Political party Labour Name William Sio | Majority 14,933 in 2014 Role Politician Nationality Samoa, New Zealand | |
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Alma mater Brigham Young UniversityCarrington Polytechnic Institute Education Unitec Institute of Technology, Brigham Young University | ||
Prime minister john key s pacific visit 2014 and su a william sio in studio
Aupito Tofae Su'a William Sio is a politician who became a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives on 1 April 2008 for the Labour Party as a list MP. Since the 2008 election, he has represented the Māngere electorate.
Contents
- Prime minister john key s pacific visit 2014 and su a william sio in studio
- Talanoa su a william sio
- Personal
- Local politics
- National politics
- Gay and lesbian marriage
- References
Talanoa su a william sio
Personal
A Samoan, Sio has the matai (chieftain title) of Aupito from the Matatufu village of the Lotofaga district on the island of Upolu. Sio came to New Zealand in 1969. 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. Sio is married with a family of adult and young children. He is a Mormon 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, selected Sio as chair of the planning committee in November 2004. In October 2007, the newly elected Mayor of Manukau, Len Brown, appointed Sio deputy mayor, making him the first Pacific Islander to hold this position in Manukau City.
National politics
In the 2005 parliamentary elections Sio was ranked 47th on the Labour party list and failed to be elected by two places. However Labour Party list MP Dianne Yates left the Parliament on 29 March 2008, 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).
Prior to entering Parliament, Sio was a representative on Labour's national council as Pacific Islands Vice-President.
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. In the 2011 and 2014 elections, Sio's majority was circa 15,000 votes.
Gay and lesbian marriage
Sio's stance against the Marriage Amendment Bill, which would raise civil unions to the same status as marriage, has not been popular among his Labour colleagues. He justifies his stance based the beliefs of many Pacific Islanders whom he represents.