William Sio

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New Zealand politician

title: "William Sio" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["new-zealand-labour-party-mps", "manukau-city-councillors", "deputy-mayors-of-places-in-new-zealand", "government-ministers-of-new-zealand", "samoan-emigrants-to-new-zealand", "people-from-the-auckland-region", "living-people", "new-zealand-list-mps", "samoan-chiefs", "new-zealand-leaders-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints", "unsuccessful-candidates-in-the-2005-new-zealand-general-election", "members-of-the-new-zealand-house-of-representatives", "new-zealand-mps-for-auckland-electorates", "candidates-in-the-2017-new-zealand-general-election", "unitec-institute-of-technology-alumni", "1960-births", "candidates-in-the-2020-new-zealand-general-election"] description: "New Zealand politician" topic_path: "geography/new-zealand" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Sio" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary New Zealand politician ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

FieldValue
honorific-prefixThe Honourable
nameAupito William Sio
imageHon Aupito William Sio.jpg
captionSio in 2020
office110th Minister for Courts
term_start16 November 2020
term_end11 February 2023
primeminister1Jacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
predecessor1Andrew Little
successor1Rino Tirikatene
office213th Minister for Pacific Peoples
term_start226 October 2017
term_end21 February 2023
primeminister2Jacinda Ardern
Chris Hipkins
predecessor2Alfred Ngaro
successor2Barbara Edmonds
constituency_MP3Māngere
parliament3New Zealand
term_start38 November 2008
term_end314 October 2023
predecessor3Taito Phillip Field
successor3Lemauga Lydia Sosene
constituency_MP4Labour party list
parliament4New Zealand
term_start431 March 2008
term_end48 November 2008
predecessor4Dianne Yates
birth_date
birth_placeSamoa
nationalitySamoa, New Zealand
partyLabour
otherparty
partner
alma_materBrigham Young University
Carrington Polytechnic Institute
website
::

|honorific-prefix = The Honourable |name = Aupito William Sio |honorific-suffix = |image = Hon Aupito William Sio.jpg |alt = |caption = Sio in 2020 |office1 = 10th Minister for Courts |term_start1 = 6 November 2020 |term_end1 = 1 February 2023 |primeminister1 = Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins |predecessor1 = Andrew Little |successor1 = Rino Tirikatene |office2 = 13th Minister for Pacific Peoples |term_start2 = 26 October 2017 |term_end2 = 1 February 2023 |primeminister2 = Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins |predecessor2 = Alfred Ngaro |successor2 = Barbara Edmonds |constituency_MP3 = Māngere |parliament3 = New Zealand |majority3 = |term_start3 = 8 November 2008 |term_end3 = 14 October 2023 |predecessor3 = Taito Phillip Field |successor3 = Lemauga Lydia Sosene |constituency_MP4 = Labour party list |parliament4 = New Zealand |term_start4 = 31 March 2008 |term_end4 = 8 November 2008 |predecessor4 = Dianne Yates

|birth_date = |birth_place = Samoa |death_date = |death_place = |restingplace = |restingplacecoordinates = |birthname = |nationality = Samoa, New Zealand |party = Labour |otherparty =
|spouse = |partner =
|relations = |children = |residence = |alma_mater = Brigham Young University Carrington Polytechnic Institute |occupation = |profession = |cabinet = |committees = |portfolio = |signature = |website = |footnotes = Aupito Tofae Su'a William Sio (born 1960) is a politician who became a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives on 1 April 2008{{cite web |url=http://theyworkforyou.co.nz/members_sworn/2008/apr/01 |title=Members Sworn |last=New Zealand Parliament |author-link=New Zealand Parliament |publisher=TheyWorkForYou.co.nz|date=1 April 2008 |access-date=7 June 2008}} for the Labour Party as a list MP. From the November to 2023, he represented the Māngere electorate.

Personal life

Sio is a Samoan who was born in Samoa and came to New Zealand in 1969. He has the matai (chieftain title) of Aupito from the Matatufu village of the Lotofaga district on the island of Upolu. He belongs to the extended family called Aiga Sa Aupito, which he now heads, as his father, Aupito Pupu Sio, bestowed the title in a 'fa'aui le ula' from father to son. Sio is a Mormon and has served as one of their bishops. He is married with a family of adult and young children.

