As part of the Morning Show’s coverage of the 2022 Local Elections, Aaron will be interviewing candidates standing for positions on the Raglan Community Board as well as the Waikato District and Regional Councils. Below is a transcript of Aaron’s interview with Lisa Thomson.
“I see what we’ve done with COVID-19 as that opportunity to prove that communities actually know what we need. If we are empowered with resources to act, and act at pace, we can come up with some really great solutions,” she said (Listen to the full interview below:) Aaron: Councillor Lisa Thompson is here in the studio already so we’re just going to say hello and good morning Lisa.
Lisa Thomson: Mōrena koutou and what a beautiful morning. You must almost be interviewed out from all of your busy-ness over the week Aaron: . I had three candidate interviews on Monday right off the bat. We’ve actually got Sarah Johnson to do some of our transcribing for us so we can transcribe all the interviews.
Lisa Thomson: What a great person to be in that job – Sarah. Aaron: We are trying to interview everyone who’s running and put out the transcripts so that everything is available for people to get to know the candidates.
Lisa Thomson: It’s really great because I actually shared these with one of our community members. I’d just gone out for breakfast with my partner and my daughter at the Shack and one of our community members came up and said to me, “Oh, how do I get the information about the candidates?” So I said, I could take you through to the Council website where you can see the candidate profiles, but also, I said look, “I’ll show you on the radio where you can actually listen to the people standing and you can also read the transcript of the kōrero if you didn’t feel like listening to it.” So she was really appreciative of that. The work that you guys are doing is really important because sometimes you don’t get to listen to the radio.
Aaron: Yeah, exactly. Lisa Thomson: When you have a quiet moment and you can read or listen again and it’s really great to have that available.
Aaron: It’s kind of fun to do but it’s also a lot of work. Lisa Thomson: It’s a lot of work participating and contributing to good decision making and democracy. So I think that’s really important and it’s transparent.
Aaron: I tell our funders that we’re holding our politicians to account because that’s a phrase they understand. But it’s not like that because there’s not the level of deception and lack of transparency you get at the national level, at government level.
Lisa Thomson: Well yeah the perception of it eh? Certainly in my experience in the last six years as councillor, and then a year and a half before that on the community board, people in politics, there are actually good people in local government, both the elected and staff. We’ve recognised that we are all a community and that sort of ideology around politics and politicians, we need to change that. I guess that’s why it’s exciting to look forward to the government review on local government and some of the kōrero that’s already come out of there.
As you know, there needs to be more meaningful engagement with hapū and iwi – we need to have a Māori lens around the work that we do. With the four well-beings being brought back into local government too, what does that look like? So I think there will hopefully be some – it really wouldn’t be transformational – but change, moving into the future for local government because believe it or not, I really believe in local democracy and local government providing services and supporting our communities.
I think value based and strength based decision making is really important but also being able to bring our communities along with us because we all make up our community.
Aaron: I think it works much better at the smaller level where people know you on the street and where we’re not trying to sell newspapers or ad spots so we can indulge – it shouldn’t be an indulgence to have long conversations with political people – but the feedback is much more immediate for you guys. And I think it’s that feedback that makes democracy work properly. I read this book once, it was slightly sarcastic, a funny history book about the history of the UK for the past 2000 years and the hereditary kings were a bunch of nanas. They really were. But the big thing they lacked was that there was no feedback about their decisions so it was dependent on them.
Lisa Thomson: I remember reading somewhere about one of the kings and he didn’t wash most of his life and then his skin was falling off. I could have just made that up, but I’m pretty sure it’s a true story.
Aaron: I definitely believe that. After the book I read, I could believe it. Well, let’s get on to the candidate interview section that we’re going to do. Why are you running again? That’s the obvious question to start with.
Lisa Thomson: Because I love our community. It’s as simple as that. I really feel that after seven and a half years working in local government, first in the capacity of the community board and then as councillor, I do have skills and knowledge and I bring that to the continuity of the next triennium. Particularly because we are facing changes, down to the fact that there’ll be over 50% turnover of councillors.
Aaron: I was going to ask that question. Lisa Thomson: Yeah, there’ll be at least a 50% turnover, including having a new mayor and we’ve got our Māori wards too and we’ve got a lot of participation from our community boards across the district as well. So I think it’s an exciting time in local government and I believe that we do need that leadership for continuity moving forward into the next triennium with the changes that are coming and are continuing to come from central government – about three waters, the RMA reforms, all of those things.
Aaron: We’ve got the whole local government review coming out a month after the election.
Lisa Thomson: Yeah, in October. You can actually read some of the work that they’re already looking at – I’ll share that with you. I’m excited about that and I really want to be part of that change and that’s why I’m standing again. Like I said, I love this community and I’m invested in it. I grew up here – all my family have, on my dad’s side and my mother’s side and I really value being of service to the community. I think there’s so many opportunities to leverage, you know, our community response to COVID-19 over the last two and a half years and then successfully brokering a relationship with the Ministry of Social Development for our Community Connector role and we’re looking forward to developing that role in the community around health and wellbeing.
