Ray Ahipene-Mercer
Ray Ahipene-Mercer | |
---|---|
Wellington City Councillor for the Eastern Ward | |
In office 2000–2016 | |
Preceded by | Sue Kedgley |
Succeeded by | Chris Calvi-Freeman |
Personal details | |
Born | Wellington, New Zealand | 20 October 1948
Spouse | Christine (Chris) Viggars (deceased) |
Education | Upper Hutt College |
Occupation | Musician, guitar-maker, environmentalist, politician |
Raymond Ahipene-Mercer (born 20 October 1948) is a former New Zealand politician, who served as a Wellington City Councillor for the Eastern Ward,[1] only the second Māori to be elected to the Wellington City Council and the first Māori to be elected since 1962.[2] He is also a guitar-maker, musician, and well-known environmentalist,[2][3] and was one of the leaders of the Clean Water Campaign, which led to the end of sewage pollution of the Wellington coast.[2] He was a candidate for mayor of Wellington in the council elections of 2007,[4] the first Māori ever to contest the position.[citation needed]He was runner-up to the incumbent.[5] As a musician and guitar maker he usually uses the name Ray Mercer, and has used the name Ray Ahipene-Mercer for other purposes including his environmental work and politics.
Family background
Ahipene-Mercer is of
Ahipene Mercer's mother, Ramona Ahipene, married Eugene (Gene) Mercer, a seaman of mixed Welsh and Swedish ancestry who arrived in New Zealand after
Ahipene-Mercer married Christine (Chris) Viggars in 1972. After an extended overseas experience in the UK they returned to New Zealand, where Chris died, suddenly, in 1981.[citation needed]
Early life and education
Ahipene-Mercer was raised in Petone and Upper Hutt, and attended Trentham School and Upper Hutt College, where despite congenital problems with one arm and leg he captained the rugby first XV.[6]
Musician
Ahipene-Mercer's father was a guitar player and his mother a singer. He began his music career playing in school bands in the early 1960s. In 1964
Between 1972 and 1980 Ahipene-Mercer worked in London, UK, playing in pub bands, and returned to New Zealand to tour with the
He has the unusual status as the only City Councillor ever to perform in the Wellington International Festival of the Arts as part of the "Maori All Stars" in 2006.[11]
Community activist, environmentalist
Described as a "tireless environmental campaigner" by former Mayor Mark Blumsky,[2] Ahipene-Mercer, with John Blincoe, led the Wellington Clean Water Campaign, which successfully sought to have Wellington to treat its sewage, and stop dumping it, raw, in the sea.[2]
He is well known for his work to protect and rescue little blue penguins or Korora,
Politician
This section needs to be updated.(December 2014) |
Ahipene-Mercer's work on environmental issues often brought him into regular contact with the Wellington City Council.[3] He was elected to the Wellington City Council in a by-election in 2000, taking the Eastern Ward position previously held by Sue Kedgley, who was elected to parliament as a Green MP.[18] He was elected again in 2001[19] and 2004.[20] Mana News Service reported that in 2001 he was one of only 20 Maori, out of a total of over a thousand New Zealanders, to win office in local elections that October.[21] He is only the second Maori to be elected to the Wellington City Council and the first Maori to be elected since 1962.[2]
He is Cultural and Arts Portfolio Leader on the Wellington City Council,[1] a member of the Council Controlled Organisations, Strategy and Policy and Grants Committee. He is a director of Wellington Waterfront Ltd,[22] has been a member of the Wellington Conversation Board, and a trustee of the Joe Aspill Trust.[citation needed]
Initially regarded as part of the "left" group on Council, Ahipene-Mercer has avoided alignment with any faction, preferring to work across all groups. He has fielded some criticism from supporters for his willingness to work cooperatively with right-wing Mayor Kerry Prendergast,[citation needed] but announced in early 2007 his intention to oppose Prendergast in the elections to be held later that year. He told reporters he was "in to win", and if elected would continue to work with all councillors.[citation needed]He was runner-up in the election.[5]
Ahipene-Mercer attributed his 2001 council win to votes from Pākehā (non-Māori) as well as Māori voters who recognised that he worked for everyone, not just for Māori interests.[21] He does not believe in designated Māori seats on either the national and local level, and hence emphasizes the importance of Treaty education so that Pākehā are well-informed about and responsive to Māori issues.[21] He announced in November 2015 that he would not contest the 2016 elections, retiring back to his work as a luthier.[23]
References
- ^ a b Wellington City Council. "Councillor – Ray Ahipene-Mercer." Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine wellington.govt.nz. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ a b c d e f "Councillor's journey from pop to politics." The Evening Post, 5 May 2000, edition 3, page 8.
- ^ a b c d Career Services. (ca. 2003, "Local Government Representative: Kanohi Kāwanatanga a-Rohe – Ray Ahipene-Mercer, City Councillor". Archived 27 September 2007 at archive.today Career Services/Rapuara: Seek the Path. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ Community News Limited. (7 March 2007). "Ray Ahipene-Mercer: 'I am your mayoral candidate.'" Archived 16 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine CNews. cnews.co.nz. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ a b "Elections - 2007 Results - Wellington - New Zealand". Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
- ^ a b c The Evening Post, 3 May 2000, edition 3, page 5.
- ^ The Edge of Tangaroa's Domain Dominion Post 4 September 2003
- ^ "Tamairangi." Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ a b c Sergent, Bruce. (n.d.) "Dedikation." Archived 26 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine New Zealand Music of the 60's, 70's and a bit of 80's. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 March 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "It's showband time." The Dominion Post, 4 Mar 2006, edition 2, page 14.
- ^ Wellington Conservancy. (2002–05). ("Dolphins perform for penguin palace builders." Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Footnotes, issue 17, p. 2. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ "Penguin protector." The Dominion Post, 7 Aug 1998, edition 2, page 3.
- Television New Zealand. Radio New Zealand. 27 January 2005. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
- ^ a b The Evening Post, 10 Aug 1998, edition 3, page 13.
- ^ Karori Wildlife Sanctuary Trust. (1997). Annual Report 1997. Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
- ^ Kedgley, Sue. (3 May 2000). "Kedgley delighted at Ahipene-Mercer's election." Archived 26 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Press release. Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ Wellington City Council. "Election Results – 2001 Results." Archived 1 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine Wellington.govt.nz. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ Wellington City Council. "Eastern Ward." (2004 election results.) Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Wellington.govt.nz. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ a b c Mana News Service. (1 November 2001). "Ray Ahipene-Mercer" Mana News Update 303. Retrieved on 2007-06-16.
- ^ "Directors." Archived 24 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine Wellington Waterfront Ltd. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
- ^ Jackman, Amy (27 November 2015). "Ray Ahipene-Mercer leaving Wellington politics for blues and crafting guitars". Stuff. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
External links
- Oral history interview with Ray Ahipene-Mercer on Upper Hutt City Library's Recollect website
- Ray4mayor.co.nz Website of Ray Ahipene-Mercer's Mayoral campaign 2007 [dead link]
- Wellington Election Results for 2007