BIO
Personal Profile
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He toka tū moana
He uri ahau nō Ko Te Arawa, Ko Ngāti Ruanui (Reweti/Tamarapa whānau) raua ko Te Ātiawa te iwi, ko Te Matehou te hapū (Jones/Te One and Te Matoha whānau of Pipitea and Waiwhetū).
Born, raised and educated in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, I've also chosen to live, work, play and raise four children here.
I'm a descendant of Hirini Nukutaia, a land owner at Pipitea Pā in the 1830s. He grew kūmara where the General Assembly Library is at Parliament.
My father, Syd, came to Pōneke from the north as a young man in his twenties. He was a cast member in New Zealand Opera's Porgy and Bess. He also worked for Wellington City Council. He was a grassroots campaigner for the Labour Party in Ohariu. The local parks were where my brother and I played while dad and his friends planned campaign strategy. We would help with flyer drops and on election day we would ferry elderly voters to the polling booths. Dad passed away in 2020.
My mother, Ann, is well known to Wellington library users. Mum is the specialist Māori librarian for Wellington City Libraries. She's held this role since the late Jacquie Sturm retired. Mum is a trustee for Palmerston North Reserves Trust.
My parents raised my brother and I in Ohariu Valley and Johnsonville. Apart from a two-year OE I've always lived in Pōneke including Karori, Vogeltown, Brooklyn and the CBD.
For me, there's just no place on earth like Pōneke/Wellington.
I'm standing for the new Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Māori Ward) in the 2022 election.
This is a historic occasion for Pōneke and tangata whenua.
I have a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and geography from Victoria University. I'm fascinated with how we live in our city and how policy affects that.
That’s why I will back policy that supports the city as a place for people to live. I support affordable living and housing. I support infrastructure to support high quality living.
The creation of a dedicated Māori ward is the result of the New Zealand Labour Party. Driving the kaupapa locally is Labour Party endorsed councillor Jill Day (Ngāti Tuwharetoa). That’s why I reached out to the Labour Party to stand in the ward. I am grateful that they have selected me to contest the election.
It’s very important that we Māori seize these opportunities. To be effective I will need to work with diverse opinions and process information. A challenge I will relish.
I have extensive relationship management experience. I’m a natural coalition builder. I value mutually-beneficial relationships. I give considered thought to issues. I view from many perspectives. And when I speak it’s with a strong voice.
A lone Māori voice on Council is ineffective. My skillset will achieve results.
I am committed to increasing and supporting Māori participation in all aspects of life in Pōneke. This city is the centre of Te Ao. We enjoy opportunities that no other city affords Māori. I welcome tangata whenua from across ngā motu.
Haere mai. Come study here. Come work here. Come live here. As a proud Te Ātiawa I manaaki to ngā uri o ngā hau e whā.