Council

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Council has overall responsibility for the governance of the Polytechnic, its strategic direction and activities. There are eight members on our Council including four ministerial appointments and four community representatives.

Ministerial Appointees

Ian Turner
(Chair)
Ian is Managing Director of New Zealand Educational Tours, a Tauranga based company. A qualified Chartered Accountant, he has had a strong interest in helping organisations operate more effectively. He has been a Court appointed non executive director of an outbound travel company, Chair of a large London secondary school board, and recently stood down after 4 years as Chair of Tauranga Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Neil Barns (Ngati Kahungunu)
(Deputy Chair)
Dr. Neil Barns is the former Chief Executive of Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology. He is chair of the Tertiary Accord of New Zealand and a member of Polytechnics International New Zealand and Te Tapuae o Rehua Board. He is a trustee of Education New Zealand, CPIT Foundation and Otautahi Education Development Trust.

Paul Bowker
Paul Bowker is continuing as a member of Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Council. Mr. Bowker is the owner operator of Hotel on Devonport. He is vice-president of the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce and a trustee of Tourism Bay of Plenty.

Rahera Ohia
Rahera Ohia was raised in Waitao (Welcome Bay) under the shadow of Kopukairoa. She is currently the Chief Executive and Lead Negotiator for Te Au M?ro o Ng?ti P?kenga, which is the entity responsible for Treaty settlement negotiations for Ng?ti P?kenga. She was also a public servant for some 18 years, based mostly in Wellington.

Community Appointees

Fleur Sweeney
Appointed as a community representative and former Council member representing the Council of Trade Unions, Fleur has a wealth of experience from 17 years on the Polytechnic Council and is passionate about continuing to promote the interests of Tauranga Moana and its communities through provision of quality vocational education. Fleur has worked for the last 25 years in local government in Tauranga and the Western Bay and is very familiar with community aspirations in their many forms.

Aroha Luttenberger
(former council member previously representing Tauranga Moana)

Paula Thompson

Paul Logan

All Polytechnic Council Meetings are open to the public. Please see our events calendar for meeting details.