Auckland Future

Auckland Future Announces Manukau Ward Candidates

Auckland Future, the new centre right ticket contesting seats for Auckland Council, has selected two leaders from the Samoan and Tongan communities to contest the two seats in the Manukau ward at the October local body elections. They are Christina Atoa Tapu JP, MNZM, a registered nurse who in 2005 was honoured for her services to the Pacific Island community and Aminiasi Ikamafana Tameifuna, a leader and elder in the Tongan community who is currently a senior Tongan interpreter for Counties Manukau District Health Board.

Campaign organizer and a member of the selection panel, Sue Wood, said that in Christina and Ika Auckland Future has two outstanding candidates who will fight to curb the excessive rates demands on their local communities. They both have strong track records as advocates for healthy and safe Pacific Island communities.

Christina has served as a nurse practitioner and in leadership, governance and management in the health sector for the last 25 years.

“Both candidates are highly respected leaders who have worked tirelessly for their communities in the health and justice arenas,” she said. “Christina has worked with the research team, contracted to the Ministry of Justice, to carry out a study of the needs of Pacific peoples who are victims of crime and Ika facilitated the project, supported by Hon Tariana Turia, to develop a Tongan conceptual framework for the prevention of and intervention in family violence in New Zealand. He serves on the New Zealand Police Pacific Advisory Board, Auckland District and sat on the Minister’s Advisory Council on Pacific Island Affairs for six years.

“We are honoured to have them join the Auckland Future team,” she said.

Auckland Future will also be contesting the Otara-Papatoetoe and Mangere-Otahuhu local board elections.

Christina Tapu Ika Tameifuna

Ika Tameifuna BA, Dip Th Profile

Ika Tameifuna has served in Leadership, Governance and Management roles in his forty two (42) years of service in the Public Sector. He started his Public Service career as a Language Practitioner in the Auckland Region, providing Interpreting Services, as part of the Justice and Courts System (1979-1991). He then worked in leadership and management roles in the health sector for eleven (11) years (1991-2001). This included five (5) years at South Auckland Health, and six (6) years at the Auckland Regional Office of Health Funding Authority.

His interest in Education took him to a leadership role with Special Education Services (Ministry of Education) (2001-2005). In 2005, Ika was recruited by Immigration New Zealand and later stationed in Tonga as Manager of the Visa and Permit Branch based in Nukualofa. Ika was a Member of the Advisory Council to the Minister of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs (MPIA) for six years (2009- 2015).

He is currently working as a Language Practitioner providing Interpreting and Translation services for Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB). Ika is an active Community Leader of Tongan descent. He is a husband, father and grandfather. He is a rate payer and resident of Auckland for over 40 years. Ika is passionate about healthy living and cares about the well-being of the people of Manukau Ward and Auckland City.

Christina Atoa-Tapu Profile

Christina Atoa-Tapu is a Justice of the Peace (JP) since 1997. She is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (M.N.Z.M) (2005) for her service to the community. Christina has served as a nurse practitioner and cultural consultant. In addition, she has worked in roles of leadership, governance and management in the health sector for the last 25 years.

Christina also served on the Social Justice Commission of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia (2005). She is a Lay Canon and Member of the Cathedral Chapter of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in the Diocese of Auckland (2007). Christina is a Community Leader of Samoan descent with a passion to serve and a desire to see positive transformations in community.

She is a mother and delights in being a grandmother. Christina is a ratepayer in the Manukau Ward and an Auckland resident of 30 years.

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