Hon Poto Williams
The Honourable Poto Williams’ ability to connect with communities and an exceptional record in getting things done for her constituency emphasises the value in engaging the former MP to join the South Island NRL Bid’s Board.
Meanwhile, Williams describes the opportunity to combine her passion for rugby league with an unwavering commitment to community development as a “dream job.”
“From a very early age I’ve been a fan of league,” Williams says.
“The men in my family played league; I remember my nephew’s junior team playing on Carlaw Park; the first international game I ever saw, my dad took me to an [Australia versus New Zealand] game at Carlaw Park when Mark Graham was the captain.
“It’s a game that’s stayed true to itself over the years and it’s provided opportunities for people from a range of backgrounds. It’s not exclusive and it really does support all communities to participate.
“My family think I’m quite mad, really, because I’m very passionate about league and I’ve been a supporter of the Warriors since day one and I’m always hopeful of a New Zealand team knocking those Aussies off at some point.
“The opportunity to join the South Island NRL bid was really compelling to me, for all of those reasons.”
Born in Wellington and raised in Auckland, Williams spent most of her working life in social services before moving to Christchurch in early-2013 to lend her expertise to the city’s post-earthquake recovery as the regional manager of the St John of Hauora Trust.
But within a year she was in New Zealand Parliament. Williams was a self-described “accidental MP,” surprising herself by winning selection over five other contenders as Labour’s candidate to contest the Christchurch East by-election triggered by Lianne Dalziel’s resignation to run for the Christchurch mayoralty.
After convincingly winning the by-election, Williams was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives in January 2014 and went on to hold her electorate in the general election later that year, and again in 2017 and 2020.
“I came to this community with a view to serving it, I still have that in my heart, and I have a lot of hope and aspirations for this community,” explains Williams, who was just the second Cook Islander to become a New Zealand MP.
“I came from a mental health and family harm background – that’s the work I had been doing in the community in Auckland – so broadly speaking, a sense of recovery.
“I applied those principles to helping the community recover in the work I did as an elected MP. It was an absolute privilege to be working with people in the most difficult of their times.
“East Christchurch was the most decimated area [by the earthquakes] in terms of people having to leave their homes, leaving their lives and communities behind.”
Almost a decade in Parliament – which also included several ministerial and Cabinet roles in the sixth Labour Government – came to an end in October last year, opting not to contest the 2023 general election to allow “someone with fresh eyes and fresh energy” to serve the Christchurch East electorate.
The legacy Williams left for the area, through an era characterised by its challenges and resilience, cannot be understated.
“When I was preparing to leave Parliament and reflecting on the numbers of families we helped, it wasn’t just about the earthquakes – it was about helping them resolve issues around insurance, and economic development in our area and creating jobs, so that when you recover you’re ensuring people and communities can thrive.
“As part of my role as MP, advocating to the Government for resources we were able to secure $7 million for the nine New Brighton Collective projects, which included refurbishing the rugby clubrooms, helping out with the build of two surf clubs, tennis courts, building the [Eastern Canopy] all-weather sports facility.”
Williams is a staunch advocate of the importance of sport and the role it plays in tying a community together and extending support networks.
“It’s connectedness, you get together often, you have another group of friends, you do stuff together, it teaches you different skills,” she enthuses.
“You can be a player, join as an administrator or coach, learn how to get on together and work in a team environment.
“A lot of our leaders in New Zealand have come through sports, so the opportunity to learn leadership through sport – all of that has been compelling.
“I’ve seen in my own family and in my communities that sport is a hub when people are going through hard times, so making sure through the earthquakes we were able to keep our sports fields open and teams together – that’s how we kept our communities together.”
Williams’ involvement with the South Island NRL Bid stemmed from a conversation between her friend and colleague, the Honourable Barbara Edmonds, MP for Mana, and the bid team’s partnerships consultant, Darren Littlewood, whom Edmonds knew personally.
The South Island NRL Bid was actively seeking a team member with a strong background in engaging diverse communities, particularly in Christchurch. Edmonds wholeheartedly endorsed Williams’ expertise and experience, noting that her passion for rugby league added to her qualifications.
“There are so many synergies with the role and what I bring to the South Island NRL Bid,” Williams asserts.
“I don’t need to bring the league expertise – the Board has that in bucketloads – but I can bring my ability to connect communities to support and endorse the work that is being done to bring a team to [the South Island] – I really jumped at the chance.”
One of the most obvious benefits of a South Island-based NRL team – allowing local juniors to remain close to their families and communities, rather than heading offshore to pursue their sporting dreams – has especially stoked Williams’ fire to ensure the bid is successful.
“If we could provide the opportunity for our young stars to train here and stay here, that would be amazing.
“We send a lot of our young people overseas and sometimes they don’t get the support they need and their careers don’t flourish as much as they could. But I see some real synergies with building strong communities and having an NRL franchise here, for our kids to be able to do really well and stay here, and to build league throughout the South Island.
“Māori and Pasifika people have gravitated towards league and I really want to ensure wherever they play … that they’ve got the right resources around them to do as well as they can, and to be able to express their culture as part of who they are and as part of their sporting careers.”
Obtaining the knowledge and unique skillset Williams possesses is an unquestionable coup, galvanising the South Island NRL Bid for the road ahead.
But while the bid team is beyond ecstatic to have her on-board, the feeling is clearly mutual.
“The passion that this team have for the game, the commitment that they have to build the strength of league across the country, working with people like [South Island NRL Bid CEO] Tony Kidd, and having access to great resources, like the work Michael Searle has done building [the Gold Coast Titans], having Frank Endacott involved,” says Williams, rattling off the South Island NRL Bid’s attributes.
“There is so much wisdom and so much that we can take from the very notable people who are involved. These people are serious about league, but they are also serious about developing something here in Christchurch that is for the whole of the South Island.
“The ability to rub shoulders with some of league’s best and brightest is also really compelling too – I’m ‘fangirling’ all the time when I think about the opportunity to stand alongside some of these people!”