Fa’anānā Efeso Collins, a member of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, is very happy and honoured to be in New Zealand’s Parliament for the first time. He feels a deep sense of satisfaction, especially for his family. The title “Fa’anānā” was given to him by his mother’s village in Samoa, and his family back in Samoa expressed their pride and congratulations.
After a disappointing loss in the Auckland mayoral race, Fa’anānā took a break from local politics. But now, he’s back on the national stage as a Samoan-Tokelauan politician. He believes it’s crucial to have a strong and outspoken Pasifika voice in Parliament.
Fa’anānā recently completed his induction week in Parliament and is determined to advocate for his community from the opposition benches. His motivation comes from his family, especially his mother, who worked as a cleaner at Middlemore Hospital for many years. He wants to represent his community and make his family proud.
For Fa’anānā, the Green Party aligns with his hopes and ambitions. He wants to make meaningful changes and not just make minor adjustments, as he believes was happening before.
He’s learned valuable lessons from his past mayoral campaign losses, and now he’s in a position to hold National and ACT accountable as part of the opposition.
Fa’anānā is concerned that there might be only one Pacific person in the government, so he emphasizes the importance of representation, stating that if you can’t see it, you can’t be it.
During his break from politics, he had the chance to spend time with his daughters and was reminded of the importance of addressing issues like health and climate action, particularly as they affect future generations.
His eldest daughter’s concern for the environment has influenced his priorities as a Greens MP. She and her friends talk about the future and the need to reduce their carbon footprint. Fa’anānā is committed to working on health and climate issues to secure a better future for his daughters and their generation.