‘emotional, proud’ moment

A Mid Canterbury Tongan leader was left speechless and emotional when the new deputy prime minister was announced.

Carmel Sepuloni made history as the first Pasifika deputy prime minister and the third woman to hold the role when she was confirmed alongside the incoming prime minister Chris Hipkins.

Mid Canterbury Tongan leader Naneh Manoa said she was very emotional watching the press conference with her four girls on Sunday.

“It took me by surprise, I didn’t expect it at all,” Manoa said.

“I was so proud that I was left speechless.

“It will go down in history for all Pasifika people.”

Sepuloni is the minister for social development, as well as ACC and arts, culture and heritage, and first entered parliament in 2008.

“Me as a Pasifika person has seen a lot of changes Pasifika and Maori policy changes while she has been in her [Sepuloni] minister roles,” Manoa said.

While Manoa has only met her in passing at a gathering, her dad worked under Sepuloni while she was CEO at Vaka Tautua, New Zealand’s only national Pacific health provider.

Manoa said as a community leader herself, being the Mid Canterbury Tongan Community secretary and being involved in other groups, Sepuloni’s appointment shows her that there is a space for Pasifika people in New Zealand’s

$749 leadership positions, where there may not have been before.

“Especially for me being a woman in a community leadership role, and it goes to show that New Zealand is moving forward.

“Because there are Pasifika MPs, but never a deputy prime minister or close.”

Sepuloni acknowledged that during her first press conference and said she hoped to be a role model for younger Pasifika and Māori women.

“It is about role-modelling to our next generation. These opportunities, these leadership roles are possible for them,” Sepuloni said.

“I do acknowledge that it is significant for our Pacific community,” she said.

Manoa also hopes the appointment will bring more of the Pasifika community to the polling booths in October, no matter who they are voting for.

“Maybe will this give them the motivation to vote, where previously there has been no-one that they [could] relate to, whether they vote for her or someone else.”