Mangere's 275 Times July 2016

Edition #21
july 2016
275 times
275
Māngere’s
times
Our stories, our people, our Māngere
Kōrero paki ō tatou, Tāngata ō tatou, Ngā Hau Māngere ō tatou
Free!
TRUE LEGEND OF MĀNGERE RETIRES
On the eighth of July, Lois Kirkbride
family’s long association with the area, stretching
back into the 1880s. Her great-grandfather,
will walk out the Favona Primary
Matthew Middlewood Kirkbride was
gates for the last time as the
the local member of Parliament and
school’s principal, ending
Kirkbride Road was named after
25 years in the role as well
him. The family also had a farm
as her 50 year teaching
in the area and have held many
prominent roles, including her
career.
great-uncle who was one of
She says teaching has been her
the early Anglican minister at St
passion before she even started
James Church in Mangere Bridge.
school.
Lois says her family’s 130-year
“When I was about three I was
plus heritage in Mangere has
found halfway up the road
given her a deep love for the area.
wearing just a singlet and a
“It’s been special for me working
nappy, saying I was going to
here given our family's history in
school. I obviously knew that was
the area.”
where I wanted to go and I haven’t
Lois says the biggest motivation in all
really left.”
her years of faithful service has been the
Lois’ life of service to the youth in
children.
Mangere is hardly a surprise given her
CONTINUED PAGE TWO....
Departing Principal: Lois Kirkbride
Changes are coming to 275 Times
A new opportunity has arisen
which will be bringing some
big changes to 275 Times.
Thanks to your support - we will now
be able to share positive stories to the
wider South Auckland community.
Justin has been offered the role of
News Director – South Auckland for
Fairfax Media which will also mean
he’ll be the new editor of the Manukau
Courier. The new job is an exciting
challenge and hopefully mean he can
bring some of the flavour of 275 Times
and Mangere to the Manukau Courier.
But what it also means is that we will
be putting the monthly magazine
on hold - however it’s not the end of
275 Times all together. Jo (and other
contributors) will continue running
L-R: Jo, Isobel and Justin Latif
the Facebook page as a place for
Mangere people to get local news and
stay connected.
The last 21 months have been such a
privilege and it has amazed us how
things have evolved from a simple
four-page newsletter to a eight
page magazine with 275 Times on
YouTube, Twitter and Facebook as
well. The popularity of this initiative
has shown that positive Mangere
stories do matter and that Mangere
people do need a place to express
their voice. And what has stood out
for us most is that Mangere must truly
be one of the most resilient, caring
and empowered suburbs around.
So thank you Mangere for your
support, you are such a special
place and while there are some big
changes coming - it's not goodbye -
so watch this space.
Nga mihi nui, Justin, Jo and Isobel
Latif
WHAT'S INSIDE: P3: U9 Hawks P4: Law Talk P5: Learn to drive P7: #ParkUpMangere P8: Notices

2
TRUE LEGEND OF
MĀNGERE RETIRES cont...
“Let’s face it – the children are our treasure,” she says. “My
philosophy has been to let them be people and let that
creativity come through.
“We try to give the children a belief in themselves that they
can succeed.”
She’s proud of all the developments the school has made
over time but is particularly thankful for her staff.
“The school has doubled in size, including a computer suite,
"
She says a key to much
of the school’s success
has been down to the
determined parents.
"
a new library and we’ve got wifi all the way through the
school, with computers in every classroom.
“And we’ve got great staff and many have been here a very
long time.”
She says a key to much of the school’s success has been
down to the determined parents.
“The parents in this community really
want the best for their children.
“These families do struggle, but they
have a real determination to succeed for
their children and it’s something I see
time and time again.”
Thanks to all our supporters!
Here we would just like to mention the people that have supported us over these last two years.
∞ Peter Sykes and ME Family Services: For believing in us and helping us with the start up of 275
Times and being our No. #1 cheerleader and supporter.
∞ Grace Lifi Ikiua and Good Seed Trust: For sponsoring 275 Times from the beginning and being a
consistent and supportive sponsor.
∞ Future Print: Producing quality printing for 275 TImes, with great flexibiliy and at competitive prices.
∞ Skills Update: Being one of our main and most consistent sponsors over the last 2 years.
∞ Vicki Sykes: Mentoring support. ∞ Christine Woods: Being our cheerleader and mentor.
∞ Qiane Matata-Sipu: Donating camera equipment, advice and support.
∞ Mangere Baptist Church: Sponsoring 275 Times. ∞ Justine Skilling: For your awesome monthly articles.
