Apulu, Hausia to rotate local board chair role

Apulu Reece Autagavaia and Vi Hausia will share the chair of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board after a 4-3 vote confirmed a rotating leadership model at its first full meeting since the court-ordered re-run election.

Tuesday night’s meeting marked the board’s first time sitting as a fully elected body, with four Papatoetoe members, Kushma Nair, Sandeep Saini, Jeet Singh and Hausia, sworn in following the re-run. Family, friends and community leaders were in attendance, alongside Manukau ward councillors Alf Filipaina and Lotu Fuli, and Manurewa-Papakura councillor Matt Winiata.

Apulu will serve as chair for the first half of the term, with Hausia taking over in the second half, while the pair will rotate deputy chair responsibilities across the same periods.

“It’s after a really long process, two campaigns and court cases, so there’s a lot of interest in the outcome of today’s meeting,” Apulu said.

“This was about ensuring that Ōtara and Papatoetoe shared the leadership, and that’s reflected in the leadership that we have today.”

Hausia used his swearing-in speech to reflect on the events leading up to the by-election, describing it as a test of the system.

Vi Hausia, left, and Apulu Reece Autagavaia, will share the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair role, rotating leadership across the term. Photo/PMN News/Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata.

“What began as a re-election campaign became a battle to protect our democracy,” he said. “The events of the past months is a harsh reminder that our democracy is not a given, it is a privilege.”

“To the people of Papatoetoe who brought me here, and the people of Ōtara, whom I also represent, I am accountable to you. Hold us to account, not just for what we say, but for what we do and how we make our decisions,” he said.

Nair, who was nominated for both chair and deputy chair but was unsuccessful, said the meeting was calmer than last year’s meeting.

From left, Manurewa-Papakura ward councillor Matt Winiata and Manukau ward councillors Alf Filipaina and Lotu Fuli attend the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board’s first full meeting with all elected members present. Photo/PMN News/Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata.

“I’m not sort of disgruntled like previously,” he said.

“We have got a mandate from the public, and as a board member, my duty is to work with the other members to make sure that we take care of the needs of our communities and advocate for the people of Papatoetoe and Ōtara,” he said.

He said he stood for leadership due to concerns Papatoetoe had been overlooked.

“The people of Papatoetoe were frustrated, mostly the retailers and the businesses around Hunter’s Corner, because their needs were not being catered for and there has been no funding,” he said.

Members of the public attend the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board’s first full meeting following the swearing-in of the four elected Papatoetoe subdivision members. Photo/PMN News/Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata.

Manukau ward councillor Lotu Fuli said she was “really, really elated and overjoyed” to see representation across both subdivisions reflected in the leadership.

“What we’ve got here is the person with the strongest mandate for Ōtara and the person with the strongest mandate from Papatoetoe actually sharing the chair and deputy chair roles for the rest of the term.”

She acknowledged there had been some unease during the meeting.

“I think there was a little bit of maybe unhappy feelings because people, you know, the shoe’s on the other foot,” she said.

Apulu Reece Autagavaia signs official documentation confirming his appointment as chair of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board, alongside Auckland Council executive representative Megan Tyler. Photo/PMN News/Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata.

“Now you know what it feels like or what it must have felt like for the Ōtara team last time in October when there wasn’t any sharing of the leadership at all across the two subdivisions.”

Mary Gush, a community leader and resident, said the meeting marked an opportunity to move forward.

“Well, I came here to celebrate finally getting a local board in place. There’s a lot of work to be done in our community,” she said.

“It’s just a matter of coming together and getting on with the job. That’s what we as a public expect from them,” she said.

Vi Hausia signs official documentation confirming his appointment as chair of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board for the second half of the term, alongside Auckland Council executive representative Megan Tyler. Photo/PMN News/Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata.

Gush also highlighted how the current board has no elected female members.

“I do believe there is a place for females. We’re very level-headed.” She said, “I do believe that it would be a better fit if we had at least one female.”

The board now moves forward with a full complement of members: Autagavaia, Hausia, Nair, Saini, Singh, Topou Folau and Li’amanaia Lorenzo Kaisara.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.