Coco congrats to all of our Pasifika winners at the 2020 Women of Influence Awards which were held last night here in Auckland.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban

In 1999, Hon. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban became the first Pacific Island woman to be elected to the New Zealand Parliament. She was Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and Associate Minister of Social Development, Economic Development and Trade.

Dame Winnie resigned from Parliament in 2010 to take up her current role. She is chair of the Public Services Commission Public Service Pacific Fale Governance Group; patron of the Wellington Pasifika Business Network and the Cancer Society Relay for Life; a Creative New Zealand Arts Council board member; and a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and the Council of the National University of Samoa. She is a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and was bestowed the Samoan chiefly title Luamanuvao.…more

It's been all eyes on the United States of America the last couple of days as vote counting started on Tuesday 3rd (Wednesday 4th in the Southern Hemisphere) ... and is still going two days later in what has become a very close, messy and divisive race between President Donald Trump (Republican) and Joe Biden (Democrat).

As at today (Friday 6th in the Southern Hemisphere) Joe Biden appears to be slowly inching ahead in the race to 270 votes and from what we understand needs either 2 States out of Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada & Georgia OR Pennsylvania on its own to get there.

While the world watches on, there are many of us trying to comprehend the Americans electoral process, popular votes and electoral colleges while I'm sure there are also many of us who have been entertained by the memes, media coverage and by President Donald Trump himself.…more

Carmel Sepuloni made some big steps up the rankings of cabinet today to number 6, making her the highest ranking Pacific MP with her new roles as Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, and also Employment, alongside her portfolios in Social Development, Disability Issues and ACC. 

Christchurch East MP Poto Williams adds a Kuki Airani flavor to cabinet, having been promoted from outside cabinet to number 10. Poto is in charge of the Building and Construction portfolio as well as Minister for Police. Formerly the Minister for Community and Voluntary sector. 

Tokelauan minister Kris Faafoi, has also moved up the ranks from number 17 to 13 holding on to Broadcasting and Media, and Immigration portfolios as well as the new role of Minister for Justice. 

Aupito Su’a William Sio maintains Minister for Pacific Peoples as well Courts. 

Also of note - there is now more tangata whenua in cabinet then ever before and we have our first female Maori Minister of Foreign Affairs - Nanaia Mahuta.

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