default-output-block.skip-main
National | Publishing

Eboni Waitere is the first Māori president of the Publishers Association of NZ

Eboni Waitere, first Māori president of Publishers Association of New Zealand. Photo: supplied

Eboni Waitere (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne) has been appointed president of Te Rau o Tākupu Publishers Association of NZ (PANZ).

Her priorities include laws to protect creators from artificial intelligence, uphold indigenous rights, and enable fair access in a digital world.

PANZ says her appointment highlights the strength of Māori leadership at the highest levels, and the milestone marks a shift in Aotearoa’s publishing landscape.

Waitere is the Executive Director of Māori-owned HUIA Publishers, which won the Bologna Prize last year for Oceania’s Best Children’s Publisher of the Year.

Eboni Waitere. Photo: supplied

“I am excited to be of service back to the publishing community,” she says.

“We have an extraordinary depth of talent across Aotearoa, and I believe New Zealand’s trade and education publishers are world-class. We’re already exporting stories, voices, and ideas globally.”

Waitere’s vision is to build on that foundation through collective strength, collaboration, and bold, strategic action.

“Literacy rates and our education space are priorities for me,” Waitere adds.

“Valuing our local content and seeing our stories is important. New Zealand is an international leader in educational resources, we need to reignite that through stronger investment and cross-sector collaboration.”

She sees this appointment as a chance to create copyright settings that are future-focused, a system that values mātauranga Māori, supports local publishers, and ensures the voices of storytellers are protected and respected.

“I’m genuinely thrilled that Eboni is stepping into the role of PANZ President. She brings strategic excellence, mana, unwavering integrity, and a lived understanding of the power of publishing to shape culture,” says Courtney Sina Meredith, PANZ Association Director.

Eboni Waitere leads HUIA alongside co-director Panaia Tahau-Hodges (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Tūtemohuta, Tūhoe), and together they are committed to nurturing the next generation of Māori storytellers. She holds a degree in Education and Māori from Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and is a 2024 graduate of the Advanced Publishing Institute at New York University.