Vice President's Report

Leading up to, and during last month's Conference, this was no different. In fact, it was probably intensified, even as an online Conference. I want to take a moment to say …

• Thank you to our orators and visionaries, who sometimes navigate multiple cultural and linguistic contexts, to bring wisdom and mana to our gatherings.
• Thank you to our creatives, who can use melodies, harmonies, colours, images or words to heal, soothe, connect, reinvigorate and inspire us.
• Thank you to all the writers and recorders, involved in the preparation and presentation of reports, stories, minutes and journals that have collectively captured the breadth and depth of our people, work, service and resources over the past year;
• Thank you to all the discerners and reviewers, involved in reflecting on, discerning, proofing, rewriting and revising our statements, decisions, prayers and articles so that they may better reflect the nuances and diversities of our hāhi and her journey;
• Thank you to all the critics and mentors, who gave honest and helpful critiques and feedback on processes and positions, because when we know better, we can hopefully do better;
• Thank you to all the knowledge holders, facilitators and information sharers who created and/or re-shared resources, information and opportunities for further enlightenment and understanding;
• Thank you to all the inquisitive problem solvers and calculated risk-takers, particularly those who navigated online platforms and technology, making the most of whatever they had on hand, to share our stories and help us connect from different corners of the country, while sometimes also running practice test runs, considering plan B through to Z alternatives, and leaving room for urgent, on-the-spot problem solving too.
• Thank you to all our nurturers and carers onsite in Hastings, and throughout the country, who provided acceptance, food, care and hospitality, not only towards us as Conference participants, but in some circumstances, even providing this for our parents, partners, children, mokopuna and fur babies, making things easier for some of us to be able to attend and participate in the Conference.
• And thank you also to all our prayer warriors, who have continued to uphold our world, our most vulnerable, our communities, our causes, our people, our ministries, our leaders, and our hāhi in prayer.

For various reasons, I have a wide range of different highlights from Conference. But as our country officially begins a term under the leadership of a new government that has been clear about its intention to cut back on and disestablish initiatives that were intentional in ensuring equitable support and outcomes particularly for Māori, and other vulnerable and marginalised groups in our society [aside from being concerned about this], I am strengthened by the fact that from Conference, as a hāhi, we have not been afraid to identify, call out and challenge systems that have and continue to colonise and undermine our peoples and our planet, nor will we be afraid, as we move forward.