Sam Lotu-Iiga
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The Honourable Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga MP |
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File:Sam Lotu-Iiga NZgovt.jpg
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
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Minister of Pacific Peoples | |
Assumed office 28 January 2014 |
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Prime Minister | John Key |
Preceded by | Hekia Parata |
Member of Parliament for Maungakiekie |
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Assumed office 8 November 2008 |
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Preceded by | Mark Gosche |
Majority | 2,348 in 2014[1] |
Personal details | |
Born | Apia, Samoa |
2 November 1970
Nationality | Samoa New Zealand |
Political party | National |
Profession | Lawyer/Investor |
Religion | Christian |
Peseta Samuelu Masunu "Sam" Lotu-Iiga (born 2 November 1970) is the member of the New Zealand Parliament for the Maungakiekie electorate having been elected in the 2008 election. Lotu-Iiga is one of two National Party Pacific Island MPs. Lotu-Iiga holds the Samoan high chiefly title of Peseta.
Contents
Early life
Lotu-Iiga was born in Apia, Samoa, and moved to New Zealand as a child. He grew up in South Auckland, attending Mangere Central Primary School. He then attended Auckland Grammar School and the University of Auckland, where he earned an MCom(Hons) and a BCom/LLB.[citation needed]
Professional career
While studying, Lotu-Iiga worked as an intern at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, but declined an offer to continue after graduation, instead joining Russell McVeagh McKenzie Bartleet in Auckland as a solicitor.[citation needed]
Lotu-Iiga travelled to Britain, where he worked for Bankers Trust as a financial analyst. While in Britain he earned his MBA from the University of Cambridge (Queens' College). While at Cambridge Lotu-Iiga played rugby for the New Zealand Barbarians.[citation needed]
Lotu-Iiga moved to Sydney and became an executive consultant with Macquarie Bank.[citation needed]
Political career
Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party |
2008–2011 | 49th | Maungakiekie | 35 | National |
2011–2014 | 50th | Maungakiekie | 29 | National |
2014–present | 51st | Maungakiekie | 24 | National |
Local-government politics
Lotu-Iiga stood on the Citizens & Ratepayers' ticket for a seat on the Auckland City Council in October 2007, in the Tamaki-Maungakiekie ward.[2] In a surprise win,[citation needed] Lotu-Iiga became the first right-wing councillor for the area in twelve years. Aligned with Mayor John Banks, Lotu-Iiga was appointed Chairman of the City Development Committee on the Council.
Election to Parliament: 2008–2011
In February 2008 Lotu-Iiga put his name forward for the National Party selection for the Maungakiekie electorate. That month, incumbent Labour Party MP Mark Gosche, who held a majority of over 6,000 votes, announced he would stand down from the seat in the forthcoming general election. In April Lotu-Iiga defeated two other National Party nominees for the selection on the first ballot.[citation needed]
While the electoral boundaries for Maungakiekie had changed, removing Otahuhu, the new boundary included the new suburbs of Panmure and Point England, which were considered[by whom?] to heavily favour the Labour Party.[citation needed] Gosche's large majority meant that Maungakiekie was still considered a safe Labour seat.
Lotu-Iiga ran a high-profile campaign, capitalising on his high name-recognition as a City Councillor, and heavily engaged in grass-roots campaigning, including door-knocking the electoral district. On election night, Lotu-Iiga beat Labour List MP Carol Beaumont by a margin of 1,942 votes[3] in what was one of the largest electoral swings in the country.[citation needed] Lotu-Iiga became one of three National Party candidates in the Auckland region to claim a seat from Labour, along with Nikki Kaye in Auckland Central and Paula Bennett in Waitakere. In his first parliamentary term, Lotu-Iiga served as the Deputy-Chairperson of the Commerce Committee and as a member of the Finance and Expenditure Committee.
Lotu-Iiga faced some criticism for not resigning from his role as an Auckland City Councillor when he was elected as an MP. He missed a significant number of meetings, attending 12 out of 22 scheduled meetings. Lotu-Iiga responded: "People don't want a politician who's only going to meetings. It's only one part of our job. It's about going out meeting with people from the community. I feel like I'm doing fine. I'm busy but I'm on top of everything..."[4] During the period in which he missed meetings, important decisions were made[by whom?] with regard to areas within the Tamaki-Maungakiekie Ward.[citation needed] Lout-Iiga eventually resigned his council post in October 2009.[5]
Second term in Parliament: 2011–2014
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. In November 2011, Lotu-Iiga was reelected the MP for Maungakiekie, beating Carol Beaumont a second time with an increased majority. Following the election, Lotu-Iiga was elected Chairperson of the Social Services Select Committee, where he has presided over the Government's welfare reform legislation.
In January 2014, Lotu-Iiga was promoted into cabinet, becoming Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, and Associate Minister of Local Government.[6]
Third term: 2014–
On 8 October 2014, Lotu-Iiga received his warrants as Minister for Pacific Peoples, Minister for Ethnic Communities and Minister of Corrections.[7]
On 7 December 2015, Prime Minister John Key announced that Lotu-Iiga would be handing the Corrections portfolio over to returning Cabinet Minister Judith Collins, and would take over the Local Government portfolio from Paula Bennett. The changes are effective form 14 December 2015.
Personal life
Lotu-Iiga lives with his wife Jules in Onehunga. They have one daughter.[8] He was previously on the board of One Tree Hill College (formerly Penrose High School).
References
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- ↑ Final official election results 2007, Auckland City Council.
- ↑ Official Count Results -- Maungakiekie, Chief Electoral Office, New Zealand Ministry of Justice, Wellington.
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External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sam Lotu-Iiga. |
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by | Minister of Corrections 2014–2015 |
Succeeded by Judith Collins |
New Zealand Parliament | ||
Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Maungakiekie 2008–present |
Incumbent |
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