Edition #16

february 2016

Free!

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Our stories, our people, our Māngere

Kōrero paki ō tatou, Tāngata ō tatou, Ngā Hau Māngere ō tatou

FAITH FUELS FIGHT FOR JUSTICE

Faith, family and a famous brother

teachers a hard time I got to a point where I realised

have all played a role in Ema

I did want something more in life.”

After high school Ema did an admin course at a

Piutau’s rise to her prestigious

training organisation and was able to get a job

role as a Public Defence lawyer

in the Department of Corrections. Despite not

at the Manukau District Court.

having the relevant qualifications she was

The ex-Mangere College student might

able to work her way up from office girl to a

have left high school with only the bare

probation officer and she was even helping

minimum required to enter university,

with prosecutions before she completed her

but a desire to make a difference has

law degree. Her time working for Corrections

seen her secure a coveted job and set

made her realise so many people weren’t

herself up for a successful career in the

getting justice and it inspired her to return to

criminal justice system.

university in her late 20s to become a lawyer.

Ema says she’s probably the last person

She says working with criminals might be

you would expect to have made it in

daunting for some, but for her it’s like a

the high-flying world of lawyers and

calling.

judges.

“It’s really rewarding knowing you’re making

“So often people who knew me

a difference. I may lose a case, but you can

at high school are surprised to

still have a positive influence on someone

see me as a lawyer but even

through getting them to shift the way

though I did hang out with

they think and perceive life.”

the wrong crowd and gave

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...

Inorganics is back

It’s been a while since we had an

inorganic rubbish collection in

Mangere/Otahuhu, but one is on its

way! The Auckland Council rates-funded

annual collection is starting up again

from mid-February 2016, but there are

going to be some big changes. Residents

will receive a flyer from Council three

weeks before their collection. The

flyer will ask you to contact the Council

(either online or by phone) to book your

collection. But if you don’t book, your

stuff won’t be picked up. Once your

booking has been made, you’ll be given

a collection date. On collection day,

you’ll need to put your inorganic rubbish

(old furniture, appliances, outdoor

equipment, electronics and renovation

items) inside your property, not on the

verge. If you don’t have space, let the

Council know when you book and

they’ll come up with a solution.

Only 1m3 will be picked up, about

the size of a small trailer load. Two

trucks will collect the rubbish- the

first taking the reusable goods to the

Community Recycling Network centre

in Penrose, which distributes items to

community groups. The rest will go

into landfill. ME Family Service’s Talking

Rubbish team is out and about on our

streets at the moment letting people

know about the changes. ME Family

Services CEO Peter Sykes says the

Council’s new inorganic collection policy

means Mangere residents need to look

for alternative ways to recycle or dispose

of their unwanted stuff.

“We need to be looking towards other

ways of using resources and preventing

illegal dumping,” he says.

For more info contact the Talking

Rubbish team: koia@mefsc.org.nz

& justine@mefsc.org.nz. And check

out:www.makethemostofwaste.co.nz

---

2

Summer holiday programme fun!

Māngere

East

Community

Centre

Holiday

Learning the wonders of Ihumatao Stonefields

Programme

Local high school making big impact

IMPACT PROJECTS: Southern Cross students taking part in a number of projects around

the school designed to beautify and bless the school and local community.

New Dialysis Unit brings hope

The Diaverum Haemodialysis Unit was opened and a blessing was given

by Kaumatua on the 29th of January. The Unit was opened by Phillip Balmer,

Director of Hospital Services, CMDHB and Esteban Harper Cox, Managing

director, Diaverum. It is located above the Mangere Community Health Centre,

10 Waddon Place. The new service is set to further enhance medical services of

Mangere and provide a much needed resource to the many patients with kidney

problems living in the area

NITTY GRITTY

Words: Justin Latif Design: Jo Latif

Publisher: ME Family Services

275times@gmail.com | www.275times.com

www.facebook.com/275times

Checking out the entertainment at Christmas @ Centre Park, Mangere

Southern Cross Campus is

a school on the up and get

set to see more of their

amazing students out and

about in the community

looking for ways to make a

difference.

Deputy Director Natasha Hemara

spoke to 275 Times at their launch

of the school’s Impact Project week

in late December. The Impact Project

week is a way for students to give

back, doing beautification projects

around the school and community.

Ms Hemara says the students will

be given further opportunities to

undertake projects in the community

this year focused on giving back and

showcasing the awesome students

coming out of the school.

“We’re trying to build skills of

resilience and responsibility so they

can be proud of who they are.

“We’ll be going out and giving to

local charities, churches and beyond

that, forming partnerships with local

businesses."

Ms Hemara says the school is on the

cutting edge of educational practices

and has recently received a very

positive endorsement of its work in

the latest ERO review.

“We’re a different school now.

We’ve really developed and come

a long way. We’re producing some

phenomenal and amazing achievers.

And it’s important the community

knows that we’re here for it.”

Contact: Tuhin Choudhury

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FAITH FUELS FIGHT

3

FOR JUSTICE cont...

The immense pressures that come with the job mean her faith

and family are a huge source of encouragement.

