Meng Foon
Encyclopedia
Meng Liu Foon is the current mayor of Gisborne, New Zealand
. He is one of a handful of people of Chinese
descent to have become a mayor in New Zealand. He is fluent in English
, Cantonese, and Māori
.
Mayor Foon won a fourth term as Gisborne's mayor in 2010. He is the first person to serve four consecutive terms since Harry Barker retired in 1977. Meng Foon's mayoralty extends across New Zealand's eastern most province with the largest proportion of Native Maori population (according to the New Zealand census of 2005).
Meng Foon has several interests outside of his mayoralty. He has released a musical number, Tu Mai, which includes various native tracks, he has been chair of Gisborne/Tarawhiti Rugby League since 2007 and is a board member of the New Zealand Rugby League
board.
Following confirmation of the Ngati Porou deal, arranged under the controversial
Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004
, Meng Foon was quoted as saying that "he did not believe many people would be disadvantaged by reduced access to the beach, as 90 per cent of the East Coast population was Maori anyway."
Gisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
. He is one of a handful of people of Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
descent to have become a mayor in New Zealand. He is fluent in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Cantonese, and Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
.
Mayor Foon won a fourth term as Gisborne's mayor in 2010. He is the first person to serve four consecutive terms since Harry Barker retired in 1977. Meng Foon's mayoralty extends across New Zealand's eastern most province with the largest proportion of Native Maori population (according to the New Zealand census of 2005).
Meng Foon has several interests outside of his mayoralty. He has released a musical number, Tu Mai, which includes various native tracks, he has been chair of Gisborne/Tarawhiti Rugby League since 2007 and is a board member of the New Zealand Rugby League
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
board.
Following confirmation of the Ngati Porou deal, arranged under the controversial
New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy
The New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy is a debate in the politics of New Zealand. It concerns the ownership of the country's foreshore and seabed, with many Māori groups claiming that Māori have a rightful claim to title. These claims are based around historical possession and the Treaty...
Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004
Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004
The Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004 is Act of the Parliament of New Zealand. It arose out of, and further fueled, the New Zealand foreshore and seabed controversy.It was replaced by the Marine and Coastal Area Bill.-External links:*...
, Meng Foon was quoted as saying that "he did not believe many people would be disadvantaged by reduced access to the beach, as 90 per cent of the East Coast population was Maori anyway."