Voting for Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust Board members 2019
Online voting closes Friday, 13 December 2019, 5.00pm. A ballot box is available at the AGM for voting papers on Sunday, 15 December 2019, 10.00am. Voting support and information is provided below the candidate profiles.
Trust Board vacancies: Four (4) vacancies on the Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust Board are electable positions.
Five (5) nominations were received for the (4) four vacancies on the Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust Board. The candidates in alphabetical order are:
Candidate Profiles:
BAKER, Andre
- Currently employed as a Kaitakawaenga specialising in working with high needs tamariki and rangatahi Māori as a Youth Mentor
- Chairman, Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust
- RMA Hearings Commissioner for Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai
- Steward, Ōtaki-Māori Racing Club
- Chairman, Horowhenua-Kāpiti Māori Rugby Board
Kei ngā tātai o Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai tēnei āku mihi ki a koutou i te mutunga o te wā. Me titiro ngā kanohi ki muri i te kōkirikiri i ngā take o te tau i heke mai nei. Tēnā tātou katoa.
I would like to continue my service to our hapu and iwi of Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai as a Trustee of the Charitable Trust.
It has been a privilege to represent our iwi as your Chairman for the last two years, providing leadership and direction by supporting our team of advisors and consultants who created our new Kaitiakitanga Plan, and dealing with the Councils and Crown agencies within our rohe. In 2018, this extended to your Trust securing significant funding to support our whanau in the Waitangi Claims hearings.
The next two years will provide us with the opportunity to promote our hapu and iwi development in all that we do to advance our aspirations.
Me kii, ‘ko tōku waikanaetanga tēnei’
EDWARDS, Sandra
My name is Sandra Edwards, also known as Mackie, and I am standing for the position on the Board of the Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust. I am the eldest living mokopuna of Paioke Parata Eruini and Akuhata Eruini and the eldest child of Harota Parata/Ribbon. Three adult children all living overseas. Eight mokopuna and two great moko. Whāngai daughter of Ra-Awatea and Mick Rikihana.
Sandra’s recent working history includes 2010 to Present – Registered Diversional and Recreation Therapist, Waikanae Lodge Arvida Group, and has worked in this field in Waikanae since 2000. Prior to that Sandra resided in Taranaki and was a Manager and Chef at the Coachman Restaurant, and a Machinist at Fashion Ltd.
Tikanga – My level in Te Reo is able to understand but unable to construct a sentence. Business Skills – I have organised three large conferences as the conference convener in 2006, 2012 and 2017. I have also managed staff in restaurants, hotels and sewing companies. Leadership – Have lead many groups and teams to the best of my ability. Strategic Thinker – Governance and operational matters will come with good communication. Commitment – Always dedicated to my roles within whanau, hapu and iwi. Decision Making – I speak from the heart in what I believe is important to our people.
I live at 11 Horopito Road, Waikanae, the previous home of my Kuia, now owned and managed by my daughter Betty and son-in-law Stephen Brown. I am a current member and Trustee of Waikanae Marae, a Trustee of the Takamore Urupa. I am fully involved in Leisure Marching NZ for fitness and pleasure. A member of the 4E Ballroom Dancing School. Although it sounds as though I am a busy person, I always make a full commitment no matter what I get involved in. I maintain an active healthy lifestyle and feel my passion is our people and that we stand for.
If elected onto the Board I will endeavor to do my utmost to fulfill whatever position, I am given.
ELLISON, Alby
Tenei te mihi mahana kia koutou oku whanaunga o te papa kainga, takiwa o Te Atiawa kei konei.
My passion, purpose and focus are to build quality relationships to give us quality outcomes so our capacity and capability for our whanau, hapu and iwi leaves a succession plan and willable asset to our morehu, mokopuna, uri of Te Atiawa ki Kapiti. Since returning home and being asked to take my place as a mokai, I see that I have a range of skills, attributes and qualities to build and empower our present and future for our iwi and papa kainga. I was born in Waikanae, my grandmother Pahemata Erihana aka aunty Polly, my father Te Piwa Joseph aka Joe Ellison, they all served as marae trustees and the time has come for me to serve my iwi.
For several years I worked in Education.
- Board member for the School of Trustees at Queens High School in Dunedin for Otakou
- Public education – Maori private training establishment as a tutor for tikanga This was working with our youth and second time learners.
- Tertiary level – tutor for Te Wananga Aotearoa delivering the social services certificate for adult learners.
