In the seat to drive change for the better

She described the coming together at the Fono as ‘’the dawning of a new day’’ and a chance to reflect, revisit and recalibrate the collective and unique Pasefika responses to family violence and sexual violence in 2023 and moving forward. 

She told attendees that it was ‘’a dark and painful road’’ for many in the Pacific community, but what she noted was that people found it within themselves to dig deep and even carry their own pain to help others. 

‘’I’ve been asked to provide a commentary on how we make our Pacific voices count to drive change across the system. It’s a bit of a reality check, but I do it with the heart of us standing together, we are in the trenches together, we are in the hills and valleys together. As a migrant population who has claimed Aotearoa as our own home there is responsibility on us to build what we believe a better nation looks like,’’ she told her audience. 

"We are in the trenches together, we are in the hills and valleys together. As a migrant population who has claimed Aotearoa as our own home there is responsibility on us to build what we believe a better nation looks like’’

‘’Family and sexual violence problems are not new, they are as ancient as the days, and if you are a reader of the Good Book, you know very well what I am referring to. So as a nation we are beginning to mature in how we recognise harm, but I have to say we are also slower in working out sustainable, transformative ways in dealing with these issues.’’ 

With a background in law and an MNZM (Member of the Order of Merit) for services to youth and the Pacific community, Ali’muamua has gathered a wealth of experience. 

She said having had the privilege of working with babies, children and young people impacted by violence, and for the past two-and-a-half years serving as a Commissioner on the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care in both State and Faith-based institutions, she felt she was speaking from a position of knowledge. More recently she has been appointed as a District Court Judge and will be sworn in on the 4th September 2023.

‘’There are a number of Pacific survivors in those settings, who shared their experiences. The accounts were disturbing, they were harrowing and excruciatingly painful and it was certainly not for the faint-hearted’’ she told a hushed room. 

Her years of experience have also given her the chance to sit at many leadership tables, as well as the South Auckland Social Wellbeing Board where she is the Independent Chair. She is also on the ACC board and has just finished a stint as a Director of Housing NZ. 

She said all that gave her another perspective of bringing together the right people to test the gaps in national policy. 

‘’(We need) to challenge the agencies to take a whole of Government approach, because we need to work out how we can truly support and contribute to breaking down the complex systems that can get in the way of people doing their work,’’ she said. 

How do we ensure our Pacific voices count to drive change? There’s a number of levels. There’s the survivor voice, the victim voice, the perpetrator voice, there’s the provider and agency voices. We all wear multiple hats so that when we come together everyone feels armed and pumped. We can all feel passionate, but if it doesn’t lead to effective change, we haven’t really moved the dice.’’ 

Ali’muamua said looking at the situation though lots of different lenses, what was so noticeable was the invisibility of Pacific voices – and those voices needed to be heard across the system to influence meaningful change. It meant working more strategically, not necessarily harder and by doing that they would be a force to be reckoned with in Aotearoa. 

She finished her talk with a quote she said came from acclaimed actor Morgan Freeman, who said .. 

‘self-control is strength, calmness is mastery, you have to get yourself to a point where your mood doesn’t shift based on the insignificant action of others, don’t let others control the direction of your life, don’t allow your emotions to overpower your intelligence’. 

‘‘When I see Pasifika in action, that’s what I see,’’ Ali’muamua said.