spotlight on

In a recent hui with the Counties Manukau smokefree team, we were struck by their enthusiasm and passion for our kaupapa. With this, we wanted to interview one of their ‘newcomers’, Saini Semisi, for whakawhanaungatanga, and her team mate, Gloria Onelino, who brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role. It’s always really exciting to welcome new colleagues to our smokefree whanau, full of passion and ideas, working alongside those who have the experience and insight.

Walter "The Wiz" Walsh is from Ngāti Porou and Te Aitanga a Māhaki and will be awarded a Queen's Service Medal for services to community and broadcasting. A smoking cessation coach at Turanga Health for 6 years, Walsh also volunteers to support charitable initiatives throughout Te Tairāwhiti. Walsh is a voice for the people, and is now is his 29th year as an announcer at Turanga FM.

My motivation for this mahi comes from the people I support and the people I have worked with who share the same passion and dedication. After a 20-year investment, I remain committed to a Smokefree Aotearoa.

My main motivator is providing a tobacco free Aotearoa for our mokopuna and essentially the world, as the moko will travel.  
The connection I have with my moko feels so strong and is unique and special.

Marilyn McKay is a passionate, dedicated Matanga Auahi Mutunga in the new service, Te Ohu Auahi Mutunga (TOAM). When I spoke to Marilyn, I asked her “as well as your mahi, what matters to you?”, to which she replied “I am a mum to five sons and a grandmother to 18”. Whānau is clearly very important to Mariyln. 

He Kairangahau ahau mō Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau mō NIHI (National Institute for Health Innovation) I roto te wāhī mahi nei tokorua hoki tāua anake (Māori) - Ka aroha kia tātou te hunga Māori.  Kia kaha koutou ki te whai ake i ngā mātauranga kia uru ai te katoa ō koutou ki tēnei mahi.

This week, Natalie Walker shares her whakaaro with us. Natalie is a clinical trialist, epidemiologist, and Associate Director of the Centre for Addiction Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Auckland University. 

Boyd Broughton is a name we have seen regularly over the past few years in tobacco control. Boyd is a Programme Manager for ASH New Zealand and is an active family man. Boyd has been a long time tobacco control advocate and we thought it would be great to get know Boyd just that little bit more. We asked him a few questions and here is what Boyd had to say...

Pepeha:

Ko au tētahi o ngā uri ō Te Ramaroa, Taupiri Maunga, Hikurangi Maunga hoki.

"Spotlight On ..." - As a way of highlighting and celebrating members of our Tobacco Control Whanau, The Tobacco Control Update, is proud to bring you "Spotlight On ..." 
We have an amazing collection of people working in all aspects of Tobacco Control, all making  a contribution to our governments goal of Smokefree Aotearoa 2025. 
This series of interviews will give you some insight in the many and varied members of our whanau and introduce you their work, passions and motivation in doing what they do.