“My faith is one of the only things that keeps me going. It

teaches me to treat people fairly and with respect, regardless

of whether I’m being sworn at or abused and it allows me to

handle the pressure and the stress.”

Another source of inspiration has been seeing her brother

Charles break into the All Blacks, and continue to follow his

dreams despite the setbacks he’s faced.

“Seeing Charles make the All Blacks has encouraged me to

keep going and chase my goals. We sort of understand the

pressures we each face and we’ve been able to help each

other. Growing up we didn’t have a whole lot of people who

had gone down professional careers - so we really just had to

work it out on our own and the key factor was our faith.”

Ema Piutau's church Breakthrough Centre is holding

their annual Omega Family Day at David Lange Park

on Saturday, February 27. It's set to be an awesome

event with heaps of fun games, activities and sports

for the whole family. Check out the poster (right) for

more details.

editorial

For many in our community, the excitment of a new year

has been tempered by the sad news of the passing of Eden

Nathan (at the time of printing the other teenage girl injured

in the car accident was still on life support at Auckland City

Hospital). As the tributes have filtered through, we've heard

of her beauty, her intelligence and her courageous spirit.

Every life counts, whether it's long or shortened by tragedy

and as we were reminded by a Pastor at the tangi, Eden

was a person of great value and dignity in God's eyes, knit

together by His fingers, and made only a little lower than

the angels (Psalm 8). Whilst the manner of her passing has

us questioning why and how, there need be no questions

about what she meant to her Creator.

Our local Member of Parliament Su'a

William Sio regularly states that Mangere

is the home of the young, gifted and

beautiful. So let us remember Eden

as someone who embodied those

same traits, like so many others across

Mangere. On that note let us remind

all our youth that they are loved, valued

and have so much potential to fulfil.

And if we can really inspire that next

generation to achieve what they're truly

capable of then this community will shine

just as brightly as Eden Nathan's sparkling

smile.

Jo and Justin Latif

VERSE OF THE MONTH: What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honour. Ps 8:4-5

(Sponsored by Bill & Bridie Keenan)

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Community Notices

MANUKAU MaGPies' Hosting Origin legends

State of Origin Legends of League event on Thursday February 4, at

5pm at Moyle Park. Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley, Petero Civoniceva,

Kevin Walters and Brent Tate are all scheduled to visit.

MANGERE EAST HAWKS GET RABBITS VISIT

Mangere East Rugby League Club has its muster day on Thursday

February 4, and on the same day at 7pm the club will be receiving a

visit from the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

PREPARE FOR WINTER - FREE INSULATION

The Warm Up New Zealand Programme which provides free

insulation in homes with a Community Services Card or Super Gold

CSC is running out in June! Ring 0800 777 111 to find out more.

COMPUTER & CV WORKSHOPS AT TOWN CENTRE

Free basic computer skills lessons at Mangere Town Centre Library

every Wednesday, 9.30am - 12pm. The Mangere Town Centre

Library is also hosting CV writing workshops every Friday.

TALKING RUBBISH

The Talking Rubbish team from ME Family Services will be running a

free workshop on how to minimise your waste plus present info on

the changes to the inorganic collections. Wednesday, February 10,

10.30 - 11.30am at Mangere Bridge Library.

LIVING WAGE ANNOUNCEMENT

The Living Wage Movement Aotearoa and the Manukau Rugby

League Club warmly invite you to attend the announcement of the

2016/2017 New Zealand Living Wage Rate on February 29, 6pm at

the clubroom at Moyle Park, Bader Drive.

LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS PUBLIC FORUM

The Respect Our Community Campaign was set up in 2013,

in opposition to the East West Link. Now we are exploring the

possibility of putting candidates forward for the 2016 local body

council elections. ROCC is really open to your input. If you think it’s a

good one – let ROCC know and show your support on February 11,

7pm, Mangere East Community Centre, 372 Massey Road, Mangere

East.

Mangere East Community Centre

FREE and low cost classes in: Drivers Licensing, English, Samoan, Te

Reo Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuen, Parenting Courses, Korowai

and much more! Ring 09 275 6161 or go to www.mangereeast.org

Young creatives

apply here!

Welding +

Panel beating

BUILDING

AND

CARPENTRY

Recreation

& Sport

Automotive

Joinery

& Cabinet

making

Forces

Pre-Entry

Hospitality

Don’t

just dream it.

Barista

Warehousing

& Forklift

Operations

BECOME IT!

Lincoln Jefferson from the Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust

Brand It Competition launches for new

environmental initiative. A branding competition is

inviting creative students to find a cutting edge name and logo

that represents South Auckland youth and the environment.

Entries for the Brand It competition open on 15 December

2015, with students to submit their branding concept entry

to the website http://www.beautifulmanukau.org.nz/Brandit-competition.html

either as a 30 second video clip or a

letter. Closing date is 15 February 2016, and finalists will

be announced on 29 April 2016 on the MBCT website and

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/beautifulmanukau.

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FOR 16-19YRS

FREE SELECTED

PROGRAMMES FOR

20+ YEAR OLDS

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(conditions apply)

HANDS ON

TRAINING

Conditions apply.

MANGERE

(09) 257-5732 | 59 TIDAL RD