Pressure on for Pacific Ministers to repay loyal Labour voters

Tuesday, 3 November 2020

Grant Robertson replaces Winston Peters as deputy prime minister, while Chris Hipkins heads a newly created Covid-19 portfolio.

OPINION: The pressure is on Labour’s Pacific MPs and Cabinet ministers.

Now, more than ever, Pacific people will feel they have a voice at the decision-making table in Parliament, with three Pacific ministers inside Cabinet.

Carmel Sepuloni, Kris Faafoi and Poto Williams will carry the hopes and dreams of many Pasifika voters who helped Labour secure its biggest ever win in 50 years and a majority Government, the first in the MMP era.

And it’s not just having three Pasifika inside Cabinet which will please the Pacific community, but also the ministerial responsibilities bestowed upon each member.

**READ MORE:

Tagata Pasifika journalist Sanele Chadwick says Labour has ten Pacific MPs and could add another off the special votes. The large Pacific caucus now needs to reward their loyal Labour voters.

* Talofa National, it's time to consider attracting the Pacific blue vote

* Election 2020: Can Pacific voters, loyal to Labour, expect more from the Government this term?

* Cabinet reshuffle: The winners and losers from Jacinda Ardern's new lineup

* Her cabinet appointed, Jacinda Ardern now leads one of the most powerful governments NZ has seen

* Expectations high after record number of Pasifika MPs elected into Parliament

All the new Labour MPs pose for a photograph on the steps of Parliament. They are part of one of the most diverse government’s is one of the most diverse ever assembled.

Carmel Sepuloni will continue her work as the Minister responsible for Social Development, Disability Issues and ACC. She also picks up Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage – a sign of confidence from the Prime Minister that Sepuloni can handle the added workload.

Kris Faafoi has been a solid performer over the past three years, and when he decided not to stand as the local MP for Mana, it was a sign he was looking to throw all of his energy at his upcoming portfolios. The former Press Gallery reporter continues with his Immigration and Broadcasting and Media portfolio, but more importantly, he picks up the Justice role previously held by Andrew Little.

Christchurch East MP Poto Williams is the newest member of Cabinet and picks up a tough assignment, Minister of Police. This is a massive promotion for the Cook Islander who has toiled away for the past three years and is now rewarded with a place at the table. She will take on the Building and Construction portfolio as well.

The three Pacific Cabinet ministers will also have the full support of a larger Labour Pacific Caucus including Aupito William Sio who continues as Minister for Pacific Peoples and Minister for Courts outside of Cabinet. Then there is new Mana MP Barbara Edmonds, Ōtaki MP Terisa Ngobi, Palmerston North MP Tangi Utikere, Takanini MP Dr Anae Neru Leavasa and List MP Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki.

In a surprising move, Tongan-born Jenny Salesa drops out of Cabinet altogether. It’s unclear why, but the Prime Minister has said Salesa is “looking to take a different direction”.

A total of 10 Pacific Labour MPs, with the possibility of adding another, No 54 on the list, Lemauga Lydia Sosene is on the cusp, she could make it into Parliament off the special votes.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made a statement with her new-look lineup. It’s the most diverse government in the history of New Zealand politics and looks more like a representation of Aotearoa today.

Compare Labour with National’s proposed lineup during the election and the difference is night and day.

National was criticised for not having enough diversity in their party, and rightly so. Their front bench represented a throwback to the 1960s instead of 2020.

What was more disappointing was seeing their only two Pacific MPs bow out of Parliament altogether in Agnes Loheni and former Cabinet Minister Alfred Ngaro.

Sometimes you don’t know how good something is until you have something else to compare it to.

When you look at Labour’s lineup, and what could have been with National, Labour’s win is a huge sigh of relief for the Pasifika community.

Imagine having a Minister of Pacific Peoples who is not of Pacific descent?

Instead, we now have a Minister of Police who is a Cook Islander, a Minister of Justice who is Tokelauan, and a Samoan who is the Minister of Social Development for a second term.

It’s a massive responsibility, and one these Ministers will not take likely. They will know and feel the weight of expectation on their shoulders, just like so many other Pacific people whose parents sacrificed so much to give them a chance at a better life and education in New Zealand.

The work has been done and the foundation has been set.

Now it’s time to start building the fale for the future, where Pasifika people can finally prosper and reap the rewards their forefathers imagined when they worked long hours in New Zealand's factories from the mid-1900s. Who would have thought in 2020 we’d see the fruits of their labour?

But with great power comes greater responsibility, and now the pressure is on for these Ministers to repay the Pacific voters who helped get them there in the first place.

Sanele Chadwick is journalist with TVNZ’s Tagata Pasifika programme, TV One, Saturday’s 9.30am.