Correction
Shane Te Ruki was formerly the iwi liaison advisor for Waipa District Council but now works for Hamilton City Council as the Maatauranga Maaori Lead ( Partnership with Maaori).
6 May 12pm
Hamilton’s first youth council in seven years was encouraged to “shine and shine bright” when they gathered for a pōwhiri last month.
From left to right: Councillor Meshweyla MacDonald, Councillor Emma Pike, Councillor Anna Casey-Cox, Youth Councillor Sara Macdonald, Councillor Sue Moroney, Youth Councillor Brugud Buri, Youth Councillor Rion Ormsby-Harris, Youth Council Chair Nury Choi, Mayor Tim Macindoe, Youth Councillor Asher Lewis, Youth Councillor Shemaiah Ioapo, Youth Councillor Damas Buhendwa, Youth Councillor Will Benefield, Youth Councillor Tirama te Marino Bramley, Councillor Robbie Neha, Youth Councillor Seamus Lohrey, Youth Councillor Bastiaan Banks, and Councillor Maria Huata.
The call came from Shane Te Ruki, who played a lead organisational role in the pōwhiri which brought city and district councillors and staff together at the Western Community Centre in Nawton.
Te Ruki is the iwi liaison advisor for Waipa District Council, and he was assisted by Cassidy Temese, who occupies the same kaitiakitanga role for Ōtorohanga District Council.
City mayor Tim Macindoe said it was an exciting day, underlined by the presence of six sitting city councillors – Meshweyla MacDonald, Emma Pike, Anna Casey-Cox, Sue Moroney, Robbie Neha and Maria Huata. Also present was Waipā councillor and Ngāruawāhia Community Board member Dale-Maree Morgan.
Macindoe acknowledged the outgoing city council for its decision to restore a youth council, noting 12 candidates were selected from an initial field of 200.
“We want you to be heard,” he said. “Hamilton is one of the youngest cities in New Zealand.”
He also noted siting councillor Sarah Thomson is a former youth councillor.
The new council elected Nury Choi as its chair at its first meeting following the pōwhiri.
The council is Sara Macdonald, Brugud Buri, Rion Ormsby-Harris, Chair Nury Choi, Asher Lewis, Shemaiah Ioapo, Damas Buhendwa, Will Benefield, Tirama te Marino Bramley, Seamus Lohrey, Bastiaan Banks, and Harjenjot Kung.
From left, a gathering of youth, city and district councillors – Meshweyla MacDonald, Emma Pike, Anna Casey-Cox, Sara Macdonald, Sue Moroney, Brugud Buri, Rion Ormsby-Harris, Nury Choi, Hamilton mayor Tim Macindoe, Asher Lewis, Shemaiah Ioapo, Damas Buhendwa, Will Benefield, Tirama te Marino Bramley, Robbie Neha, Seamus Lohrey, Bastiaan Banks, Maria Huata and Dale-Maree Morgan. Photo: Roy Pilott.
