My Wellington: Meet the student cleaner giving the city a polish
Saturday, 20 June 2026
Originally from Auckland, Tana Hakaraia moved to Te Whanganui-a-Tara to study. Struggling to find a part-time job, he launched Students Against Grime in 2024, a cleaning company aimed at giving students ‒ including himself ‒ a chance to work. Now 23 and winding up his business degree, he’s planning his future, and his company’s next chapter.
I live in …
Mount Victoria/Matairangi . I've lived there for about three years. I used to live in Te Aro, in the valley, so moving to Mount Vic: it makes a big difference looking out your window and seeing the sun. Will I stay? I love it there, but I'm still young, so let’s see where I’ll end up.
What do you like about it?
It’s a great spot: there’s the town belt for a walk or a run, and it’s a five-minute walk into town. It’s cool just walking around the neighbourhood and seeing some of the old villas; homes that are over 150 years old.
On a Saturday morning …
If you’d asked me that during my first year of uni, I would’ve been lucky to see Saturday morning. But now, I love waking up, going on a walk around Mount Vic, getting a coffee. A lot of Saturdays I'm out dropping flyers in mailboxes. Sometimes if I see someone in the front yard I’ll yell out, like: ‘if you need any work done.’
I take visitors …
Out to the south coast, especially when the swell's big. I think a lot of people are pretty shocked that just out of the city you can drive around and see what I think is one of the most impressive coastlines: I think we take it for granted.
Read more:
The most contentious issue on my neighbourhood Facebook page is…
Through my work I'm on just about every single Facebook page in the city, so I get to know the drama in each neighbourhood. It could be anything - politics, bad parking. Sometimes it’s quite serious, other times it’s entertaining. No one’s posted about me: but I have posted a few times myself.
My favourite cafe is …
My godfather owns Fidel’s, so I’m biased, but I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid. Recently, they moved from Cuba St around the corner to Wigan St. It's an awesome spot, just tucked away and secluded. I also love Deluxe, it’s like a little hole in the wall. There are some awesome people working there. I go in and get a treat every morning and they hand it to me with my coffee.
If I was mayor for a day …
First of all, it doesn’t sound like a job anyone would want. But one thing that grinds my bones is when you stand at the end of Cuba St and see all the vacant buildings. Laundry Bar was there for years, it was the spot for people to go on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s gone, and there are “for lease” signs everywhere. I would try to do something to help places stay open, bring some life back to Cuba St.
My nominee for Wellingtonian of the Year would be …
Tree (the street performer). I've got used to seeing him, but when you’re with people who aren’t from Wellington and he pops out, they’re like, is that normal? But I think people who are hustling every day, out on the street and probably giving a decent amount of people every day a good laugh, it leaves you thinking, you know, I love Wellington. I think Tree Guy definitely deserves the award at some point.
As told to Amy Ridout