Our TBM’S name Dame Whina Cooper
We asked for your help to name the TBM after a ground-breaking NZ woman past of present and thank all who have participated. The chosen name wss Dame Whina Cooper.
Dame Whina’s daughter, Hinerangi Puru Cooper, and her wider family were present at the unveiling and blessing of the TBM. They were joined by then Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, then Transport Minister Michael Wood, the city’s then Mayor Phil Goff, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and other Auckland Iwi who sit on CRL’s Mana Whenua Forum, and community, transport and CRL representatives.
Hinerangi said she was honoured and humbled to be present at the unveiling and had a special message for CRL workers. “I will say a prayer before you start your work – I want you to be safe – and I know my mother will be there with you.”
Link Alliance was gifted a phrase from her landmark speech in 1975, kia mataara (be alert, observe, witness), by Hinerangi Cooper – to mark the breakthrough and to recognise her importance to the project.
Mr Robertson said Dame Whina Cooper is a name that “gives a lot of mana to a project that was building a nation” and Mr Goff described the unveiling as a “big step in the progress of a project that means much for a better Auckland.“ By tradition, machines working underground like CRL’s TBM carry the name of a woman.
CRL CEO Dr Sean Sweeney said: “In our case New Zealanders helped us chose a truly exceptional person, Dame Whina Cooper – and the presence and support of her family is a real blessing for the project,”
Dame Whina Cooper is a national icon who, at 80, was the inspirational leader of the Māori land march on Parliament in 1975.
Dame Whina founded the Māori Women’s Welfare League and devoted a life to fighting discrimination and improving living conditions for her people.
It’s a tradition that a TBM can’t start work until it has a woman’s name to honour St Barbara, the patron saint of underground workers, as a sign of good luck for the project ahead.
A panel of people from CRL Ltd and the Link Alliance – which operated the TBM – and representatives from Auckland Council’s Albert-Eden and Waitematā Local Boards had narrowed the list to three.
The other finalists were:
Dr Margaret Bradshaw, a trailblazing and internationally recognised Antarctic scientist. She was the first woman to lead a deep field party to the frozen continent, discovered fish fossils in the Cook Mountains there, and Bradshaw Peak is named in her honour.
Georgina Beyer is a Kiwi ground breaker in every sense of the word. Born a boy, she became the world’s first trans-gender Mayor and later was elected to Parliament as the world’s first trans-gender MP. She champions human and gender rights.
City Rail Link Chief Executive Dr Sean Sweeney says: “These women have all played very different roles in helping shape New Zealand, but they also share the same outstanding qualities – brave, compassionate and fearless leadership. They continue to inspire so many and remain timely and staunch reminders during COVID-19’s extreme challenge to this country of why we can be proud of ground-breakers like them to lead New Zealand forward.
The Naming Announcement - News release
06 May 2020
City Rail Link’s Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) will share the name of one of New Zealand’s most inspirational leaders, Dame Whina Cooper, a woman who spent most of an illustrious life leading the fight for social justice and land rights for Māori.
Dame Whina Cooper’s name topped a nationwide poll ahead of internationally recognised Antarctic scientist, Dr Margaret Bradshaw, and the world’s first elected openly transgender mayor and Member of Parliament, Georgina Beyer.
“The project is both proud and honoured that our TBM will carry the name of a woman of such mana – Dame Whina Cooper,” said City Rail Link Ltd’s Chief Executive, Dr Sean Sweeney.
“We were looking for the name of a New Zealand woman who inspired - brave, compassionate and fearless - and all those outstanding leadership qualities are well and truly represented by the very remarkable Dame Whina Cooper.” Dame Whina’s family welcomes their mother’s new association with a project that will bring many changes to the Auckland she had called her home for many years.
“Mum was very much a people person,” says Dame Whina’s daughter Hinerangi Puru Cooper.
“She had so much energy and was heavily involved in community projects across Auckland. But to us she was just mum.” Dame Whina was born in 1895 at Panguru, Northland, and died in 1994. She began her first campaigns for Māori as a teenager before moving to Auckland in 1949 where she was identified as one of the “100 Makers of Auckland” in a book featuring influential people who helped develop the city.
Dame Whina was the first president of the Māori Women’s Welfare League and played a significant role in improving Māori living conditions across New Zealand.
In 1975 aged 80, she led a land rights march from the Far North to Parliament. She was made a Dame in 1981 and was awarded the country’s highest honour, the Order of New Zealand, in 1991. Dame Whina, Dr Bradshaw and Ms Beyer were the shortlisted finalists selected from more than 300 women’s names nominated by New Zealanders.
Around 3,500 participated in the competition with Dame Whina Cooper securing just under 50 per cent of the final total vote.
“I am grateful to all New Zealanders for their support and their nominations and votes, particularly at a time when we were all grappling with a pandemic. I would also like to thank Dr Bradshaw and Ms Beyer for allowing their names to be considered for our TBM.” Dr Sweeney said.
Tradition dictates that a TBM must have a woman’s name - a sign of good luck and safety for the project ahead and an acknowledgement to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of those who work underground.
CRL’s TBM is due to arrive in kitset sections from China in October.
It will be reassembled at the Link Alliance project site at Mt Eden. The newly named Dame Whina Cooper TBM will be blessed before the Link Alliance starts the first of two 1.6-kilometre underground excavations from Mt Eden to the Aotea Station in the central city to connect with the twin tunnels already built from Britomart Station and under Albert Street.