While living in Otakou I was involved in the Runaka and Maori organisations.
- Police portfolio for Otakou Runaka to establish and implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Southern region.
- For Ngai Tahu I was part of the team that set up Te Kete o Aoraki education resource for Ngai Tahu Department of Corrections, Prison Services as the Regional Advisor, Maori Service Development, Otago, Southland. This was to establish an MOU between Corrections and Kai Tahu.
- Member of Piki Ake Te Rito – Kai Tahu Maori Social
- For the past 3 years I have been the deputy Chairperson for Whakarongotai Marae Trustees
- An active member of our Wai 88/89 claimant
- A passion of mine is supporting Maori men and I was a foundation member of the Maori Men’s Network – Tane tautokau This was a group to support Maori men to stopping violence.
- For several years I was a committed member of the Maori wardens for Otakou
Other Organisations I have worked in include:
Residential and Town Office Social worker for the Department of Social Welfare. I have worked in the hospitality industry running hotels for Lion Breweries and more recently have worked as a qualified carpenter in the building industry. I speak te reo Māori and am computer literate.
HIGGOTT, Rawhiti
My name is Rawhiti Higgott and I live in Waikanae with my wife and daughter.
I am employed full-time at Paraparaumu College in the Careers Department as the co-ordinator for student work experience. I work with 65 senior students who I place into work experience within our community. I work closely with local businesses, families, college staff and the student ensuring the right workplace is suited to the student and employer.
I also place students in short courses at Polytechnics and Industry Training Organisations. Courses such as Maori Tourism on Kapiti Island, Taiao and Marae studies will continue next year and are proving very popular. I support powhiri and whakatau at college and am available to support our iwi rep on the college Board of Trustees.
As a current trustee, I am hoping to be re-elected for another term. The trust has achieved much over the last term and in particular our Treaty Claim. It has been a huge effort from dedicated trustees and office staff.
I sit on our environmental, Waikanae Town Centre, lwi registration and Claims committees. I continue to gain knowledge of challenges we face daily and as a trust I believe collectively we make good decisions. Living and working in Kapiti gives me a good understanding of our local community and I am able to bring that local knowledge to our table.
The last two years leading up to our Treaty Claim has kept me busy in research and identifying the Crowns treaty breaches. Some of my findings have been included in a number of Research Documents and in particular Paraparaumu airport, Whakarongotai marae and Waikanae Town Centre. I gave evidence in support of our treaty claim at the hearing held at Whakarongotai marae.
I have the responsibility of reporting to the Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS) when Crown Surplus Land becomes available for sale which our iwi may require to have land-banked for future treaty settlements. I currently have instructed OTS to land-bank a number of properties which they have agree to.
Another term on the trust will complete for me the work I have put into our treaty claim over the last two years. I ask for your support and elect me for another term
KEARNEY, Kara
Kara is currently three months into a new working environment as a Senior Programme Advisor for the Connected Communities Team at the Kapiti Coast District Council. Previously Kara worked for Raukawa Whanau Ora a subsidiary of Te Runanga o Raukawa.
A current board member of Atiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust, Kara has managed the finance portfolio for the last three years. For several years Kara worked with regional and national Maori businesses with a focus on bookkeeping and finances.
Kara has years of experience at Governance and Senior Management level delivering Maori inspired programmes to whanau, hapu and iwi. As a businesswoman, she has a sound understanding of policy & procedures, kawa me ona tikanga, as well as strategic and communication expertise.
Both professionally and in a volunteer capacity most of this work has been associated with the ART Confederation. Kara takes her responsibility as mana whenua very seriously – Ko Te Atiawa no runga i te rangi.
Kara grew up at Whakarongotai Marae alongside her Nanny Shirley, Koko Peter and Eruini whanau. She continues to be an active part of marae life with her whanau.
Na reira, Kara thanks the iwi for their tautoko over the years and hopes to continue her work with the governance board to uphold the values of our iwi and strengthen Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai for our future generations – Me mahi-tahi tatou katoa.
HOW TO VOTE?
You may vote online by following this link below. You will be asked to enter a PIN and PASSWORD. Your unique PIN and PASSWORD was listed in your Election Packs that you received by post to your registered address.
VOTE HERE
Alternatively, you may place your completed voting paper in the ballot box at the AGM by 10am on Sunday 15 December 2019.
If you require a new voting paper please call the Election Helpline on 0800 666 046 to receive a replacement paper – Ref: Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust AGM.
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