The Pihopatanga o Aotearoa's Commission on Episcopal Leadership (established in 2023 by Te Rūnanga Whāiti) has identified an urgent need to redesign Māori Anglican electoral college processes for bishops. Revisiting the way bishops are elected in The Māori Anglican Church comes as part of the Commission's work advising Te Hāhi Mihinare on how to strengthen support for its pīhopa and their whānau across teaching, sacramental leadership, governance and mission.

Chaired by Dean of Law at Auckland University of Technology, Khylee Quince, the Commission met in Auckland in late August to review progress over the last two years and confirm priorities ahead of the Māori Anglican Church's biennial governance meeting, Te Rūnanganui, in December.

In late August, the Amorangi ki Mua Commission affirmed it is committed to designing a tikanga-led electoral college process across the Hui Amorangi. And today, with unfilled episcopal roles in the South Island and central North Island, they have identified an urgent focus on establishing new electoral processes for Te Waipounamu and Te Manawa o te Wheke Hui Amorangi.

Recently appointed Commission Project Coordinator Lucy Laitinen facilitated the August hui supporting Commissioners to review the scope of mission and prioritise which areas needed their most pressing attention, which led to the current priorities of electoral college process review and increased support of pīhopa after appointment.

The Commission will now set out to blend canonical electoral college processes with the expression of Hui Amorangi-based iwi tikanga in the process for discerning new bishops for Te Hāhi Mihinare.

The Commission is also drafting guidelines to help hui amorangi better support their pīhopa through induction, training, pastoral care, sabbaticals and moving into retirement.

While the Commission is highlighting the most urgent matters, it continues work on developing long-term principles reflecting the tikanga of Te Hāhi Mihinare and the relationships between Te Pīhopa o Aotearoa and hui amorangi bishops.

Taking its name from the whakataukī “Ko te Amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai o ki muri” “Let God be your spearhead and the people will support”, the Commission’s work will include wānanga with hui amorangi representatives before tabling recommendations at Te Rūnanganui later this year.

Going forward, Commission Chair Khylee Quince (Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu), is joined by a ten-member team comprising five experts appointed by Te Pīhopa o Aotearoa and five from amorangi: Geremy Hema, Sir Selwyn Parata, Mere Mangu, Dr Anne Philips, Rev Liliani Havili, Dr Emily Colgan, Pierre Henare, Ven Michael Tamihere and Ven Susan Wallace.