Election 2023 - Getting Candid: Teanau Tuiono, Green Party candidate for Palmerston North

​Welcome to Getting Candid, our political candidate series highlighting the Pacific politicians running in Election 2023​

What's your age? Old enough to have seen Star Wars in the Theatre when it first came out
Which suburb do you live in? I live in the Manawatū
How many children do you have? 4
What's your ethnic background? Atiuan

What made you want to get into politics?

Well I was a student activist kicking around Auckland University at the same time as Fa'anānā Efeso Collins and Marama Davidson, so I’ve been passionate about social justice issues and environmental kaupapa for a long time now. Confronting injustice has always been important to me and also supporting our diverse communities to be their best selves. I had a solid working class upbringing with very supportive parents. My grandfather was a huge influence and instilled in me a commitment to community. He was a Tumu Kōrero in our Atiuan community and of course I try as best as I can to follow his example.

What's your plan or strategy to win a seat?

Just getting out there to raise the Green Party’s party vote and to support our amazing candidates across the country. We only have nine MPs at the moment but I expect that number to grow. So if our communities want to support their Kūki cousin Teanau Tuiono (me) they might want to consider voting Green this election - I really want us to double our Pasifika Greens caucus this election by bringing in my uso Fa'anānā Efeso Collins. More Green Party votes means more Green MPs. We also have an impressive array of policies that we are bringing to this election and I would encourage our people to check them out.

Who inspires you?

Artists. Artists inspire me. Artists help us to dream about what could be and what might be and help us to consider unexplored perspectives. Resistance and change often begins in art. That is the gift that artists everywhere give to us all. If there is ever a time in which we need to reimagine the world it is now. That reimagination must challenge the way things are to look beyond the systems that hold power in place.

What are the key issues facing people in your area?

Most of us want similar things: a warm home; time with our kids; and enough to cover the weekly shop or new shoes/clothes for the little ones. Inflation has stretched household budgets to breaking point – including for many middle-income families. What this means for the day-to-day experience of thousands of families - and in particular families on low incomes - is even more shocking.

How is it possible that, in a wealthy country like ours, there are thousands of children without enough to eat, a good bed, warm clothes, and decent shoes?

Earlier in the campaign we launched our Income Guarantee. A promise that no matter what, everyone will always have enough to afford the weekly shop, pay the rent, or cover unexpected costs – even when times are tough.

We’re committed to a transformational new way of doing income support that will lift every single family out of poverty.

It cuts taxes for people on the lowest incomes, makes sure anyone out of work or studying has enough to live on, tops-up the incomes for those raising tamariki, and guarantees extra help for anyone who is sick or disabled.

And every dollar we need to pay for it will come from making sure the wealthiest few and large corporations pay their fair share.

We’ve also called for Free Dental care for everyone. For decades Māori and Pasifika whānau have been locked out of the dental care they need. Thousands of Māori and Pasifika are forced to live a life of pain, for many other untreated dental problems can lead to serious health issues.

Right now, half of Māori are unable to access dental services due to cost and Pasifika youth are nearly 50% less likely to access dental care than pākehā youth. We want to bring dental care into the public health system to make it free for all, so everyone can visit the dentist when they need to - and again we’ll pay for it with a fair tax system.

What's your favourite place to eat or get a drink in your area?

Well I have been known to have catch-up hui for a cuppa or a kai at Jackos on George Street.

What's your message to the voters in your electorate or those that you're targeting for the party vote?

Aotearoa is part of a whānau of Pacific nations. Te Moana-nui-akiwa connects us, and the history of Aotearoa is woven into the history of the Pacific.

Successive governments have a poor track record when it comes to supporting Pasifika communities. Current visa rules make it hard for Pasifika peoples to visit their family here in Aotearoa, and many Pasifika peoples who travel here for work are exploited. Many Pasifika peoples are also locked out from buying a home, cannot access the health care they need, and are disproportionately in lower-paying work.

The Green Party helped secure a long overdue apology from the government for the Dawn Raids, and has continued to push to improve incomes, housing, education, and health outcomes for Tagata Pasifika. We have also fought to protect the health of Te Moana-nui-a-kiwa from mining by large corporations, and significantly increased support to help Pacific nations adapt to the effects of the climate crisis.

The time is now to take action to strengthen the family, community and cultural connections between Pasifika peoples living in Aotearoa and the islands. We will support the indigenous responses of all Pasifika communities and peoples on climate change.