Garrick Cooper - University of Canterbury.

Kei taku iti, kei taku rahi, tēnei ka mihi atu ki a koutou katoa!

He uri nō Tauranga Moana, nō Hauraki

Ko Ngāti Ranginui, ko Ngāti Whanaunga ōku iwi

Ko Te Pirirākau, ko Ngāti Karaua ōku hapū

Ko Garrick Cooper tōku ingoa

The following will be my two key priorities if elected. The first to address the government’s financial disinvestment in our sector, the second, to embed structures and practices that ensure co-governance translates into greater responsivity to Māori membership.

I have been involved in Māori education for over 30 years, as a pāpā, koro, researcher and academic. I believe I have the right mix of intimate knowledge of the sector and a keen ear. We are living in an historic moment. It appears Māori are under attack which may invite a defensive response. But I see a moment rich with potential—a transformative moment. It’s not the time to batten down hatches. Rather it’s a time to act with clarity, unity, and courage.

We’re all too aware of the disinvestment in our sector. Continuing to put pressure on politicians, particularly Labour politicians, is vital. Higher education is a public and community good and one of the pillars upon which Tino Rangatiratanga is being advanced by Māori iwi/hapori. A public good means providing pathways for all members of society to live our lives with greater dignity not just surviving. To be that public good and pillar higher education needs to be accessible, of the highest quality, and meet the expectations of our communities. Access to quality higher education is also an issue of equity and building a fairer more just society. There is no coincidence that the ‘user pays’ system became a feature of higher education the moment more doors were opened to, and a greater requirement for, higher education. Ensuring higher education is adequately resourced is a requirement to ensuring education serves as a public good and addressing social inequities.

Instead, what we have experienced is a gradual disinvestment, by successive governments, from both sides of the aisle. Our sector is the engine room of any government that wishes to ‘grow the economy’ yet we are treated as anything but. Consequently, it is our talented and dedicated members who bear the burden of disinvestment.

The TEU is perhaps the first organisation that has, through the collective will of its membership, moved to a co-governance model. A significant milestone for the union, and the result of work over five or so years carried out by the Tiriti/Treaty working group, the efforts of national office staff, including the leadership of Lee Cooper and the expert guidance of Moana Jackson. Now is the time to build on these achievements. If I am elected, my first task will be to canvas Māori membership and build a much more nuanced picture of the ways in which Māori members are directly affected by changes in government policy and ensure that the TEU is well placed to respond to the needs of its Māori membership.