Born in 1957, Dave Stewart grew up in Mangere, South Auckland — the second of seven children of hardworking parents: Ian, a freezing worker, and Elaine, a cleaner.Leaving Aorere College after the third form, Dave began an apprenticeship at the Otahuhu Railways Workshops as a coachbuilder.
Over 15 years there — including eight as Branch Secretary of the Railways Trades Association — he saw firsthand the impact of the post-1984 government restructuring and closure of railways on workers and communities.
After redundancy, Dave managed a wholesale paint outlet in Auckland during the apartment boom, before building a long-running career in race-meeting photofinish services, auditing billions of dollars in totalisator takings over 41 years.
Alongside that, he ran an award-winning IT business at the dawn of the internet era, earning international recognition for innovation.
Dave’s life has been varied — from farming in North Waikato for 14 years to settling in Whakatāne in 2015.
He’s a trade-certified craftsman in four trades, a unionist, small business owner, company director, farmer, father, and grandfather.
He’s also a lifelong music lover — drumming in Auckland bands in the ’70s and ’80s and still performing in Whakatāne’s vibrant live music scene.
Dave’s journey has been shaped by working-class roots, decades of hands-on experience, and a commitment to community — the kind of grounded perspective our region needs.
