(Picture caption: Some of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples team greet the Porirua community at the first event of the Pacific Aotearoa Lalanga Fou Engagement Series.)
The first event in the Pacific Aotearoa Lalanga Fou Engagement Series for the Wellington Region has been a huge success.
It was a night of fruitful talanoa with our Pacific communities, who gathered at the Pasina o Tokelau Hall in Porirua to provide feedback and insights on some of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ most important pieces of work.
The room was full-to-bursting with over 200 people wanting to know more about the work the Ministry is doing with Pacific aiga and communities in the areas of housing, employment, wellbeing and business opportunities.
Lots of questions were asked, and some real great points were made about how the Ministry, and wider government, can help meet the current and future needs of our communities.
Ministry for Pacific Peoples Director of Regional Partnerships for the Central region Ariki Maureen Tukaroa-Betham says it was heart-warming to see so many people present and interested in their future, in the future of their tamariki, their mokopuna, our communities, the future of our Pacific peoples in Aotearoa, here in Porirua, and Whanganui-ā-Tara region wide.
“To hear some of their stories, questions asked, and their ideas around how the Ministry can better work with them to continue to understand and respond to their needs, their priorities, is where it was at for me,” she adds.
The Wellington event was the first of 15 events being held across the country, with the next stop being Whanganui on August 23, before heading up to the Manawatu on August 24, Te Tairawhiti Gisborne on August 30, and Te Matau-a-Maui Hawke’s Bay on August 31.
Further events will be held throughout September.
For more information, visit the MPP Facebook page or the MPP website.