Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

The Monday Q&A: Leigh-Marama McLachlan on Whanganui, dinner parties and life lessons

Mike Tweed
By Mike Tweed
Multimedia Journalist·Whanganui Chronicle·
16 Aug, 2020 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Leigh-Marama McLachlan says the walkway along the awa has been a great addition to Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley
Leigh-Marama McLachlan says the walkway along the awa has been a great addition to Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

Leigh-Marama McLachlan says the walkway along the awa has been a great addition to Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

Every Monday, the Chronicle fires 10 questions at a Whanganui local. This week Mike Tweed talks to Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui's new communications manager, Leigh-Marama McLachlan.

Leigh-Marama is the former Māori News correspondent at RNZ and returned to her hometown of Whanganui with her whānau in 2018.

You're hosting a dinner party and can invite any three people from history to attend. Who would they be, and why?

You probably mean famous people but, to be honest, I'd rather invite my brother and sister who passed away.

I never got to know them and I would just love the chance to spend time and laugh with them. I also recently learned of my tūpuna, Haimona Te Utupoto, who was a tohunga for moko kauae, and I'd love to cook him tea.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

What is one piece of advice you would give your 20-year-old self?

Get your OE out of the way before you have babies.

What is your favourite thing to do in Whanganui?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

My favourite thing to do in Whanganui is hang out with my family at my parents' place, always.

How do you think Whanganui has changed over the years?

Whanganui is a really beautiful place. The walkway along the awa has been a great addition here. It's also nice to see fewer empty shops up the (Victoria) Ave.

If you had to live in another country, where would it be and why?

Discover more

The Monday Q&A: Dean Martin on moving home and why he wants dinner with Judith Collins

19 Jul 05:00 PM

Monday Q&A: Vivek Bangia on importance of family - and cooking

26 Jul 05:00 PM

Monday Q & A: Whanganui DHB CEO Russell Simpson on climbing and influential figures

02 Aug 05:00 PM

The Monday Q&A: Best reads, film and hosting Prince Harry

09 Aug 05:00 PM

I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now with Covid-19 hammering other countries but, if that wasn't the case, perhaps Tahiti. It looks beautiful there and we have stories about our tūpuna having links to Rangiātea in Tahiti.

Who, outside of your family, would you say is your greatest inspiration?

I can't think of anyone in particular outside my whānau. I'm inspired by other Māori women who are working hard and raising babies.

Would you rather sing along to every song you heard, or dance to every song you heard?

Definitely sing.

One album is stuck on repeat in your office, which would you choose?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

I don't listen to albums, I'm so inept when it comes to music. Something R&B most likely.

What is one aspect of Whanganui that you think could be improved?

It would be great to have a few more restaurants and bars – a better nightlife.

Which event from history would you have most liked to attend?

The signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

07 Jul 03:57 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

07 Jul 03:39 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

06 Jul 11:50 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Car submerged in Christchurch river, fears people could be inside
Christchurch

Car submerged in Christchurch river, fears people could be inside

07 Jul 08:19 AM
The moment Erin Patterson knew her fate was sealed
World

The moment Erin Patterson knew her fate was sealed

07 Jul 08:17 AM
Health NZ board re-established by Government
New Zealand

Health NZ board re-established by Government

07 Jul 08:03 AM
'The man I once trusted violently raped me': Man jailed for attacking ex-wife next to sleeping child
New Zealand

'The man I once trusted violently raped me': Man jailed for attacking ex-wife next to sleeping child

07 Jul 08:00 AM
'Do it now, run him over'. Teen who ran over mother's partner twice can finally be named
New Zealand

'Do it now, run him over'. Teen who ran over mother's partner twice can finally be named

07 Jul 07:00 AM

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

Seabed mining project sparks alarm over impact on South Taranaki fisheries

07 Jul 03:57 AM

Jamie Newell fears silt pollution will damage precious reef ecosystems.

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

Multiple purchase offers for pilot academy

07 Jul 03:39 AM
Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

Police seek sightings of car linked to missing person

06 Jul 11:50 PM
How a spray painter is mastering conflict resolution with NZ Army

How a spray painter is mastering conflict resolution with NZ Army

06 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search