30 August 2016

Māori students elect new leadership

Te Huinga Tauira, the annual Māori Students' Conference ended in Wellington on Sunday after new leadership was elected to carry on the fight for Māori students.

Geneveine Wilson and Te Wehi Wright were elected as Co-Tumuaki of Te Mana Ākonga at the annual general meeting held at Pipitea Marae.

"We are so proud to have Geneveine and Te Wehi take on the mantle of Te Mana Ākonga to advocate for the rights of tauira Māori. They bring an amazing range of knowledge, skills and talent that I am confident that the future of Māori students in tertiary education will be well taken care of," said immediate past Tumuaki, Ivy Harper.

“Our tertiary institutions are filled with talented Māori who want to make a difference in their communities and we are privileged to be given the opportunity to aid Māori students in creating positive change through exercising their collective voice,” says Geneveine Wilson.

Wilson and Wright are not new to working together as they have also served together as Co-Tumuaki of Ngāi Tauira, the Māori Students' Association at Victoria University of Wellington, in 2015 and part of 2016 before Wright moved to Hamilton to pursue a rugby career.

The election comes at the end of a very successful conference hosted by Ngāi Tauira of which Wilson, who currently serves with Raimona Tapiata, is the outgoing Co-Tumuaki.

Wilson and Wright's term will begin on 1 December 2016, until the next AGM of Te Mana Ākonga, which will be held at Te Huinga Tauira 2017, hosted by Ngā Tauira Māori at the University of Auckland.

ENDS

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