Aaron: So that’s something that’s come out of COVID-19 and I guess it speaks to being able to make decisions locally rather than have the Ministry of Health making the unilateral decisions that they make as a ministry – or the DHB.
Lisa Thomson: You know, I think that our community really shines in terms of taking action from a flax roots community level. And we’ve proven that, time and time again, whether it’s from Xtreme Zero Waste or WEC or other organisations within our community that just say, right, something’s happening here, there is potential or the potential of something happening, so how can we respond to it? Because we are able to do that, we can collaborate and we can prove that we can work across organisations with different individuals to create something that’s uniquely for our community – it’s pretty neat as a blueprint moving forward.
I see what we’ve done with COVID-19 as that opportunity to prove that communities actually know what we need. If we are empowered with resources to act, and act at pace, we can come up with some really great solutions. One only needs to look at the Whāingaroa Marae Collective as well with Mike and his team working across communities to provide support for those who are isolating. But you know, with our Connector role, it’s so much more than that. COVID-19 just gave us an opportunity but what does good health look like for our community, for our young people, for our elderly? So I’m excited about that.
There’s those opportunities and being the councillor, having built relationships over the last two terms with both staff and other organisations, there’s a level of trust. An example of that is when we went into our first lockdown and we were able to utilise our civil defence staff to deliver resources out to our students; their education packs and things like that. Also with our connector roll, where people have called in for support whether it’s through the food bank or our 0800 Raglan number, being able to then contact staff and say, “Is anyone out in this area? Could we please get some water out for them?” Aaron: So that Community Connector, which I think you’ve probably described now reasonably well, does every community have one of those?
Lisa Thomson: No. Aaron: So how did it come about? Because you ended up kind of being the face and the centre of the decision making during the COVID crisis that we had here. Was that your relationship with people at the DHB that was the connection that was happening? How did that happen?
Lisa Thomson: It was actually a whole lot of relationships to be honest. It was the response team made up of the Raglan Community House, the Marae Collective, Raglan Medical, Raglan Area School, the council, myself, Raglan Community Board and Raglan Naturally. So it was a coordinated effort and I was probably the face of that and then of course there were the further reaching relationships that we developed last October, particularly with Ngā Miro Health, with Glenda Raumati and her team.
Aaron: So that organisation’s from over the deviation? Lisa Thomson: Yes from Ngāruawāhia. They came in to do the vaccinations and the testing. So we built that relationship that extended out and we were able to prove that we could mobilise volunteers to help with the PCR testing, to help with traffic, or whatever it might be. We did that really quickly and whilst we were setting up, obviously I was working with the DHB, so it was just building trust and those relationships. When they were looking forward from that point for summer, (where they had identified that there would be surges of COVID-19) they looked at what building capacity and communities would look like?
We really pushed ourselves forward in that space to say, “Well, actually, we can give you examples of how we’ve responded and we want to be part of this.” And an opportunity came up through a discussion with Marion from the food bank. Because she’s so passionate and she just spoke to a contact at MSD and then Glenda Raumati said to me, “Look, MSD have got connector opportunities for communities, you should actually go for it.” So she gave me a phone number of one of the regional coordinators. I called her and had a chat and sent her the work that Michelle Levy had really developed for us around what our role would be and what services we could provide. I sent that through to this person and out of that – within a week – we had the “Yep. We want you guys to be a connector.” Aaron: It’s interesting times, isn’t it? Because something like that was never going to happen otherwise.
Lisa Thomson: It was never going to happen. Aaron: It was never on the table. Lisa Thomson: And it was awesome that an organisation like that was able to act quickly to support a community like ours.
Aaron: So that’s still there – the community connector role – that’s what our ad is on the radio, isn’t it?
Lisa Thomson: Yeah and also that will be changing because obviously COVID-19 isn’t the priority. What we’re seeing is mental health, wellbeing, all of those sorts of things and even when I spoke with our MSD manager just recently, it was quite a great time that he called because I was sitting in the office with Louisa Barham, the principal of Raglan Area School and we were talking about the well-being of our students and our teachers – what does that look like given people are really stressed, teachers are stressed.
Aaron: People are at the moment. Is that what you guys are noticing? I’ve been talking about this lately, people have got shorter fuses or things are going wrong for them – more than normal – everywhere. The community needs a big hug.
Lisa Thomson: Yeah, that’s exactly right. Aaron: Strange thing for me to say. Lisa Thomson: But we do and we need to be kind to each other. I’ve said this before on the radio, Malibu Hamilton saying to me, he goes, “Go hard on the issues and soft on the relationships” I keep that as one of my reminders that it’s issue based and it’s not about the person.
