Daughter's tribute to Pat Magill, campaigner who leads from the front

Jesma Magill, author of Pat Magill -Leading From The Front, holds the new book she has written about her father's life.

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Jesma Magill, author of Pat Magill - Leading From The Front, holds the new book she has written about her father's life. Reporter Brenda Vowden caught up with Jesma to find out more about the man described as a vocal advocate for love, inclusion and a better New Zealand.

Why did you think this was an important book which needed writing?

We felt this book needed writing because often, over the years, when our family is out and about and we get chatting with friends and acquaintances, they'll invariably say something like, "What's Pat up to? He's such an amazing man!" After years of experiencing this you begin to think that there is a responsibility to tell Pat's story, and enough people over the years have told us as much, so I guess at some stage a book was inevitable.

Pat's life is full and interesting and has pretty much been focused on trying to help ensure the community of Napier/Ahuriri is a more kind and fair place for all. In publishing Pat Magill - Leading From The Front - A Vocal Advocate For Love, Inclusion and A Better New Zealand, the hope is that his legacies around conservation, community development, and social and restorative justice campaigning, will continue in some form well into the future.

When did you first start thinking about writing the book?

Thoughts on seriously writing this book surfaced a year ago during the country's first lockdown. I should have started writing it then, when I had the luxury of time but I spring-cleaned the house instead. After a few more months of grasping at important distractions such as paid work, I realised I needed to solely focus on Leading From The Front to give the book the attention it deserved and ensure it was printed in time for Pilot City Trust Unity Day on April 23. Luckily I had great support from Pat, my husband, Richard, and my sister, Jan, who was "on the ground" in Napier while I pulled the book together from Auckland. A big family is handy and our siblings, Mary Anne, Rob, Tim and John, lent a hand too.

How would you describe the book?

Leading From The Front is part biography, part tribute and an inspirational handbook with a focus on social justice. It's a high-quality A4 publication with 283 beautifully designed pages that ensure an appealing and easy read. In terms of format we decided on a dynamic magazine layout which features resources (both versions of the Treaty of Waitangi, for example), plus thought-provoking articles and hundreds of photos. The first few chapters cover Pat's early years and they make great reading because he was such an active rascal, as he still is, actually! When talking with Pat about the scope of the book we agreed it couldn't just be about him, it had to cover the issues he's been involved with and the people he has worked with over the years. It also explains the reasoning behind adopting a Child Friendly City initiative and lobbies soundly for a bicultural New Zealand. Adopting these two policies are the main ways that Pat and many others believe this country can move forward in a unified and positive way.

Tell me about the highlights along the way?

One of the highlights of putting the book together has been reaching out to the dozens of Pat's contacts, colleagues and dear friends who have worked with him over the years, campaigned with him and created visions together; to not only share their stories of Pat but also float ideas on better ways of moving forward as a nation. There is some seriously beautiful writing among these tributes and we learnt Pat has been involved in even more initiatives than we originally thought.

What are you most proud of after finishing the book?

We are most proud about completing Leading From The Front on time but the proudest moment will be when Pat gives the book his final tick of approval. He read and gave feedback on all the main articles but we didn't have time for a lengthy production process. He can be hands-on, so we kept him hands-off, gently.

The last word on Pat goes to his mate, Marty Brandt, who when asked what it is about Pat that makes him special, said, "Pat cares, about people and the community. He's just a caring person."

■ Leading From The Front is available at Wardini Books from April 24. Any inquiries to jes.magill@gmail.com.