While growing up in New Zealand during the 1970s, Sio and his family experienced a police dawn raid, which disproportionately targeted members of the Pasifika communities. Sio recalled that he was personally traumatised by the raid and that his father, who had recently bought the house, was helpless.

Local politics

Sio served as a Manukau City Councillor, representing the Ōtara ward from 2001. Sir Barry Curtis, the Mayor of Manukau City, selected Sio as chair of the planning committee in November 2004. In October 2007, the newly elected Mayor of Manukau City, Len Brown, appointed Sio deputy mayor, making him the first Pasifika New Zealander to hold the position in Manukau City.

National politics

|start=2008 |end= |term=48th |electorate=List |list=47 |party=New Zealand Labour Party |start= |end=2011 |term=49th |electorate=Māngere |list=24 |party=New Zealand Labour Party |start= |end=2014 |term=50th |electorate=Māngere |list=17 |party=New Zealand Labour Party}} |start= |end=2017 |term=51st |electorate=Māngere |list=14 |party=New Zealand Labour Party |start= |end=2020 |term=52nd |electorate=Māngere |list=16 |party=New Zealand Labour Party |start= |end=2023 |term=53rd |electorate=Māngere |list=20 |party=New Zealand Labour Party

Labour candidate, 2005–2008

In the 2005 parliamentary election Sio was ranked 47th on the Labour party list and failed to be elected by two places. However Labour Party list MP Dianne Yates left the Parliament on 29 March 2008,{{cite web |url= http://theyworkforyou.co.nz/resignations/2008/apr/01/dianne_yates_nz_labour |title= Resignations: Dianne Yates, NZ Labour |last= New Zealand Parliament |author-link= New Zealand Parliament |publisher=TheyWorkForYou.co.nz |date=1 April 2008 |access-date=7 June 2008}} and Sio was declared elected in her place (the person above him on the list, Louisa Wall, had already been declared elected to replace Ann Hartley).{{cite news |agency=NZPA |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10470104 |title=Labour MPs make way for newcomers |work=The New Zealand Herald|date=16 October 2007 |access-date=17 October 2007}} |url=http://theyworkforyou.co.nz/list_member_vacancy/2008/apr/01 |title=List Member Vacancy |last=New Zealand Parliament |author-link=New Zealand Parliament |publisher=TheyWorkForYou.co.nz|date=1 April 2008 |access-date=7 June 2008}}

Prior to entering Parliament, Sio was a representative on Labour's national council as Pacific Islands Vice-President.

In opposition, 2008–2017

In the 2008 general election Sio won the Māngere electorate, defeating the incumbent independent (and former Labour) MP Taito Phillip Field by 7,126 votes. In the and s, Sio's majority was approximately 15,000 votes.

In 2013, Sio voted against the Marriage Amendment Bill, which aimed to permit same sex marriage in New Zealand, with fellow Labour MPs Rino Tirikatene, Ross Robertson and Damien O'Connor, alongside New Zealand First, Brendan Horan (former New Zealand First MP), and 32 National MPs. The Bill passed, becoming law. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Labour-Pacfic-Launch-16_(35995093524).jpg" caption="Sio with Labour Party leader [[Jacinda Ardern]] in August 2017"] ::

In government, 2017–2023

Sio was re-elected during the 2017 general election by a margin of 14,597 votes, defeating National Party candidate Agnes Loheni. Following the formation of Labour-led coalition government with New Zealand First and the Greens, Sio was appointed as a Minister outside Cabinet by the Labour Party caucus. On 26 October 2017, Sio was appointed Minister for Pacific Peoples, Associate Minister for Courts, and Associate Minister of Justice.

During the 2020 general election, Sio was re-elected in Māngere by a margin of 19,396 votes, defeating National's candidate Loheni.

In early November, Sio became Minister for Courts, while retaining his Pacific Peoples ministerial portfolio. He also retained his associate justice portfolio while picking up the associate foreign affairs, education (Pacific Peoples), and health (Pacific Peoples) portfolios.

After Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that the New Zealand Government would apologise for the Dawn Raids of the 1970s and early 1980s, Sio gave an emotional testimony of his family's experiences with a dawn raid, stating that the apology restored mana for the victims of these raids.

In mid-December 2022, Sio announced that he would not be contesting the 2023 New Zealand general election and would step down at the end of the 2020–2023 term. He attributed his resignation decision to his family and matai (chiefly) responsibilities, stating that his job as a Member of Parliament was "all-consuming and relentless." On 10 February 2023, Sio was granted retention of the title "The Honourable" for life, in recognition of his term as a member of the Executive Council.

Political views

Sio's stance against the Marriage Amendment Act, which allowed same-sex couple to marry, was not popular among his Labour colleagues. He justified his stance based the beliefs of many Pacific Islanders whom he represents.

By 2019 Sio's views on LGBT issues had progressed. He was a supporter of Pasifika Pink Shirt Day 2019 for young people who identify as part of LGBT communities.

In Sio's valedictory statement to New Zealand Parliament on 22 August 2023 he said it is OK to be different. He encouraged Pacific young people to be proud of who they are, that it is OK to be a member of the rainbow community, and that it is OK to use non-binary pronouns.

Notes

References

References

  1. (11 March 2014). "Su'a William Sio". [[New Zealand Parliament]].
  2. (24 May 2019). "Roll of members of the New Zealand House of Representatives, 1854 onwards". New Zealand Parliament.
  3. "Su'a William Sio". [[New Zealand Labour Party]].
  4. Fernandes, Kymberlee. (23 November 2016). "Su'a William Sio: A man of many titles". The Manukau Courier.
  5. (15 December 2011). "Latter-day Saint Member of Parliament Speaks to Interfaith Group". [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].
  6. (14 June 2021). "Government Minister Aupito William Sio in tears as he recalls family being subjected to dawn raid". [[1News]].
  7. (14 June 2021). "Government to formally apologise for race-based dawn raids". [[Stuff (website).
  8. "Party Lists of Successful Registered Parties". [[Electoral Commission (New Zealand).
  9. "New Zealand Council Members".
  10. (22 November 2008). "Official Count Results – Māngere". [[Electoral Commission (New Zealand).
  11. "Official Count Results – Māngere". [[Electoral Commission (New Zealand).
  12. (4 October 2014). "Official Count Results – Māngere". [[Electoral Commission (New Zealand).
  13. (18 April 2013). ""Gay marriage: How MPs voted".".
  14. (17 January 2020). "Māngere – Official Result". [[Electoral Commission (New Zealand).
  15. (20 October 2017). "Who's in? Who's out?". Radio NZ.
  16. (26 October 2017). "Ministerial List". [[Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (New Zealand).
  17. "Māngere – Official Result". [[Electoral Commission (New Zealand).
  18. (2 November 2020). "Ministerial List for Announcement on Monday". [[Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (New Zealand).
  19. (13 December 2022). "Six Labour MPs including David Clark to retire at election". [[TVNZ]].
  20. (13 December 2022). "The day of retiring Labour MPs: Poto Williams, Aupito William Sio, David Clark among six Labour MPs retiring from Parliament". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
  21. (14 February 2023). "Retention of the title "The Honourable"". New Zealand Gazette.
  22. Weekes, John. (28 October 2012). "MPs attend protest against gay marriage". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
  23. Akai, Janet. (4 May 2019). ""It Takes A Village…" – Pasifika Pink Shirt Day 2019". Cook Islands Development Agency New Zealand.
  24. Sio, Aupito William. (22 August 2023). "Valedictory Statement". Parliament TV On Demand.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

new-zealand-labour-party-mpsmanukau-city-councillorsdeputy-mayors-of-places-in-new-zealandgovernment-ministers-of-new-zealandsamoan-emigrants-to-new-zealandpeople-from-the-auckland-regionliving-peoplenew-zealand-list-mpssamoan-chiefsnew-zealand-leaders-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saintsunsuccessful-candidates-in-the-2005-new-zealand-general-electionmembers-of-the-new-zealand-house-of-representativesnew-zealand-mps-for-auckland-electoratescandidates-in-the-2017-new-zealand-general-electionunitec-institute-of-technology-alumni1960-birthscandidates-in-the-2020-new-zealand-general-election