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Resolution number WTK/2024/2
MOVED by Member M Allen, seconded by
Chairperson G Presland:
That the Waitākere Ranges Local Board:
a)
whakamihi /
acknowledge the recent passing of Efeso Collins, a figure whose presence left
an indelible mark.
Over the years, our paths crossed regularly as
we both were part of the left wing of the Labour Party. We were both proud
sons of South Auckland.
Efeso possessed a great gift for oration.
There was a lyrical rhythm to his speech deeply rooted in the strong
Christian Samoan tradition of public discourse. On his day he was one of the
best I have witnessed and he would leave listeners captivated.
I vividly recall a decade ago, when Efeso took
part in the Manukau East selection for the Labour nomination for the seat.
His speech that day was remarkable and resonated deeply with all who were
present. It remains perplexing to me why Labour did not choose him as their
candidate, for he embodied the values of the community.
He was a dedicated advocate for the South
Auckland and Pacifica communities. His pride in his Samoan heritage was
evident in everything he did. He was generous to a fault, always extending a
helping hand to those less fortunate.
During his campaign for the Auckland
mayoralty, I played a role behind the scenes. His loss was deeply felt, for
he would have been an inspirational Mayor and the Pacifica celebration would
have been prodigious.
While aligned well with the Green Party, Efeso
maintained strong ties with Labour's Pacifica sector. His maiden
parliamentary speech was nothing short of outstanding, and he succinctly
summarised four decades of New Zealand's class politics.
In a passage from that speech, he said:
"It's hard to be poor, it's expensive to
be poor, and moreover, public discourse is making it socially unacceptable to
be poor. Whether it's bashing on beneficiaries, dragging our feet towards a
living wage, throwing shade on school breakfast programmes, or restricting
people's ability to collectively bargain for fairer working conditions, we
must do better to lift aspirations and the lived realities of all our people.
To that end, I want to say to this House with complete surety that the
neoliberal experiment of the 1980s has failed. The economics of creating
unemployment to manage inflation is farcical when domestic inflation in New
Zealand has been driven by big corporates making excessive profits. It's time
to draw a line in the sand, and alongside my colleagues here in Te Pāti
Kākāriki, we've come as the pallbearers of neoliberalism, to bury
these shallow, insufferable ideas once and for all. And this, sir, is our act
of love."
Efeso cherished his family dearly. I often saw
him in the company of his wife Fia and their daughters, his pride in them
knew no bounds. My deepest condolences go out to them.
Moe mai ra e hoa, okioki mai ra.
CARRIED
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