After narrowly missing out on winning a seat on the Tauranga Council in the Ōtumoetai/Pyes Pa Ward last October, Erika Harvey is having another crack at politics – this time under the NZ First banner in this year's general election.
Tauranga has generally been considered a National Party stronghold, currently held by Simon Bridges. But NZ First has always done well in Tauranga. Several elections ago Winston Peters held Tauranga for NZ First, having defected from the National Party.
Harvey will be working hard to rekindle that NZ First voter base along with increasing the party vote for NZ First.

In this Local Focus video, Harvey talks about a wide range of local issues she's involved in and what she hopes to change on the local council if successful in the general election. She also answers the random quickfire questions with some clear answers on her preferred music and TV series.

2nd July 2020 - The Marine Precinct has been an ongoing battle since 2015. Today myself (representing over 25+ small business owners) and Sean Kelly (representing land owners within the Precinct) highlight the issues and a way forward.  

This is the live stream from inside Tauranga City Council Chambers. 

Out of the 400 pupils that attend Greerton Village School, 140 of them are on the school’s learning support registry. 
Twenty-five of them have ‘high needs’ (ORS Funding) but the funding these students receive doesn’t always match the support that is required.
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for the school, Erika Harvey says the decile two continues to struggle with funding as it caters to meet the needs of these students, as well as offering the other 376 students the learning opportunities and experiences to which they are entitled.
The funding model needs to change to meet the needs of individual schools, it should never be a one size fits all model where funding is concerned.
Schools are expected to contribute funding to each child who require support, in most schools where the numbers of ORS funded students are lower, this might work, at Greerton Village School it doesn’t  due to the very high numbers we need to contribute towards.
 It is a disadvantage to everyone, our children with and without additional needs, our staff and our school community.   This poor funding model has no winners. 
She says Greerton Village School has the highest number of special needs children at a mainstream primary school in the North Island and possibly the country. 
 “So when you have a school like ours, it means that we’re operating at about $124,000 deficit purely from just following the law.”
She says the main issue is that the education funding model promotes exclusion, not inclusion as set out in the Education Act.
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​As well as seeing what the school is going through from a BOT point of view, Erika also experiences this from a parents point of view, as her daughter Piper is autistic. 
“Piper attended a Montessori preschool full time so I could work full time. We went through the application process hoping Piper qualified for Ongoing Resource Scheme (ORS) funding for primary school. This is extremely difficult to receive with only one per cent of students being approved. 
“If you are one of the lucky ones – which Piper was – congratulations your child is considered to be one of the ‘most severe’ in terms of needs, and received a teacher assistant at school. If you are not in the lucky one per cent it will be extremely difficult to get adequate help or assistance for your child at school.
“When we started to look at our local primary schools, we were told we’d need to pick our daughter up at about lunch time. I couldn’t understand how Piper wouldn’t have someone full time. She wasn’t even toilet trained, she couldn’t speak and would take off all her clothes when she became overwhelmed. This didn’t make any sense. The school said she would be fine and families do it all the time.
“As a parent you feel like you only have two choices at this stage: One: worry about your child’s health and safety and mental wellbeing if you don’t pick her up at lunch, so you can work. 
“Two: instead of being a burden to the school or worry, you’re forced to leave your full time job for lunchtime pick up. There is a third choice – this is where parents don’t pick up their children and those children wind up being stood down for behaviour – also resulting in being forced to leave your full time job.
“When this happened to me, I never knew we were being ‘excluded’ from our local school. I thought they were looking out for us. They said they couldn’t afford to cover her full time and I’d feel horrible making them feel like they had to. I had enough guilt feeling like her additional needs were somehow my fault, so it made sense that I should have to do this on my own. 
“We heard about Greerton Village School while I was sobbing to someone. I was worried we wouldn’t be able to make our mortgage payments after I left my full time job. We were stuck in the house we purchased, which at the time was considered a premium price and was now considered entry level pricing, so selling didn’t make sense. 
“Greerton Village School had to zone their school due to the immense financial pressure they were under. Piper was one of their last children to enrol out of zone,” says Erika. 
Last year, Erika started to become more involved at the school and says only then did she realise that she was creatively excluded from their local school and started to understand the funding model. 
“Greerton Village School didn’t have some magic funding pot of gold that other schools did. They were just giving all children the same shot at an education. As much as my daughter learns from the students, they learn from her that everyone is different but special in their own way.”
She says more than 70 per cent of the schools budget goes to supporting children with additional learning needs and the improvements and changes in these children are drastic. She says it show the power of inclusion. 
The board last year decided to go public about their funding woes to raise awareness about our situation and to educate others on the pressures schools are facing, but don’t openly talk about.  
“I am lobbying the government as well as working alongside members of IHC, NZEI and other organisations because really, we all have the same complaint. Schools don’t have the resources they need, and this makes it hard for our teachers and support staff. Everyone is just trying to do the best they can with the little bit they have. 
“Many schools don’t know how to teach children who have physical or additional learning needs because there is no training, and as a board we’re looking for ways our school can use our knowledge to work smarter.

