5 minutes with …

Last month's local elections marked a new era for Māori representation in Te Tauihu, with Allanah Burgess elected as the new Māori Ward Councillor in Marlborough and Kahu Paki Paki voted in as the new Māori Ward Councillor for Whakatū.

For this month's 5 minutes with ... we sat down with Councillor Paki Paki to talk about his new role.

Tēnā koe Kahu, first up tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in Kaikōura and grew up in Te Tauihu. I am a descendent of Nelson’s first early settlers from 1846 and Te Ātiawa (among other iwi). I have worked in just about every local industry including in health and social services with Ngāti Koata as a Rangatahi Support worker and most recently in property development with Wakatū Incorporation. I am a qualified and licenced builder and have a bachelor’s degree in political science and governance, in addition to Project Management qualifications. I have travelled extensively including through Russia, Japan, the US, Southeast Asia and Pasifika and represent as a New Zealand delegate at a number of world young leaders programs and events. I live in Whakatū with my wife and three children and am a practicing Ringatoi Māori (specialising in hei taonga and kōhatu).

You're playing a pretty major part in history, being the first to be elected in the newly created Māori ward in Whakatū. How does that feel and what does that mean to you?

The opportunity itself was really one for the community and I saw that I could contribute and not let the mana of this position be under-represented. We only get one shot at a first time and it’s critical that we demonstrate our legitimacy to be involved with local government. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well.

There are so many big issues on the table right now, for Māori and for all communities … climate change, Three Waters, housing instability, inflation. Is there one area you are really focused on?

I want to start with increasing our visibility at the table and involvement in effective decision making. I am only one of 13 members of this Council and I only have three years (at this stage) to achieve some level of progress, but I want to use this as a launching pad for an intergenerational approach that is strategic and enduring.  We can facilitate the Māori community having a direct hand in decision making and proclaim these outcomes. I hope a by-product of this process is to promote political participation and get our community to come out in force at the next election.

This change is what the Māori community needs most, because if we do not participate those issues mentioned will be decided without us and it will continue the negative perpetuation of poor outcomes for us.

Quick 5

Rob Ruha/Six60

Boilup/hangi

Reggae/RnB

Ngākuta Bay/Mārahau

Kina/Pāua

What are the biggest issues do you think facing the council?

Currently it is the flood repair situation. Not because it is unsurmountable, but because it’s going to be expensive. This expense will draw away our focus from other much needed projects.

Consider for a second, that there are currently far less people displaced from their homes because of this event than there are Māori families (and others) and homeless living in their cars, motor camps, friends garages and on the streets in our region and yet this is not considered an emergency situation. These people can’t afford to get out of their situation and they don’t have insurance. This is not a foreseeable temporary situation.

And how about the biggest issues facing our Māori communities?

I can’t really say anything new or profound here. These issues are the same under any government and have been throughout our nation’s history. They do not improve during prosperity and worsen during recession.

I would like to be optimistic and say that there is a solution to the socio-economic problems facing our community, but there isn’t. There are simply better ways of doing things and we need to be steadfast in always chipping away at the foundations of the problems. I’m going to say that our biggest issue is we are not collectively holding an intergenerational approach as our central motivation. We need to play the long game and understand that it is a “long game”. It begins with education and health.

What do you bring to the council table?

A handbrake and a gas pedal.

The handbrake to slow down previous practices that drive past our community without consideration of our decision-making contribution (and statutory obligation).

A gas pedal to accelerate things we have been asking for and are critical for the success of the Māori and other minority communities.

I earnestly believe that a rising tide lifts all ships.