∞ Colin: Hand delivering thousands of 275 Times. ∞ Louise Darroch: Hand delivering thousands of 275 Times.
∞ Teau Aiturau: Thanks for the deliveries and the encouragement.
∞ Our family, friends and donors: You know who you are! Thank you for supporting us, giving financially and
your encouragement.
∞ Our contributors: Thank you to everyone who's submitted an article, a column, placed an ad, let us put our
stands in your shop or cafe.
∞ Our readers: A big thanks to all our loyal readers. This is your magazine and your voice. #275forlife
future
print
Contact: Tuhin Choudhury
Unit 7/17 Airpark Drive

Kids get fit and fixing with Teau
Something special is
happening in a garage behind
the Mangere Community
House in Robertson Rd these
days.
Local biking legend Teau Aiturau (AKA
Mr Tee or Triple Teez) has set up a
base for his Mangere Bikefit operation
here, providing a haven for children
after school and on weekends as well
as keeping hundreds of old bikes out
of landfill. Teau’s main aim is “to keep
local kids healthy” by getting them
into biking as a way of keeping fit.
He teaches them how to bike safely
around the neighbourhood, taking
a group out riding most days of the
week.
Many of the children who come to the
club don’t have bikes, so Teau finds a
way to give each child who registers
with the club their own bike to take
home. But first they need to learn
how to fix and maintain it.
“It’s safety first," says Teau, who taught
himself the basics of bike mechanics.
And he’s not the only one passing
Under 9s
show
true team
spirit
By Leanne Rapana.
Our team consists of 16 boys
of Maori, Tongan and Samoan
descent. This is our third year
with Mangere East Flying Hawks
under 9s team.
Over the years the team has had new
players and a new coach. Our team
shows whanaungatanga, (attaining
and maintaining relationships) and
togetherness as a team. Managing
a team is not just about teaching
our boys how to play rugby league,
it's also about working together as
a team, valuing contribution and
building relationships, acknowledging
one's character and empowering our
boys in every way we can. We are
very proud to be part of the Mangere
East Hawks Rugby League club and
appreciate the support the club has
given us. And we are very happy
that Jay Toki accepted the coaching
position. He has been coaching rugby
Teau demonstrating how to fix a bike.
on these skills- now the children are
teaching each other and their parents
as well. The other day he caught a
group of youngsters trying to steal
bikes from the garage and invited
league for the past three years for the
Hawks. A proud and educated Maori
and also known as our local young
kamatua in the area. He does well to
work with children, he has a big family
of his own
and also
teaches
kapa haka
at Kedgley Intermediate. What stands
out the most about Jay’s mahi is his
ability to make connections with the
team. Our coach works with all players
and treats everyone fairly, giving them
equal opportunities, to develop the
them in to learn how to fix them up.
They did, and the next day brought
their mates in as well!
Teau has given out over 50 bikes
to the community so far, and he’s
managed this with very few resources.
The bikes have been donated by
members of the public or sourced
from NGOs and Council.
"Teau finds a way to give
each child who registers
with the club their own
bike to take home."
Teau now has a small group of locals
working with him, fixing up what
comes in and mixing and matching
parts of different bikes to reuse as
much as possible.
But Teau would still like to see more
Mangere children involved. And he’s
always on the lookout for more adult
supervisors as it’s important to have
a good adult-child ratio on bike rides.
If you can help out in any way,
please get in touch with Teau on
0223605748.
FLYING HAWKS: The team with Leanne Rapana and Jay Toki in back row.
necessary skills they need to succeed.
The boys in the team commented
that “our coach is cool, fast, funny
and strong, and we like the chants we
do.” The team has developed very
well since he
has coached
our team.
Mangere East
Flying Hawks would like to give thanks
to our coach for all he has done for
us. Whakawhetai ki a koutou kia nui!
Continue to empower us!
Leanne Rapana has managed the
team for 3 years.
“our coach is cool, fast, funny and
strong, and we like the chants we do.”
3

4
Big changes set for SH20A
Changes ahead on SH20A
at Kirkbride Road.
The Mangere community has had
a front row seat to the construction
of one of Auckland’s largest roading
projects for more than a year now.
The NZ Transport Agency’s SH20A
to Airport project will increase safety
and improve reliability for motorists
travelling to and from the airport,
as well as for the local community
by separating motorway and local
traffic. State Highway traffic will travel
through a 580m trench and local road
traffic will run over the top of Kirkbride
Road Bridge.
