Rocky Rhodes

Rocky Rhodes is a Waiheke resident of 12 years who has been involved extensively in the mental health consumer movement on the island. In 2002 with others, he established Starfish Enterprise, a consumer run resource centre in Belgium St, and more recently Waiheke Peer Support, a group which provides support to mental health service users by people who are using or have used mental health services in the past. Rocky is a strong believer in the Recovery approach to mental health, and that recovery can happen when there is sufficient support, adequate recovery based services and recognition of the service users' human rights for social inclusion and full citizenship in their communities.

In 2004, he stood (unsuccessfully) for councillor in the local body elections on a ticket called Team Rooster, which advocated de-amalgamation from Auckland City.