20/06/2026
Ko tā te Tumu Whakarae kauhau tēnei ki runga o Te Kia Ora Marae - Ngāti Rango i te Mane kua hipa.
“I want to thank you all for being here today for this official pōhiri.
I am truly humbled.
And I say that carefully, because “humbled” is a word that can get used too easily. But today I do feel humbled — by the mana of this place, this being the place of my god-parents who gave me my middle name Huiroa, Boycie and Waina Komene, humbled by the presence of our kaumātua and kuia, by our whānau, my many cousins, hapū and iwi members, by our manuhiri, and by the many leaders and officials who have taken the time to be here.
I am not going to acknowledge everyone personally.
That is partly out of respect, but also out of self-preservation.
Because there are three risks in naming everyone. I could miss someone important. I could get someone’s title wrong. Or worse, I could get corrected by my own whānau before I have even finished my speech.
So to all of you who are here — iwi leaders, those in the front and back, civic leaders, business leaders, government officials, whānau, friends, colleagues and supporters — thank you.
Your presence means a great deal.
Today is not simply about me beginning a new role.
It is about service.
It is about responsibility.
And it is about dedicating whatever skills, experience and relationships I have gathered over the years to the people and places that helped shape me.
First, I want to acknowledge my immediate whānau.
My whānau have been the bedrock of who I am.
They have shaped me, challenged me and kept me honest.
My brothers and first cousins helped refine my competitive spirit — sometimes gently, sometimes not so gently.
Anyone who grew up with brothers and first cousins will know that leadership development often starts with a fight, a chase, or a rugby ball or on a BMX bike.
My sisters taught me the importance of whanaungatanga, care, resilience and bringing and most importantly keeping people together.
I acknowledge my late mother, whose love, strength and standards sit underneath everything I have ever tried to achieve. I acknowledge my late father who gave so much to our people - including all of his children.
I also acknowledge the wider hapū and leaders from the front and the back, who have influenced my journey.
People such as Sir Hugh Kawharu, whose intellect, dignity and commitment to our people left a deep impression on me.
Leaders like Sir Hugh do not simply occupy positions.
They shape how others think about service, responsibility and the long game of iwi development.
I want to acknowledge Marama Royal, who has been such an important leader and navigator for our Waitematā peoples.
Marama has carried enormous responsibility and has done so with strength, clarity and unwavering commitment to our people.
She has been, and remains, the water to my fire in helping guide our waka forward.
I am also deeply grateful to my Ōrākei whānau, who welcomed me into what I can only describe as the hot cauldron of iwi governance and trust service.
And I say that with love.
Because anyone who has worked in iwi leadership knows that our people care deeply, think deeply, and are never short of advice.
Nor are they shy about providing it.
But that environment has been a gift.
It has tested me.
It has challenged me.
It has taught me.
And it has exposed me to some of the finest strategic thinkers, negotiators and leaders in the country.
The people I have most admired have rarely been the loudest people in the room.
They have been the people who listen carefully, understand the detail, hold their nerve, and know when to move and when to wait.
Those are lessons I carry with me today.
I want to acknowledge Aunty Mary and Rangimarie as both your favourite nephew. You have both protected, defended, guided and loved me without question. I hope one day like you to be the connection between the old people and the new generation of leaders my generation must nurture. Tēnā kōrua.
I often get associated with Ōrākei these days, and understandably so.
Much of my recent leadership journey has been there.
But the truth is, I never really left Kaipara.
This is where I was raised.
This is where I learnt who I was and what I could become.
My whakapapa connects me across our wider Ngāti Whātua world including Te Uri o Hau, but this place shaped me.
I played close to 150 games for Helensville Rugby Club driving back from the Ōrākei papakāinga 3 times a week for trainings and games. If that isn’t keeping your home fires burning – I don’t know what is.
Over the years I have supported Helensville Primary School and Kaipara College, speaking when called upon, fundraising and I’ve quietly backed many of those who have carried leadership responsibilities across our district.
From the background.
Offering advice when asked.
Opening doors where I could.
Making introductions.
Sharing networks.
Supporting people and projects that I believed would make a difference.
I do not say that seeking recognition.
Most of that work was never intended to be visible.
I mention it because I want our people to know that while I have lived elsewhere, my commitment to Kaipara never disappeared.
So today does not feel like a return from somewhere else.
It feels like a continuation of a lifelong commitment.
I want to acknowledge Margie Tukerangi, Deb Brewer and Trisya Hemana, who have done an immense amount of work over recent years.
The work of restoring confidence, strengthening foundations, addressing outstanding matters and stabilising an organisation is not glamorous work.
It rarely attracts headlines.
But it matters.
I also acknowledge our Board and our Chair, Te Kurataiaho Kapea.
Te Kura has already made it clear that warm words are welcome, but delivery matters more.
That is exactly how it should be.
Leadership is not about position.
It is about accountability.
The Board must govern well.
Management must execute well.
And together we must deliver results for our people.
When I look at Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara and our wider rohe, I do not see limitation.
I see opportunity.
I see one of the most remarkable regions in Aotearoa.
A region blessed with extraordinary natural assets.
Te One Rangatira.
Woodhill Forest.
The dune lakes.
Geothermal springs.
Productive farmland and outstanding food production.
The largest harbour in the Southern Hemisphere. A mystical meandering River Valley.
A coastline, landscape and environment that many people only dream of living alongside.
I see towns and communities with character, resilience and pride.
I see entrepreneurs, farmers, educators, environmental champions, business leaders and whānau who care deeply about this place and each other.