Four Tauranga City Council candidates (AJ Tuhoro, Suzi Paige, Heidi Hughes and Erika Harvey) all of them connected to the entrepreneurial community, knew that Startup Weekend would be an ideal place to workshop solutions to address some of the big issues they each see in the community.
“We wanted to explore how we might work together. It is also a chance to spend time amongst our community, understanding the different needs and challenges” said A.J Tuhoro who is standing as a candidate for the Welcome Bay/Te Papa Peninsula Ward.
Fresh Faces of TaurangaOur four candidates, nicknamed the “Fresh Faces” of Tauranga, are each active across the community in different areas from diversity to transport; a great fit for this year’s Startup Weekend where over 50 participants are pitching ideas focused on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Suzi Paige, running for Councillor at Large, pitched the idea to find a solution that would engage youth and other disillusioned communities in the local government decision making process.
“The voting base is not reflective of the wide demographic of communities that make up Tauranga City. This results in decisions being made in favour of the voting minority.”
Attracted by the possibility of having a real impact in our city, on to the team came a developer (Amit Kamble), a teenager (August Marwick) and a graphic designer (Graeme Niksch), and the true value of collaborative problem solving and co-creation immediately started to come into effect.
Meet CoCoThe team went out and talked with members of the community and heard the same issues of trust, transparency and accountability. The message was clear: Tauranga City Council has broken trust with the community. 
The team agreed that in order to be effective as councillors, there needed to be change in the way information is shared between the community, elected officials and the Tauranga City Council. 
CoCo, a platform designed to improve information flows between the three entities, was born.
Erika Harvey, candidate for the Otumoetai/Pyes Pa Ward, used an example from the Marine Precinct Project to illustrate the problem. 
“THE INFORMATION THAT WAS FIRST GIVEN TO COUNCIL MISSED KEY ELEMENTS, ONCE IT HAD BEEN TRANSLATED THROUGH THE CONSULTANTS, PLANNERS AND STAFF; HAD THIS PLATFORM BEEN IN PLACE A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN WASTED.” 
Coco, short for Community Council, is an idea for an outward-facing platform that not only tracks progress, but also allows the community to see how and why projects may be delayed or over budget.
“Greerton Village, Durham Street, the Marine Precinct, and the Memorial Park Walkway projects are all examples that would have had very different outcomes if the community and elected members had been engaged and informed at of every stage of the project. 
By improving accountability and communication in the management of projects there would be significant cost savings to ratepayers” says Heidi Hughes, Candidate at Large.
Startup weekend runs all weekend with pitches being delivered on Sunday in the Trust Power Auditorium on Durham Street. Pop along at 5pm to meet these “Fresh Faces” of the Tauranga City elections, learn more about CoCo and the other wide array of business ideas built to have a positive impact!

Original Post 

TAURANGA, Thursday 25th July 2019: Erika Harvey, the dynamic entrepreneur whose campaigns to bring about social change have touched the hearts of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders and politicians, is standing as a Councillor in this year’s elections in the Otumoetai/Pyes Pa Ward.
Erika has strong support from Tauranga teachers, parents, business owners and community leaders.
Erika strikes a brilliant balance of business nous and community compassion. Her #DearJacinda video letter explained to the Prime Minister the plight of children who have additional learning needs in an underfunded education system. This video went viral attracting tens of thousands of views.
A video Erika created for Autism Awareness Week showcasing the brilliance of Piper, her young autistic daughter, reciting the Lord’s Prayer in Te Reo reached over 270,000 views and showed the nation another side of this often misunderstood condition. 

