Gisborne's civil defence emergency group’s name change

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

GISBORNE’S civil defence emergency group’s name will change to Tairawhiti, but it first needed a division in the District Council because not everyone agreed.

The council had decided not to change the name of the Gisborne group to Tairawhiti but the issue came up again when it considered a recommendation from the civil defence group.

Chief executive Judy Campbell said members of the group, such as the Tairawhiti Hauora and police, used the name Tairawhiti.

The group had carried a motion asking her to recommend the name change to the council again.

Alan Davidson expressed concern that in an emergency people from outside the district would not know where Tairawhiti was. The name Gisborne was known nationally.

Roger Haisman said the reason he opposed the change was that the civil defence emergency group had statutory powers.

The Tairawhiti district went all the way to the Mohaka River and across to Waikaremoana and Matawai and up to East Cape. It included more than just the Gisborne district.

“We are Gisborne District Council and we have responsibility for the Gisborne District civil defence,” he said.

If the balloon went up, there were quite a lot of emergency powers granted to that group. This was Gisborne District Council — not somebody else.

“We are trying to pretend we are somebody else but we are not,” he said.

“Legally you just can’t change the name. Nobody outside Gisborne knows where Tairawhiti is.”

Civil defence area greater than Gisborne cityRehette Stoltz said the area involved in civil defence was greater than just Gisborne city.

Meredith Akuhata-Brown said the boundaries were there but in an emergency the council would go to their neighbour’s aid.

She felt that some were opposed to the name Tairawhiti. Larry Foster said he felt the name Tairawhiti was appropriate.

Josh Wharehinga said people involved in emergency management were in favour of the name.

Graeme Thomson was concerned the name Gisborne would eventually disappear altogether.

“‘Gisborne’ is as much our culture as ‘Tairawhiti’,” he said.

“I see a time when the name Gisborne will be entirely gone.”

Next there would be a move to change the name of the District Council. Surely one culture should have as much right as the other.

Brian Wilson said Gisborne district was not an historical name. Gisborne city was. Tairawhiti had more relevance to the wider area and he felt comfortable with Tairawhiti.

The other organisations in the civil defence group were happy and used that name. A division was called. Those in favour of the name Tairawhiti were Meredith Akuhata-Brown, Craig Bauld, Bill Burdett, Andy Cranston, Amber Dunn, Mayor Meng Foon, Larry Foster, Rehette Stoltz, Josh Wharehinga and Brian Wilson.

Those against were Alan Davidson, Roger Haisman and Graeme Thomson.

Pat Seymour was absent.