Council seeks Pacific Island views on Aranui

The City Council together with government agencies and the Aranui Community Renewal project is seeking Pacific Island views from the Aranui community at the Positively Pacific Aranui Fono (meeting) on 14 May.

The Fono, to be held at the Wainoni/ Aranui Family Centre in Hampshire Street from 9am to 1.30pm, aims to get a Pacific Island perspective on things in Aranui.

Sky TV NRL presenter Peter Ropati is starting off the day with a keynote address on the challenges he faced when setting his goals as a teenager growing up in South Auckland. Niu FM DJ, Sela Alo, will host the day.

Aranui Trust co-ordinator Rachael Fonotia says that for some years government agencies, the trust, and the City Council have been funding programmes to help strengthen and suppor t the Aranui community but few Pacific Island people have tended to participate.

The Fono is being organised by the Aranui Community Trust, City Council, Housing NZ Corporation, Work and Income, Community Employment Group, Pacific Island Evaluation, and the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs to get direct feedback from Pacific Island people in Aranui on what they want to see in their community.

“This is a planning day where views and information will be gathered for these different agencies’ long-term planning for Aranui,” Ms Fonotia says.

“This is the Pacific Island community’s chance to ask questions of all these different government and Council groups as well as offer them some positive input about their area.

“For example, do they think various programmes are working in Aranui? Do they think these groups are doing a good job? What could be done differently to make things work more effectively? How can we help the community help itself?

“These are the sorts of things we want to know, so come along and join us,” Ms Fonotia says.

• Further information: Rachael Fonotia, Aranui Community Trust co-ordinator, phone 963 7072 or 021 216 7177.