Te Rūnanga o Ngā Toa Āwhina (TRONTA) is proud to announce the new Tuakana and Teina of the Kōmiti. We would like to congratulate both Joanna Houston and Bronny Pegler who have been instrumental leaders in their own enterprises, leading and supporting Māori to be active in advocating for te ao Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the workplace. Congratulations to you both!
Joanna Houston, Tuakana/Vice President Māori
Tuia te rangi e tū nei Tuia te papa e takoto nei Ka rongo te pō
Ka rongo te ao Tīhei mauri ora!
Kia whai kororia ki a Ihoa o ngā mano
Tūāuriuri whāiōio
Kii tonu te rangi me te whenua i te nui o tana kororia.
Tangihia rā ngā mate huhua o te wā Haere, whakangaro atu rā
Rātou ki a rātou, haere atu rā, tātou te hunga ora ki a tātou anō.
Tēnei te tuku i ngā tai o mihi ki a koutou, otirā ki a tātou e noho nei i raro i te haumarutanga o Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi, kei te mihi, kei te mihi, tēnā rā koutou katoa!
Ko wai tēnei e mihi atu nei?
Ko Whakapunaki tōku maunga Ko Wairoa tōku awa
Ko Takitimu Waiherere me Ruataniwha ōku marae
Ko Ngāi Te Apatu tōku hapū Ko Joanna Houston tōku ingoa.
He uri ahau nō Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, Ngāti Tuwharetoa me Ngāti Ruanui o Taranaki iwi,
E mihi ana ki a koutou katoa.
Born and raised in Ōtautahi Christchurch, I am a mum to five amazing adult tamariki who I share with my wonderful husband, Johnny.
It is my privilege to be elected Vice President Māori of the PSA and Tuakana of TRONTA. I am thankful for the support and encouragement from my Public Service Rūnanga whānau to stand for the role, and deeply humbled by the confidence the Sector Mangai of TRONTA have in me to fulfil this role and reflect the voice of the members they represent.
As the current Hinonga Māngai Māori and National PSA Co-convenor at Te Tāhuhu o Te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education (MoE), I am no stranger to advocating for and carrying the voice of our PSA members.
From fighting to protect collective agreement entitlements before the Employment Relations Authority, to advocating in the Employment Court for MoE to honour our Ngā Kaupapa Principles, Kaitiakitanga and Pono. All that I have achieved and continue to do as a delegate has been with our PSA members in mind. Most importantly, to have shared in these experiences with those closest to me, my MoE Co-convenor Myron Elkington, my public service rūnanga whānau and my Sector Committee Co-convenor, Ulualofaiga Mareko.
“anō te ātaahua o te nohotahitanga a ngā tainai me ngā tuakana i raro i te whakaaro tahi.
“Such is the power of whanaungatanga, the strength in unity and working together to achieve interests in common.”
Bronny Pegler, Teina
Ko Tararua tōku maunga
Ko Ruamahanga rāua ko Mangahao ōku awa
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu, ko Rangitāne nui ratou ko Ngāti Tama ōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Raukawa, ko Ngāti Rongomaiaia ratou ko Ngāti Hāmua ōku hapū
Ko Takitimu rāua ko Kurahaupō ōku waka
Nō Ōtepoti ahau
Ko Bronny Pegler tōku ingoa
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa
My husband, Jase and I have two beautiful daughters, Merikuru (27) and Toneisha (25), we are very excited about the arrival of our first moko early next year. The steps I take in life are illuminated by their aroha and awhi.
I’ve been working at Oranga Tamariki for 18 years as a senior practitioner in Youth Justice. I started my journey as a PSA delegate in 2015 and been national delegate since 2017 in both general and Rūnanga spaces. Since 2021, I’ve been elected Hinonga Māngai Māori for Oranga Tamariki and Public Service Sector Māngai.
A highlight for me was the 2024 PSA Congress. I led TRONTA Notices of Motion to change the PSA Rules and Regulations. We were able to achieve 97% of our drafted motions. At the heart of this mahi was a call for Tino Rangatiratanga and Mana Motuhake! I am humbled to be elected as
Teina and to have the confidence of TRONTA to carry the voice of our members. I believe that no one sector is more important than another. In the current political environment members voices are being muted, mana is being trampled on, Te Tiriti o Waitangi is under attack and there have been thousands of job losses.
As Māori we need to be united across all sectors to have genuine influence that enables transformational change.
I want to thank all my PSA whānau alongside te whānau o te naughty corner! You are all the ‘wind beneath my wings’.
Ki te kotahi te kākaho, ka whati; ki te kāpuia, e kore e whati!
When we stand alone, we are vulnerable, but together, we are unbreakable!