Māori ward candidate Mateawa Keelan pushes for East Coast representation

Born and raised in Ruatōria, Māori ward candidate Mateawa Keelan wants to support the growth of small businesses if elected to Gisborne District Council.

Born and raised in Ruatōria, Māori ward candidate Mateawa Keelan wants to ensure that there is representation from Tairāwhiti’s east coast at the Gisborne District Council table.

“Representation of at least one councillor on the coast is vital,” she said.

She said it was harder for people who didn’t live up the coast to bring the same passion or urgency to issues up the coast.

Running for the first time, Keelan is one of 11 candidates for one of five Māori ward seats.

Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting, she said key initiatives she would like to bring to the council included supporting the growth of small businesses and sustainable economic development.

She believed the council should provide opportunities and support for whānau to grow business and tourism on the coast.

“Resourcing and the opportunities to learn to pass on knowledge to whānau should be made available,” she said.

This would include the council granting access to land or a building if needed, as well as the operational team collaborating with iwi on how to implement beneficial initiatives.

“In part of governance, it would be overseeing and ensuring that there are policies and a framework there on how we provide that; the provision for Māori to be able to step into their tino rangatiratanga.”

Keelan was raised on a sheep farm in Ruatōria but moved to Wellington at the age of 16 to work for what is now the Ministry of Social Development.

“I guess without really knowing it, that’s where my strength was.”

She stayed in the Wellington region for 20 years, working mainly in social welfare and employment and career services.

She moved back to the East Coast about 20 years ago.

For the past 10 years, she has lived in Hiruharama, farming cattle and running an earth-moving business with her husband, and living with their 9-year-old mokopuna.

She also co-founded the social enterprise Hikurangi Enterprises (which began voluntary liquidation in March this year), and worked there until a year ago.

“Growing a social enterprise ... going from Ruatōria to Gisborne, focusing on kānuka resources and how we could use those, into focusing on a building company, to a kai distribution and resilience company and a saw milling company.

“It brought me head-on into making decisions and taking things into account in a way that works from my gut,” she said.

Her upbringing on a farm and doing whatever was needed enabled her to learn about the land.

“My ethic is hands-on, and I’m not afraid of hard work. What I do with my hands, I do with my mind as well. I think of ways to get around things. Instead of saying, ‘That’s too hard,’ I can break it down and look at a strategy.”