Boxer wins national migrant award

Boxer wins national migrant award

Porirua boxer Latu Talu has another title to add to his championship belts. The 24-year-old was honoured with the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment (NZAMI) Migrant of the Year Award last Friday night (August 14).

The NZAMI Awards recognise the major contribution of migrants and professionals involved in the immigration industry. The awards were announced at a black tie ceremony in Auckland attended by Minister of State Services, Paula Bennett, who presented Latu Talu with his award. The Minister also presented the Business/Investor Migrant Award. (sub note: full list of winners below)

Mt Roskill MP, Dr. Parmjeet Parmar, also attended the awards ceremony. The awards were co-sponsored by Migration Cover, the first insurance product created specifically for migrants.

NZAMI is New Zealand's leading professional association for immigration advisers and works closely with Immigration New Zealand and the Immigration Advisers Authority. NZAMI Chair June Ranson says the awards are an opportunity to recognise the positive outcomes of migration and immigration.

“Our awards celebrate the success that migrants give to the building of New Zealand and those who make this possible.

“The NZAMI Migrant of the Year Award recognises a migrant whose personal efforts and achievement make them an exceptional migrant – and Latu clearly fits this criteria,” says Ms Ranson.

Latu arrived here with his family from Tuvalu as a young boy and came to the attention of immigration services when he needed a work visa for his afterschool supermarket job. It was discovered that his parents had mistakenly left him off their visa applications.

Without residency Latu was in a vulnerable position that could have very easily left him down and out. But Latu has overcome every hurdle thrown at him, on family, educational and financial fronts.

In 2006, Latu walked into the Naenae Boxing Academy and was taken under the wing of the academy’s famous patron, Billy Graham. What began as a hobby turned into a pathway for personal development and under Billy Graham’s coaching Latu became Naenae’s first NZ champion in 2007.

In true Rocky Balboa style, Latu went on to win the North Island Golden Gloves title, Wellington/Hutt Valley titles and travelled to the USA in 2012 to demonstrate his boxing skills at the US Airforce Academy. Latu was eventually selected for trials for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, but because he did not have NZ citizenship he could not apply.

In fact it wasn’t until February 2015 when Latu was finally granted NZ permanent residency.

Now living with his partner and two young children, Latu continues to give back to the community that brought him up. He is head coach at the Cannons Creek Charitable Trust boxing academy, works with at-risk youth, speaks at schools and is involved with the local Rotary club.

Billy Graham describes Latu as, “a resilient, resourceful young man who is thankful for everything that comes his way.”

Other NZAMI Award winners are Toni Alexander (Immigration Advisor of the Year) and Richard Small (Community Outreach Award). June Ranson was inducted into the NZAMI Hall of Fame and also awarded the Service Award.

The coveted Business/Investor Award was presented to Hongyan Zhu of Palmerston North whose export business and investment in a run-down service station were viewed by the judges as having contributed significantly to the growth of New Zealand.

Full list of winners:

Toni Alexander – Immigration Advisor of the Year

Toni Alexander operates A1 Immigration Services Ltd. on Auckland’s North Shore. She was awarded Immigration Advisor of the Year for her commitment to her clients, especially those in need of medical waivers. Toni goes above and beyond for these clients and has spent hours with specialists in NZ and gathering information from doctors overseas. She has made herself an expert on the costs of treatments and likely prognosis for severe illnesses (including kidney failure and Ischemic heart disease). As a result, her clients’ applications have been successful and they have been able to migrate and contribute to New Zealand.

Richard Small – Community Outreach Award

Richard Small is a Director and senior lawyer at Pacific Legal Ltd. in Lower Hutt. He was awarded the Community Outreach Award for his dedication to supporting and representing people in New Zealand unlawfully. In particular, Richard has represented many clients from Pacific communities who often lack resources and present complicated issues.

Hongyan Zhu – Business/Investor Award

Hongyan was awarded the Business/Investor Award for developing a business that makes a significant contribution to the growth of New Zealand. Hongyan has revamped a derelict service station in Palmerston North to become a full-service Challenge Service Station under her business Qianhong International Trade. She has expanded her business to take orders for NZ produce to be exported overseas, after recognising that fellow migrants wanted to send NZ products to family and friends in their home countries. Hongyan has revitalised a dying enterprise, is providing employment for two people plus herself and is exporting NZ produce around the world.

June Ranson – Service Award and Hall of Fame inductee

June Ranson is Managing Director of Woburn International in Lower Hutt. She is Board Director and Chair of NZAMI. She took over the role of Chair of NZAMI mid-term and was ‘thrown in the deep end’ with the usual year in waiting. Since then she has consistently worked to raise the profile of NZAMI through liaison with government and other official bodies. June was inducted into the NZAMI Hall of Fame in recognition of her continuing service and contribution to New Zealand immigration. June was awarded the Service Award for her work provided voluntarily to advance the migration profession and NZAMI.

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