About the Rule Foundation
Organisational strategy
Charitable status
The Rule Foundation was established through a trust deed in 2008 to enable the funds left from the estate of Peter Rule to be used to fund projects and activities to advance the health, wellbeing and visibility of the LGBTI community. You can learn more about Peter Rule here, and The Peter Rule Fund here.
The Rule Foundation is registered with Charities Services. Annual returns of the Foundation’s activities are available from the Department of Internal Affairs’ Charities Services website under registration number CC39280.
Today, the Rule Foundation administers funds on behalf of others that align with the kaupapa for which the Foundation was established. Applicants can apply to The Peter Rule Fund – the original fund for which the Foundation was established, and newer funds such as the Rainbow Legacy Wellbeing Fund.
To date, The Peter Rule Fund has distributed over $410,000 to benefit the wellbeing and advancement of Aotearoa’s LGBTI communities.
Our Trustees
The Rule Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees who volunteer their time. The Foundation’s Trustees bring together many years of private and public sector experience in counselling, cultural sector management, education, health, information technology, marketing, project management, recruitment, and quality improvement.
Duncan Matthews, Co-chairperson
Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)
Kia ora! I have led several of our communities organisations as Executive Director. I also serve as the Deputy Chair for the Ministry for Youth Development Partnership Fund Board. I have a passion for our community organisations and youth development.
Toni Duder, Co-chairperson
Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington)
Tēnā koutou katoa, ko Toni tōku ingoa. He uri ahau nō ngā tūpuna o Te Tai Tokerau, Ngāpuhi me Ingarangi. No Takiwira Dargaville ahau.
I have a background in media and communications. I’ve worked as the Communications Manager and 2iC at RainbowYOUTH between 2013 - 2019 and am a former board member of OUTLine Aotearoa. I have a Masters in screenwriting and currently work as a Senior Communications Advisor. I’m passionate about decolonisation, Te Ao Māori, lifelong learning, history, my cat and creating social change using the strengths of communities.
Joy Liddicoat, Trustee
Ōtepoti (Dunedin)
Kia ora. I have been involved in our LGBTQI* communities for over 30 years advocating for our interests in a wide variety of ways. A Human Rights Commissioner for eight years, I led the Commission’s 2010 inquiry into the experiences of transgender people in New Zealand. I am a former trustee of the Intersex Trust Aotearoa New Zealand and currently Vice President of InternetNZ, which is responsible for domain name policy for the country code top level domain .nz. In my day job, I work at the University of Otago Centre for Law and Emerging Technologies, researching the Internet, human rights law and artificial intelligence.
Eileen Kelly, Trustee
Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington)
Eileen Kelly has been working as a grants advisor and programme manager at the J R McKenzie Trust since Dec 2014.
Eileen has a Masters in International Development Studies, (Victoria University Wellington), informed by a working life in organisational and community development. An ardent advocacy trainer and campaigner for sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender justice, she has experience in advocacy training and capacity building in resource poor settings of many developing countries in South East Asia and Pacific.
Living in Melbourne 2009 – 12 she was an active phone and web counsellor and trainer for Switchboard Victoria, a community-based not for profit that provides peer led, volunteer run support services and suicide prevention inititatives for LGBTI people and their friends, families and allies. On returning to New Zealand she spent two years as the Helplines Director for Lifeline Aotearoa.
Eileen is an active grandmother of three children, and sings in the Wellington LGBTI choir The GLAMAPHONES.
Special Trust Advisors
The Rule Foundation appoints Special Trust Advisors to support the management and awarding of some of our funds.
Cameron Law, Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund advisor
Cameron has been an advocate for the Rainbow community for many years. He was the National Chair of the Campaign for Civil Unions, Auckland Co-Chair of the Campaign for Marriage Equality and is a former New Zealand Aids Foundation Board member. He created the Rainbow support group Russell McGay during his time at the law firm Russell McVeagh. He currently works on NZ Transport Agency’s light rail programme as the Environment, Consenting and Urban Renewal lead. Cam lives in Auckland with his husband Jeremy.
David Reeves, Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund advisor
Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)
David has been involved with a number of community organisations over the years, most recently as Co-Chair of the Gay and Lesbian Singers (GALS) – Auckland’s Rainbow Choir. In his paid employment, David is the Director of Collections and Research at Auckland Museum. He is also on a number of arts, culture and heritage sector bodies, including a position as Chair of LIAC – the Library and Information Advisory Commission. David says he was raised beside the Manawatu River, became an adult in Wellington and has lived in Auckland for most of the last 19 years.
