Tēnā tatou katoa,

I am the youngest son of Julia Norman, whose father was John Norman, eldest son of Henare Norman. Raised on our whanau-built waka ‘Kotahitanga’, I spent most of my adolescence sailing around the world between 1976 and 1984.  My wife Maeva and I, now live on her Papakainga on Takaparawha, Bastion Point in Tamaki Makaurau. We have three beautiful daughters and three mokopuna.

I have been very fortunate to have received three kidney transplants in 1987, 2002 and 2015, this included 8 and a half years of dialysis, between my transplants. I bring forth experience as a Consumer Representative on the National Renal Transplant Leadership Team since 2014 and recently with the Australia New Zealand Society of Nephrologists. My governance experience as a board member has been with the Auckland District Kidney Society since 2016 and Kidney Health New Zealand since 2018.

On a professional basis, I’ve had a 30-year seagoing career and have worked on a diverse range of vessels in both the commercial and private sectors. Ten years ago, I formed a company and have since been working as a shipbroker which requires me to liaise with clients from New Zealand and around the world.

I am keen to contribute in whatever way I can to support and uplift the whanau, hapu and iwi of Ngati Kuri. My vision is to provide better education, work opportunities, housing and better health outcomes for the Uri of Ngati Kuri. I believe this should be supported by good governance at the board level along with effective strategic planning, communication, consultation, transparency and measurable outcomes for and with our iwi members.