Pacific voice aims to bring connection and inclusion to Kāpiti Coast local government

Afi’a Sulu Fiti, the Raumati Community Board’s only Pasifika candidate, is running to make Pacific voices visible and heard beyond local issues.

“A few years ago, when the previous elections came, I had a look at the candidates and noticed one of them was a guy from across the road. I told my wife at the time that I wouldn’t mind standing for the next one, and so here I am.”

He describes Kāpiti as “a small sort of village community around 45 minutes from Wellington.”

“My wife and I moved here around early 2018, and the idea was to buy a house here and move back to the city. But we absolutely loved it. Now I’ve got two young children, so we’re kind of embedded in the community.”

A region facing real challenges

Afi’a identifies coastal erosion and housing affordability as key concerns for Kāpiti residents.

The Kāpiti Coast faces ongoing coastal erosion and sea-level rise. Photo/Kāpati Coast District Council

“Coastal erosion is on the forefront of a lot of people’s minds, particularly those with beachfront properties,” he says. “The council and the community are grappling with it as sea levels rise, and climate change continues.”

A recent council report noted that parts of the Kāpiti Coast, particularly Raumati and Paekākāriki, face severe coastal retreat risks over the next 30 years, forcing residents and council to balance infrastructure protection with managed retreat plans.

Housing is another pressure point. Afi’a, who recently joined the real estate industry after a career in the public service, says high-density housing in Kāpiti has sparked debate.

Watch Afi'a Sulu Fiti's full interview below.

“There are some concerns within the community about how much it’s going to impact the feel of the area,” he says.

Representation and democracy

Out of 87 people running for local roles in the 2025 Kāpiti Coast elections, Afi’a believes he is the only Pacific Island candidate.

“I believe I’m the only Sāmoan, potentially the only Pacific Islander running,” he says. “In terms of voices not being heard, then yeah, I could say probably quite rightly that they haven’t been heard. It’s about inclusivity, listening, and being open to new ideas.”

For him, Pacific leadership means championing diverse worldviews and community-minded decision-making.

With four positions available on the board, Afi’a hopes to earn one of them while showing that Pacific people belong in local decision-making spaces.

Raumati sits within the Paekākāriki–Raumati Ward, where Afi’a Sulu Fiti is standing for the Raumati Community Board. Photo/Kāpati Coast District Council

“People potentially haven’t heard someone from my sort of background,” he says. “It’s about having another perspective.”

The vote that counts

Afi’a notes low civic participation but encourages everyone to get out and vote.

“I think we see that there’s a bit of apathy in terms of people not voting, and that goes across a whole spectrum. I know it’s a common thread, certainly in Wellington where I came from, and it’s probably the same here. But I just encourage everyone to be part of this democracy,” he says.

“I’d just like to say to people out there that it’s really important to vote. Regardless of where you are and who you are, just get out there and vote.”

Voter turnout across the Kāpiti Coast District Council was 45.8 per cent in 2022, slightly higher than the national average of around 41 per cent. The figure was similar in 2019, when overall participation reached 45.36 per cent.

That year, the Paekākāriki–Raumati Ward, which includes Raumati, recorded a 46.44 per cent turnout, one of the district’s highest engagement rates, just behind Waikanae’s 49.59 per cent.

Analysts and local officials have previously linked the district’s stronger turnout to close-knit community networks and a high proportion of long-term residents.

A community connection candidate

Despite being a first-time contender, Afi’a has deep family roots in service.

The New Zealand-born Sāmoan speaks of his parents’ influence and how they immigrated in the 1960s. His mother, a former bank manager, retrained as an early childhood teacher and now manages an a‘oga ‘āmata (Sāmoan preschool). His father, a retired public servant, still works as an interpreter at age 92.

Afi’a says their strong community spirit inspired him to step out of his comfort zone and stand for election.

Afi’a Sulu Fiti, Raumati Community Board candidate and proud Sāmoan chief from Poutasi, believes in listening first, acting with purpose, and building real connection across generations and cultures. Photo/Kāpati Coast District Council

“I guess that rubbed off on me, coming out of my comfort zone to stand for this election,” he says.

Asked whether he’d ever consider higher office, he laughs: “I haven’t put any thought into that whatsoever. I’ll just keep myself local for now.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.