns a stronger voice through the Association’s submissions and reports.
Grant you access to an informal ARANZ library.

Enable you to meet people who share your interest in archives and recordkeeping who can assist with your information needs.
Enable you to attend branch meetings and seminars.
Entitle you to receive ARANZ publications.
Give you discounted registration for ARANZ annual conferences, that provide relevant programmes of high quality.