Former Green candidate dies diving for paua

Bevan Tipene died while diving for paua to feed workers at his Porangahau marae. File photo / Supplied

A former Green Party parliamentary candidate died yesterday while diving for shellfish to feed workers redeveloping a Hawkes Bay marae.

Bevan Tipene, a 40-year-old father-of-three, was in the sea at Blackhead Point, near Porangahau, when the tragedy happened early yesterday afternoon.

Mr Tipene was a General Election candidate for the Green Party in the Ikaroa Rawhiti electorate in 2008.

He had been collecting paua to feed workers at Porangahau's Rongomaraeroa Marae, which was being redeveloped as part of a project for the Maori Television programme Marae DIY.

The work has been delayed until Mr Tipene's tangi ends on Friday.

Mr Tipene, who went to Te Aute College and then headed to Otago University to study for a PhD in resource management, had been a prominent member of the community.

He had returned from the South Island with wife Sharon so their children Tuanui, Waitaha and Mitarina could grow-up in the community where he had spent much of his own childhood.

His education had been of great help to his people in dealing with councils over related issues, said Mr Sciascia, whose two brothers and nephew were at Blackhead when the tragedy happened.

A fifth member of the group, Paul Ropiha, was first to reach Mr Tipene in the water, initially unaware of any problem.

But Mr Tipene was floating lifeless on the surface, and was unable to be revived.

Waipukurau police officer-in-charge Sergeant Ross Gilbert said Mr Tipene had died by the time the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter arrived from Hastings.

Mr Gilbert also attended, as did the Porangahau St John Ambulance crew.

The cause of his death was not clear today, but more details would be known after a pathologist's examination in Palmerston North. Mr Tipene was expected to be returned to Porangahau tonight and his tangi was scheduled to end with a service starting on the marae at 1pm on Friday.

That would be followed by burial at the nearby urupa.

A service was also held today at the Canterbury Polytech in Christchurch, where Mr Tipene had lectured in Maori tikanga and research before moving back to Porangahau.

He had been actively involved in most activities in the community, including the Tamatea Arikinui kapa haka group which on Saturday was second in the regional finals at his old high school, qualifying along with winners and Wairoa group Te Rerenga Kotuku for Te Matatini in Gisborne early next year.