Nā Shakayla Andrews-Alapaki tēnei atikara.
After years of serving the community through Koha Kai, Janice Lee is now seeking to represent Invercargill in Parliament as Labour's candidate for the 2026 election.
“So the reason I've always been community based … And as time was freed up for me, I thought I would be best off using it in a productive way.”
Lee, of Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Porou, said her decision to stand for Labour was shaped by more than a decade of community work. Having worked closely with vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities and kaumātua.
She said Labour's focus on jobs, housing, health and the cost of living aligned closely with the issues she has encountered through her work over the past 13 years.
"These are all the things that really resonate with me," Lee said.
KA NOHO MĀTĀMUA KO TE HĀPORI, KO TE WHĀNAU.
Lee, who was raised in Invercargill, is the founder of Koha Kai, an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities through vocational training.
"I have a deep affinity for our vulnerable people, both disabled people and our seniors, our kaumātua. They need to have better representation. That's where my passion sits," Lee said.
Community and whānau remain central to Lee's work. She is a member of the Murihiku Kai Collective and has served on several governance boards, including KUMA, the Southern Māori Business Network Association.
Lee has been recognised nationally and regionally for her contributions to social enterprise, Māori business development and disability advocacy.
MAI I TE TEPU TĪNA KI TE TEPU TŌRANGAPŪ
Lee said concerns about affordability and employment are among the biggest challenges facing Southlanders.
"The key issues at the moment down here are the cost of living, making food affordable and accessible, and having jobs," she said.
"It's all very well to say that the Government is supporting working families, but the reality is that a lot of people are losing their jobs under this Government. We need to get those jobs back."
"I may not have a university degree, but I've got a lot of life experience and I want to be able to bring that in," she said.
While business remains the focus at Koha Kai, Lee's attention is increasingly turning to the campaign trail as the race for Invercargill begins to take shape ahead of the 2026 election.
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Kua roa nei a Janice Lee e toha kai ana ki te hāpori mā tōna kaupapa o Koha Kai. Inaianei, ko te hiahia o Lee kia whai wāhi atu ki te whare pāremata hei kaitono mō te pāti Reipa hei whakakanohi i a Waihōpai i tēnei pōtitanga.
“So the reason I've always been community based … And as time was freed up for me, I thought I would be best off using it in a productive way.” e ai ki a Lee.
Nō Ngāi Tahu, nō Ngāti Porou a Lee. Hei tāna, mō ngā tau tekau mā toru kua pahure ake nei e mahi ana ia i roto i te hapori, ā, nā aua wheako i whakakaha ake tana hiahia ki te tū mō Te Rōpū Reipa. Kua mahi tahi ia me ngā rōpū whakaraerae, tae atu ki te hunga whaikaha me ngā kaumātua.
Hei tāna, e tino hāngai ana ngā kaupapa matua a Te Rōpū Reipa, arā, ngā mahi, te whare noho, te hauora me te utu nui o te noho – ki ngā take kua kitea e ia i roto i tana mahi mō te hapori.
"These are all the things that really resonate with me," hei tā Lee.
KA NOHO MĀTĀMUA KO TE HĀPORI, KO TE WHĀNAU
I tipu ake a Lee i Invercargill, ā, ko ia te Pouārahi o Koha Kai, he pakihi pāpori kua whakawhiwhia ki ngā tohu maha mō tana tautoko i te hunga whaikaha mā roto i ngā kaupapa whakangungu mahi.
"I have a deep affinity for our vulnerable people, both disabled people and our seniors, our kaumātua. They need to have better representation. That's where my passion sits," e ai ki a Lee.
Ka noho tonu ko te hapori me te whānau hei pou tokomanawa mō āna mahi. He mema ia nō te Murihiku Kai Collective, ā, kua noho hoki ia ki runga i ētahi poari whakahaere, pēnei i a te Kupeka Ūmaka Māori o Āraiteuru (KUMA)
Kua whakawhiwhia e Lee ngā tohu ā-motu, ā-rohe hoki mō āna mahi ki te ao pakihi pāpori, te whanaketanga pakihi Māori me te tautoko i te hunga whaikaha.
MAI I TE TEPU TĪNA KI TE TEPU TŌRANGAPŪ
Hei tā Lee, ko te utu nui o te noho me te kore mahi ētahi o ngā tino wero kei mua i te aroaro o ngā tāngata o Murihiku.
"The key issues at the moment down here are the cost of living, making food affordable and accessible, and having jobs," hei tāna.
"It's all very well to say that the Government is supporting working families, but the reality is that a lot of people are losing their jobs under this Government. We need to get those jobs back."
"I may not have a university degree, but I've got a lot of life experience and I want to be able to bring that in," hei tāna.
Ahakoa kei te noho tonu a Koha Kai hei aronga matua mōna, kua tīmata kē tana aro ki te ara whakataetae pōtitanga, ka mutu, e whakatakoto ana ngā kaitono i ā rātou kaupapa mō te whakataetae pōti o Waihōpai mō te kōwhiringa pōti 2026.