5 days ago
Pasifika advocate work recognised
A love of community and a love of rugby have been the driving forces behind a Timaru lawyer's recent recognition.
Aoraki Legal director and lawyer Pauline-Jean Luyten was the co-founder of the South Canterbury Tongan Society and has been a stalwart advocate and trailblazer for the Pasifika community in the world of New Zealand rugby.
For her services to rugby and the Pacific community she has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) as part of this year's King's Birthday Honours.
She joked that she felt a bit too young to be receiving the honour.
"Compared to some who normally might get this, I still haven't finished my tenure and all the things that we're trying to achieve."
It felt a bit weird, or even premature, she said.
"The stuff we do is never for ourselves, it's always for your community and to see what differences you can make.
"For me personally, it's validation, I guess, that I'm on the right track and responding to what our communities need.
"It's also exciting to be sharing it with Sina Latu, to both be put forward with the Pacific community aspects of it is pretty cool."
Ms Luyten has led several strengths-based cultural, social and wellbeing initiatives across South Canterbury and in the rugby world became the first Pacific woman appointed to the South Canterbury Provincial Rugby Union Board and in 2022 the first Pacific woman to be appointed to the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) Board as an emerging director.
She was appointed to the NZR Pasifika Advisory Group and elected co-chair in 2021 and in 2024 helped secure Pacific representation within the NZR's new governance structure.
Ms Luyten said her work centred around trying to normalise cultural differences.
"Just because people come from different cultures doesn't mean you actually haven't got the common ground or the common goals."
She said receiving the honour made her reflect on the work she had done and how great it had been to combine her passions.
"It's actually been pretty amazing doing that.
"It's kind of almost gone full circle, because when I first started, I was looking at being a sports lawyer.
"It never eventuated, but it's kind of gone full circle where I've been doing it in sports governance and applying some of those skills and assets to it."
She said her current goal was working with the New Zealand Pasifika Rugby Council to have them become a voting member of New Zealand Rugby.
"On the 8th of May, there was a vote, we got 61% and we needed 61.3% to pass muster, so we're hoping that could happen by the end of the year.
"The value of being effectively a stakeholder or shareholder is huge.
"One day I'll also do my PhD, but I don't think anyone can make me do it right now."
She was very grateful to everyone that had played a part in her receiving the honour.
"I want to thank my immediate family, my kids, my twin sister, my firm and the Pacific Advisory Group.
"I also want to acknowledge my late father Henry, who couldn't be here to see this — he would be blown away.
"Also my mum, she is one of the elders and she's been here as one of the first Tongans to arrive in 1970."
She wanted to acknowledge everyone who had welcomed and had worked with her and her family.
"I'm born and raised here, so I've lived in both worlds but so many people were warm and welcoming."
