PM Tagelagi attend Richard Hipa’s funeral as politicians and friends pay tribute to a compassionate leader
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Richard Hipa with Sir Collin Tukuitonga, close childhood friends. Photo provided by Tukuitonga family
The funeral of former Common Roll MP and former Secretary to Government Richard Hipa will be held in Auckland today. BCN News understands that Prime minister Dalton Tagelagi left on Friday last week to attend and represent the government at Hipa’s funeral.
Meanwhile, tributes from leaders and friends remember a compassionate leader who served with integrity. Ross Ardern, former New Zealand High Commissioner to Niue said “Richard was widely known and admired across the Pacific and had strong connections with so many pacific organisations. He contributed strongly to the continued development of the Pacific entities and was intent in ensuring that the voices of small island states were heard.”
Speaker of the Niue Assembly Hima Douglas said that when Richard Hipa left parliament due to ill health Niue lost a very promising politician. Douglas reflected on Richard’s career which started as a technician at the Department of Post and Telecommunications and his ascension to becoming the fifth member of the Niue Cabinet as the Secretary to Government. “I think his legacy would be that it doesn’t matter your beginnings, if you’re determined to succeed, if you’re determined to become a leader of the country, you can do it”
Ross Ardern said that he and his wife Laurell were deeply saddened as they remember Richard with fondness and sends their condolences to the Hipa family “When Laurell and I arrived in Niue in 2005 to work as the Chief of Police, everything was very new to us. We had a lot to learn and were intent on doing our best for the people of Niue.
“As would be expected my first interactions were with the Premier and the Secretary to Government but Richard Hipa soon made himself known to me and was of such great assistance in assisting me to assimilate and understand the workings of the Niue Public Service.
“At the time Richard was the Director of Telecom. Richard led that organisation with enthusiasm and was intent on ensuring that the best possible arrangements in telecommunications would be available to the people of Niue”, said Ross Ardern.
Douglas and Ardern both recall Richard Hipas leadership with admiration given the limited resources on the island. Ardern recalls “Resources were limited but Richard applied his considerable talents to his role and made great headway.
“Heads of Department meetings were quite common at that time and it was Richard who often challenged political ideals to ensure that the public servants had their views considered. He was never afraid to speak up and I admired that about him.
“When I returned to Niue in 2014 as the New Zealand High Commissioner Richard had been appointed as the Secretary to Government. It was the perfect position for him as the senior public servant on the Island and I was so pleased he held that role and he served with such dignity and professionalism.”
Veteran politician Hon. Billy Talagi thanked Richard Hipa for his life of service and remembers a very close friend from Niue High School. He sends his condolences to the family and says that he salutes Hipa for his lifelong service to Niue.
Sir Collin Tukuitonga is one of Hipas closest friends who remembers his childhood friend. Richard and Collin were altar boys at the Catholic parish at Alofi North and they remained close friends.
Richard Hipa was the Secretary to Government from 2008 until 2017. In 2020 he topped the Common Roll at the general elections but his political career was short lived when he was medivacced to New Zealand in August 2021.
He never fully recovered and remained in New Zealand until he passed away at Auckland hospital on the 20th of this month. Richard Hipa is remembered as a leader who served with compassion and integrity. He was 68 years old.