Profile photo of Pete

Pete

He uri ahau nõ Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tamatea He Tangata Matarehu ahau Ko Peter Allen ahau I am a husband, a father, a dog owner, a cat owner, and a friend. Prior to my vision deteriorating, I lived a privileged life with a good family, a good education, and good community. Prior to being involved with the disability, I was in the military. Having trained under the NZDF (New Zealand Defence Force), I was lucky to gain long term employment and grow as a leader through their rigorous training. Once my disability began to affect my mahi, I transitioned into volunteering working in the disability sector. Finding and coming to understand the EGL approach and principles was a game changer for me. Breaking out of the siloed approach and breaking into wider disability work has been a good change and makes me feel fulfilled.

LocationPalmerston North
GenderMale
  • Disability Rights
  • EGL Budget
  • Enabling Good Lives
  • Exercise and sport
  • Military
  • Politics
  • Te Tiriti o Waitangi
  • Tāngata Whaikaha Māori
  • Volunteering

Outside of work, my passions are and have included playing rugby, studying mau rakau with Te Whare Tū Taua, or doing kapa haka. I have been performed at both local and international levels with Te Aute College at the National Polynesian Festival (as it was called in 1981) and with the New Zealand Te Hokowhitu a Tūmatauenga group at the Royal Tournament at Earl's Court in London, which we did for 21 days straight.

 

My vision impairment is a progressive condition, getting worse the older I get. This had led me always having to find new ways to adapt to the world around me. In the early 2000s, my eyes got to a point where I could no longer hold a driver’s licence, so started using my bicycle as my number one form of transport. In cycling to and from Linton Army Camp for 10 years, I covered roughly 50,000 km. Recently, in the late 2010s, I had to adapt again as my eyesight did not allow me to ride a bike, so walking has now become my primary method of transport.