Voters adrift on shifting moral tide

Alexis Huni, a Labour voter for the past 30 years, is considering United Future and NZ First. Picture / Dean Purcell

Tongan warden Alexis Huni has been a loyal Labour voter since he arrived in New Zealand in 1975.

But this election Mr Huni will boycott the party that has enjoyed solid support from Pacific immigrants such as himself for 50 years.

The 73-year-old chairman of the Tongan Council is protesting against the civil union legislation that, among other things, has allowed homosexual partnerships to be legally recognised.

"It is a personal thing. It [the legislation] goes against my very, very strong culture and my religious belief."

Mr Huni wrote to Prime Minister Helen Clark and local Labour MP Mark Gosche to explain his decision to abandon Labour. But he still received correspondence from the Labour Party, which wanted him to take on the role of secretary of the Tongan branch for the Maungakiekie electorate.

Mr Huni is now toying with voting for New Zealand First or United Future.

Such morality issues are chipping away at Labour's traditional support from the Pacific Island community, although most are still expected to remain loyal.

For years the large Pacific manual labour force has identified with the "workers' party", but Labour can no longer take its vote for granted.

Many smaller parties are courting Pacific voters who have been shaken by Labour's perceived moral agenda.

There is also a growing and confident Pacific Island middle class, which will not unquestioningly vote for Labour as did its working-class forebears.

But most Pacific people are still on the bottom rung of the economic ladder in New Zealand, and health and education are their major concerns.

Wellington-based public relations consultant Magila Annandale said Labour had upset some of its traditional support base over the prostitution law reform and civil union legislation.

"A number of Pacific Islanders have very strong views about homosexuality."

Ms Annandale, of Samoan-Tongan ethnicity, noted the emergence of young Pacific born-again Christians who attended evangelical churches where Destiny New Zealand could soak up strong support.

But she believed the key issues facing Pacific people were health and education and said Government initiatives in primary health, with the establishment of primary health organisations (PHOs), had been well received.

Pacific broadcaster Sef Haouli confirmed that morality had dominated talkback on Radio 531 PI.

"Gay marriage" was the strongest concern, he said. While the civil union legislation was passed in a conscience vote, Labour took the rap and Pacific people felt they were not consulted.

"The Labour brand has been tarnished in the eyes of many Pacific people."

Mr Haouli believes Destiny New Zealand has homed in on the dissent and will mine some of the dissatisfaction. "It has provided a ready-made bolthole."

Some Pacific Islanders wanted to make a statement against Labour, and the Destiny Party had put forward high-profile Pacific candidates, he said.

The lowering of the legal age for alcohol consumption had also gone down badly, and Pacific people generally felt as if they were being treated as a minority and pushed further down the social order.

Mr Haouli said the Maori Party was especially courting Cook Island Maori, who had been politically marginalised, despite being the second-biggest group of Pacific Islanders, after Samoans.

The Labour hierarchy was dominated by Samoans to the neglect of other Pacific groups, he said.

Cook Island Maori felt strong links with Maori and there was a lot of intermarriage between the two groups, he said.

"The Maori Party will have a certain appeal to Cook Islanders because of blood lines and cultural similarities."

Other Pacific Islanders could also have some sympathy for the Maori Party, which represented indigenous people who were perceived to have been given a bad deal.

Sina Moore, chief executive Niu FM, said the station's talkback confirmed other parties were pitching for the Pacific vote, although Labour still had strong support.

Niu FM had been encouraging Pacific people to register to vote, as the turnout was traditionally low.

Auckland University academic Dr Melani Anae said about 60 per cent of the Pacific Island population were now New Zealand-born and were politically more savvy.

Whereas their parents had automatically voted Labour members of this new generation were under different influences, which could persuade them to go elsewhere.

"They are not glued to Labour ... they're going shopping."

Dr Anae said Pacific people warmed to strong and charismatic leadership, such as that offered by New Zealand First's Winston Peters. "Winston mirrors their ideal of a chief-like leader."

They also liked the way Mr Peters recognised the older generation and had an immigration strategy that seemed to recognise New Zealand was a Pacific nation.

Self-employed accountant and tax adviser Pelemato Teofilo said people of his generation were more sensitive to what was happening around them.

The 45-year-old Wellingtonian said they were more discriminating and sophisticated voters, concerned with economic issues such as interest rates.

"I've been a Labour person my entire time in New Zealand but I wouldn't mind a change to National ... mainly for tax cuts."

Inoke Vala, an Auckland business development manager, said while Labour support had eroded he was confident most Pacific Islanders still backed the party.

"Some might be talking about tax cuts but you need a job first and unless it is highly paid, the cuts are of little significance."

Mr Vala said when one looked at what all the other parties offered Pacific people, Labour still came out on top.

"It has made ground with unemployment and the interest-free student loans are very attractive."

Lala Tu'ua, president of Auckland University's Samoan Students Association, said students were excited about Labour's student loans policy, which was a major issue for them, and some also supported the Greens. He said most Pacific candidates stood for Labour.

A regular church-goer, he and his family thought the civil union legislation was acceptable, as they were more concerned about personal moral responsibility.

But concern for morality has already spawned the new, if little-known, Family Rights Protection Party, which opposes the civil union legislation as its main policy plank.

Party secretary Susi Williams said most of the 3000 members were Pacific people who were not being heard within other parties.

Miss Williams, an Auckland Samoan, said the group formed last November and had gained members from around the country. Most were previously allied to Labour or, in a few cases, the Progressive Party.

The party was putting up nine candidates in Auckland and was getting exposure through family and church networking.

Miss Williams said 97 per cent of the Pacific people lived by Christian values so the civil union legislation was the "No 1 issue".

Academic Pa'u Tafa Mulitalo said, however, there would remain strong loyalty for Labour from most Pacific people with family incomes under $60,000.

They also had more faith in Labour than National on issues such as Samoan immigration and citizenship rights, he said.

Niuean elder Granby Siakimotu said the Prime Minister's visit to Niue last year helped cement support for Labour.

He said the assistance provided to the struggling country was well received and would be repaid with votes.

"You will find some looking at other parties but at the end of the day they will come back to vote Labour."

Pacific electorate

* Five general electorates have more than 10,000 identifying with the Pacific peoples ethnic group: Maungakiekie (Ellerslie to Otahuhu), Manurewa, Manukau East, Mangere and Mana (Porirua).



* Mangere had the greatest number of Pacific peoples (32,148 or 52 per cent of the electorate ).

* One in 16 people in New Zealand (231,801) are of Pacific identity, a 39 per cent increase since 1991.

* Manukau City has the largest count (72,378), followed by Auckland (47,619), Waitakere (23,241) and Porirua (12,228).