Charities Registration Board/Te Rātā Atawhai
Updated 17 December 2025
Te Rātā Atawhai is an independent body which makes decisions about registering or deregistering charities.
Jane Wrightson (Chair)
Jane is an independent director and the current Retirement Commissioner. She is a director of Radio New Zealand, chairing its Audit and Risk Committee, and chairs a small charity that distributes funds to eight industries through the Workforce Futures Fund. Jane is also a former chair of Experience Wellington, a council-controlled arts and heritage charity, and has served as a director for other not-for-profit entities. She has previously held senior executive roles in public media organisations as a funder, regulator, programme commissioner, and sector advocate. Jane is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors.
Vaiahu Tarita Hutchinson
Turou turou oromai oromai
Te oronga atu nei au i toku marama na roto i te vaerua tuatua tika e te turanga akamaroiroi kia tiratiratu tatouIekoko
Tarita Hutchinson is an experienced trustee and fiduciary with over three decades in senior advisory roles across the Pacific in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. As a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a Fellow of CPA Australia, she brings extensive governance expertise and a strong commitment to community service.
Tarita is dedicated to creating sustainable impact through her work, especially within Pacific communities. As the founder of Temarama Wealth, she focuses on empowering Pacific entrepreneurs to build resilient wealth infrastructure that supports their communities.
Tarita is excited to bring her skills in financial governance, strategic planning, and community-focused solutions to her role on Te Rātā Atawhai|Charities Registration Board which she began in October 2024.
Carolyn Risk
Carolyn is a Christchurch-based barrister with extensive governance experience. She has had a 30-year career as a senior leader in the public sector and started her career in private practice in Christchurch. Carolyn is a member of the Gambling Commission, the Audit and Risk Committee for the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office, and the Audit and Risk Committee for Environment Canterbury. She is also a lead reviewer for the Treasury Gateway Process.
Julie Hardaker
Julie Hardaker is a practising lawyer and experienced professional director. She is a Chartered Fellow of the international Chartered Governance Institute. Julie was Mayor of Hamilton from 2010 to 2016 and has extensive experience in risk and regulatory compliance, as well as stakeholder and community engagement.
She has also served on many community organisations and charities and is currently Deputy Chair of Bay Venues Limited, Deputy Chair of Auckland Transport, Director of the Water Services Authority, Chair of Orchestras Central Trust and Chair of Women on Boards New Zealand.
Julie is the former Chair of New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority
Leighton Evans
Leighton Evans is an experienced leader based in Christchurch, with a strong commitment to community development and charitable initiatives. As Chief Executive of the Rātā Foundation, he brings extensive expertise in looking across the charitable sector, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement. Leighton is passionate about creating positive social impact and ensuring transparency and accountability within the charitable sector. He is a chartered member of the IOD and holds governance roles spanning several different sectors. His leadership focuses on fostering collaboration and driving sustainable outcomes for the communities he serves.
To view the decisions made by the Charities Registration Board, see our legal decisions page.