The project also includes a number
of local road improvements such as
new footpaths, cycle lanes and newly
signalised intersections along Kirkbride
There’s a saying that goes
something like this; “if a tree
falls in a forest and no one is
around to hear it, does it make
a sound?"
In some ways the law and
injustice work in the same
way. If you are ripped off
by a shopping truck or
cheated by your landlord
but you don’t know your
rights, what’s the point
of the laws protecting you.
If your boss mistreats you or
you feel like that dispute with your
neighbour isn’t going well but you
don’t complain – the law has no use.
If you are a victim of injustice but don’t
get someone to help does your cry of
James Mohetuki - Mangere resident and trafffic controller
for MHX Kirkbride Alliance.
Road. The project is now gearing
up for another major milestone,
the opening of the northbound on
and off-ramps which will be used
temporarily as the northbound
lanes from July 18 to mid-2017.
Southbound traffic will stay where
it is.
By splitting the north and
southbound traffic, the
construction team has enough
space to continue excavating the
trench through the middle.
James Mohetuki (pictured), who
has lived in Mangere for more
than ten years understands the ins
and outs of the project as well as
the benefits more than most.
He’s also a traffic controller with
the MHX Kirkbride Alliance and is
advising people to take care while
“injustice” get heard? Of course the
answer is no.
But then how can you know your
rights and understand the law when
you haven’t done a law degree? And
shouldn’t society be fair and
just anyway? Unfortunately
life isn’t unfair and we only
get justice when we speak
up for ourselves. That is
why undertaking the Law
In A Nutshell course at the
Mangere Community Law
Centre is such a good idea.
This eight-week course covers 16
different topics of law
covering everything you
need to know for your
everyday life, including
family law, making a
driving through the area.
“The changes will be pretty major for
motorists but they’re necessary to
keep this project moving forward, and
I hope when it’s all finished people will
understand how we balanced getting
the project built as well keeping traffic
moving.”
The local community should also take
note that there will be no right turn
into Kirkbride Road towards Massey
Road if you’re heading north from the
Airport and they should follow the
sign-posted detours.
For more information on the project
or upcoming traffic changes you can
visit www.nzta.govt.nz/sh20a-toairport
Law Talk: Know your rights
will, consumer law, employment law
and much, much more.
The course is taught by lawyers and
community workers who are experts
in their fields, plus you’ll be learning
with a group of other keen locals who
are trying to upskill themselves.
The law centre runs the course every
Wednesday morning from 930am to
1230pm, and then next course starts
on August 3.
If you’d like to enrol contact
reception@mangerelaw.org.nz to
register your interest and someone
will get back to ASAP.

Putting people first leads to better careers
Siosaia Mataele needed a job and
fast, so when he applied for a role
through Agoge Recruitment he
was just hoping to get hired. Little
did he know, Agoge would set
him up on a new career path with
better money, positive working
conditions and more opportunity.
Siosaia had some reservations about
using a recruitment agency but was
pleasantly surprised to find Agoge and
looking back he says having a good
job has been awesome for him and his
family. “I was made redundant from
the job I was at and in the past I used
online job sites to find work so this
was the first time I’d been through a
recruitment agency.”
Agoge truly lives by their vision of
People Matter therefore Do Good.
Staff, like Siosaia, are not treated as
an extra number, rather their people
matter philosophy builds on going
relationships with their onsite staff with
the goal to place them in the best role
for them.
Siosaia says the whole process was
simple and focused on getting the best
outcome for all involved.
“To anyone else looking for work - give
Agoge a go, because they will look
Practice
gets you
Behind the
Wheel
after you.”
Sosaia Tolutau, Agoge Recruitment’s
Solutions Manager, says Agoge is all
about living their vision 'people matter',
where it is an active focus for all that he
does.
“We focus the way we approach our
clients, candidates, trainees and the
general public by living 'people matter'.
We do specific assessments to find out
what the candidate is good at and if
there is extra upskilling needed we can
help provide the training to get them
where they want to be.” Agoge also
have a training division offering a
range of industry courses, such as
forklift training and manual handling.
One person who knows the importance of practice, is Koia
Teinakore (pictured), who has been a mentor for the last 13
years, helping people in South Auckland get their driver’s
licences.
He has seen that practice, “gets rid of fears and nerves and prepares
people for their test.”
“Recently, I worked with a young woman, Laura. We had 12 weeks
where we would meet each week. Sometimes twice a week to help
her get up to par with her driving. It was important for her to get her
Advertorial 5
L-R Sosaia Tolutau, Lasa Savini, Angee Vave, Siosaia Mataele
Agoge’s Key Account Manager, Angee
Vave, says Agoge also ensures people
stay in work.
