Annabelle Lee-Mather is a New Zealand television journalist and producer. She affiliates to

Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori people, Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenhe ...

Ngāti Kahungunu Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi (tribe) located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke's Bay and Wairārapa regions. The Kahungunu iwi also comprises 86 hapū (sub-tribes ...

and

Kāti Māmoe Kāti Māmoe (also spelled Ngāti Māmoe) is a Māori iwi. Originally from the Heretaunga Plains of New Zealand's Hawke's Bay, they moved in the 16th century to the South Island which at the time was already occupied by the Waitaha. A centu ...

iwi.

Biography

Lee-Mather began her media career in radio in 2001, working for Ruia Mai, which provided news and current affairs programming to iwi radio stations. She moved to TV in 2004, working on te reo Māori news show ''Te Kāea'' for

Māori Television Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

. She worked for the broadcaster for 11 years, including executive producing current affairs show ''Native Affairs.'' In 2013, while working on that show with Mihingarangi Forbes, the pair investigated complaints of financial mismanagement at Te Kōhanga Reo, a Māori immersion programme for preschool-age children, which led to a political intervention in the organisation. Shortly after the investigation, both Lee-Mather and Forbes left Māori Television. Lee-Mather and Forbes formed the Aotearoa Media Collective, which has produced programmes like ''Hongi To Hāngī, New Zealand Wars'' and Three's weekly Māori current affairs show, ''The Hui''. Lee-Mather was producer of ''The Hui'' until the end of 2022''.'' Lee-Mather is also head of indigenous projects at

Great Southern Television Great Southern Television (GSTV) is a film and television production company based in Auckland, New Zealand. The company operates both scripted and unscripted departments and in 2023 has series with several major international broadcasters an ...

where she created the shows '' The Casketeers'' and ''Shearing Shed.'' Alongside host

Toby Manhire Toby Manhire (born 16 March; year unknown) is a New Zealand journalist and columnist, and the editor at-large of online magazine ''The Spinoff''. He is the son of poet Bill Manhire. Career Manhire was editor of student magazine '' Salient'' i ...

of ''

The Spinoff ''The Spinoff'' is a New Zealand online magazine and news website that was founded in 2014. It is known for current affairs coverage, political and social analysis, and cultural commentary. It earns money through commercial sponsorship and su ...

'', she appears on the podcast, "Gone By Lunchtime" with Ben Thomas.

Awards and recognition

* Best Current Affairs Programme (with Rewa Harriman, Mihingarangi Forbes and Philip Smith): ''The Hui'' at 2021 New Zealand Television Awards * Images & Sound Award for Success in Television and Digital at 2020

Women in Film and Television New Zealand Awards The Women in Film and Television New Zealand Awards, also known as the WIFT NZ Awards, are a set of awards that celebrate and encourage the achievements of New Zealand women in film, television and digital media. The awards are administered by Wom ...

* Te Māngai Paho Best Māori Programme (shared with Mihingarangi Forbes, Mahanga Pihama, Philip Smith and Deb Cope): ''NZ Wars – Stories of Waitara'' at 2020 New Zealand Television Awards * Best Original Reality Series (shared with Carmen J Leonard, Susan Leonard, and Philip Smith): ''The Casketeers'' at 2019 New Zealand Television Awards * Best Māori Programme (shared with Carmen J Leonard, Susan Leonard and Philip Smith): ''The Casketeers'' at 2019 New Zealand Television Awards * Best Documentary (shared with Mihingarangi Forbes, Carmen J Leonard, Colin McCrae and Adrian Stevanon): ''NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka'' at 2018 New Zealand Television Awards * Best Māori Programme (shared with Mihingarangi Forbes, Carmen J Leonard, Colin McCrae and Adrian Stevanon): ''NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka'' at 2018 New Zealand Television Awards'''' * Best Original Reality Series: ''The Casketeers'' at 2018 New Zealand Television Awards'''' * Best Māori Programme (shared with Adrian Stevanon and Mihingarangi Forbes): ''The Hui'' at 2017 New Zealand Television Awards'''' * Best Investigative Reporting (shared with Adrian Stevanon, Richard Langston and Mihingarangi Forbes) for: ''Native Affairs'', Feathering the Nest episode at 2014 World Indigenous Journalism Awards * Best Current Affairs Series: ''Native Affairs'' at 2011 Aotearoa Film and Television Awards

Personal life

Lee-Mather is the daughter of politician

Sandra Lee-Vercoe Sandra Rose Te Hakamatua Lee-Vercoe (born 8 August 1952) is a former New Zealand politician and diplomat. She served as deputy leader (and briefly leader) of the Alliance party and was later High Commissioner to Niue. Early life Lee was bor ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee-Mather, Annabelle New Zealand television journalists New Zealand television producers New Zealand women television producers Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Ngāi Tahu people Ngāti Kahungunu people