Phil Reweti “Bear, most people know me as” has been fighting to win a seat on Whanganui District Council for more than a decade.
This election, he says, could be his last chance.
The plain-spoken activist, a lifelong union man is one of five candidates contesting two seats in the new Māori ward. It is a change he has campaigned for across the past three elections.
“I’ve been fighting for Māori wards all this time,” Reweti says. “I will vote to keep them my whole whānau will vote to keep them, but I can’t see it happening. This is probably the one and only time Whanganui will get them.”
He worries that local and nationwide referendums on Māori representation will see the wards “whitewashed” out of existence.
Along with straight talking – “what comes out of my waha, it’s what I believe”, Reweti says he brings life experience and fight to the table. His priorities if elected are infrastructure, protecting the awa and housing.
“We need a new Dublin Street bridge and another over Wakefield Street. Traffic over the Dublin Street bridge during school and work hours is colossal, it’s getting a bit like Auckland.”
He wants dredging work restarted at Whanganui Port.
“The fishing boats can hardly get in. The boat-builders Q-West could build a dredge – that would be local jobs, local money back into the community.”
Housing is his third priority: “Not just for kaumātua, but social housing and for the homeless. Everyone talks about the homeless every year, but nothing seems to be done.”
Reweti is also concerned about safety around Whanganui’s new “justice hub,” with its police station and courthouse side by side. He wants cameras installed to monitor people leaving the court and cells, particularly with school children passing by.
Born in Gisborne, Reweti was six months old when his whānau moved to Castlecliff. His mother is from Ngāti Porou, his father is from the Whanganui River, with strong links to the Parapara area of Te Oreore.
As a school leaver, he worked at Tasman Tanneries, then moved back and forth between Whanganui and Australia for seasonal jobs, becoming well known as a workers’ advocate.
“If you believe in fair pay and working conditions, anyone can be a delegate. I never had a problem standing up and talking to the bosses.”
Reweti spent decades in the meat industry as a delegate on the Affco Imlay slaughter floor. He was locked out during the bitter 2012 standoff between Talley’s and Affco workers.
“We were out for 84 days. When they finally went back, I was the only one in the country who wasn’t allowed back. I’d been there since 1979.”
Reweti says his approach is simple.
“I’m approachable. If anybody’s got questions, just come and see me.”
He reckons he needs around 4000 voters on the Māori roll to support him to finally claim a seat.
“You’ve got two ticks. Use them if you want someone to stand for you at this council table.”
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
