Meng Liu Foon (born ) is a New Zealand politician who served as the mayor of Gisborne from 2001 to 2019. Since August 2019, he has been New Zealand's race relations commissioner. He is one of a handful of people of Chinese descent to have become a mayor in New Zealand. He is fluent in English, Cantonese and Māori. At the time of his departure from the mayoral position he was the only mayor in New Zealand who was fluent in Māori. Childhood and education Meng Foon was born in August 1959 in Gisborne in New Zealand's North Island. His mother is Ng Heng Kiu (Helen) of Hong Kong and his father is Liu Sui Kai (George) of Guangzhou. Foon's parents were market gardeners who operated a vegetable shop in Gisborne. Foon also has a brother. From the age of seven, Foon began working at his family's vegetable shop. Foon and his younger brother attended school while working in the morning, lunch break, and after school at the family business. While working at his family business, Foon developed an interest in languages and accents; eventually becoming fluent in English, Cantonese, and the Māori language. Education Foon attended Makaraka School where he was exposed to Māori culture including flax making and the haka war dance. Foon later attended Gisborne Intermediate School and Gisborne Boys' High School. Foon studied English, social studies, the sciences, physical education and the Māori language at Gisborne Boys' High School. Foon also played rugby at High School. Foon left high school at Sixth Form to help run his family's market garden business. Business career Foon expanded his family's market garden business into several shops. During the 1960s, Foon and his family also bought Gisborne's Kaiti Mall and opened a liquor shop called TAB. In 1985, Foon's parents retired and emigrated to Sydney, Australia before retiring in Hong Kong. Men, his brother, and their wives subsequently took over the family business. In 2018, Foon and his relatives sold Kaiti Mall. By that time, Kaiti Mall's land and buildings were estimated to be worth NZ$3.8 million. By 2018, Kaiti Mall had 12 tenants including businesses, government, and commercial tenants. Local government career In 1995, Foon stood as councillor for the Gisborne District Council's Patutahi Taruheru ward at the encouragement of two detectives. At the time, the incumbent councillor Owen Pinching had announced his retirement. Foon won the 1995 local