Patricia Ona Mill-Poi

Patricia Mill-Poi was born in Tokomaru Bay and was educated at Mata, Heretaunga and Te Tairawhiti schools. She was one of the first Māori women print journalists and has worked for the Gisborne Herald, Women’s Choice, and as a freelance journalist. Patricia was a feature writer for Horwitz Publications, was editor of Hotel & Cafe News in Sydney, and was a ghost writer for Carter Brown. She was the first female member of the Sydney Journalists’ Club. Patricia also worked as a factory worker, entertainer, motel cleaner, drama critic, driver, radio panellist, tutor, early childhood worker, and co-ordinator and was a mother of nine.

She worked for many years at Te Whare Tu Wahine [Gisborne Women’s Refuge]. Her writing energy was channelled into raising awareness of domestic violence issues through submissions to Government, newspaper articles, and the creation of an original document entitled “Te Whakamatauranga”. This is a ten-session programme offered to survivors of domestic abuse; it is approved and funded by the Department for Courts. She also gave input into the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges’ manual ‘Te Oranga o te Kowhai’.

Patricia retired from Te Whare Tu Wahine in 2003, and worked as a part time tutor for the final year Diploma of Social Work. During her lifetime she wrote non-fiction articles, short stories and worked toward a non-fiction book. She wrote under the name Patsy Jeory.

Biographical sources

• Phone call and correspondence from Patricia Mill-Poi, 13 and 22 June 1998, and 22 July 2004.
• Email from Carmen McMurtrie and Liam Jeory, 8 May 2022.