Be The Change You Want For Your Family, Says Politician At Mangere(NZ) Launch
Speech by Su’a William Sio, Labour MP – Mangere
Teal Ribbon Campaign – Mangere Town Centre
Saturday, 31st October 2009 – 9.00am
I am grateful for the opportunity to welcome our distinguished guests this morning to our place – Mangere- the Gateway to our nation.
I join with Mayor Len Brown in welcoming the two Government Ministers from the west side to the south side. I acknowledge our councillors Alf Filipaina & Hugh Graham, and members of the Mangere Community Board who are here to support this event.
On behalf of the people of Mangere I acknowledge and thank the South Auckland Family Violence Prevention Network (SAFVPN) for all their hard work and effort in our communities.
Today is a rare & special moment. It is an opportunity where our community comes together to discuss and share our thoughts on an issue that can touch all of us.
As someone that has attended the Teal Ribbon Campaign every year for the last 4 years, I have see what is happening in our neighbourhoods, and I’ve had time to reflect upon what I might share with you this morning.
I want to share some thoughts about families. I want to challenge all the fathers in our community. I want to challenge all the community leaders that are present. I want to do this in a way where we collectively take up the challenges that we face, and not in a finger pointing, condemning way.
The most basic unit of our society, the most fundamental of our system of democracy, the most important foundation of our community, is the family unit.
While traditionally we have aspired for the ideal family of two parents raising children, the reality of today is there are many families where a single parent is raising children on their own.
Irrespective of whether your family is a two parent, or one parent family, we seek through the Teal Ribbon Campaign your support and commitment that we all strive to ensure that our families are free from all forms of violence.
It is unacceptable to our system of democracy today to be violent towards your spouse, to be violent towards your children and any member of your extended family.
If you are a father that has a tendency to be violent, or one that turns violent towards the ones you love, especially after a few drinks, I say to you that you need to change. Our community expects you to change.
You must change if you love your family.
You must change if you want your children to grow up in a loving family environment.
You must change if you want your children to achieve their fullest potential in life.
You must change if you want to have a strong sense of your own self-worth.
You must change if you want to be a better father, a better provider and a better leader in your own family.
If you do not change, you will fail your children, you will fail your wife, and you fail all the people that love you.
If you do not change, you will fail our society, and worst of all you will fail yourself and what you can become.
If you are not thinking of change, then we ask you to ask yourself these questions. What legacy will you leave behind? What legacy will you leave your children? What good will you do for your family and our community?
Let me share with you something that two students of Viscount Learning Community in Mangere shared with us, 4 years ago, when we launched the Teal Ribbon Campaign in Manukau for the first time.
In there speech, these two students spoke of their personal experience with violence in our community. They spoke of their aspirations and dreams for a better and safer future. Then they said that all the money that our Government and other agencies spend on dealing with violence, is money that should be spent on their education.
From the mouths of babe we are told what we should do in order to ensure that our young people, the future leaders of our community and nation, should be given every educational opportunity to realize their destiny & fullest potential. I hope that we will reflect on their wisdom.
A family that is free from violence is a happy family. It is a family with a purpose. It is a family that will focus on those things which are important for the future. It will be a family that focuses on growing children that will become good strong leaders of our community, leaders of our nation.
Our families form the foundation of our society. Your choices will determine the kind of future communities we build ourselves.
Today, Mangere makes a promise to be violence free. I ask that you all join with me in making this promise and challenging ourselves to be better.
Thank you.
