ORC creates ‘chief adviser’ role to assist interim chief executive
THE Otago Regional Council has hired a kaitohutohu, or chief adviser, to assist interim chief executive Pim Borren.
Dr Borren announced yesterday that strategy and planning committee iwi liaison Lyn Carter was leaving her committee role and joining the council staff as a member of the executive leadership team (ELT) from next week.
At yesterday’s committee meeting, Dr Borren said Dr Carter would be employed for the duration of his time as interim chief executive.
She would help to ‘‘establish some foundations’’ for the council’s next chief executive as well as assist him as he builds a relationship with local Maori, he said.
‘‘Obviously, as my chief adviser, there’s a whole lot of reasons why I’d really love to have your knowledge and experience helping me, given that I’m new to this region and I don’t have a network of contacts amongst mana whenua here.
‘‘So, really helpful for me to have you advising me, but also helping the whole of ELT and also from an organisational perspective, I think you’re going to be really important to us.’’
As did other members of ELT, she would advise councillors as well in her new role, he said.
Dr Carter replaced the late Tahu Potiki when she took up the iwi liaison committee role.
She whakapapas to Kati Huirapa ki Puketeraki, and was previously a senior lecturer at Te Tumu, the University of Otago’s School of Maori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies.
Committee cochairwoman Cr Gretchen Robertson congratulated Dr Carter and said the appointment was exciting news for the council.