Most importantly, I see potential.
With our proximity to central Auckland - enormous potential.
Too often regions like ours are spoken about in terms of what they lack.
I prefer to focus on what we possess.
Because the foundations for success are already here.
The challenge is not whether opportunity exists.
The challenge is whether we are prepared to pursue it together.
As our leaders have long recognised, prosperity in this region has always come through partnership and opening opportunities for others.
Historic accounts are filled with our ancestors supporting the growth of Helensville and the wider district by making land available for settlement, gifting land for the railway and community facilities, and working alongside local pioneers.
That history reminds us that economic development is not new to our people.
It is part of who we are.
Our tūpuna understood that creating opportunity, building connections and working collaboratively could strengthen communities and improve the wellbeing of future generations.
That same spirit has even more relevance today.
The challenge before us is not whether we can contribute to regional growth.
Our history shows that we already have.
The challenge is how we continue that legacy in ways that create prosperity, protect our environment, strengthen our culture and deliver lasting benefits for our people and our communities.
Let us draw confidence from the example of those who came before us and continue building partnerships that unlock the potential of Kaipara and the wider region.
I want to be clear about the role I see for our people - the Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara.
An iwi organisation should not exist simply to administer itself.
It should be useful.
Useful to whānau.
Useful to marae.
Useful to hapū.
Useful to rangatahi.
Useful to kaumātua.
Useful to the communities within which we live.
It should create opportunities.
Build capability.
Support aspirations.
And help our people participate fully in the future being created around them.
That means listening.
That means showing up.
That means building trust.
That means being honest about what can be done now and what will take more time.
Trust, clarity and consistency will guide me in this role.
Trust, because people will not walk with us if they do not trust us.
Clarity, because people deserve to know where we are going and why.
Consistency, because meaningful progress is built over years, not announcements alone.
Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara does not stand alone.
We are part of a wider Ngāti Whātua Nui Tonu world.
And that is one of our great strengths.
I am proud to serve as Deputy Chair of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
My brother Renata serves as an Ōrākei Trustee and Chief Executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua. My sister Mihi is on the Kaipara Board and Chair of the Kaipātiki Board. My eldest brother Trace until recently was a Kaipara Trustee. My 2 sisters Tarati and Tui have had long careers in the health and social development sectors.
My cousin Joe Pihema serves on this Board and Te Rūnanga.
Margie is Deputy Chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua and on Houkura with me.
Some people look at that and see complexity.
I see whānau.
I see relationships.
I see opportunity.
Opportunity to ensure our people are connected to capability, expertise, networks and partnerships that can help unlock progress.
The challenge is to make those relationships productive.
To align where we can.
Support each other where we should.
Strengthen capability.
Reduce duplication.
And ensure the benefits flow back to our people.
Today I want to issue a challenge.
Not just to our iwi.
Not just to our partners.
But to everyone gathered here.
Lift your gaze.
Lift your expectations.
Lift your ambition for this region.
Let us not focus on what is holding us back and start focusing on what is possible.
Let us work together to improve the economic performance of our region. And that of our neighbours Te Kawerau a Maki to the west and Ngāti Manuhiri to the east and Te Uri o Hau to the north. We are connected deeply by whakapapa and you being here is more than symbolic. It signals publicly that we intend working collaboratively together as close whanaunga for the mutual good whilst respecting each other’s rohe and mana motuhake.
Let us create more opportunities for our young people.
Let us support business growth and innovation.
Let us restore and protect our environment.
Let us strengthen our marae, our hapū and our communities. Wārena – lets get your marae up at Te Henga.
Let us ensure the benefits of growth are felt by the people who call this place home.
Because our future will not be determined by geography.
It will not be determined by history alone.
It will be determined by our willingness to work together and our belief in what is possible.
And if we can align our efforts, our resources and our aspirations, there is no reason why Kaipara cannot be one of the most successful and vibrant regions in Aotearoa.
To our civic and political leaders who are here today — welcome.
We value your presence.
But more importantly, we value partnership.
Work with us early.
Work with us honestly.
Work with us in ways that recognise our history, our mana and our aspirations.
Because when we get this right, the benefits will not belong only to Ngāti Whātua.
They will be shared across the wider region.
I want to acknowledge three people who remind me every day why this work matters.
My daughters.
They inspire me.
They challenge me.
And they constantly remind me to check my motives and remain focused on what truly matters. I try to teach you all every day. You have no idea how much I am learning from you all too. Ka nui te aroha.
To my makau. You more than anyone has borne the brunt of my anxieties and frustrations. You have lifted me up when I was down and brought me down when my ego got carried away. Nōhea taku aroha e mimiti.
Whatever skills or experience I bring to this role have been shaped by many hands.
Whānau.
Kaumātua.
Teachers. Coaches.
Leaders.
Colleagues.
Children and middle-aged men I coach.
Friends.
And our people.
My responsibility now is to use that experience well.
To serve with discipline.
To serve with humility.
To serve with purpose.
And to help build an iwi, a region and a future that our tamariki and mokopuna can be proud of.
So I accept this role with gratitude.
With energy.
With optimism.
And with a deep sense of responsibility.
I will listen.
I will work hard.
I will be straight with our people.
I will focus on practical progress.
And I will do my best to serve Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara - Te Taoū, Ngāti Whātua Tūturu, Ngāti Rango and our marae with the respect, discipline and aroha that this role deserves.
Tēnā koutou.
Tēnā koutou katoa.”
