Ngā kaikōmihana Commissioners

Dr Sue Bidrose (Chair)

Sue was appointed as a member of the Commission in July 2022 and became Chair in December 2025. Sue holds a number of governance roles, in both local and central government, and the social and commercial sectors.

She was CEO of AgResearch Crown Research Institute from 2020-2025. Prior to that she was CE of the Dunedin City Council for seven years and held other senior management roles at the Dunedin and Waitakere City Councils, spending a total of 15 years working in Local Government. Earlier in her career she worked in central government, the for-purpose sector, and the private sector.

Bonita Bigham - Ngaruahine, Te Atiawa

Bonita was appointed as a temporary member of the Commission in June 2021 and as a full member in July 2022.

She was elected unopposed to the Taranaki Regional Council in 2022 and 2025, and is currently its Deputy Chairperson. She was previously a member of the Taranaki Coastal Community Board (2019-2022) and a councillor at South Taranaki District Council (2010-2019).

She chaired Te Maruata, Local Government New Zealand's national collective of Māori in governance roles in local government for nine years, served on LGNZ's Community Board Executive Committee and presently sits on its National Council.

Bonita also currently sits on the Arts Council at Creative New Zealand, and Te Puna, the Māori advisory committee to Taumata Arowai, having previously held other ministerial appointments. 

Andrew Turner, JP

Andrew was appointed as a member of the Commission in December 2025.  He serves as Independent Chair of the Whanganui District Council’s CCO & Economic Growth Committee, Independent Chair of the Taranaki Facilities Consortium, and a Trustee of the Monte Cecilia Housing Trust. 

Andrew was Deputy Mayor of Christchurch (2016-2022), an elected Christchurch City Councillor (2013-2022), and a member of the Banks Peninsula Community Board (2010-2022).

He has previously been Independent Chair of the SmartGrowth Urban Growth Partnership in the Western Bay of Plenty, a Director of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd and ChristchurchNZ Ltd, and Board Chair of Te Toi Mahana, the community housing trust established by Wellington City Council.  Andrew holds a Certificate in Company Direction from the New Zealand Institute of Directors and is currently studying towards a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Policy from Victoria University of Wellington.