Leith Comer
Council Member
Toi Ohomai Council
Leith is a respected leader in Māori development, public service, and governance, with a career spanning the New Zealand Army, central government, and iwi leadership. He served 21 years in the NZ Army before moving into public service, where he spent more than a decade as Chief Executive of Te Puni Kōkiri, leading major initiatives to strengthen Māori participation in education, employment, health, and economic development.
In the 2026 New Year Honours, Leith was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to Māori, governance, and education, building on his earlier Queen’s Service Order (QSO) received in 2018.
Affiliated with Te Arawa (Ngāti Rangitihi), Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe and Ngāti Pāhauwera, Leith is the Chair of Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust and has played a key role in iwi treaty settlement and environmental restoration efforts, including leadership of the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group.
He contributes widely across community and national governance and is a Council Member at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, supporting strong educational outcomes for rangatahi and the wider region.