Monte Ohia the Maori Party Candidate for Te Tai Tonga

Glenys Papuni, Maori Party Electorate Chair for Te Tai Tonga, Saturday 16 February 2008

"Rereamoamo Monte Ohia was last night selected to represent the Maori Party in Te Tai Tonga, in Elections 2008” announced Glenys Papuni, Co-chair for the Tai Tonga electorate for the Maori Party.

“Monte has spent over thirty years of his life in either Te Waipounamu or Wellington with particular expertise across all aspects and levels of education, including as a consultant to national and international organizations”.

“Monty has occupied senior positions in wananga, polytechnic, university, NZQA, Ministry of Education, and a range of independent research organizations, Boards and Councils” said Ms Papuni. “He is currently Te Pou Matua/Kaiarahi for Te Wanaka o Otautahi (Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology)”.

“He has been very humbled to have been ‘the People’s Choice’” said Ms Papuni.

“It was a very impressive contest for the nomination, with a strong line-up of nominees” said Ms Papuni. “And the selection hui were really exciting, with all three nominees receiving a very enthusiastic response from the members”.

“The Maori Party ki Te Tai Tonga is in good heart and raring to go”.

“We have a huge electorate across Te Tai Tonga” added Ms Papuni. “It’s 161,000 km in area – you can fit twenty general electorates within Te Tai Tonga!”

“Given the enormous breadth of the electorate, we know that all the energy and vitality that Monte always gives off, will be a huge asset for our campaign” said Ms Papuni.

Background The candidate selection process involved membership hui in Invercargill, Dunedin, Greymouth, Kaikoura, Picton, Nelson and concluded last night at Pipitea Marae in Wellington.

The other two contenders were Rahui Katene and Edward Ellison. Rahui Katene, a lawyer, was previously managing solicitor of Maori Legal Services. She also has experience in the health and education sectors, and has worked with many iwi to prepare their Waitangi Tribunal claims. Edward Ellison, a sheep and beef farmer at Otakou is also Pae Arahi (cultural advisor) to ACC in the Timaru-Rakiura region; and has been appointed to many bodies including QEII National Trust, the Sustainable Water Programme of Action (MfE) and the Corrections Department Maori Advisory Group.

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