The East Coast Boxing Association tournament has been conspicuously absent for quite some time. An illustrious council member has chosen to vacate his position, propelled by his growing need to bask in the ‘liberty of choice’, and to pave the way for an infusion of fresh minds eyeing council seats. Growing up amid a rife culture of substance abuse, gang activities, and handling the responsibility of parenthood from the tender age of 19 in Kaiti, he now finds his world expanding as his progeny reach adulthood. More importantly, he is content to bow out, knowing he played a substantial role in a council that underwent substantial metamorphosis over the past decade.
Reflecting back over the past, he was one of the scant few M?ori general ward councillors, and now there’s a considerable increase to five M?ori ward seats. Additionally, the council flipped from one that once sanctioned deep sea exploration for oil resources to one that advocates for much cleaner alternatives. ‘My satisfaction stems from this being my regional input for the foreseeable future’, he remarked.
On his early days as a councillor in 2014, initiated by a by-election following Manu Caddie’s resignation, he remembers the lack of council members actively engaged in marae participation or engaging in the te ao M?ori culture. Now, the situation is starkly different, removing the necessity for him to inhabit that particular domain. Furthermore, he recounted instances of racial prejudice within the council that aren’t tolerated today.
Condensedly, he expressed immense humility and honor from his years in local government. ‘Speaking contextually as a gang-affiliated, raised in the neighborhood M?ori youth, it’s significantly impactful that my community selected me’, he reflected. With roots steeped in the socio-economically challenged region of Kaiti, experiences with gang culture, and familial ties to rural Te Karaka, he garnered a distinctive Tairawhiti voice, always echoed in his decision-making process.
His service zeal stemmed from the example set by his mother, a pious Christian lady. With great zeal, he strives to have his ‘Kaiti master plan’, comprising infrastructure augmentations in sync with a housing boom, ratified prior to his council departure. He reminisces about the lack of concern for Kaiti, which remarkably transitioned over time into prioritized high-level discussions regarding the ‘Kaiti master plan’.
Balancing his responsibilities, he maintained his role as a father supreme to his commitments as a council member. Moments after his council election, all time beyond Friday evening was cordially reserved for family. Speaking of his service, he says: ‘I am aware of our jurisdiction and sectors we can legitimately influence.’
Casting an eye back on his tenure in local politics, he fondly remembers: His proudest victory lies in shifting the Gisborne District Council’s official stance on deep-sea oil drilling from being in favor to opposing it. Conversely, his most disappointing defeat was the abolition of rural wards in 2022, stating, ‘The motives backing rural representation mirror those of M?ori representation.’
If given the opportunity to alter one aspect, he would confidently choose divesting the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s hold on funding control. He believes, ‘Communities should possess the freedom to decide, not be subjected to artificial formulas from Wellington-based agencies determining pothole solutions.’
Among his final aspirations as a council member, he seeks to inevitably implement the ‘Kaiti master plan’ and effectuate the re-establishment of Tauwhareparae Rd.
Reflecting on his childhood aspirations, he states: ‘My ambition was to become a father. In fact, I dedicated my master’s thesis to the concept of traditional M?ori fatherhood.’