He holds a Master of Science degree in Physics from the University of Queensland, and also has an IRB Level 2 Rugby Coaching Certificate; he lists coaching rugby as one of his hobbies.[2] He "taught at Tonga High School for many years", then worked as a civil servant, holding the positions of radio licensing officer and outer islands project manager, then communications engineer, at the Ministry of Information and Communications.[3]
Vakata was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the first time when he won the seat of Ongo Niua 17 in the November 2010 general election as a candidate for the Democratic Party, defeating incumbent independent MP Sione ʻIloa. On 8 December 2010 it was reported that he had withdrawn his support from the Democratic party and become an independent, and would support a noble candidate as Prime Minister.[2][4]
At the start of January 2011, when newly elected Prime Minister Sialeʻataongo Tuʻivakanō formed his Cabinet, Vakata was appointed Minister for Training, Employment, Youth and Sports.[5] On 1 May 2012, he reshuffled to the position of Minister for Revenue.[6][7]
In July 2012, Vakata was accused of mis-using government funds allocated to him for expenses during a trip to Australia which was later cancelled. He denied the allegations, but repaid the money.[8]
In February 2013, he was reshuffled to the position of Minister of Public Enterprises.[9]
Following the 2014 Tongan general election he was appointed to the Cabinet of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva as Minister of Internal Affairs, Women, and Sport. In September 2016 he was dismissed from his Ministerial positions after throwing a wine glass at a senior civil servant.[10]
^Niua 17 was technically a new constituency on that date, but corresponded exactly to the boundaries of the previous electoral constituency for the Niuas.
