Uncle and nephew battle for council seat
Competing for new Ma¯ ori ward in South Taranaki District
An uncle and his nephew are competing for a new Ma¯ori ward in South Taranaki District. Glen Katu (Nga¯ti Hawe of Nga¯ti Ruanui) declared his candidacy at the monthly church service at Pariroa Pa¯.
“I said, I’ve seen that there’s no one standing for the Ma¯ori ward for Tai Tonga, I’d like to stand with your support, and everybody just nodded and didn’t say much,” said Katu.
“And I sat down and saw my young nephew Tuteri was at the back, he stood up and said ‘aw uncle I’m gonna stand too — I’ve already spoken to my wha¯ nau’!” he laughed.
The nephew is Tuteri Rangihaeata (Nga¯ti Ruanui, Nga¯ Rauru K¯ıtahi, Nga¯ ruahine, Te A¯ tiawa), who’s also standing for Te Tai Tonga ward in the south and east of the district, Nga¯ti Ruanui and Nga¯ Rauru K¯ıtahi territory.
Rangihaeata was put forward after talks amongst some iwi leaders and Katu’s candidacy came as a surprise, but the nephew said there were no hard feelings.
“It was good, it meant Uncle Glen and I could catch up, and I said full respect to him and his wha¯nau and all the best in the race.”
Katu served eight years on the board of Te Ru¯nanga o Nga¯ti Ruanui as Nga¯ti Hawe hapu¯ representative, then from 2016 on the board of Nga¯ti Ruanui Holdings.
The son of Hughes and Te Aroha Katu, he also served in his mother’s home area of King Country. He was on the Maniapoto and Nga¯ti Rereahu boards during Treaty settlement talks and took part in the Waikato River settlement. Last year he returned home after 17 years away.
Katu is the longest standing board member on the NZ Ma¯ ori Tourism Board, with several terms as chair, heads the NZ Ginseng Association, and has a Certificate in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors.
He was on the Taranaki DHB during the fight to retain Ha¯wera Hospital and through his career has been a senior manager in banking, forestry and ecotourism.
But Katu wasn’t sure all that would hold much sway in the election.
“It’s not so much the expertise with Ma¯oridom — it’s how your families will feel confident and comfortable with you representing their interests.”
His time in kapa haka including the Pa¯tea Ma¯ori Club, activity in the Ma¯ori Methodist Church, and work with the Ha¯wera High School wha¯nau alongside Mere Pirikahu might count for more.
It was good, it meant Uncle Glen and I could catch up, and I said full respect to him and his wha¯ nau and all the best in the race. Tuteri Rangihaeata
“It’s your involvement with your Ma¯ori community … and do they see you at home, do they see you around the place, or do you live in Auckland?”
The son of Ta¯ me Rangihaeata and Miri Prime, Tuteri Rangihaeata came home from Auckland and Christchurch 15 months ago to look after his kuia Pauline “Bub” Prime.
Continuing work for his Ma¯ori branding and marketing company Waha, he also became the Nga¯ti Hine hapu¯ representative on Te Ru¯nanga o Nga¯ti Ruanui. The board said it would support any reps who stood for the ward.
Rangihaeata then sought approval from Nga¯ Rauru and Nga¯ruahine.
Political party affiliation is rare in Taranaki local government, but he accepted an invitation to stand under the Te Pa¯ti Ma¯ori banner.
“They approached with mana and dignity, they didn’t put any pressure on me, and I had to . . . take a couple of days to think about it — because I needed to think less about me and more about what value am I going to add to Te Pa¯ti Ma¯ori brand.”
He said the support gave him the resolve to stand.
“When we have our wha¯nau, our marae, our hapu¯, our iwi, our ru¯nanga and Te Pa¯ti Ma¯ori there’s no fear.
“Part of it also having that the support of my whanaunga and ma¯ reikura Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.”
He wanted to help wha¯nau access full services from council, and to protect “our iwi and our pepeha from the mountain right down to the ocean and everything in between”.
“The kai sources how healthy are they? How many tuna are in the rivers and streams, how healthy is the watercress and puha?”
Without a specific policy agenda, Rangihaeata said listening to iwi and hapu¯ would tell him what was needed.
“It’s not just me, I’m an opportunity to lift our wha¯nau voice in the community: one person many voices is how I see it.”
In contrast, Katu is taking aim at four specific policy areas.
He said STDC should encourage local efforts to tackle climate change, such as subsidising solar panels for homeowners, making available more electric car charging points, and planting more trees on public reserves.
Planting fruit and nut trees could also strengthen food security, said Katu, and council should also coordinate community gardens and neighbourhood planter boxes.
Red tape needed cutting to stop obstructing papaka¯inga development and encourage affordable housing.
Katu said the economy needed boosting with more industry-specific education, and by a shift in community outlook to better welcome immigrants from different ethnic backgrounds.
Anyone on the Ma¯ ori electoral roll can vote in the Ma¯ori ward elections.
Voting papers have already been mailed out and need to be returned by midday, October 8.
If you’re not enrolled, you can still vote: pick up special voting papers at the council offices in Te Ha¯wera or any district library.