Being an upstander

Eddie’s speech

Kia ora friends,

Thank you for all of your lovely messages. I have felt so wrapped up in love. I can’t thank you all enough.

I just wanted to pop in and share that my tamaiti made a speech at Julie Anne Genter’s campaign launch.

Y’all know I vote Green but I do want to say that what I love about Greens is their commitment to listening to, and empowering, tamariki and rangatahi. They don’t view our kids as valueless until they become little taxpaying units. They actually take their lead from our kids because it’s their future we are trying to make better.

I love how often I see Whaea Marama Davidson and James Shaw having big kōrero with tamariki and rangatahi - really listening to them and what they are asking from all of us as adults.

I also firmly believe that encouraging our kids to use their voice and claim their power as young leaders helps them a lot in facing an uncertain future.

They’re angry at us about climate change. They’re facing the cost of living crisis alongside us as they experience poverty and struggle with housing insecurity. Many have never been able to put a poster on the wall thanks to landlords who charge their parents so much their parents skip meals. They’re seeing their grandparents struggle as food costs increase, they’re seeing their friends having to leave school to work to support their parents. Or move out of the district because of rent increases.

They deserve a voice. And I hope we will listen. When we vote we are voting on behalf of our tamariki.

Here’s my boy’s speech, I’m obviously beyond proud of him. The campaign for Rongotai is particular special to him as we don’t just live in this electorate, my husband’s whānau are from Rēkohu which is included in the Rongotai electorate 💚 so that was a big motivator for him to speak.

Ko Taranaki te maunga

Ko Waitara te awa

Ko Tokumaru te waka

Ko Ngāti Mutunga te iwi

No Wharekauri a hau

Ko Eddie Te Hoia toku ingoa

Kia ora, my name is Eddie. I’m ten years old. My people are from Rēkohu also known as Wharekauri also known as The Chatham Islands. I am Moriori and my iwi is Ngāti Mutunga.

When my mum said she was speaking today she asked if I wanted to speak too and I do.

People don’t ask kids about politics. But me and my friends care a lot about politics even though we can’t vote. Sometimes it feels like we can’t do anything.

When I think about politics I think about upstanders and bystanders.

A bystander is someone who lets things happen and just watches and kind of doesn’t care.

An upstander is someone who stands up and helps people.

I want to be an upstander not a bystander. And I think all people should be upstanders.

I want to stand up for the planet – I want to look after our beaches, rivers, oceans and stop climate change and stop littering.

I want to stand up for my people – I want us to honour the treaty of Waitangi and I want people to have good homes and not be hungry.

I want to stand up for children – so they have food and a good home but also bike lanes to go to school safely and also help if they have a disability or medical condition.

I want to stand up for animals – so greyhounds don’t have to race anymore, and farm animals are treated as good as a human.

I’m just a kid so being an upstander is hard work but I still do it because it’s so important.

If you’re an adult, it can be easier to be an upstander. You can be an upstander by volunteering and helping the community and helping people like Julie Anne Genter get into parliament.

Because if she is in parliament, she will be an upstander for the planet, for people, for children, for animals and for all of us.

Thank you.