Community leader joins council's return to democracy

It's no secret that Tauranga City Council is notoriously known for being one of the most dysfunctional local government bodies in the country.

The last council was sacked by the local government minister and replaced with commissioners whose extended term is about to end.

Proud Cook Islander Bevan Rakoia, chair of the health and social services Pacific Island Community Trust, is hoping to be part of the solution and change in the Bay of Plenty capital.

Rakoia is standing for the retiree-popular Bethlehem Ward in the upcoming council election and says he’s fortunate to be involved in many community groups connecting with Pacific migrants.

This is one of the reasons Rakoia has put his hand up, saying many Pasifika and other migrant families have relocated from all over the country to the tourist hotspot.

Watch Bevan Rakoia's interview below.

Rakoia told Pacific Mornings' William Terite that the seaside location and warm climate also attracted retirees to choose Tauranga as their new home.

“There’s lots of opportunities. It’s an interesting time. Tauranga is quite a unique space. The port is one of the biggest employers here.

“Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty region is a very large corridor for Pacific Island seasonal workers that do come through here, through the horticulture sector.

“I think post-Covid, a lot of families and migrant families have relocated here, many after the Christchurch earthquake. So you're getting this sort of a very vibrant and very young, very energetic community.”

Voters will take part in the first council election since 2019.

The 20 July vote will be held out of sync with the national local body elections, which means those who win will stay in power for four years instead of the standard three.

Rakoia has been working for the community for about 15 years including the Tauranga Hockey Association board, the Cook Islands drumming and performing arts group, and youth leadership programmes at the Rotary Club.

“I think the dysfunction of previous councils and appointed commissioners, I think the community is voicing the opinion that it's way overdue to have an elected council in-house.

“After attending a few of the public meetings to encourage community leaders to step up into this role [councillor], I saw that there wasn't, I don't think the migrants or Pasifika community leaders had enough confidence to step up and to be in this, to put their hand up for council.

Residents celebrate a multicultural festival in Tauranga. Photo/supplied

“So I took the bold move and decided that a few months back, that's yes, I'd love to do this. And I'm certainly getting a lot of support already from our Pasifika communities, from the general community.”

Tauranga's population was 161,800 in 2023, up 2.5 per cent from a year earlier, with 5500 of them Pasifika. After 27 years, Hamilton has overtaken Tauranga as New Zealand's fastest-growing city, according to the latest data from Stats NZ.

Born in Tauranga, Rakoia said his parents both worked at the council “So, I do have wider connections just through work, schools, friends and the general community.

“I feel very confident in representing the council. I've also worked in a small family business and then we are also part of the local roading authorities that are involved in the council space.

“So I do feel confident in stepping into this role. It's going to be an exciting journey for the next couple of weeks.

“Some previous councillors are wanting to step up again. There are also two other Pasifika community leaders putting up their hands. So there's good energy in the available candidates.”

Rakoia said he was aware that Tauranga City Council has been “just a flurry of dysfunction” in recent years so what difference would he bring to the table? What would he do for the Pasifika community there?

“I think my strength and what I can bring to the council chamber is that connection and then to also be able to add a Pacifica migrant lens.

“It brings me back to the point of community facilities and how the council enable these facilities so communities can lead and drive in these spaces.

Tauranga city is about 2.5-hours drive from Tāmaki Makaurau. More people are moving to the tourist hotspot because of its location close to the sea and the favourable weather. Photo/supplied

“The Ministry for Pacific People's Language Weeks has been an essential tool for Pacific organisations, for local NGOs to try and embrace and engage with these communities.

“But because of the growing vibrant community, the youth are wanting to find some spaces for them to be active. We lack the facilities to be able to support those growing communities.”

With Tauranga predominantly a European-type settlement, Rakoia said things were changing and he believed that while the Trust had a Pacific-led focus, “it's got to be a space for everyone. We've got to be welcoming to anybody that would choose to use our services.

“It's just an interesting way for our general Kiwi communities and certainly our migrants that do come here. I think they will embrace the understanding of being Pacific.”

There’s also something else quite close to Rakoia’s campaign that he would like to see improvements. Transportation.

“We do traffic-monitoring services. We collect the data and we work with the local roading authority. I'm very interested in the transportation network and what a water-based transportation network looks like.

“What does a freight transportation network look like that feeds the Port of Tauranga? And what is the general public transportation system, just our way of mobilising around the city to go to our sports venues, to our cultural events, our entertainment, and to the CBD?

“The transportation network is a very interesting space and that's a passionate area that I'll proudly love to be involved in and to grow Tauranga.”

A total of 68 candidates are contesting the election. Voting opens on 29 June and closes on 20 July.