Remembered as a “true child of Porirua”, deputy mayor Kylie Wihapi is being mourned by the community she loved.
By Justin Wong of Local Democracy Reporting
Tributes for Wihapi (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), 45, have poured in from mana whenua, local sports clubs and political colleagues after her sudden death on Saturday morning in an accident at her Plimmerton home, where she hit her head in a fall.
She is survived by husband Adam, son Cooper, stepson Arama, parents Marlene and Rob, her brothers and wider family.
She will be taken onto Horouta Marae at Papakōwhai on Thursday, before a civic service and funeral is held at Te Rauparaha Arena on Saturday at 9am. The Porirua City Council has two books of condolences at Pātaka Art + Museum and the council building from Tuesday until Saturday, when they will be moved to the arena for the funeral.
Hailing from the city’s eastern suburbs, Wihapi’s family has had roots in Porirua for almost seven decades, starting with her grandparents building a house in Hampshire St in Cannons Creek in the early 1960s.
In 2016, she was elected to the Porirua City Council as an eastern ward councillor. She then became the city’s first Māori ward councillor and was appointed deputy mayor in 2022, before winning re-election last year.
Councillor Ross Leggett, who was also elected to the council in 2016, called her a “true child of Porirua” who was “gone far too soon”.
“To say the loss of Kylie Wihapi is a shock would be an understatement,” he said.
Mayor Anita Baker, who first announced the news to the public, said she was “numb with shock and disbelief” and her heart was broken for the Wihapi family.
“I have lost a trusted adviser and friend, and her fellow councillors have lost a much-loved colleague,” Baker said. “Kylie was Porirua through and through. She loved this city, believed in its people and worked tirelessly to make it a better place.”
An advocate for younger athletes and a friend to many, Wihapi was a strong supporter of local sports, especially netball, where she coached and umpired at Aotea College, Papakōwhai School, Norths Netball and the Kapi Mana Netball Centre.
She also ran a pet food drive every Christmas and lobbied for stronger dog welfare council policies to rehabilitate and rehome dogs instead of euthanising them.
The netball centre said it was in disbelief to think she would not be courtside in 2027.
Ngāti Toa Rangatira said Wihapi’s contribution to Porirua and the people she served would not be forgotten.
“The mahi and dedication she gave to her role was exemplary,” said kaumātua Dr Taku Parai.
“Kylie was very supportive of Ngāti Toa's future vision, championed the advancement of te reo Māori and was an advocate for Te Tiriti.”
Mana MP Barbara Edmonds called Wihapi an “energetic, amazing wahine” who was connected to her community.
Mayors from across the country sent through their condolences.
Lower Hutt mayor Fauono Ken Laban said he was deeply saddened by the news, calling Wihapi a “young, intelligent and passionate leader who had so much more to give”.
Far North mayor Moko Tepania, who knew Wihapi through networks of Māori and under-40 elected local government officials nationwide, said he was proud when she got elected as Porirua’s first Māori councillor.
“So many across the local government sector are mourning your loss, my friend. I am so sorry to see you leave us far too soon.”
– Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
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