“We are here to help after our
candidates get placed and we
understand the day-to-day challenges
of our people. We don’t just put people
into jobs but also follow up with them to
make sure they are staying committed
and things are working out for the
individual.”
You can talk to the team at Agoge
on 0508 926 825 or visit them at Unit
D, 80 Richard Pearse Drive, Airport
Oaks, Auckland. Agoge’s current job
listings are also available online at:
www.agoge.nz/275times
Advertorial
licence as they had a young child. They had to
move forward, getting her restricted was her
next stage. At the beginning, there were a lot of
nerves. The more she practiced, the more she
grew out of it and relaxed.”
After hours of practice for her Restricted, Laura
took the test and passed first time.
“She has self-belief now, getting her licence was
the best thing that she ever did. Her husband
was in hospital for a couple of months so she
needed to visit and needed her licence for that.”
If you’re supervising or learning to drive, Behind
the Wheel has workshops and resources to help
you practice exactly what is needed for the
licensing test. Registered Pledge teams receive
a free workbook with a checklist to take out
practicing.
Remember, supervisors must carry a valid
and current New Zealand driver’s licence
that they have had for at least two years and
must be sitting in the passenger seat. It’s
recommended that learners complete at least
120 hours of practice before taking their test.
Visit www.behindthewheel.nz

6
Janine Nillesen
Ambury Regional Park Ranger
Teau Aiturau a.k.a. Mr. T
Time to Thrive Mangere Bike Champion
Speed is the single biggest road safety issue in New Zealand today.
Mangere community members, Auckland Transport and the NZ Police
are working together to raise awareness of the dangers to our community
created by speeding on local roads.
The faster you drive the worse any injuries are likely
to be. A pedestrian hit at 70 km/h has a 96% chance
of dying, compared with a 40% chance at 50 km/h
and only 5% at 30 km/h*.
The faster we drive the more likely we are to crash.
Faster speed means:
• There is a bigger chance we will be going too
fast when the road conditions change.
• It is harder for other people to judge how fast
we are going.
• We need further to stop.
Driving at a safe speed for the conditions means you
are less likely to cause injury to yourself or someone
else. Let’s tackle speeding together by driving at a
safe speed for every person around us.
Being part of a community is looking after each other.
Love being a local. Slow Down!
Janine is a Park Ranger at Ambury Regional Park. Raising
awareness around speeding is close to the bone for Janine
and her family; her husband suffered a severe life changing
injury as a result of a possible speed related crash. We all
need to assess the situation and be ready for surprises
when driving.
Mr T from Time To Thrive takes children out cycling on
Mangere roads. It is a great experience for them to get to
know their town, gain confidence, make friends and keep fit.
Mr T agreed to be a face of the campaign because he wants
everyone to be responsible for keeping everyone safe,
especially when they’re on bikes.
* New Zealand Transport Agency

#Park Up For Homes: mangere
When I saw the “Park Up
For Homes” event being
advertised on Facebook,
I thought, “I can do that.
What’s one night? Easy.”
Wrong.
I was so wrong.
I barely slept and even though I had
three blankets to keep me warm,
the cold was unbearable. I was also
uncomfortable with the lack of privacy.
When you’re living in your car, your
Nga Iwi catch garden bug
By Justine Skilling, ME Family Services
waste minimisation facilitator.
“Through our collective
mahi, things will grow”.
Nga Iwi School is following in the
footsteps of generations of Mangere
people and learning how to care for
and grow its own food. The school
which has the values of I-Car-E
(Integrity-Curiosity-Excellence:
Manaakitanga), has recently opened a
large new garden area, which includes
ten raised beds and two orchard
areas. Teacher and curriculum leader,
Kathrina McGuire, has been the driving
force behind the gardens, with lots
of support from Principal Deanna
Johnston, the school staff and most
importantly, the children.
“Gardening gives children the
opportunity to learn how to grow
healthy food, to learn where it comes
from, to get some physical exercise,
and to connect with their local
community traditions,” says Kathrina.
The garden area is the footprint of a
classroom and provides lots of outdoor
educational opportunities, as children
are observing animal and plant life as
well as how the weather impacts on
gardens.
The whole school has contributed to
the establishment of the gardens, with
children involved in choosing the site,
constructing the raised beds, shifting
private space is so accessible.
Strangers can knock on your window
at any time. And I’m not really sure if I
feel ok with that, especially if you have
children living in the car too.
