Laurie is a kaumātua of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, knowledgeable and experienced fisherman and seafarer, and has had a long history working to protect wāhi tapu and the taiao. Due to his lifetime of experiences, Laurie has developed a close connection with the moana and taiao and is able to read the many signs of the taiao as indicators of what is taking place within the taiao at any given space in time.