After losing the Auckland mayoral race to Wayne Brown, Efeso Collins vowed to exit politics. He is now up against Jenny Salesa for a seat in Parliament. Photo / Michael Craig
After losing the Auckland mayoral race to Wayne Brown, Efeso Collins vowed to exit politics. He is now up against Jenny Salesa for a seat in Parliament. Photo / Michael Craig
OPINION
Efeso Collins hopes to run a two-tick campaign as a Greens’ candidate in Panmure-Ōtāhuhu against Labour’s Jenny Salesa in the upcoming general election.
After losing the Auckland mayoral race to Wayne Brown, Collins vowed to exit politics. However, after witnessing a “Mickey Mouse” press conference after the Auckland floods on January 27 - in which Brown was gently being dragged away by his deputy - Collins is making a return to politics. But does he have what it’ll take to beat Salesa on her turf?
In 2014, when Ross Robertson retired from the Labour seat in Manukau East, Collins and Salesa contested the Labour Party candidacy. Salesa won it and became a Member of Parliament. Collins was endorsed by Labour in the 2016 local elections and joined Auckland Council as a councillor.
In 2020, the Manukau East electorate was divided into Panmure-Ōtāhuhu and other electorates.
Salesa received 22,818 votes, and Labour received 22,929 votes in Panmure-Ōtāhuhu. Kanwaljit Bakshi received 4192 votes and National, 3970. Previous Greens candidate Mark Simiona received 1366 votes and the Greens, 1284. Salesa won Panmure-Ōtāhuhu with an 18,626 majority over Bakshi and a 21,452 majority over Simiona.
Local MP for Panmure-Ōtāhuhu Jenny Salesa. Photo / RNZ
Since becoming the Labour candidate, Salesa has sailed through every election in Manukau East and Panmure-Ōtāhuhu. It is why I call Panmure-Ōtāhuhu Salesa’s turf.
Collins seems to have had a falling-out with Labour. It was slow to endorse him for mayor, potentially costing him valuable campaign time. Collins’ campaign team say Labour was slow to give resources to his election efforts.
Despite this, many still see Collins as closely affiliated with the Labour Party. Collins is not any other National or Green candidate. He has represented people from Manukau East and Panmure-Ōtāhuhu on Auckland Council. He is a well-respected leader in South Auckland and Pacific communities based in Panmure-Ōtāhuhu. He became more popular after participating in the Auckland mayoral race. People see him as calm, collected, and likeable with a to-do attitude.
All these things do not suddenly make Salesa less appealing, though.
The pair have very similar positions on controversial matters.
They both opposed the legalisation of cannabis. Salesa also voted against making it legal for New Zealanders suffering from a terminal illness or any debilitating condition to use cannabis or cannabis products. But in 2018, Collins said he would support decriminalisation to stop the imprisonment of young people.
Salesa voted against legalising abortion, and Collins held anti-abortion views in the past. However, Salesa supported safe areas and Collins, when running for mayor, said his position is that he “won’t get in the way of women and people who are pregnant making their own, deeply personal decisions”.
Collins likened same-sex marriage to child marriage in 2012. However, he has since changed his views and supported banning conversion therapy. Salesa, knowing I was queer, selected me as her Youth MP in 2019 and supported the ban on conversion therapy.
Their position on controversial issues is unlikely to be the deciding factor.
It comes down to a mix of popularity and campaign strategy. Campaigning will be Collins’ weak spot. The Greens have limited resources and I believe they will invest most into ensuring Chlöe Swarbrick wins Auckland Central again. I imagine the next focus will be assisting Tamatha Paul to win Wellington Central. If Marama Davidson runs a two-tick campaign in Tāmaki Makaurau, that will leave Collins with nothing but a group of ambitious people.
Salesa will have her usual team that has proven to be a powerhouse. She has beaten Collins once and is in a promising position to do it again.
Collins has a nigh-on impossible task ahead of him. Can his popularity and genuine care for his community make up for a near-22,000 vote deficit and the Greens’ low presence, investment and electability in Panmure-Ōtāhuhu?
