Su’a William Sio
MP for Māngere
Pacific Island Affairs
MEDIA STATEMENT
3 November 2016
Treatment of councillor’s family – simply shabby
The refusal by Auckland Council staff to allow a Samoan councillor’s family to sit in VIP seating at his swearing in
smacks of racial discrimination, says Labour’s spokesperson on Pacific Island Affairs Su’a William Sio.
“This is appalling and makes me sick to the stomach to think this could be happening in Auckland in 2016.
“The city owes an apology to Efeso Collins for the disgraceful way his family were prevented from sitting in spaces that
had been allocated to them.
“The councillor represents Manukau which is the face of the future and no person Pasifika, Maori, Asian or LGBT should
be treated this way.
“Those who cannot accept the changing face of New Zealand must learn to. Diversity is the way of the future and can be
our nation's strength in so many ways as we have already seen in the fields of sports and arts,” says Su’a William Sio.
ends