Erika says she is not afraid to speak up on issues that matter and is passionate about the business world and building a connected community.
“Tauranga is a vibrant, thriving city with an exciting future for our children’s children. With creativity, intellectual rigor, business acuity and heart – together we can solve our city’s problems and turn them into opportunities,” she says.
Just last week Erika’s courageous leadership was showcased in the Tauranga Council Chambers, where she was acknowledged for her three years of persistence on a community issue affecting hardworking small business owners.
Through diligence and hard graft, Erika unraveled and explained with clarity complex issues arising around the Marine Precinct project. She advocated for the affected community with such clear and sound logic, that the Council agreed an advisory board needed to be established with key stakeholders before any further developments are made. 
“I’m not interested in being right, I’m interested in the right thing being done - it’s all about values.”
Erika says she will inject flair and personality into her campaign and is looking forward to getting out and about to meet people in the Otumoetai/Pyes Pa Ward.
“My campaign will be a grassroots one, that will show voters first-hand how I interact with people from all walks of life. I am curious to hear from voters, to showcase their thinking about their city and hear what’s on their mind.
“I believe that people come first and there are a lot of people struggling in this city, I really want to make a positive difference for this amazing community using my experience as a community and business leader,” she says.
Erika, her husband Dan and his dad Russell own RED Line Fishing, a business globally recognized for quality, sustainability, and innovation. It provides fish to Michelin restaurants around the world.
Erika’s Business and Community Roles
• Erika is Managing Director of InVenture, a successful business advisory company specialising in helping SMB's and start-up companies to improve culture and drive growth. 
• Erika is the chairperson of the school board at Greerton Village School.
• Erika is an advisory board member for TYDT (Tauranga Youth Development Team) which supports youth in the Bay of Plenty. 
Follow Erika on: www.facebook.com/ErikaHarveyTGA

About 1000 teachers have turned out for the strikes at Tauranga Race Course today for unprecedented strike action.
The strike has been coined as the "biggest strike this country has ever seen" as this is the first time in history both PPTA and NZEI union members will strike as one.
Despite the grey skies threatening to rain, morale was strong.
Fairhaven School principal Paul Hunt took to the mic, leading the crowd in chants.

Hunt chanted, with the crowd following, "what do we want? Teachers. When do we want it? Now."
Aretha Franklin's classic anthem Respect rang over the speakers as the crowd waited to embark on the march.
Papamoa College teacher Natalie Jump was among those gathered in the crowd.

The 28-year-old was in her second year of teaching and she said it wasn't good enough for teachers to not recieve necessary support or pay.
"The strikes are important for the future generation of teachers."
Speeches are now taking place, with the crowd cheering and ringing cow bells after each speaker finishes a statement.

Parent Erika Harvey spoke of her gratitude to teachers for caring for her young daughter who had special learning needs.
Liam Rutherford was a prime negotiator with the Ministry of Education. He said it was fantastic to be here today, and to see the people who have come out today.
He said it was great to see the community supporting teachers when they really needed it.
He said striking was not an easy decision and when workers went without their wages on strike it was a sign that the Government had really "stuffed up".
"Let's be clear - the situation we are in is serious and we need to be prepared to be in it for the long haul," said Rutherford. He didn't rule out further strike action.
People in car parks in Greerton have cheered on the marching strikers while people are tooting their horns from passing cars.
The strikers are marching down Cameron Rd and have passed the RSA chanting that Jacinda should "do them right" and "Chris Hipkins has got to go".
Protesters made their way down Cameron Rd, towards Tauranga Girls' College, where end of the march will be marked be a karakia.
Traffic in the southbound lane of Cameron Rd was virtually gridlocked for about 4km.
In the Bay of Plenty, 148 schools have shut their doors - the second highest number in the country.
The industrial action is expected to be the largest strike by teachers and first ever combined teachers' strike, with 50,000 nationwide expected on the picket lines.
NZEI Tauranga representative Andrea Andresen said the Government had left the teachers no other choice than to strike.
She said it would be the "biggest strike this country has ever seen".

