Maori goal in Paewai sights

Stephen Paewai is eyeing a first.

Dannevirke's Stephen Paewai is hoping to make history when the votes are tallied for the MidCentral District Health Board elections this weekend.

"I want to be the first Maori elected on to the health board and create history," Mr Paewai told voters at a meeting in Woodville last week.

However, he did spend some time on the board in 2008 after he was co-opted on to it by then Minister of Health David Cunliffe.

A member of the hospital advisory committee and chairman of the hospital audit sub-committee, Mr Paewai is one of two Tararua people standing for the MidCentral board. The other is Eketahuna's Diane Anderson, who has been on the board for 12 years.

Mr Paewai is also standing for the Tararua District Council in the northern ward.

Mr Paewai and Mrs Anderson are two of the 15 people nominated for the district health board, with seven elected seats to fill. Up to four people can also be nominated on to the board by the Minister of Health. Voting is at large and under the single transferable vote (STV) system, which means candidates represent the whole MidCentral district.