Tap any role to learn more about their responsibilities. How are they different — or the same?
⏪ In the Past — Levin / NZ Wars era
🪖
Soldier / Warrior
Protected land & people
🩺
Nurse / Healer
Cared for the sick & wounded
🏡
Family / Whānau
Grew food, raised tamariki
🌿
Tohunga / Rangatira
Guided & shared knowledge
🌾
Farmer / Settler
Cleared land, supplied food
✅ Today — Levin community
👮
Police Officer
Keeps our community safe
🚑
Paramedic / Nurse
Responds to emergencies
📚
Kaiako / Teacher
Educates our tamariki
🏛️
Council / Mayor
Makes decisions for Levin
🤝
Volunteer
Helps others for free
Choose a scenario set in or around Levin. Then pick your role and see what you'd say or do!
🌊 Flood in Levin
The Ōhau River is rising fast
🏫 New school opens
Planning day for the community
🌿 Levin Market Day
Setting up the weekend market
⏪ 1860s Settlement
Early days of Levin township
—
Pick a role to play:
Tap a role above to see your part in this scenario.
Look at how roles have changed over time — but also notice what has stayed the same!
| Area of life | ⏪ Then (1800s–early 1900s) | ✅ Now (today in Levin) |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | Soldiers & iwi warriors protected land and whānau during conflict. Settlers formed militias. | Police, Civil Defence, Fire & Emergency NZ keep our community safe every day. |
| Health | Tohunga, nurses & doctors (very few) travelled long distances. Families used rongoā Māori. | Paramedics, GPs, and hospital staff at Levin & Palmerston North Hospital provide fast care. |
| Education | Parents & elders taught children at home. Mission schools began in the 1840s in the region. | Kaiako at local kura & schools, librarians, online resources — learning is everywhere. |
| Food | Families grew kūmara, hunted, fished. Settler farmers cleared land around Horowhenua. | Supermarkets, local farmers, the Levin market — many people work together to feed us. |
| Leadership | Rangatira, chiefs & elected settler councils made decisions for their communities. | Horowhenua District Council, Mayor, and Muaūpoko Tribal Authority share leadership today. |
| Community care | Whānau & neighbours helped each other — hui, hāngī, shared resources. | Volunteers, community groups, churches, food banks, and sports clubs all help people in Levin. |
| Laws & rules | Tikanga Māori set the rules for behaviour in iwi. Settler laws were introduced by governors. | Parliament in Wellington makes laws for everyone. Local councils set bylaws for Levin. |
💡 Notice: The areas of life are the same — safety, health, education — but the roles and tools have changed a lot!
New Zealand has different layers of government — each with different roles and responsibilities. Tap each layer to explore, then click on a role to learn more.
National / Central
🏛️ New Zealand Government — Wellington
▾
The national government makes laws and decisions for all of New Zealand. It sits in Parliament in Wellington.
👩💼
Prime Minister
Leads the government
🗳️
Member of Parliament (MP)
Represents the people in Parliament
📋
Cabinet Minister
Runs a government department
🎖️
Governor-General
The King's representative in NZ
⚖️
Opposition
Challenges and questions the government
🗂️
Public Servant
Carries out government work day-to-day
How it works
📜 How Parliament Makes Laws
▾
A law doesn't just appear — it goes through several steps. Each step is a responsibility of different people.
1
A Bill is written — A minister or MP writes a proposed law called a Bill. They consult with experts and the public.
2
First Reading — The Bill is introduced to Parliament and MPs vote on whether to consider it further.
3
Select Committee — A small group of MPs study the Bill carefully and the public can have their say.
4
Second & Third Readings — MPs debate the Bill and vote again. A majority must agree (61 of 120 MPs).
5
Royal Assent — The Governor-General signs the Bill. It is now an Act — a real law for everyone in NZ!
💡 Levin connection: Laws made in Wellington affect life in Levin — like the speed limit on State Highway 1, or how schools must be run.
Local / Regional
🏘️ Horowhenua District Council — Levin
▾
Local councils make decisions for their specific area — roads, parks, water, rubbish, and local rules. The Horowhenua District Council is our council in Levin.
⭐
Mayor
Leads the local council
🙋
Councillor
Elected to represent your area
🗂️
Council CEO
Runs the council day-to-day
🚧
Roading & Infrastructure
Fixes roads, footpaths, water
🌳
Parks & Reserves
Looks after public spaces
📐
Resource & Planning
Decides what can be built
Iwi / Māori Governance
🌿 Muaūpoko Tribal Authority — Horowhenua
▾
The Muaūpoko people are tangata whenua of the Horowhenua region — they were here long before Levin was established. They have their own governance and responsibilities under the Treaty of Waitangi.
🌿
Rangatira / Chair
Leads the tribal authority
🌊
Kaitiaki
Guardian of land & water
📖
Kaumātua / Tohunga
Elders who hold knowledge
📜
Treaty Partner
Works with government on shared decisions
🏠
Marae Committee
Manages the marae community
👨👩👧👦
Whānau
The foundation of iwi structure
🔗 How does all this connect to Levin?
👑 King & Governor-GeneralHead of State
→
🏛️ Parliament (Wellington)Makes laws for all NZ
→
🏘️ Horowhenua District CouncilMakes local decisions for Levin
→
🏡 You & Your WhānauAffected by all these decisions
🌿 Muaūpoko Tribal AuthorityTreaty partner — works alongside all levels
Every road fixed in Levin, every school built, every law about water — these are all decisions made somewhere in this system. Everyone in it has a responsibility to act in the best interest of the community.
Use these questions to think and talk together as a class. There are no wrong answers — just explore your thinking!
Question 1
Why do groups need people with different roles?
▾
- Think about your classroom — what would happen if everyone was a teacher and no one was a student?
- What roles are in your own whānau? Who cooks? Who earns money? Who looks after younger kids?
- If a town like Levin only had farmers and no doctors, what could go wrong?
🔗 Key idea: Different roles mean different skills — and groups work best when everyone contributes something different.
Question 2
How have responsibilities changed — and why?
▾
- In the past, children in Levin often worked on farms. Is that the same today?
- Why do we have police today instead of soldiers patrolling towns?
- Has technology changed who does what — for example, who grows our food?
🔗 Key idea: As communities change (technology, peace, growth), roles change too — but the need for responsibility stays the same.
Question 3
What responsibilities do YOU have in your groups?
▾
- Name one responsibility you have at home, and one at school.
- How does keeping your responsibility help other people in your group?
- What happens when someone doesn't do their responsibility?
🔗 Key idea: Everyone — even students — has real responsibilities that matter to those around them.
Question 4
How does NZ government affect your life in Levin?
▾
- Think of something in Levin — a road, the library, your school. Who is responsible for that?
- If you thought a local road was dangerous, who would you talk to? A local councillor? An MP?
- What is the difference between a rule your teacher makes and a law Parliament makes?
🔗 Key idea: Government is just people with special responsibilities — and they work for us. Citizens have a responsibility to stay informed and have their say.
Question 5
Whose roles in Levin's past have been forgotten?
▾
- The Muaūpoko iwi have lived in Horowhenua for generations. What roles did they play?
- Women in the 1800s had many responsibilities but were not always counted as leaders — is that fair? Has it changed?
- What community roles today might people in 100 years find surprising?
🔗 Key idea: History doesn't always tell every story. Thinking critically helps us see whose roles were hidden or overlooked.