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Wednesday, June 5, 2013 Vol 25, No. 21
Business as usual for builder named in latest honours New Zealand’s building industry is celebrating the appointment of industry stalwart, Waiuku’s Graham Coe as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours over the weekend. For Graham, it was business as usual as he headed off in his vehicle to view another house that is entered in the House of the Year promotion undertaken by the New Zealand Master Builders Federation. Feeling very humble as he spoke to the Post, Graham said he never expected for a moment that he would ever get this honour. “I was only doing the things that I love, and the honour is really for the industry. It is quite unique for acknowledgements to happen within the building trade,” he said. Registered Master Builders Federation CEO Warwick Quinn was full of praise for Graham who is a life member of both the New Zealand and Auckland Federations. “Graham’s life’s work has contributed significantly to New Zealand as a nation, through his dedication to the betterment of the industry. His leadership within Master Builders and BRANZ has led to sector wide improvement in the standards required and quality delivered by builders to New Zealanders.” Graham has seen many changes in the industry over the years. “Lots of regulations have had to be firmed up, but it has been necessary to work hand in hand with licensed building practitioners to ensure
regulations were meaningful, yet practical to operate with,” he said. “Even now, there are some building inspections that could be relieved with onus for their implementation being on the licensed building practitioner. However, major foundation and framing inspections should continue without question.” “I am an advocate for self regulation of builders in the main; because any problems that arise should be their responsibility to resolve,” Graham said. “We still have bureaucracy from a political point of view, which does add considerably to overall building costs.” Graham recalled that when he started in the industry, the building inspector used to come on a building site once every six months at random, have a look around and have a cup of tea and a chat with them. Now inspections are for every stage of the job. “It is good for the quality control that is expected by the home owner, but still some modification need to be done,” he said. Over his years of work for the Federations his focus has been on creating excellence in construction, along with excellence in regulatory and standards of work of builders. He was instrumental in developing the House of the Year programme, he was chairman of the national judging panel between 2001 and 2010, again in 2012 and this programme has been credited with lifting standards of residential building in New Zealand. He is still working on the judging panel and was off to inspect another house after the
interview with the Post. He has also played a pivotal role in the success of Building and Research New Zealand (BRANZ), as chairman of both BRANZ Group and Brand Ltd from 2007 and 2008 respectively until this year. As chairman of the Master Build Services, Graham helped develop the house guarantee process which has developed into a valuable tool and assurance for home owners. Born in Waiuku, Graham was schooled at Karioitahi and Waiuku District High School. He started in his building career with Waiuku Builders Ltd eight days before his 16th birthday. He worked for the company for eight years, then left for a period of private work which included building four homes in the Hamilton Estate when NZ Steel were developing that housing project. It was during this time that he met Tony Lewer and the two joined forces. They constructed many houses in Tokoroa for PTY Homes who were the forerunners in precut buildings, as well as an enor-
mous pine cone shed over 140m long to be used to dry and process pine seeds for the nearby forestries. When building focus returned to Waiuku, Graham and Tony set up their own company of Coe and Lewer Builders, and three years later were approached by the Buttimore family to take over Waiuku Builders. For 30 years Graham and Tony worked together in their business and in 2000 they retired to pursue different interests. Graham feels the industry in good stead, but is still concerned that some products being used are not fully up to the expected standard as cost considerations are constantly being pushed. “I believe that any product or system used in a weather envelope should achieve the Department of Building and Housing standard that gives a minimum of 15 year guarantee,” he said. Graham is married to Barbara (pictured above), who has supported him along his building career, and together they have two adult children Glenys and Barry and three grandchildren.
Only Dame named in Queens Birthday honours is Ngati Te Ata leader Waiuku’s Nganeko Kaihau Minhinnick (JP) Ngati Te Ata, Tahuna Marae) has been named the only Dame in the recently-announced Queens Birthday honours list. Dame Nganeko has been awarded the Dame Companion of the Order (DNZM) for her services to Maori and conservation. Described as a tireless campaigner for the recognition of Maori values and customs to be recognised as the principal tool for managing the environment, Dame Nganeko has never faltered
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in her endeavours. Dame Nganeko has long been recognised as one of the driving forces for local conservation and cultural efforts, and was recognised as far back as 1970, when she was named as the Young Maori Woman of the Year. In 1985 she was at the forefront of WAI 8, the Manukau claim, brought by Dame Nganeko for and on behalf of all the hapu of Waikato-Tainui and concerned the Manukau Harbour and its environments.
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sues in the region. Dame Nganeko (now 73) has dedicated her life to her family, her Marae, to improving the social and health needs for Maori and to conservation activism. She is well known for her support of a smokefree policy at the local Tahuna Marae, which has been auahi kore (smokefree) for almost 20 years. Its smokefree declaration is just one aspect of a comprehensive health policy developed by local iwi Ngati te Ata.
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The claim alleged that, by failing to protect the Waikato-Tainui hapu in the use, ownership, and enjoyment of their lands and fisheries, the Crown had not met its Treaty responsibilities. And, further, that Crown policies in regard to discharges and water rights had caused ‘a serious and continuing deterioration in the quality and quantity of seafoods available to the Waikato-Tainui hapu.’ The resulting judgement set a benchmark for environmental is-
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