This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and readability.
Aaron: So, my first question is: why are you running for the community board?
Eloise: I’m running because I care deeply about the Raglan community. I believe it has a special vibe to it, and I care about the direction that it goes.
Aaron: And for new candidates especially, I’m interested in getting to know people. Tell us a little about yourself.
Eloise: I grew up in Karangahake Gorge, between Waihi and Paeroa. I’ve been in Raglan for eight years. Before living here, I was owner-operator of Bugger Café in Pipiroa, between Thames and Auckland. I started that at age 21.
I’ve been in management roles for the majority of my career–almost 10 years now. I’m 30.
Aaron: You’re currently managing Raglan Refill?
Eloise: Yes.
Aaron: And before that you managed Trade Aid?
Eloise: Yes, for almost five years I managed Trade Aid.
Aaron: Okay. So what was it like growing up in the Gorge–quite different from the surf beach here?
Eloise: It was great. Like having the entire river as your playground. Summers were fantastic–you could trek through, find all the hidden spots. I love fresh water. I’m a bit of a water baby.
Aaron: Do you have brothers and sisters?
Eloise: I’ve got three older brothers.
Aaron: Three older brothers can shape a girl a certain way.
Eloise: I’ve got very thick skin [laughs].
Aaron: And are your parents still there?
Eloise: My mum’s still there. My dad’s actually over here now–he moved to be closer to me.
Aaron: Smart move. I understand that–my kids are just at that leaving-home age.
How did you get into management so young?
Eloise: Through the café. Before I owned it, I was doing an apprenticeship there with John and Glenda Gourley, they actually created Bugger Café.
Aaron: Where was the café?
Eloise: In Pipiroa, just beforeThames. I went under their leadership, and did an apprenticeship with them. They got to the point where they wanted to sell but they didn’t want to sell to just anyone, so they approached me and asked if I’d be interested in buying it. They actually found me shareholders and gifted me a portion of the shares.
Aaron: How old were you again?
Eloise: Twenty-one.
Aaron: You don’t usually have much money or wealth built up at 21.
Eloise: No, I didn’t really have anything. But they seemed to believe in me, and that was pretty special. I ran the café for a couple of years with shareholders in the background. Eventually, the shareholders wanted to sell, and by then I had just met Myles. I was keen to get away from Pipiroa after being in that area my whole life.
Aaron: So it wasn’t hard for Myles to entice you.
Eloise: Not hard at all.
Aaron: And then you guys got married?
Eloise: Yes, 2023.
Aaron: As a young couple, you tend to start planning your future. Do you have plans in mind for your future? I didn’t have proper plans until I got married.
Eloise: Not really. The plan was just get married and have babies–but we decided we could wait a few more years. Not ready just yet [laughs].
Aaron: Another question I like to ask candidates: Raglan. We tend to think we’re a bit special here–maybe every small town does–but we have things that make us unique. Do you know what that Raglan character, or personality, is? One of the other candidates called it “personality,” which I thought was an interesting way to frame it.
Eloise: I’d agree–it’s definitely personality. I believe it’s not only the environmental kaupapa we have here, but also the people. They’re what make Raglan unique. From working in and managing community-focused shops, I see all the people that are dedicated to ensuring these community initiatives stay alive. The dedication that everyone has to the work is pretty special.
Aaron: And you’ve experienced that personally–Trade Aid closed, and then Raglan Refill emerged from the community.
Eloise: It did. A bunch of people in the community came together with a shared vision and made it happen.
Aaron: And were they like, “Oh, Eloise is available–she knows how to do all this”?
Eloise: Jasmine approached me right before Trade Aid closed. She asked if I’d be interested in joining and starting a community-run refillery. I said absolutely.
Aaron: And it’s run on similar lines? Because Trade Aid had volunteers.
Eloise: It’s very similar. I’m the operations manager, and every day we have volunteers in there making sure everything runs smoothly in the shop. I’m in there making sure they are supported.
Aaron: I have a lot of volunteers here, and training them can be a challenge when they only come in once a week.
Eloise: it’s like having a part-time staff member who’s only there for three hours a week. But they’re great– fantastic. They all picked it up really fast, and we’ve built a great team of volunteers.
