Removed as trustee of Hakaraia Trust operating a dairy and drystock farm on Maori land near Mangakino on the western side of Lake Taupo, Vanessa Hakaraia was criticised by the Maori Land Court for her aggressive and combative behaviour, disrupting trust governance.
A high standard of behaviour is required from trustees exercising oversight of commercial entities, otherwise trust beneficiaries suffer, Judge Warren ruled.
Hakaraia Trust is a Te Ture Whenua Maori Act ahu whenua trust.
The court was told Ms Hakaraia was voted in as a trustee in Maori Land Court-supervised elections in November 2025.
Her suitability was immediately challenged; confirmation as trustee approved by the Court only after a judicial settlement conference saw widely-respected lawyer Glenn Toothill put in place as a court-appointed independent trustee with sole authority to liaise with employees and Trust contractors.
Evidence was given of Ms Hakaraia ignoring this court order; dealing directly with contractors and employees, which included vituperative text exchanges between herself and one trust employee.
Disputes reached a head with both Ms Hakaraia and Mr Toothill applying to the Maori Land Court to have the other removed as trustee.
Ms Hakaraia was removed.
She had ignored court orders. With trustees jointly and severally liable for trust actions, her behaviour was putting other trustees at personal financial risk, Judge Warren said.
If she does not get things her own way, Ms Hakaraia only knows one way to react, very negatively and on occasions destructively, Judge Warren commented.
Trust decision-making is dysfunctional, with Ms Hakaraia playing a significant part in that dysfunction, he ruled.
She was removed as trustee, with immediate effect.
Toothill v. Hakaraia – Maori Land Court (13.04.26)
26.134