So be kind to each other. I know that people get sick of ‘be kind’ but we do really need to be respectful and slower with our kōrero, and by that I mean, not so heated and saying things off the cuff when you’re feeling stressed or angry.
So when I was with Louisa, I put Rob (from MSD) on the speakerphone and I said, “Look, I’m just putting you on speakerphone. I’m with Louisa, the principal at Raglan Area School, and we’re just talking about wellbeing for our teachers and our students as a result of what’s been happening over the last two and a half years, because we’re seeing kids who are really feeling anxious or even angry.” “ Could the Connecter role be providing wellbeing packs to our students – whether it was pyjamas or whatever it could be.” And he said, “Lisa, you know your community and these are the things that we, as an organisation, need to know about. What are the stressors that communities are seeing and identifying?” So, the Connector role is moving into a different space. I had a hui with our team, Selena, Fiona, Michelle and I, on Wednesday after our community board meeting to reflect on the work that the team has done, and particularly Selena who’s been manning – womaning – our 0800 number, and also Fiona who has been doing our rapid antigen test distributions on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Where we see the role going because we’ve actually recruited and we now have a new person for the Connector role and that’s Lara Sweetman, which is fantastic. She’s born here in Ruapuke, her family is from here.
Aaron: The Ruapuke mafia. Lisa Thomson: Yeah, exactly. Aaron: Is there such a thing? I just made that up. But it might be a thing. Lisa Thomson: Yeah, it could be a thing. Well, it is now. Aaron: Because we said it, yeah? Lisa Thomson: We’re really excited about working alongside Lara because she really knows our community, 28 years as a teacher, she’s really skilled and creative.
Aaron: So something that’s really interesting for me coming out of that is the people at MSD are saying that you guys know your community, we’re going to give you the money for this to kind of resource you.
They’re not just throwing money at you (although I’m sure it has comes with strings attached) but giving the community resources to do that because – I want to tie that into a question about the council. Talking with mayoral candidate and Deputy Mayor Aksel Bech earlier this week, he’s suggesting that if he became mayor, through his power of delegations, he could delegate more authority to the community boards. For people who don’t know, our community board is only an advisory body – It can’t make decisions except about the discretionary fund, the money it holds. You’ve been in council for over six years and on the community board before that. Do you think that’s a good idea?
Lisa Thomson: I think it’s a great idea. That’s something that Bob McLeod was a passionate advocate about. I remember that guy from Thames that Bob had organised through the residents and ratepayers organisation.
Aaron: Was it the CEO who came over? Lisa Thomson: Yes to talk about what that would look like. Aaron: Because they did that over there. Lisa Thomson: They did that. I actually haven’t followed up to see how successful that was. It needs to be created by the community boards for the community boards, because each community board is different and their capacity is different. So it needs to be resourced and it needs to be supported.
Aaron: Do you mean with paid staff supporting the boards? Lisa Thomson: Paid staff supporting the board. But also that whoever’s in charge, for example, if I look at what Dennis Amoore and Gabrielle Parson have done over the last term managing the wharf project and Gabriel just managing the community board and doing all the admin behind that. They need to be resourced and paid accordingly.
You do have to look at the capacity that each person has and their ability to make a contribution to the work of the board because you have to be proactive. You actually do have to roll up your sleeves and if you want things to be done, you actually need to be one of those people who think about how we are going to get it done and you’ve got to put your time and energy into that work and that needs to be supported. Yes by staff, paid staff and things like that but the board needs to have its own ability to support itself through resourcing.
Aaron: Do you feel that the majority of councillors are of the same mind? Lisa Thomson: I do actually. Aaron: Okay. Interesting. Lisa Thomson: But again, it comes down to each community board. You would have seen in the agenda on Wednesday, the recommendations that we’ve made to our charter. Each board is different.
Lisa Thomson: So that has to be considered I think in the next triennium; workshopping, working with the community boards and a having really good induction so that we all understand the roles we have to play in local government and what that looks like and the expectations around what is required.
Aaron: Can I move on to ask some more election questions? What are some achievements that you feel you’ve got over the last six years? We’ve already talked about the work around COVID-19, tell us some more conventional council-y things.
Lisa Thomson: First and foremost, the work that we’ve done as a community board and councillor; we’ve progressed the revitalisation and implementation of Raglan Naturally; we’ve worked as a really good, cohesive team; and finally the wharf project is underway; the innovating streets; the tourism infrastructure fund – that we got twice actually, once in our first term and then and our second term with the town to surf – just under $1,000,000 worth of funding for that; seeing the development of the papakainga next to Poihakena Marae and there’s so many other things.
