William Sio

The Honourable
Aupito William Sio
MP
Minister for Pacific Peoples
Assumed office
26 October 2017
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by Alfred Ngaro
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Māngere
Assumed office
8 November 2008
Preceded by Taito Phillip Field
Majority 14,957
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Labour party list
In office
29 March 2008 – 8 November 2008
Preceded by Dianne Yates
Personal details
Nationality Samoa, New Zealand
Political party Labour
Alma mater Brigham Young University
Carrington Polytechnic Institute[1]
Website http://www.labour.org.nz/aupitowilliamsio

Aupito Tofae Su'a William Sio is a politician who became a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives on 1 April 2008[2] for the Labour Party as a list MP. Since the 2008 election, he has represented the Māngere electorate.

Personal

A Samoan, Sio has the matai (chieftain title) of Aupito from the Matatufu village of the Lotofaga district on the island of Upolu.[3] Sio came to New Zealand in 1969.[1] He belongs to the extended family called Aiga Sa Aupito whom he now heads as Sio's father, Aupito Pupu Sio, bestowed the title in a 'fa'aui le ula' from father to son.[4] Sio is married with a family of adult and young children.[1] He is a Mormon[5] and has previously served as one of their bishops.

Local politics

Sio had served as a Manukau City Councillor, representing the Ōtara ward from 2001. Sir Barry Curtis, the Mayor of Manukau City, selected Sio as chair of the planning committee in November 2004. In October 2007, the newly elected Mayor of Manukau City, Len Brown, appointed Sio deputy mayor, making him the first Pacific Islander to hold this position in Manukau City.[3]

National politics

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate List Party
2008 48th List 47 Labour
2008–2011 49th Māngere 24 Labour
2011–2014 50th Māngere 17 Labour
2014–2017 51st Māngere 14 Labour
2017–present 52nd Māngere 16 Labour

In the 2005 parliamentary elections Sio was ranked 47th on the Labour party list and failed to be elected by two places.[6] However Labour Party list MP Dianne Yates left the Parliament on 29 March 2008,[7] and Sio was declared elected in her place (the person above him on the list, Louisa Wall, had already been declared elected to replace Ann Hartley).[8][9]

Prior to entering Parliament, Sio was a representative on Labour's national council as Pacific Islands Vice-President.[10]

In the 2008 general election Sio won the Māngere electorate, defeating the incumbent independent (and former Labour) MP Taito Phillip Field by 7,126 votes.[11] In the 2011 and 2014 elections, Sio's majority was circa 15,000 votes.[12][13]

Sio was elected as a Minister outside Cabinet by the Labour Party caucus following Labour's formation of a government with New Zealand First and the Greens.[14] On 26 October 2017, Sio was appointed Minister for Pacific Peoples, Associate Minister for Courts, and Associate Minister of Justice.[15]

Political views

Sio's stance against the Marriage Amendment Act, which allowed same-sex couple to marry, was not popular among his Labour colleagues. He justified his stance based the beliefs of many Pacific Islanders whom he represents.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Su'a William Sio". New Zealand Parliament. 11 March 2014. Archived from the original on 28 March 2014.
  2. ↑ New Zealand Parliament (1 April 2008). "Members Sworn". TheyWorkForYou.co.nz. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  3. 1 2 "Su'a William Sio". New Zealand Labour Party. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  4. ↑ Fernandes, Kymberlee (23 November 2016). "Su'a William Sio: A man of many titles". The Manukau Courier.
  5. ↑ "Latter-day Saint Member of Parliament Speaks to Interfaith Group" (Press release). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Party Lists of Successful Registered Parties". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  7. ↑ New Zealand Parliament (1 April 2008). "Resignations: Dianne Yates, NZ Labour". TheyWorkForYou.co.nz. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  8. ↑ "Labour MPs make way for newcomers". The New Zealand Herald. NZPA. 16 October 2007. Retrieved 17 October 2007.
  9. ↑ New Zealand Parliament (1 April 2008). "List Member Vacancy". TheyWorkForYou.co.nz. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  10. ↑ "New Zealand Council Members". Archived from the original on 26 October 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "Official Count Results -- Māngere". Chief Electoral Office. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Official Count Results -- Māngere". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  13. ↑ "Official Count Results -- Māngere". Electoral Commission. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  14. ↑ "Who's in? Who's out?". Radio NZ. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  15. ↑ "Ministerial List". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 October 2017.
  16. ↑ Weekes, John (28 October 2012). "MPs attend protest against gay marriage". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Taito Phillip Field		 Member of Parliament for Māngere
2008–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Alfred Ngaro		 Minister for Pacific Peoples
2017-present		 Incumbent
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