Nominations for Regional Executive - Nelson/Te Tai o Poutini West Coast

KATE HALLS

Greymouth High School

Personal information

Kia Ora e te whānau, ko Kate Halls tōku ingoa. New Zealand high school teacher since 2018. 16+ years’ experience in education roles in UK and NZ. Crafter, animal lover, consumer of media and aspiring political activist.

Professional information

2007: PGCE St Martins (English), Lancaster UK

2013 Qualified Teacher Status (Adult Education)

2016: Mathematics Secondary Specialism awarded

2017: Teacher Education Refresh Programme, Waikato University.

High School responsibilities have included:

Dean, Numeracy Lead, Trades Coordinator, PB4L Team Leader, Kahui Ako WST, Toki Pounamu Manaiakalani Lead, Principal’s Nominee Assistant.

Other teaching/education roles have included:

Army Preparation Courses, upskilling for Jobseekers, apprenticeships and work based learning programmes, exam marker (GCSE and NCEA). Current Chair of Unions West Coast (CTU).

Association information

Joined in 2018 (first day on the job)

Roles held: Branch Secretary, Regional Secretary, Branch Chair, Regional Chair (2022 – 2026), Housing Task Force member

Personal statement

Kia ora e te whānau, ko Kate Halls tōku ingoa. Since moving to New Zealand in 2018, I’ve been a resident of Greymouth on the West Coast. While life in such an isolated rural region is not without its challenges, I wouldn’t trade the benefits for anything. I’m proud to live and work in Te Tai o Poutini.

As Regional Chair, I worked to raise the profile of Te Tai O Poutini West Coast at national level. Regional and rural areas deserve to have their voices heard and challenges considered. I am tenacious, and unwilling to give up when issues are important to the people that I represent. I don’t believe in leaving complex issues in the ‘too hard’ basket.

I’m an enthusiastic and confident public speaker who wants to put our views and opinions across and make people listen, including the PPTA leadership, our members, the press and our communities. I will get involved in any initiative which can improve our careers and lives as teachers in our West Coast, Tasman and Nelson communities.

I can bring all of my contacts and wider union perspective to the table from my role as the Chair for Unions West Coast. I know this role will come with frequent travel and time away from home, I’m prepared for that commitment and willing to rise to the challenge. It’s a job worth doing, and I will do it well.

MICHAEL WALLER

Westland High School

Personal information

I have no kids but almost countless nieces and nephews. I'm a Rugby coach and once a debate coach. I'm on two rugby boards. I'm also an extremely average cook, like if you need something toasted, in a toaster, there is a chance I don't burn it. I love reading and am always keen to get new recommendations. I am a fierce advocate for my colleagues, friends and family and I'm told I write a great reference. I tell my wife I love to go on long walks, but I just like her company without digital distractions.

Professional information

Teaching for frighteningly close to 25 years in mainstream education, always in a union. Before that I was helping out in exclusion units and teen pregnancy units in the UK where they needed teachers to look after some really vulnerable kids.

I've been HOD, HOF, Teacher In Charge of Rugby, Digital Learning Teacher, Academy Teacher and I'm now SCT and while teaching in a bilingual classroom setting.

Association information

I have been Branch Chair, Branch NETS rep, Regional NETS, Regional Secretary, Regional treasurer, Regional Chair. Executive member. I chaired the Association committee (the biggest job of which is to monitor the association budget) and be the official union Treasurer (which unfortunately does not come with a top hat).

Additionally, I am on the RERG (Rugal Education), Middle Leaders (committee), The Environmental Committee, the last three I also Chair. I'm also on the PPTA Management committee. I am an active member of the executive, writing papers where appropriate and moving other people's papers to help get the good work done.

Personal statement

I have no kids, so I have time to invest in attending meetings, late night Zooms, reading the reams of emails and papers that the role requires.

I was brought up in a fractured family. Where I was fortunate enough to learn though that the shared whanau values of looking after everyone which was ubiquitous for everyone in the village it took to raise me. I am a product of people making sacrifices to look after me, to raise me. That is why unionism is so important to me. Collectively my aunties and uncles all worked to raise me.

So giving my own time, energy and efforts to raise the standards for the profession which births all others, feels like reparations for what I was lucky enough to receive as a kid.

We will always find time to get the important things done. But you have to prioritise. For me unionism is a core tenant of who I am and the world I want to leave for my nieces, nephews and god children. So I unashamedly prioritise this mahi.

I won't waste your time with too much more, you are teachers and busy, just to say if I do get elected I will continue to work tirelessly on your behalf like to improve conditions and pay for teachers here in Nelson and Te Tai o Poutini/West Coast.