No University could have taught me what I got from this man's journey

There is a book that sits on my desk in office at home. It sits open on the a single page, although it has been read many times. Inscribed by my late friend, Sir Wira Gardiner; author, statesman, public servant, proud of his whakapapa and more so of his family. Surrounding it are what people would think are lesser objects but to me they are of equal importance. You see Wira knew something about me that few others do – and that is I am stamp collector. He would often get what are known as First Day Covers – when a set is first issued – and he would dutifully pass them onto me. Sitting in my collection are not just the stamps but also the letters he would receive from New Zealand Post. You see in our time together Wira and I would talk about many things, not just work or politics, or the latest crisis or what was happening on either side of politics.

Wira would tell some amazing stories about all sorts of bends and curves of history he was involved in and I would often repeat back some of the same lines – that in the present we have very much been somewhere before. In our last commission together – Oranga Tamariki, the work itself was not easy. We both came in at the same time each with our single briefs. I officially began the month before while Wira was initially in caretake mode. As we got to grips with the work at hand in those first few months we found a unique working relationship that very much fitted our style. Simple. Eggs on toast and a cup of tea; had to be fried eggs on toast and the tea wasn’t fancy. Our go to place was also less than fancy – the IBIS hotel in Wellington – which we affectionately renamed the Ngati IBIS. We would sit there in the early mornings before the day began for a catchup on the mahi ahead. From my perspective the honour and privilege of being in those moments with a man of his mana and stature gave me something no university or education could ever provide – it gave me the real life experience of someone who not only witnessed recent history but was a part of it. His successes and failures, laments and hopes. His continued aspirations for all New Zealanders, not just Maori. The last week hasn’t so much caused me to reflect on the noise around me – it caused me to pause and reflect on something Wira told me once:

“Leadership is something we mistaken often. If it told you to go over there and that hill I am confident that you would be able to go over there and take it. But would you be able to hold it.”

In our many korero that saying of his was used many times. I replied once and I said yes. He looked at me and said why? I said to him that you are right; it is straightforward to take that hill. But I said to him in order to take it I need to ensure I have the right people with me in my company. I said to him my view of leadership is that I don’t know everything; nobody possibly can. But if I surround myself with the people that know the things I don’t then I will be able to hold that hill – because we will be a team; each knowing and playing our roles. He laughed and looked at me and said – come on then lets go over there and take that hill.

Only he and I will ever know what the hill was.

Image: the late Sir Wira Gardiner

Today I head to whakatane to attend my mates memorial service with memories intact, honour in abundance for the fact I didn’t only know Wira, I got to work with him on what would become some incredible reforms. There is no university in this world that gives you that degree of higher learning and I will be forever grateful.