Richard Wallace

Richard Rangi Wallace (23 September 1945 – 6 January 2024) was a New Zealand Māori Anglican bishop. He served as the second Pīhopa o Te Waipounamu (Bishop of Te Waipounamu), from 2017 until his death in 2024.

Biography Born in Little River on 23 September 1945 and bapisted at Ōnuku Church near Akaroa, Wallace was of Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe and Waitaha descent. He was raised by his grandparents in an Anglican and Rātana household, and was educated at Motueka High School. Aged 17, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), and served as an aircraft technician for 11 years.

Following the death of John Gray in 2015, Wallace was nominated at the electoral college of 23–25 September 2016 to be the second Pīhopa o Te Waipounamu. He was duly consecrated at Ōnuku Marae on the shores of Akaroa Harbour on 21 January 2017, and installed at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Phillipstown the following day.

Wallace also served as upoko of Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio. Wallace was one of the kaumātua for the RNZAF, and his body was returned to Christchurch on an air force Hercules aircraft.