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For Hinerangi Goodman, Murupara-Galatea is truly a rohe pōtae.
The former journalist’s name was drawn out of a hat to represent the ward on the Whakatāne District Council after she scored the same number of votes as incumbent Alison Silcock.
She says it was a bruising way to end the election process, but she is now ready to get on with her kaupapa of bringing back the heart to communities like Murupara, Galatea and Minginui.
That means tackling issues like unemployment and a growing methamphetamine problem.
"This is what I am talking about when I talk about disengaged and disempowered and the apathy that is growing in these small communities because when we see our rangatahi, we’re losing them to P in the remote areas or the areas where there is no mahi because they have not received help from anywhere and they have not received a fair proportion of council funds," Ms Goodman says.
Hinerangi Goodman says the solutions lie in working closely with communities.
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