Porirua based artist Ezra Phoenix celebrates self love, self empowerment, and embracing uniqueness and differences. Ezra heeds the call of change, and advocates for personal growth, transformation and rebirth.

Ezra competed in national and international Barbershop Acappella competitions, and was a Pacific contemporary dancer for national and international shows.

But Ezra’s career as a solo artist really began in 2011 when he studied at an Auckland based performing arts school in New Zealand. With an array of influences, Ezra combines Pop music and Barbershop Acappella inspired vocals, weaving them into poetic phrases and imagery to express his truth.

Produced by Toby Lloyd at Tiny Triumph Recordings, Ezra’s debut single ‘Run With The Wild Ones’ was released on Friday 20th November 2020 as a symbol of his rebirth. The summer single is out now on Spotify, iTunes, Tidal, Apple Music and more.

https://www.facebook.com/IamEzraPhoenix 

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The Digital Pasifik website, which is now live, is a key part of the Pacific Virtual Museum pilot project, funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia, and implemented by the National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga in collaboration with the National Library of Australia. This pilot will run until February 2022.

The aim is to empower people in and of the Pacific Islands, enabling them to see, discover and explore items of digitised cultural heritage that are held in collections around the world. 

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Earlier this year, we spoke with Tania Sharkey, barrister at Friendship Chambers, president of the PLA and part of the team behind the Royal Commission of inquiry Abuse in Care as counsel assist, leading the pacific investigation.

We welcome Tania back now for an update regarding the Royal Commission of Inquiry: Abuse in Care proceedings.

For more information please phone 0800 222 727 or email: [email protected]

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Susan Taylor is the Chief Executive Officer of Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL).

 FSCL is an approved dispute resolution scheme under the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008. FSCL has over 7,000 financial service providers, including many financial advisers, as scheme participants.

FSCL investigates complaints made by consumers against FSCL scheme participants.  

Susan has more than 25 years’ experience in dispute resolution in the financial services industry and has presented at financial industry and consumer conferences both in New Zealand and overseas.  Susan is a qualified lawyer and, prior to joining FSCL, Susan was the Deputy Banking Ombudsman.  Susan is also a public member of the Advertising Standards Appeal Board and a trustee of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation.

Saimone Lealea is a Wellington based Pasifika community leader and founder of SDL consultancy.http://www.sdlconsultancy.com/p/sdl-consultancy.html 

He is the Chairperson of the National and Wellington Fijian Language Week Komiti, was a member of the Arts Council of New Zealand and chaired the Pacific Arts Committee. He has been Chair of the Pasifika Education Centre in Auckland and the Pacific Advisory Group of Wellington City Council.  Sai was a Trustee of Arts Access Aotearoa and has provided support to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other government Pacific advisory groups.

 

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Albert L. Refiti, carries the ancestral matai title Leali’ifano from Vaovai, Falealili.  Raised in Fasito’outa by the Sā Aiono Fa’apologaina clan of Avano, he is from a generation that was schooled under Reverend Ioselani Pouesi.  He never became a church minister but he has carried on the intellectual work that he was schooled on at the Aoga Faifeau in learning and refining Samoan and Moana Pacific knowledge, theologies and philosophies.

He studied architecture at the University of Auckland and was involved in some of the first Pacific influenced buildings in the country – Kermadec Restaurant Auckland, Auckland Museum Pacific Galleries & Atrium and The Fale Pasifika at the University of Auckland.

 

He wrote a PhD on the origins of Samoan and Pacific architecture and space which has continued with his current Marsden funded research on ‘Vā Moana: space and relationality in Pacific thought and identity’. 

 

He is an associate professor of Art & Design at Auckland University of Technology and will deliver the 2020 Gordon H Brown Lecture at the Wellington Art Gallery on Friday night.

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Fijian academic, Professor Steven Ratuva has won the prestigious Metge Medal for excellence, New Zealand’s highest academic honour in social science research.

The Royal Society of New Zealand which awards medals to New Zealand’s elite scholars cited Professor Ratuva’s research excellence, interdisciplinary leadership and world expertise and standing in his field.

Ratuva becomes the first Pacific Islander to win the medal.

As Director of the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies (University of Canterbury), Ratuva’s scholarship spans the fields of sociology, anthropology, politics, history, cultural studies, post-colonial and development studies. His research innovation, writings and professional engagements have fostered interdisciplinary and collaborative projects across the

Globe.

Professor Steven Ratuva is on the line with us now from Christchurch.  Bula vinaka Professor Ratuva and thank you for joining us and congratulations on winning New Zealand’s highest honour in social science research. 

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Launched in 2019, Sorted in Schools is a free financial education programme with a vision to equip all young New Zealanders for their financial future. Available for students in Years 9-13, it is fully aligned with both the New Zealand Curriculum and Māori Medium Education. It can be taught by teachers as part of day to day classes in diverse subjects, educating students about money management, saving, debt, goal-setting, KiwiSaver, insurance, investing and retirement.

An independent evaluation of Sorted in Schools released this week backs up the students’ and teacher’s experience. The New Zealand Council for Educational Research determined that in the wake of COVID-19, "the need for a programme such as Sorted in Schools, [which] builds on the circumstances, strengths, needs and aspirations of every student, including Māori and Pacific, is greater than ever".

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Art reflects cultural values, beliefs and identity and helps to preserve the many different communities that make up our world. Art chronicles our own lives and experiences over time. We need art to understand and to share our individual and shared history.

Arts Access Aotearoa | Putanga Toi ki Aotearoa, exists to increase access to the arts for people who experience barriers to participation as artists, performers, audience members, and gallery and museum visitors. They do this by working in the disability, mental health and Deaf communities.They also work with the professional arts sector to improve their access to Deaf and disabled audiences.

https://artsaccess.org.nz/arts%20for%20all%20network 

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When Lino Ausage’s best friend and wife of 41 years passed away last year he was at a loss at how to cope.  His children including his son Lale who suggested they start going on walking.. Which has lead them on a journey of physical and mental well being.

Walking Stars is a night-time walking half marathon bringing people together to raise vital funds in support of local people living with cancer.  

Last Saturday Lale and LIno Ausage took part in the Wellington Walking stars and helped raise money for Cancer.  Lino and Lale Ausage join us this morning to share their story and what inspired them to take part in the Walking Starts half marathon with their family.

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‘Mana Man’ is an  initiative to help men become “Good, Caring & Responsible”

Mana Man is a new initiative to support men from all walks of life to help them become “Good, caring, responsible men.” The organising group describe themselves as “a networking brotherhood of men who are passionate in supporting our brothers to address violence, suicide, sexual abuse, drugs, alcohol, separation and gambling addictions.”

A key person is Mahanga Williams who works as a mentor and Whanau Social Worker for Te Ora Hou in Whanganui.

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