Aaron: Were you involved in the papakainga? Lisa Thomson: Just supporting it actually, but seeing those things that council have enabled as well. In my first term as councillor, one of the first workshops or presentations I did in the council chambers as a councillor was about the implementation, (or the support in principle) of establishing Māori wards without going to a poll. That was apparently one of the first presentations done in the chambers by councillors. I stood there with Janet Gibb who’s one of the councillors for Ngāruawāhia over here and Donna Flavell from Waikato Tainui and presented that to my fellow councillors. At that time, a decision was made, and only two of us supported in principle establishing Māori wards in my first term – and now fast forward to this term, where we got it over the line and we now have Māori wards established.
Aaron: It’s just one of those things that you keep plugging away and time moves on. Lisa Thomson: Yeah and then the decision in council – the unanimous decision – to facilitate and support the return of Papuahua 1 to its rightful owners.
Aaron: It’s the airfield for people who don’t know. Lisa Thomson: It’s a momentous achievement going from – only two people supporting in principle the establishment of Māori wards – to a unanimous decision in council five years later. That’s tremendous for me.
Aaron: Yeah, times have changed. Lisa Thomson: They really have. The council really has an appetite to work with hapū and iwi genuinely and authentically and that is major when we look at the context of local government at Waikato District Council.
Aaron: I think a lot of people have missed it, but for the land, like the airfield (where there are existing claims and everyone kind of acknowledges that the right thing will eventually be done and it’ll be returned to the rightful owners) councill is already working with mana whenua on the management of that land. It’s not solely the council making decisions about it.
Lisa Thomson: No, and also the complexities of that land, because you’ve got the different land blocks. Council has already been in a co-governance relationship for almost a hundred years with Ngati Mahanga Hourua, when in 1923 the tribe went into a relationship with the then Raglan Town Board with the tuku whenua that took place at that time.
Aaron: I don’t imagine that co-governance has been as effective as it currently is over some of that time, let’s be honest, as we’ve just been talking about how times have changed.
Lisa Thomson: Times have changed and I just think that’s so exciting. As an organisation, council that is, those are the things that I’m really proud of that have been achieved during my time in council and then the smaller things like the shared cycleway footpath at Papahua and the extension of that and then the footpath between Greenslade Road and Lorenzen Bay and the community planting there – the quiet things that have just happened and have gone on with. Also I’m really proud to say that I’ve built relationships with our staff and our community as well and I’m proud of that.
Aaron: I’ve got another question I’m asking everyone, which is just about vision for the community. We’re a unique community. Well, we certainly think so – everyone here does. To kind of encapsulate that uniqueness and a vision for the future, how do we retain it. Can you kind of talk about that?
Lisa Thomson: It’s a big question. Aaron: I know. But it’s behind everything that we do really. Lisa Thomson: It is and I think it’s those authentic connections that we have with each other and trying to understand what those connections mean for each of us in this place. It’s having good relationships with hapū and iwi and an understanding of this place, it’s history, its now, and its future.
Working together collaboratively is really important and moving forward, using the different vehicles that we have from our relationship with Raglan Naturally and with our connector role. It’s celebrating our diversity, it’s embracing our young people, It’s taking care of our elderly. It’s being more coordinated in the services that we provide, and access to these services.
To the simple things like good medical care, connecting people and organisations together to create spaces where we can engage safely. That’s really important because we all have a different vision of what a community looks like. I really believe we need to be kind to each other, to be empathetic and care for each other and care for our environment and follow those values of manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, whanaungatanga, particularly to build those relationships, it’s really important moving forward.
Aaron: Do you have your speech for when someone asks why they should vote for you? No one I’ve talked to really likes answering that question. But why should people vote for you?
Lisa Thomson: Because I work hard. I bring integrity and I bring a good work ethic. I’m inclusive and I actually walk the talk. To be honest, I’m the type of person who will roll up their sleeves to get stuff done. I’m involved in our community in lots of different ways from different boards and different organisations. And I don’t make a song and dance about it, but I’m invested because of my whakapapa and I’m invested because I’ve got my young people, my kids and their friends, looking into a future that’s full of abundance for them. They have a place in Whāingaroa that they can return to that is thriving, that we have good outcomes for the environment, all of that. I go back to the fact that I love this community and I want to continue to be of service. I’d like to think that the work that I’ve done demonstrates that I care.
Aaron: Okay. Thank you for that answer. You weren’t too afraid of that one like some of the other people have been. It’s good. Folks, we have been talking to our councillor, Lisa Thompson, who’s running again for council. And good luck for the campaign.
Lisa Thomson: Thank you. And keep up the excellent work Aaron, this is a great opportunity for all of our candidates.
Aaron: And the next one’s here, Michelle, sitting down below, ready to talk. So she’ll be up in the hot seat shortly. Thank you for your time.
Lisa Thomson: Thank you. https://raglanradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RCR_Candidates_Lisa.jpg