Lotu-Iiga later migrated to Britain, where he worked for Bankers Trust as a financial analyst. [4][2] While at Cambridge, Lotu-Iiga played rugby for the New Zealand Barbarians.[7] Lotu-Iiga moved to Sydney and worked as an executive consultant with Macquarie Bank. Later, he returned to New Zealand to work as a management consultant and adviser.[4]
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.[9] 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 Ōtāhuhu, the new boundary included the new suburbs of Royal Oak, Onehunga and Point England,[10] 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[11] in what was one of the largest electoral swings in the country.[12] 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.[12] 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.[13]
Lotu-Iiga faced some criticism for not resigning from his role as an Auckland City Councillor when he was elected as an MP.[14] 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..."[15] Lotu-Iiga eventually resigned his council post in October 2009.[16][17]
Second term in Parliament: 2011–2014
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In November 2011, Lotu-Iiga was reelected the MP for Maungakiekie, beating Carol Beaumont a second time with an increased majority.[18][19] 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.[13]
On 8 October 2014, Lotu-Iiga received his warrants as Minister for Pacific Peoples, Minister for Ethnic Communities and Minister of Corrections.[23]
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 were effective from 14 December 2015.
On 13 December 2016, Lotu-Iiga announced that he was quitting politics, to take effect at the 2017 general election.[24]
Sam Lotu-Iiga lives with his wife Jules in Onehunga. They have one daughter and one son. Lotu-Iiga is an active leader of the Pasifika community and holds the Samoan high chief (alii) title of Peseta. Lotu-Iiga is a patron of the Maungarei Cadets, the Dolphin Theatre and the Onehunga Bowling Club. Lotu-Iiga is a Christian and a member of the Royal Oak Baptist Church. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Penrose. Lotu-Iiga has coached the Auckland under-14 rugby team and once served as a board member of the Primary health organisations of New Zealand.[4]
Whimp, Graeme (2012). "Representing the People: Pacific Politicians in New Zealand". In Mallon, Sean; Māhina-Tuai, Kolokesa; Salesa, Damon (eds.). Tangta O Le Moana: New Zealand and the People of the Pacific. Te Papa Press. pp. 265–284. ISBN978-1-877385-72-8.
External links
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