Nā Hora Kairangi Nicholas tēnei atikara
National’s Christchurch Central candidate Dale Stephens is drawing on decades of experience across policing, trade negotiations, business, governance and Māori economic development as he makes his third bid for the electorate.
The Te Rarawa businessman and Chair of New Zealand Māori Tourism is ranked 23rd on the National Party list and was raised in Ōtautahi, where he says he wants to give back to the city that raised his whānau.
Stephens began his career in the police, joining as a 17-year-old after graduating from police college. He spent 20 years in the force as a serious crime investigator before moving between the private and government sectors.
“I’ve been a CEO in four different organisations, both here and overseas,” he says.
Stephens has also spent 10 years as a trade negotiator at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and has worked extensively in Māori and Indigenous economic development.
His work has taken him overseas, including to South America, where he has worked with Indigenous groups to explore ways New Zealand can support Indigenous opportunities.
“Whether I get into Parliament or not, I’m advocating for Māori business,” he says.
“You know, I’ve been doing this now for 14, 15 years. I love what Māori bring to our communities,”
Stephens says his experience has shown him the importance of balancing economic development with community, culture and the environment.
“And so marrying all that up together and looking after Papatūānuku, then we get that great combination of ingenuity, supporting our community, strengthening our culture, but looking after our environment.”
He says that work has also reinforced his belief in the potential of rangatahi Māori.
For Stephens, his connection to Ōtautahi is another reason for entering the political contest. He says Ōtautahi has continued to rebuild and develop since the earthquakes, with new sectors emerging across health, technology, the bioeconomy, aerospace, clean technology and fintech.
“What I want to see is our kids getting a great education and how we can help them convert into these new sectors, because I want our kids to do their OE, but I want them to come back to Christchurch.”
“I want them to come back to their whānau, to our communities, and realise they’ve got great opportunities for careers right here in Ōtautahi” Stephens says his interest in politics began when he was 15, when he attended his first political meeting.
That motivation has continued throughout his career.
“I’ve always looked for, how can I do something that’s different? Because it’s not about me, it’s about our children, our kids at home.”
Now, as he campaigns for the Christchurch Central seat in Parliament, Stephens says one of his priorities is helping improve what he calls cultural relations in Aotearoa. He adds that there is uncertainty among people who do not understand something but are afraid to ask questions.
“I want to be one of those people that help facilitate those answers.”
Stephens says conversations around Māori names, including the use of Tūranga for the Ōtautahi central library, are an opportunity to bring people together rather than create division.
“What is wrong with being aspirational for bringing our communities together?”
He says he wants to see people approach those conversations positively and focus on the future.
Stephens will officially enter the Christchurch Central contest when candidate nominations open on September 7. The final list of candidates will be confirmed after nominations close a month later.
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Ka kawea e Dale Stephens ōna wheako pakihi Māori ki te pakanga pōti mō Ōtautahi
Kei te kawe mai a Dale Stephens, te kaitono o Te Pāti Nāhinara mō te pokapū o Ōtautahi, i ōna wheako ki te ao pirihimana, ngā whiriwhiringa tauhokohoko, te pakihi, te kāwanatanga ā-rohe me te whanaketanga ōhanga Māori, i a ia e whai ana i te tūnga mō te wā tuatoru.
He kaipakihi nō Te Rarawa, he Tiamana hoki mō NZ Māori Tourism, ā, kei te nama 23 ia i te rārangi o te Pāti Nāhinara. I tipu ake ia i Ōtautahi, ā, e ai ki a ia, e hiahia ana ia ki te whakahoki hua ki te tāone i whakatipu i tōna whānau.
I tīmata a Stephens i tana mahi ki roto i te pirihimana, i tana urunga atu ki te 17 tau te pakeke, whai muri i tana puta i te kura pirihimana. E 20 tau ia ki roto i taua ao, hei kaitirotiro taihara taumaha, kātahi ka neke atu ki te rāngai tūmataiti me te kāwanatanga.
“I’ve been a CEO in four different organisations, both here and overseas,” he says.
Kua tekau tau hoki a Stephens e mahi ana hei kaiwhiriwhiri tauhokohoko mō New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, ā, kua roa ia e mahi ana i te whanaketanga ōhanga Māori.
Kua kawea ia e ana mahi ki tāwāhi, tae atu ki Amerika ki te Tonga, ki reira mahi tahi ai ia me ngā rōpū taketake ki te kimi huarahi e taea ai e Aotearoa te tautoko i ngā whai wāhitanga mō ngā iwi taketake.
“Whether I get into Parliament or not, I’m advocating for Māori business,” i kī ia
“You know, I’ve been doing this now for 14, 15 years. I love what Māori bring to our communities,”
E ai ki a Stephens, kua whakaatu atu ōna wheako ki a ia te hiranga o te taurite i waenga i te whanaketanga ōhanga, te hapori, te ahurea me te taiao.
“And so marrying all that up together and looking after Papatūānuku, then we get that great combination of ingenuity, supporting our community, strengthening our culture, but looking after our environment.”
E ai ki a ia, kua whakapakari hoki aua mahi i tōna whakapono ki ngā rangatahi Māori.
Mō Stephens, ko tōna hononga ki Ōtautahi tētahi atu take e whai wāhi ai ia ki te whakataetae tōrangapū. E ai ki a ia, kua haere tonu ngā hanga hou me te whanaketanga o Ōtautahi mai i ngā rū whenua, ā, kua puta mai ētahi rāngai hou i te hauora, te hangarau, te bioeconomy, te rererangi, te hangarau me te fintech.
“What I want to see is our kids getting a great education and how we can help them convert into these new sectors, because I want our kids to do their OE, but I want them to come back to Christchurch.”
“I want them to come back to their whānau, to our communities, and realise they’ve got great opportunities for careers right here in Ōtautahi”
E ai ki a Stephens, i tīmata tōna hiahia ki te ao tōrangapū i a ia e 15 tau ana, i tana haere tuatahi ki tētahi hui tōrangapū.
“I’ve always looked for, how can I do something that’s different? Because it’s not about me, it’s about our children, our kids at home.”
I a ia e whakatairanga ana i tana tūnga mō te pokapū o Ōtautahi, e mea ana a Stephens ko tētahi o ōna whāinga ko te whakapakari ake i ngā hononga ahurea ki Aotearoa. E ai ki a ia, he nui te rangirua o ētahi tāngata kāore e mōhio ana ki ētahi kaupapa, engari e mataku ana ki te pātai.
“I want to be one of those people that help facilitate those answers.”
E ai ki a Stephens, ko ngā kōrero mō ngā ingoa Māori, pērā ki a Tūranga te whare pukapuka matua o Ōtautahi, he whai wāhitanga ki te whakakotahi i te hapori.
“What is wrong with being aspirational for bringing our communities together?”
Ka whakatuwhera ngā tono mō ngā kaitono Pāremata hei te 7 o Hepetema, hei reira tīmata ai te whakataetae mō te pokapū o Ōtautahi. Ka whakamanahia te rārangi whakamutunga o ngā kaitono whai muri i te katinga o ngā tono, kotahi marama i muri mai.