Pre-march activities at the Tauranga racecourse took place from 11.30am, with balloon blowing and messages written to drop off at MPs' offices.
The rally opened with three speakers including NZEI Te Riu Roa vice president Liam Rutherford and PPTA national executive Tania Rae from 12pm.

Tauranga City Council advised motorists to avoid the area during this time or use Takitimu Drive or Fraser St as preferred alternative routes.
Motorists who chose to travel along Cameron Rd would have to remain behind the head vehicle following the march or detour via a side road or turn around.

It was expected that the northbound lanes of Cameron Rd, between Chadwick Rd to 22nd Ave would be closed for about half an hour due to the protesters walking towards the city.
Southbound lanes, from Munro St to 22nd Ave will be closed for approximately 15 minutes to allow the protest march to cross in order to get to Tauranga Girls' College.
The NZEI strike is about pay and workload with primary teachers wanting to double non-contact time to two hours a week, reduce class sizes and increase resource teachers and a special needs co-ordinator (Senco) in every school.

The PPTA wants an extra hour of non-classroom time, increasing that to six hours per week, as well as additional extra non-contact time for middle managers.
The Ministry of Education has offered both unions pay rises of 3 per cent a year for three years, plus an extra step at the top of salary scales that would take the total pay rise for a majority of teachers to 12.6 per cent over three years.
The Government's offer is a $1.2 billion deal over four years.

Up to 1000 Tauranga teachers will march off the job tomorrow for the "biggest strike this country has ever seen".
Primary and secondary school teachers across New Zealand voted earlier this month to strike on May 29 for better pay and work conditions. In the Bay of Plenty, 148 schools will shut their doors - the second highest number in the country.
However, the Government's offer of $1.2 billion over four years is not expected to budge.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the offer would bring teachers into the top 20 per cent of income earners.
The industrial action is expected to be the largest strike by teachers and first ever combined teachers' strike, with 50,000 nationwide expected on the picket lines.
About 800,000 students are expected to be affected.
In Tauranga, a 2km section of Cameron Rd will close with traffic control and detours in place from around midday.

New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Tauranga representative Andrea Andresen said this would be the "biggest strike this country has ever seen".
Andresen said she hoped the marches would communicate loud and clear to the Government they were serious and had a lot of support.
She said interest had even been expressed by loads of parents, who were keen on getting behind the teachers.

​ Parent Erika Harvey said she was going to support the   teachers as she believed they had one of the most difficult   jobs.
 Harvey said it was not just about their wages, it was about   equipping the schools and teachers with adequate time,   training and funding to handle a variety of learning needs.
 




Ministry of Education deputy secretary for early learning and student achievement Ellen MacGregor-Reid said striking over $1.2b in pay offers did not offer a solution but instead would cause disruption to the learning of thousands of young people.

Western Bay of Plenty PPTA chairwoman Rebecca Holmes said the feeling was mixed among secondary teachers as it had been nearly a decade since their last industrial action.
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Holmes said they felt a sense of unity with their fellow teachers but also disappointed that they had to use their "last resort" of industrial action.
She hoped they could come to a place to negotiate a "fair and equitable" deal with the Government.

​The Ministry offered both unions pay rises of three per cent a year for three years, taking the total pay rise for a majority of teachers to 12.6 per cent over three years.
However, many teachers were putting more weight on the lack of release time and the heavy workload.
The PPTA wants an extra hour of non-classroom time for all secondary teachers, lifting non-contact time from five hours to six hours a week.
The NZEI wants two hours a week in non-contact time, plus reduced class sizes, more resource teachers and a special needs co-ordinator in every school.
To address workload, the Government provided for 600 learning support coordinators, removed national standards, advanced a review of NCEA and offered additional release time in the offer.
Timeline of the strike11.30am - Teachers will gather near the Tauranga racecourse for pre-march activities, including balloon blowing and message writing.
12pm - Speakers will address the crowds.
12.30pm - The march will begin on Chadwick Rd before turning on to Cameron Rd in the northbound lane. Teachers will be dropping messages off at MPs' offices on the way.
1.30/2pm - The march will wrap up as teachers reach Tauranga Girls' College.