URBAN MāORI ADVOCATE BERNIE O’DONNELL RETURNS TO HAU KāINGA ROOTS TO WORK FOR HIS IWI

Former Manukau Urban Māori Authority chairman and opinion writer on kaupapa Māori issues for the Herald Bernie O’Donnell was welcomed back to a new job back in his turangawaewae — and his former boss was on hand to do the handover to the New Plymouth District Council.

MP Willie Jackson says he’s known O’Donnell, the New Plymouth District Council’s inaugural director of iwi partnerships, since they worked alongside each other in Auckland’s Westfield meatworks, and he was one of his early hires when Jackson and John Tamihere established Radio Waatea.

Jackson said O’Donnell overcame an upbringing that led him to give evidence to the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care.

“He came from the toughest of upbringings, just terrible, but he’s an example to others you can rise above that type of upbringing and become such a huge contributor and leader in his own right to te ao Māori,” Jackson said.

“We have been mates for 45 years, we worked in the freezing works together.

“He was my biggest supporter, in fact Bernie nominated me for my first big job as a union representative in 1980; from that time we have been close.”

Jackson said O’Donnell epitomised what it was to be dealt a bad hand in life, but getting on with becoming a productive citizen.

“Bernie has had a lot of adversity in life had a terrible upbringing, but has become a fine role model for Māori,” Jackson said.

“To become what he’s become after his terrible start in life is wonderful — the chair of MUMA, manager of Radio Waatea , co-chair of Matawai , a leader alongside us of so many urban Māori initiatives — makes me very proud and I know his people will benefit hugely from his experience.”

O’Donnell said he was looking forward to seeing where his skills could best fit his iwi.

He is a business consultant and professional director, and is a number of boards, including as chairman of Manukau Urban Māori Authority, directorships on Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, National Urban Māori Authority, Auckland District Health board (ministerial appointment), Te Mātāwai, the independent statutory entity charged with revitalising te reo Māori, Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori, the confederation of iwi radio stations, Māori Media Network (a national advertising agency for Māori media), UMA Broadcasting Ltd, and co-chairman of Ngā Whare Waatea marae in South Auckland, and finally the chairman of the board of trustees for Waatea School based in Māngere.

Adam Gifford, WaateaNews.com

2024-06-30T21:01:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd