Ngā mihi maioha, Sir Rob

Te tai ra, Te tai ra
Te tai ra e pari ana ki hea
E pari ana  ki te kauheke tangata
Ka rongo te ao
Kua rongo te po

E te rangatira

Kua riro atu koe ki te kapunipunitanga o te tangata. Ko te reo o te taiao tera e rangona atu i te mūnga o tōu na reo.

Ka waiho ma maumahara koe e mahara ki ou mahi rangatira i te wa o te ora. No reira, Haere atu ra, haere atu ra, okioki mai.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Sir Rob, who has Chaired the Sustainable Seas Challenge since our inception. The Challenge would not have come to fruition without his vision and insight: he was a guiding hand in crafting what our mission should be before the Sustainable Seas itself existed.

The world has many people who are intelligent, ambitious and successful, but not enough who are also kind. Sir Rob’s warmth, generous spirit and conscientiousness made the world a better place.

We are extremely appreciative of the time, wisdom and leadership he gave us. His determination, commitment and passion for securing a better future for Aotearoa’s seas and communities was a constant inspiration.

Setting the direction, marshalling the resources and bringing together different experts and interests to change the way Aotearoa manages its marine resources was never going to be easy, but Sir Rob addressed this Herculean task with characteristic energy, grace and gentleness.

Sir Rob’s words and actions will continue to inspire us, and many others, for a long time to come as we strive for better management, a healthy moana, and a sustainable future.

Ngā mihi maioha, Sir Rob, for showing us what leadership from the heart looks like.

Mā mātou e whai ake i ou tapuwae, kia puta ai ngā hua i tēnei mahi mo te ao katoa. We will follow in your footsteps to try to ensure that this work benefits the world.

Sir Rob worked tirelessly for a better Aotearoa to the very last – to honour his life and actions we would like to share his final message, published last week in The Listener.