Aaron: Was there much difficulty in swapping over? You were selling very different things between Trade Aid and Raglan Refill. Was there learning that you had to do?
Eloise: I was very lucky–I’d learned a lot about food safety from running the café, so I could pick that up and run with it. There was research involved with the containers and the bulk food side of things, but it was actually quite similar to the café.
Aaron: We were talking about Raglan’s character and what makes it unique. Another question I always ask is: how do we retain that? People here are often averse to change–they don’t want things to change–but things keep changing anyway…
Eloise: I believe change is inevitable–it’s going to happen whether we want it or not. It’s’ about how we handle that change. Change can be positive if we go about it the right way. With the town growing and lots of new people coming in, as long as we ensure that the people who already live here can continue living here – because they’re what make Raglan unique and special. At the same time, we need to transition new people into the community.
Aaron: How do you do that? Because normally that’s not what happens.
Eloise: I believe there are certain things we could do. For example, with new subdivisions, we could make sure there’s space for affordable housing so local people aren’t run out by rising costs.
In terms of transitioning new people into town, I think I heard Jasmine talk about it; making sure there’s a pack that you can give to people – that explains Raglan’s values and gives a list of all the beautiful initiatives that we have going on.
Aaron: Have you had much experience working with the Council in your jobs?
Eloise: No, can’t say I have. Mostly just around food safety.
Aaron: That’s one of the many little things Council does.
Eloise: Absolutely. They come and give you a certification to say that you’re safe to sell food from your premises, so you’re doing everything is done according to their rules.
Aaron: And presumably you are following their rules?
Eloise: Oh yes. We got top marks.
Aaron: Do they tell you that you got an A?
Eloise: They do actually, it’s funny.
Aaron: You said earlier you’re 30. A lot of people say it’s good to have someone young on the community board, but there might also be people who think that’s too young. I don’t know–I haven’t heard it directly, but I imagine some people feel that way. I thought we should give you a chance to respond.
Eloise: Absolutely, understandable. But as I said, I’ve been managing since a very young age. The skills I’ve gained from managing different businesses are transferable to the community board.
Aaron: You have access to a different part of the community. What are the concerns of people in their 20s and early 30s here?
Eloise: I’d say not many people in my age group are involved in voting or have much of an opinion about it.
Aaron: How have they reacted to you standing?
Eloise: I haven’t really heard much.
Aaron: Some probably think, “What’s the community board?”
Eloise: Exactly–it’s about awareness. If I’m voted onto the community board, I want to reach out to my age group and demographic and say, “Hey, you can have a say, and you should.” In the future, it’s going to be us that the community relies on to vote.
Aaron: And they’ll be the ones, when I’m old, will be organising the town. But also, what are the concerns your age group is facing that we might not be so aware of?
Eloise: For my age group, currently, it’s just not being able to afford to live here anymore. If the town does grow dramatically – like it already is – there is a possibility that prices will rise extremely high. That’s something Miles and I are already facing–we may not be able to afford to buy a house in the future if prices keep rising the way they do.
Aaron: It’s funny hearing you say you’re worried prices are going to rise–because at my age, in my 50s, I feel like they already have risen to be extremely high. So you think it’s borderline–you might be able to manage?
Eloise: At the moment, the market is dropping.
Aaron: Even around here? I haven’t paid much attention.
Eloise: In Raglan town, yes. The market’s dropped from last year, but I believe it will go back up.
Aaron: The same economic settings are still in place. We’ll always have ebbs and flows, but the same settings are there. One thing I’ve heard–and I haven’t asked business people about this lately–is that it’s been challenging to find staff, because staff can’t find somewhere to live. Not just owning a house, but renting one.
Eloise: Absolutely. I can imagine. It’s extremely hard in summer, especially when everyone rolls into town, for people to find anywhere to live. In winter, you usually see more rooms pop up on the noticeboard. But for families, finding a whole house to rent is quite difficult–because there’s not much out there.
Aaron: So are you guys flatting?
Eloise: No, we live in Miles’s family home–the house that Tui built.
Aaron: So you’re lucky, really.
Eloise: Yes, definitely–we’re very lucky
Aaron: That’s often been the case in Raglan. A lot of people leave school and move out of town, then young families move in. There’s a gap–fewer people in their 20s and early 30s–and sometimes that’s filled by tourists. But now it feels reinforced by how hard it is for that age group to find somewhere to live unless they stay with their parents.
