Long-time Māori councillor Trevor Maxwell receives his tohu from Dame Cindy

Trevor Maxwell receives his CNZM for services to Māori and local government from Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro.

New Zealand’s longest-serving councillor Trevor Maxwell says receiving his tohu as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit was a proud moment for his whānau, and the only drawback was his wife Atareta was not there with him.

The Rotorua community leader received his honours on Tuesday from Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro at Government House in Wellington, bestowed for services to Maori and local government.

Public service for the Ngati Rangiwewehi leader started as a young man with the Rotorua council in 1977.

“Sir Peter Tapsell put a piece of paper before me an hour before closing – ‘sign here’ – and I said ‘what’s this?’ He said ‘going for council,’ and I said I know nothing about council other than at our marae in Awahou – ‘hide the dogs, here comes the dog ranger from council’,” Maxwell told Waatea.News.Com.

When the Te Arawa kaumatua completes his current term on the Rotorua council, he will have matched former Greymouth deputy mayor Doug Truman’s record of 48 years on a district council, as well as serving a concurrent term in 1980 on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Trevor Maxwell. Photo / Supplied

When Maxwell was told of his New Year Honour - Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit - he had only one regret.

“My one regret is that my late wife, Atareta Maxwell, who died 16 years ago, is not here to share this beautiful honour with me, but I will share it with all our mokopuna,” he said at the time to Whakaata Māori.

In 2002, Maxwell was named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contributions to Māori, the arts, and local body affairs.

He also served as the Cultural Ambassador for Rotorua since 2013.

Maxwell served as the deputy mayor from 2002 until 2013, and as chair and deputy vhair of Te Arawa Kapa Haka Charitable Trust since 1990. He was a member of the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Board, chair of Opera in the Pā and a board member of Waiāriki Institute of Technology for 10 years.

Maxwell is quite an active figure in the world of Māori performing arts, and was awarded Ngā Taonga Toi a Te Waka Toi – Te Tohu Whakamanawa o Te Matatini for outstanding contribution to Kapa Haka in 2021, which is one of his passions.

Additional reporting Whakaata Māori and Radio Waatea 603AM