Will's Word: A thought on the Pacific Peoples Minister’s retirement

I just want to make a quick observation about the retirement of Pacific Peoples Minister Shane Reti.

Dr Reti has confirmed he won’t be standing again at the next election, bringing an end to about twelve years in Parliament. And look, I think it’s fair to say he’s had a pretty difficult run of it in that portfolio.

The Ministry for Pacific Peoples has been under the microscope for a while now. There’s been workforce reductions in the name of so-called efficiency, and of course, there was that review by the Public Service Commissioner.

Now that whole situation, once the media got wind that the ministry might be merged, was handled pretty poorly, there’s no two ways about that. It caused a lot of anxiety in Pacific communities.

But through all of that, Shane Reti has actually been present. He’s been visible, he’s fronted up, and he’s actively engaged with Pacific communities.

In our regular catch-ups, I often felt his enthusiasm for the Pacific Peoples portfolio, and so that shouldn't be diminished.

Listen to Will's Word below.

You can disagree with decisions, you can disagree with the direction of government policy… but I do think it’s fair to say he did the best he could with the cards he was dealt. So for that, I’ll give him credit.

But his retirement does create a bit of a dilemma. Because if the coalition government is returned after the election in November, then who on earth becomes the Minister for Pacific Peoples?

Because right now there are no MPs of Pacific heritage across National, ACT or New Zealand First.Not one.

So here’s a friendly challenge to the coalition parties. If you’re serious about the Pacific vote, if you’re serious about improving outcomes for Pacific communities, then my god, put your Pacific candidates higher up the damn list.

Stop treating them like an afterthought. I'm looking at you, National.