Eloise: Exactly. We moved in with Tui about a year and a half before he passed, to help look after him. Before that, we’d been living out at the bay. We were very lucky to get the house we had out at Manu Bay.
Aaron: I’m always interested in people’s vision. I think this role requires you to have a vision for the community, while also being on board with the community’s vision. What’s your vision for Raglan–where it’s going and what it should be?
Eloise: I think we need to keep what keeps Raglan so special, foster that, as well as balancing it with the growth that’s about to happen.
Aaron: Give us more detail. What is it about Raglan that we want to keep?
Eloise: We need to keep things like our community initiatives going. We have a very special group of people–volunteers, people who run these community initiatives, and they need support to be able to keep what they’re doing. That means ensuring there are spaces they can rent and use – in the business part of town.
Aaron: That’s been an issue talked about over the last year. At Raglan Refill, let’s face it t–you’re in one of the worst places to be for a business in town, out the back behind the car park. Presumably it’s cheaper because of that?
Eloise: Yeah, we’ve made it work [laughs]. We’re very grateful for the space we’ve been given–it’s been a great start for us. We’re one of the lucky few who’ve been able to find a space.
Aaron: So even though it’s not the optimal space, you still think you were lucky to find something?
Eloise: Yes, absolutely.
Aaron: That just puts it in perspective for me. Rates have been a big discussion lately. There’s been a national campaign with slogans like “back to basics.” Do you have any thoughts about the rates?
Eloise: I believe we can’t control rates–especially at the community board level. We can’t make them go down, but I believe there’s things we can do to ensure they don’t keep going up. That means ensuring that any infrastructure, projects, and services are done properly and efficiently the first time, so they don’t need costly repairs later. Poor work leads to higher rates.
Aaron: I was going to ask if people have been talking to you about rates. But as you said, a lot of people your age don’t vote, and if they’re renting, they may not directly pay the rates–though of course they are still paying them through rent.
Eloise: At Raglan Refill, I talk to people in the community every day–all sorts of different people. So yes, people come to me all the time to share their opinions.
Aaron: Right. Okay–so what are you hearing?
Eloise: Mostly negative about the rates.
Aaron: There’s a thing that really frustrates me: Dennis Amoore, the Community Board Chair, said he was surprised when rates went up a little while ago—he didn’t get many calls from people annoyed about it. But since this very effective campaign to make it an issue in the media, that people have started talking about it. I’m concerned about the motives of those running that campaign, because they represent corporate interests. This is someone else’s agenda and it’s not people concerned who are concerned about our economic wellbeing.
Anyway, I keep wanting to tell that story, but we’re not interviewing me [laughs] What is interesting, though, is the way people come into your shop and talk to you. It reminds me of Lisa Thomson, who managed Trade Aid before you. She went on to the community board and then became a councillor, and she said the same thing—people would just come in and talk to her about stuff.
Eloise: I feel the same. We’re right in the thick of it–we see all sorts of community members every day and have casual conversations about life in genera. Through that, we get to hear many different perspectives.
Aaron: Folks, we’re talking to Eloise Deller, our last candidate interview of the 16 people I’ve interviewed. You’re one of nine people running for six spots on the community board. Give us your pitch–tell voters why they should vote for you.
Eloise: Vote for me if you want someone approachable. I have practical experience, and I believe I can carry all perspectives to the Council table to make sure decisions reflect our whole community.
Aaron: You came prepared with that–most people, when I ask that question, say they’re not ready. I guess that’s the advantage of being the last one interviewed.
Eloise: I love to be organised.
Aaron: And that’s a good thing. Well, thank you for coming in this morning. Is there anything you want to add or respond to that I didn’t give you a chance to cover?
Eloise: No, just thanks for having me, Aaron.
Aaron: All right–good luck. We won’t see you at the Meet the Candidates on Sunday, will we?
Eloise: No, unfortunately. It’s Tui’s unveiling.
Aaron: That’s down at his marae, right?
Eloise: Yes, down the line.
Aaron: Okay, so you and Satnam Bains can’t make it–he’s got a family wedding. Big family events, They matter.
Eloise: They do..