Throughout the night, I spoke to
several people about why they were
volunteering or supporting the cause.
Many of them were supporting
because they had been in similar
situations in the past. I met a working
mother, she explained that she was
previously renting in a private property
but her landlord continued to raise the
rent.
The landlord eventually raised it to a
point where she could not afford it
and was forced to move out. She was
subsequently rejected from several
properties and became homeless until
she was accepted into emergency
housing. Since then, she has rebuilt
her life with her family and was able to
attend “Park Up For Homes” because,
Reina
Vaai.
mulch, turning compost and now planting. Each
class has one orchard tree to look after and the
opportunity to share a raised bed with another
class, with children and teachers deciding
together what they’d like to plant. The produce
harvested will be cooked or used at school by
the growers, or taken home to families. In the
future, the school plans to develop a children’s
kitchen to foster a complete garden-to-table and
education for sustainability curriculum approach.
Congratulations to the Nga Iwi school
community for your I-Car-E mahi and we look
forward to seeing it all come to fruition with
your first harvest!
Find out about our
childcare options now.
WINZ subsidies & 20 hours
free care available
“I know what it’s like and this is no way
to live”.
Thank you to the Park Up For Homes
Organisers and all the awesome
volunteers for making a stand and
encouraging our leaders to take
action. It was insightful, moving and
courageous. Regardless of where you
stand with your political views, a car is
not a home. And nobody should ever
have to go through this because like
my friend said, this is no way to live.
Submitted by Reina Vaai.
Work from home.
Become an educator today.
7

Community Notices
MATARIKI KITE DAY AT IHUMATAO
Sunday, July 10 at 2pm will be a kite day. There will be traditional
Maori kites flown as well as modern day ones. So bring your kite
or attend the workshops. It'll be on rain or shine and meeting will
be at the main OSHR entrance on Old Ihumatao Quarry Road.
TONGAN REGGAE BAND GIG
Fafangu Koula O Pakilau Band Reunion and Tribute Show at
Mangere Bridge Tavern, Mangere Bridge. Thurs, July 14, 7:00pm.
"Fafangu Koula o Pakilau" or known as the "Golden Bells of
Pakilau" was the first reggae band in Tonga.
MANGERE ARTS CENTRE UPCOMING EVENTS
Maori ChoreLab Te Kanikani Whakamatau
Mangere Arts Centre. Wed, July 13, 6pm. The aim of the
Māori Choreolab/Te Kanikani Whakamatau is to expand the
choreographic expression of Māori in Tamaki Maukarau.
Pick & Mix: Momentum Productions - Out of the Box
Mangere Arts Centre, Saturday July 30, 3pm – 4:45pm. Auckland
Live returns with the winter season of Pick & Mix - a series of
weekend performances and workshops showcasing the funniest,
bendy-est and most artistically excellent performers this side of
the Tasman Sea.
MANGERE REPAIR CAFE
Do you enjoy using your skills to help others? We are looking
for volunteer electrical workers to offer repair work of small
household electrical appliances at a free community repair café!
The Repair Café is a collaboration between Auckland Regional
Migrant Services and MakerHood: we aim to foster creativity and a
“fix-it” attitude within South Auckland's diverse communities. The
event will be held on July 23. Email bexr@arms-mrc.org.nz
NGA MANGA O MANGERE NETWORK MEETING
A community network meeting for anyone working or living in
Māngere, 10am, July 28 at Māngere Community Law Centre.
MANGERE FRIENDSHIP GROUP
Communicare Māngere run a Friendship Centre in Māngere.
Weekly group meeting in the Netball Centre in Court Town
Close opposite the Town Centre. Guests enjoy morning tea, light
exercise, craft activities then some bingo and a cooked lunch from
9.30-12.30 for $6. Call 631-5968 for further information.
Welding +
Panel beating
BUILDING
AND
CARPENTRY
Recreation
& Sport
Automotive
Joinery
& Cabinet
making
Forces
Pre-Entry
Employment
Skills
Don’t
just dream it.
NCEA Level 2
Warehousing
& Forklift
Operations
BECOME IT!
8
Leaving a lasting impression in this world?
Open from 7.30am-6.00pm / Meals all provided by our onsite chef
Enrolling children 6 months - 6 years / 20 hours free for 3-6 year olds
09 257 4788 info@lifechildcare.co.nz www.lifechildcare.co.nz
facebook.com/LifeChildcareCentreMangere
275
Māngere’s
times
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Design: Jo Latif Words: Justin Latif
Publisher: ME Family Services
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