In the race to be Auckland’s next mayor Rev Uesifili Unasa is asking voters to embrace the city’s diversity.
He told Pacific Scoop his message to voters is to use the mayoral race as an opportunity to think differently about Auckland’s multiculturalism, and to “unite our differences”.
He says he stands as an independent mayoral candidate and he wants Auckland council’s policies and resourcing to work more for the less well-off communities.
Unasa, who is a Samoan born Methodist minister, is currently a chaplain at Auckland University and lives in Parnell.
After attending Kelston High School he studied at Auckland University, graduating with a degree in History and Political Studies. He then earned a degree in Theology from the University of Otago. He trained for the ministry at Piula Theological College in Samoa, Knox Theological Hall in Dunedin, and Trinity Methodist College in Auckland.
Ordained in the Methodist Church in 1995, he spent a decade in parish ministry.
The sitting mayor, Len Brown, appointed Unasa, as Chairman of the Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel, but the Samoan Methodist minister said it had not been heard and had come to nothing.
Auckland’s two Pasifika city councillors say their communities won’t fall for a call to reject Len Brown in favour of a Pasifika mayor. They are supporting Mr Brown.
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