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George Ngatai

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George NGATAI was born in Whakatane in 1971 to Hinewai Perera Matehaere of Ngāti Awa and Ngahuaotetau Richard NGATAI of Ngati Maniapoto. He is the youngest of 8 siblings and 5 brothers and two sisters and is married to Raewyn Bhana. George NGATAI attended Pāroa School, Whakatane Intermediate and Whakatane High School. His father worked at NZ Forest Products for more than 30 years. His mother was a leader of her own hapū and Iwi within Ngati Awa and was one of the first people to be trained as a trustee for Maori Land in the Whakatane area. She was a trustee on the Kiwinui Block, Rangitaiki 29A1 block and Te Paroa Lands Trust and also a large Pukehina Lands trust. In 1987 GEORGE moved with his parents to Invercargill and there he attended Kingswell High School. He became a young leader there and was instrumental in advancing kaupapa Maori programmes and advance te reo in his School. George NGATAI was a participant in the National Manu Kōrero speech competitions entering in both junior and senior Maori competitions hence his fluency of speaking in public arenas. George NGATAI was first involved in public office when he stood as the first student representative on the Kingswell Board of Trustees under the Tomorrows Schools strategy. George went into completing his seventh form year however wanted to finish school and start working. He asked his parent if he could do so and their response was that as long as he got a job he could leave school. He did so and in August 1989 he was offered 4 jobs with government agencies where he chose to work with Housing New Zealand. Unfortunately when he returned to advise his parent they had said no finish the year and see if the job is available the following year.

In 1996 George was asked to return home to manage his Iwi Social Services. While this was not within his expertise he accepted the task set by his Maori Trust Board and stayed in this position for 2 years. He was then asked to take charge of the Iwi Radio station due to the death of the Manager of the station Eddie Pryor. He took this position up and was also appointed as a board member on Ngati Awa Social and Health Services.

George was interested in politics and was approached to support the New Zealand National Party and became the Chair of the Waiariki Electorate. He supported the appointment of Peta Butt who was elected as the Maori Vice President and stayed on with the party at a senior level. In 1999 George also decided to stand for the NZ National Party as the candidate for Waiariki.

In 1999 George married Raewyn Bhana at his home marae in Whakatane and that same year he moved to Auckland as his wife had been offered a job transfer with Child Youth and Family.

In 2009 George became a Justices of the Peace and was the first person to swear his other in Maori. While Justices of the Peace have been operating in New Zealand for many decades George was the first person to say his oath in Maori in the Auckland District Court. He was supported by his local Member of Parliament and Minister of Maori Affairs Hon Pita Sharples.

In 2016 George Ngatai was nominated to receive an hour through the Prime Minister of New Zealand Honours committee. In the 2017 New Years Honours George Ngatai received acknowledgement for services to the community for Maori and Health. He received his official Queens Service Medal in 2017 meeting with New Zealand's Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy at Government House in Wellington.

George Ngatai[edit]


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