Matanuku Kihirini Mahuika

LLB (Hons) – Wellington – 1991

Matanuku is a leading Māori lawyer in private practice in New Zealand. He has over 30 years’ experience advising on corporate, commercial, Treaty of Waitangi, Māori Land and administrative law issues.

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Matanuku is a highly skilled counsel appearing at the Waitangi Tribunal, Māori Land Court, and all Senior Courts. In recent years, he has presented arguments as counsel in five Supreme Court hearings. 

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Matanuku was the founding partner of Kahui Legal, a specialist boutique firm for Māori legal issues.  

Matanuku is also an experienced governor having held several directorships – a handful are listed below:

- Director and Deputy Chairman of Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (now Moana New Zealand) 2004–2011.

-  Chair of Sealord Group, 2011 to March 2015.

-  Chair of Ngati Porou Holding Company, 2012 to March 2021.

-  Director (from 2016) and Chair (from 2019) of the Eastland Group.

-  Director on Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou Trustee Company Ltd, 2015–2019.

-  Director of the New Zealand Merino Company, 2014 to present.

-  President of Hunga Roia Māori o Aotearoa Māori Law Society, 2002–2004.

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Matanuku has been appointed to several public reviews, including:

-  Chair Ministerial Panel to review Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993.

-  Appointed by the Prime Minister to review the Intelligence and Security Act 2017, alongside former Supreme Court Judge Sir Terrence Arnold KC.

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