Organisational Structure

Our organisational structure has a number of elements:

  • a Board of Directors, each representing different industry sectors (including one from the water industry)
  • A Water Industry Committee, appointed by the Board of Directors, with about  eight members each representing various sectors of the water industry
  • The Water Industry Training team.

The Board

The Board is responsible for governance, monitoring our performance and ensuring we manage properly the Government, industry, private and public assets in our care. Its role includes:

  • governing our affairs
  • resourcing, approving budgets and monitoring our finances
  • approving our membership
  • appointing any necessary committees, advisory groups and forums
  • engaging people or organisations to help or advise us, including an auditor
  • employing our Chief Executive and setting their terms and conditions of employment
  • delegating where necessary any powers to employees, committees, advisory groups and/or forums
  • setting our by-laws, policies and procedures
  • acting or exercising other powers that are in accordance with our powers and further our objectives
  • setting our strategic direction.

CLIFF TIPLER (Chairman)
Cliff joined the Board in 1999, representing the water industry and the development of water industry training. He was elected Deputy Chairman in August 2002.  In June 2009 he was elected Chairman. Cliff is a past President of the New Zealand Water and Waste Association. He is a Senior Principal of URS New Zealand in Christchurch, practising as a water and wastewater consulting engineer. He is a Director of Agriculture Services Ltd.

DON SEATH (Deputy Chairman)
Don joined the Board in 2000. He is a member of the Institute of Directors, Chairman of the Industry Committee and former Director of the New Zealand Dairy Group and Dairy Meats NZ ltd.

TANIRA KINGI PhD (ANU), MAppSc (Hons), BBS (AgrB)
Tanira joined the Board in 1998. He is a senior lecturer in Agricultural Systems and Management at Massey University and an advisory science strategist for AgResearch. He is currently a committee of Management member of Waerenga Incorporation and is affiliated to Te Arawa and Ngati Awa.

CHRIS KELLY MVSc, MACVSc
A former veterinarian, Chris joined the Board in 2005. He is the chief executive of Landcorp Farming Ltd and former chairman of AgVax Developments Ltd. He is a member of the Massey University Council.

WAYNE MCLAUGHLAN
Wayne joined the Board in 2006, representing employees working in the industries the ITO covers. He is a full time union organiser with 29 years' experience.

MURRAY LINTON
Murray joined the Board in 2007. He is a Fonterra Shareholder Council member and former Bay of Plenty AgITO Regional Committee chairman. He farms 500 dairy cows with his wife Fiona.

LEON BLACK
A director of the Meat Board, Beef + Lamb NZ and Ovita Ltd, Leon joined the Board in 2008. He farms a 330 hectare intensive sheep breeding property in Southland.

BARBARA KURIGER
Barbara and husband Louis have farmed together for 29 years and have won several farming competitions, including the AC Cameron Rural Excellence Award in 1999. They own two dairy farms in Taranaki and hold an equity stake in a Southland dairy farm.  Barbara is a member of the DairyNZ Board. She has also been a member of the Fonterra Shareholders Council including Governance and Ethics Committee Chair, and chaired the Livestock Improvement National Council for two years.

PETER LANGFORD BAgSci
Peter joined the Board in 2009. He was born and raised on his parent's dairy farm in Golden Bay. Prior to returning to farming, he worked as contractor, agriculture tutor, sales/marketing executive and company branch manager. He and wife Debbie won the 2004 West Coast Top of the South Sharemilker of the Year competition and bought Debbie's parents' Karamea farm in 2006. Peter has chaired Karamea Area School's Board of Trustees, and the AgITO Regional Committee.

Water Industry Committee

Our Water Industry Committee consists of elected or appointed members from our industry sectors - irrigation, reticulation, local authority water managers, private contractors, water treatment operators, wastewater treatment operators and public health.

They meet at least twice a year and are responsible for:

  • advising on and helping develop and review unit standards for their sectors
  • advising on and helping to develop and review specific industry qualifications for their sectors
  • advising on and helping to develop moderation action plans
  • developing specific education and training policies relevant to their sectors
  • carrying out these responsibilities within the Constitution of the Agriculture ITO, and within the directions of the Board
  • reporting to the Board twice a year.