Hemi Rolleston was formally sworn in on Thursday morning as the new Tauranga City Māori ward councillor, during a ceremony held at Hangarau Marae.
“All our kuia, all our koroua, all our kaumātua here, it makes me feel so privileged to know that these people are right behind me,” Rolleston said.
“Today’s an example of how we’re going to go forward in the future because we’re not just Māori here today, we’ve got Pākehā, we’ve got leaders of our community from all walks of life here, so really excited about the future,” he said.
In July 2024, Rolleston’s nephew Mikaere Sydney was elected to the council but was unable to take office due to illness. His resignation in January triggered the Te Awanui Māori Ward byelection.
Rolleston won the seat by 119 votes, receiving a total of 543 in the final count.
Sydney attended Thursday’s ceremony alongside the Rolleston whānau, councillors, council staff, community members and Mayor Mahe Drysdale.
“Pretty emotional to be honest, cause, I’ve seen him a number of times over the past eight months, you know, he certainly wasn’t in a place where he could be walking, let alone attending pōwhiri like today, to see him recover to a position where he can do that is fantastic,” Mayor Drysdale said, referring to Sydney.
“We’ve got a reasonably small team, it’s a very talented team, and everyone has to pull their weight and work together to achieve what we want to, for this city.
“We really appreciate all those that put their hand up to be voted in as the Te Awanui Ward councillor, and all those that got out to support them, and obviously Hemi was the successful candidate, so we look forward to working with him going forward,” he said.
“He momo role model ki a au” - Mikaere Sydney.
Koinei te wā tuatahi kua kite rā te iwi whānui i a Mikaere Sydney mai i te wā tuatahi i puta te rongo e noho taumaha ana ia ki te hohipera.
E ai ki a Sydney e tika ana kia tae a tinana ia i te rā nei ki te tautoko i tōna matua kēkē, i a Rolleston.
“He momo role model ki au, i taku tūranga ake, i taku pakeke ake i roto i te moana o Tauranga, taku matua kēkē a Hemi,” te kī a Syney
I mihia a Rolleston e Turi Ngātai, kaumātua o Tauranga Moana mo te whakaaro nui kia tū ai tana oatitanga ki te marae o Hangarau, ōtirā ki ōna tīpuna anō hoki.
“Ko Hemi kua tae mai, te whakakī i te tūru o te rangatira, o Taingahue, a te whānau a Tauwhao ka mihi ake rā ki ā ia te rangatira, te matua tuatahi o tēnei tūru,” hei tā Ngatai.
“Ko Hemi Roretana, te mokopuna a Hori Tupāea, te mokopuna a Maremare Roretana, Roretana Kereti, Ngāi Taowhao, e mihi ana kau ana te mihi ki ā ia,” hei tāna anō.
“E mau ana tēnei tūru te wero o Tauranga Moana, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga e mau ana tēnei tūranga Māori kei roto i te kaunihera o Tauranga.”