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With the cancellation of this year’s Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games, which were to be held in Wollongong, New South Wales, in October, the focus is now on the 2022 games, due to be held in New Zealand for the first time in a decade.

Games manager Dave Wishnowsky, a detective sergeant from Palmerston North, says the decision to cancel this year’s event, prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic, was a huge blow to the organisers and prospective competitors.

At the time of the decision, Dave was working on developing a slogan for the 2022 New Zealand games and, out of respect and consideration for his Australian colleagues, he says, he was inspired to create “Honoa ana e te hākinakina – Connected by Sport”.

“The Australian slogan for this year’s games had been ‘Connected by Service – United by Sport’, which really struck a chord with me. I thought it was the best slogan the games have had in recent years.”

He contacted the Australian games director seeking permission to use a shortened version of the slogan, including a te reo interpretation.

“We wanted to acknowledge the Australian team as much as we could, as they were devastated at having to cancel after years of work and planning, so this was a perfect way to do that, and he was thrilled at the request.”

Dave says he committed to bringing Māori culture into the 2022 games, “so including a tohu [symbol] was essential for 2022”.

His tohu incorporates “feelings of camaraderie, unity and togetherness”, represented by woven strands denoting the eight Australian states and territories of the AP&ES Federation, supporting New Zealand as the host. New Zealand is represented by the fern, a koru and the greenery.

“So that’s how it happened. I woke up one morning with the tohu design in my head and sketched it over and over until I came up with the design, and then had it digitised.”

Dave says the vision of the games is to bring together like-minded people from different countries, services and sport to promote healthy lifestyles through participation in sport. “The camaraderie experienced at these games is really special and a time when we all connect – ‘honoa ana e te hākinakina’.”

Registrations for the 2022 games are due to open on September 1. Details are available on the website, apes2022.co.nz, and the AP&ES games’ Facebook and Instagram pages.